The end of our trip

Now we have reached the last destination of our trip: Fiji. Our hotel is the Maui Palms Villas, a pretty little hotel with just 4 bungalows and max. 8 guests, situated directly at the beach. We have nine days here to relax: swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, sunbathing, sleeping, eating, drinking, reading. That's all. We enjoy the privacy and the excellence service provided by Christine and her Fiji Team - and her little three-year-old son Noah. 

This is our bungalow.

Our beach and the lagoon.

Today we did a tour to a picturesque quiet waterfall which we reached on foot after a 45 minutes walk and nine times crossing the same river. But not across bridges as we had thought before. We had to walk through the river! That was the end of Doro's boatshoes. But finally we were rewarded by a very nice swim in the pool below the beautiful waterfall.

On the way back we visit the Catholic Church and school of the nearby village.

Thanks to our driver and guide. We had an exciting trip.

On Wednesday we will go home. Next week we will publish our final post. 

Christchurch, Banks Peninsula with Akaroa and Transalpine with Kiwi Rail

Arriving in Christchurch in the evening, we clean up our campervan next morning and return it by noon to KEA, friendly welcomed by a young German backpacker lady working for KEA. A shuttle brings us to our B&B in the city. The driver, a man of about our age, expresses his frustration that even after three years, since the earthquake in Christchurch 2011, no real progress in rebuilding the city center is visible. We feel astonished about his depressive way of talking, which we did not experience up to now from any other Kiwi. They usually are very proud of their country! But we understand it when we do a city walk the afternoon: you cab see how beautiful this city must have been before the earthquake, but the damages are really depressing. Fotos may tell the story:

The 185 empty chairs reminding of the 185 victims of 2011 earthquake.

And signs of improvisation capabilities and reconstruction:

On Sunday we see in Christchurch museum an exhibition with fotos from the first days after the catastrophe. No words!

On Friday we decide spontaneously to follow the advice of a French couple we met the evening before, rent a chic Mini and do a tour to the Banks Peninsula with the picturesque harbor village of Akaroa. Stunning views, nice lunch in the sunshine, and on the way back a spectacular sunset on the Lake Forsythe. A perfect day, that ends with a nice dinner in the modern restaurant Fiddletwist. 

On Saturday we do the Transalpine tour with Kiwi Rail. The train crosses the Southern Alpes on it's slow way from Christchurch on the eastern side to Greymouth on the western side of south island. We better to let pictures talk than words.

From Kaikoura to Christchurch

Monday afternoon wie reach Kaikoura. The drive along the east coast was breathtaking, what wie did not know or even expect were the snow covered mountains glittering in the sun. 

Kaikoura is a little town at the beach with only about 3800 inhabitants but 800 000 tourists per years. It is lovely and famous for crayfish, whale watching and a seal colony and a lot of shops and cafes and restaurants. We notice that it is getting winter, as it's really cold outside and some hotels and shops and the little museum are closed. That is a pity, I would have loved to learn about whale catching. 

The old whaling station. 

There are many of those little chapels close to the roads.

So cute! 

On our walk around the peninsula it starts to rain so heavily that Friedhelm wants to throw himself into the waters. 

Unfortunately the rain and the weather are getting worse so that we decide to go further south. 

The next stop is Cheviot, a little village where we have coffee in a coffee shop and art gallery. 

We are really impressed how many small local art galleries there are in this country. The quality of sculptures and paintings we saw is really high level, not comparable with Germany. 

We stay overnight in Gore Bay. There is a long beach and some summer houses. The rain is getting even worse and the next morning we see some floodings. Luckily the roads are fine. 

On our last drive to Christchurch we have a wine tasting and lunch at Waipara Hills winery. 

Late afternoon we arrive our Christchurch campground where we will have to get our camper and our luggage ready for tomorrow's camper van return.

Two days in Blenheim Marlborough country

Blenheim is the wine capital of Marlborough region. Of course we want to taste wine here.

On Sunday morning we go to a small farmers' market and meet four young German backpackers. We sit in the sun and have a chat with them about life and culture of NZ. 

Then we go on a long walk along the river Wairau. 

In the evening we go out for dinner to the Hans Herzog Estate.

Hans Herzog is a Swiss wine maker who came to NZ 16 years ago. On a relatively small area he developed a huge variety of grapes like Sauvignon Blanc, Zweigelt, Viognee, Cabernet, Merlot, Montepulciano....

In the midst of the vineyards there is a fine Bistro and a Restaurant, we cannot resist and a book a table. 

We are offered the opportunity to park our campervan on the grounds of the estate and stay overnight on the near river bank, so that we can have a 5 course degustation menu 

with accompanying wines. 

Is it lovely? Late in the evening we go back to the car, it is absolutely quiet here and it is not dark at all, as there is an almost full moon. Believe it or not, the restaurant closes up for 5 months from now on. This was the last night, as it is winter here!!! Winter with ca 20 degrees at daytime.