We have made it to the South Island, what spectacular scenery on the ferry, but I must say I was a little bit intimidated by the size of the mountains as we approached! Yes we'll have to ride over a few of those - like tomorrow's ride which is almost all gravel, so I now have big fat tires ( or tyres, since that's how it is spelled (or spelt) here) - I hope I can make those things turn and get through the day. Then it is a rest day in Hamner Springs, where there are lots of hot pools to soak in and perhaps soothe the aching muscles after all that bouncing around on the gravel.
Today's ride was all about vineyards! We had stayed in Blenheim after taking the ferry, right in the heart of Marlborough wine country. The first 30+ km of the ride today was solid vineyards, and I kept wanting to look sideways down the endless rows of grapes but that isn't very safe on a bike so I had to make do with quick glimpses. If you look at any label on wine bottled here that has a landscape-type design, that is exactly what our view looked like today. Misty, cloudy, layers and layers of soft green hills receding into the distance. Tonight we are at St Anaund, with a beautiful blue lake which looks a lot like Lake Louise, with similar mountains beyond it. No glaciers though, not yet, but in a few days we will be near Franz Joseph Glacier.
It is a chilly evening here, but Wayne and I are going to bundle up and go look for kiwis - maybe we will be lucky and see one. They are aren't big on survival skills, having evolved back in the days of no land mammals and thus no predators. All that has changed with the arrival of Maori, dogs, rats, and the rest of us.
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