Cyclones & Seals, Christchurch & Kaikoura

We've had a touch of luck in New Zealand. Despite the warnings that it rains as much here as in England (i.e. a lot) we've hardly seen a single drop. Every day we've woken up to brilliant blue skies and have reached for our sunglasses more often that our sweaters. 

Until Christchurch. 

A whole month's worth of rain fell in a single day as Cyclone Lusi hit the city. Fortunately, some friends of friends had lent us their flat for the weekend so we at least had a nice place to cosy up in whilst we hid away from the storm. Also rather fortunate, is the fact that there seems to be very little to do in Christchurch regardless of the weather so we really didn't miss out on too much at all. If I'm honest, after our jam packed few weeks we quite welcomed the excuse to curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea. 

By the time we arrived at our next destination, Kaikoura, the rain had depleted and turned into drizzle. It was still so grey and dismal that we had little hope of it ever clearing up but miraculously the morning brought clear skies. We needed to be on our way by midday but to make the most of what time we had left we set off on a three hour walk along the coastal front. Less than half an hour in, however, my flip flop broke and I was left bare foot. I hobbled along for another hour or so before admitting defeat and turning around. It seems my notoriously ugly feet carry all the same characteristics as a hobbit's but can't handle the same conditions. 

I did at least get to see some seals before I Ieft though which was pretty awesome. The first we spotted was slumped across the pathway, so blatantly in the way but showing no signs of moving. We found another seeking shade below a picnic bench and a whole load more further out on the rocks. They seemed like the happiest animals in the world, lolling around in the sunshine without a care in the world. I almost felt a pang of jealousy, before realising our lives right now aren't so dissimilar. 

From now until we fly to Fiji we'll be travelling back up to Auckland where we started this adventure. Four weeks and more than a few hundred miles later we'll have completed our circuit of this wonderful country. If we could go around again I think we genuinely would!