Part 2

Part 2 Marlborough Sound, Nelson, and Kaikoura

Eric had to stop here - there's a backpackers hostel called The Juggler's Rest.		A timber processing place just outside of Picton.


We stopped for the night just outside of Havelock, at a little overlook called Cullen Point. Had it all to ourselves. At the top was this structure. We think it's some kind of navigational or survey beacon.		The view from our dinner table. We really loved having the back doors open.


The town of Havelock in the morning sun.		On the road to Nelson we stopped for a little walk at a stream.


This plant is everywhere. Very strange looking.		A lot of the beech trees have this weird nasty-looking black growth on them.


This is a close-up. It smells funny too. Here's what the internet has to say about it: Sooty mould fungi, growing on honeydew secreted by scale insects, produce conspicuous black growth on beech trees.		The clock tower in Nelson.


The Cathedral.		We actually got to walk up the organists tower in the Nelson Cathedral and watch her play. Looked like a lot of fun - definately a whole body experience, with all the foot pedal usage.


The town of Nelson, from the Cathedral.		Holden is an Australian brand of car that you see lots of here.


We did our traditional McDonalds stop for ice cream. We always check out a McDonalds in every foreign country we go to.		These kids were playing for money on the street. They were pretty good at it, too, and had a few pieces well worked out.


We stopped and took a walk at the Kawatiri junction that has an old railway tunnel and bridge, no longer in service. One thing that's different here - many, many people (especially kids) walk around with bare feet!		Eric on the bridge.


These rocks look like they're painted orange, but it's actually a type of lichen.		So many ferns - it was like a green world.


A mini beach on the lake.		We saw lots of converted Japanese buses used as campers. Also some homemade campers, very interesting looking.


This is a roadcut close to the Mangles intersection, near Murchison. We found some neat leaf fossils here.		Interesting ribs in the rocks.


This horse galloped up to us when we stopped, kicking dirt over our heads.


Even though we'd only been here a few days, this is probably the thousandth sheep we saw. They're quite timid, and run away when you stop to take a picture.		Headed over Lewis Pass - the St. James Track tarn area. It was incredibly beautiful, with delicate little trees festooned with moss. The pictures don't do it justice.


		Little pools were everywhere.


This is where be camped last night, just over Lewis Pass. Lots of biting sandflies.		Making breakfast along the way, in a windier spot, to get away from the sandflies.


The landscape on the way to the east coast. Beautiful.





Lots of one-lane bridges, with little bays in them where you can let cars go by in the opposite direction.		In Kaikoura, on the coast. The main attraction in town is going to the seal colony nearby. There's a huge rocky shelf there, where the seals often come ashore.


We took a long walk around the coastline.


On the rocks everywhere was this type of seaweed, like strings of tan pearls.		Lots of large limpets on the rocks as well.


This seaweed is called bladderweed. You can see why when you break it up and see all the air bladders inside.		Fascinating how the rocks layers folded like this.


We found some bones on the beach. I assume they're from seal. I found one that looks like a human knucklebone, though.		On the hilltop part of the walk. Lots of electric fencing in New Zealand.


		Back to the parking lot. The Kaikoura Mountains are in the background.


At the motorcamp, planning the next day...		Most motorcamps have these tiny cabins for rent. This one was particularly cute.


Eric at the motorcamp.		For dinner that evening we went to the Craypot. It was supposed to be really good, but we found it pretty average. Eric had a crayfish, which Kaikoura is famous for (the name means "eat crayfish" in Maori).


Kaikoura has a beautiful pebbly beach		Sunset over the motorcamp.


The next morning we took a little walk around Kaikoura, just to an overlook.		Eric found a cat to pet at the top. I wonder if it sat there just to enjoy the view?