Watch out New Zealand, we've got wheels!
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| Steve was very helpful |
It didn't take long for our kiwi green 1990 Nissan Sentra to find us. Across the street from Jailhouse Accommodations we were walking to the grocery store and we both did a double take. The price written on her dirty glass read $1650. We debated the pros and cons to a small car vs. a larger vehicle we could sleep in. Obviously we went for the small car, but why? One word, GAS. This little manual car can get us far on a full tank of gas compared to a gas guzzler. Sure, we have to rough it outdoors in a tent but we love that sort of adventure and if it's raining kiwis and penguins out, we will get a room somewhere.
Papa John was helpful when it came to checking out the details of the car and taking it on a test drive. We made a list of all the things needed done to it. Needs new mirror, fix brake light, steers slightly to the left....
Luckily the car was being sold by Phil the mechanic, him and his delightful wife own Maryland Motors. We agreed that if he fixed all of the issues and included a six month registration we would pay the asked price as he wasn't willing to negotiate it. At least we could get everything fixed and the registration for a longer term as I've been told they can be pricey. All vehicles in New Zealand go through a process called a Warranty of Fitness so the vehicle is safe on the road for the driver, others and the environment.
Once we got our little kiwi (I named it Kiwi because of the light green color like the inside of a kiwi fruit) we didn't drive it for a while. This was an entirely new endeavor for both of us, driving on the left side of the road with a manual on the left side. We finally buckled down one day, Sarah drove our friend Liz and I to the grocery store and I drove back. We didn't go very far but it was pretty fun! Car insurance is surprisingly cheap here, we got full coverage for an entire year and it cost around $250nzd!!
We both had this Monday off so we decided to get the heck out of Christchurch and go exploring.
Only 82 kilometers away (51 miles) from the sprawling city of Christchurch lies the calm seaside town of Akaroa (in Maori this means 'long harbor'). New Zealand doesn't have big highways like in the USA, they have motor ways with top speeds of 100 km (60mph). We've been told by several people to obey the speed signs or else we could get a hefty fine. During the entire trip I did just that while car after car tailgated me and impatiently zipped around at the most, I thought, dangerous times. No wonder speeding tickets are expensive, everyone drives insane here (reminds me of California drivers) and we never saw a cop car.
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| Sarah getting her make up done |
The ride to Akaroa is CURVY. There are twists and bends almost the entire way. We arrived around noon with sunny skies and a cool breeze welcoming us. We had a sensational lunch. I ordered a seafood chowder accompanied with a refreshingly smooth local Pinot Gris (Meniscus 2009). Sarah dined on local Blue Cod fish and chips and a fruity Pinot Rose (Wild Earth 2012). Quaint French styled houses sat nearby surrounded by lush green hilly pastures lined with sheep. Where we sat overlooked the harbor, several boats rocked gently as geese swam by in a line.
Wandering the main street, Rue Lavaud, we found several interesting stores housing typical tourist souvenirs. I was impressed to find that most of these trinkets seem to be of good quality. Not the typical China made products found in the rest of the world. I love this about New Zealand. I am an observant shopper, I look at where the products made and if it is food, what the ingredients are. Almost every product is made locally.
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| Enjoying the view |
After soaking up the sunshine we decided to head back a different way. There is a road called Tourist Drive that wiggles a long an ancient crater. Several people had warned me about the road and how beautiful the view was, but don't look at it! Sarah did but I tried to keep my wandering eyes locked on the narrow and curvy road ahead. The only thing separating us from the road and the bottom were a few hairy sheep and their young frolicking about. We did stop a few times, what a breath taking view! Notice our new kiwi bird friend for our kiwi car. Anyone have a good name for him?
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| Akaroa! |
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| This is what happens when Terra drives |
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| I see you everywhere Melissa Faith |
Wine & Food Festival
Surprisingly this is the third year the Wine and Food Festival has blessed Christchurch's North Hagley Park with a plethora of local and world-renowned wine, food and entertainment. They selected 45 top wineries to showcase, 11 restaurants and 40 food exhibitors.
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| Chef Gary Miller |
After strenuous work (busy season) at Jailhouse Accommodation, Sarah and I walked to the event. We were giddy because we could wear our dresses in the eighty degree sunshine, shaded by Hagley Park's ancient trees. Upon arrival we shared a seafood chowder and a glass of white wine. With limited seating we find a nice spot to enjoy our delights amongst a group of friendly kiwi's. Later we cruised the vendors and of course found more food and wine to consume. A few times we sat on the grass and listened to a series of bands play on stage. Later we watched a food demonstration by a Kiwi Chef, Gary Miller. His food demo was titled, "Respect Your Greens." He tossed an Asian salad together and roasted vegetables topped with beef, both that could accompany any barbie (barbeque). Feeling rather tired, our finale was spent swaying to the rhythm of a reggae band called The Black Seeds. Apparently Rolling Stone described them as "The best reggae band in the world right now."
