Mar 3 Lake Tekapo to Blenheim
A long, dull, damp day. Drawing the bedroom curtains revealed that the clouds had lifted a little, revealing what looked like a fresh covering of snow on the mountains. I made a rapid departure at about 7.30, started the descent towards the coast and into the thick clouds.
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From there, I drove into drizzle, out of drizzle and back into it again. I stopped at Ashburton for breakfast (it was dull & drizzly there), Cheviot for petrol (dull), and Kaikoura for a late lunch (dull and slightly damp).
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By the time I reached Kekerengu for afternoon coffee, it was dull and windy, with the waves crashing against the shore. Not a good omen for tomorrow’s ferry crossing.
With relatively light traffic and only a few hold-ups for road works, I made good progress and didn’t stop to appreciate what is normally a pretty journey. The one major change since my last visit was the construction of a new concrete road bridge at Seddon, to replace the old road/rail bridge.
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The latter is now looking rather sad, only serving the railway, and it looks as if one of New Zealand’s outstanding engineering achievements is being allowed to fall into disrepair.
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From there, I made it to Blenheim, arriving at about 4.30, around 9 hours since I started. A long and very tiring day, but at least it had stopped raining. After a lengthy lie down at the motel, I crossed the garden to Rocco’s, an Italian restaurant I have visited many times in the past. Even at 6.30, I struggled to get in, claiming the last available table. Unlike last night, the scallops were excellent, as was the veal. I had to request a tea spoon in order to consume the sauce remaining in the scallop shells. Whilst everyone rushed around trying to earn their dinners, the restaurant cat sat on a comfy chair, confident in the knowledge that it would be fed without any problems. |
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I sat on a sofa, drank my coffee and took its photo several times. Mission accomplished, I returned to the motel for TV and bed.