We left Christchurch and began our driving tour. From ChCh, we drove north through Amberley and to a sheep farm. Not because we wanted to, but because our directions were a tad shy of details ("I've been here 50 years and never seen a campground.") The drive was nice anyway and we headed to Port Robinson for our first New Zealand hike. We had a nice day for it, and had our picnic lunch overlooking the coast. We also electrocuted some pigs, but that was an accident (they really shouldn't beg like that while they are contained by an electric fence). We continued our driving, stopping for coffee (this action will be repeated many times, and may simply be denoted by 'SFC'), and having another hike on the Kaikoura Peninsula. Eventually we arrived in Kaikura and found our Bed and Breakfast - The Convent. It was hosted by a lovely French chef and his wife, a large lab and 2 cats. Dinner on this New Year's Eve was lobster tail (yum) and the celebration of the millennium was in the converted chapel, with some good champagne, lots of good discussions and some really raucous laughter. We made to the new century and hit the sack for our sunrise and swim with the dolphins. Unfortunately, the sunrise was less than spectacular - it was severely overcast, but the swim was very nice. The dusky dolphins are never baited to swim with humans, but seem very curious about the large black mammals who can't seem to use their flippers or do anything exciting except gasp through a tube. We were in full wetsuits, and the water was cold, but it was exciting to be that close to the dolphins. Their play on the surface was better than any Sea World show - they do NOT have to be trained to do tail-flaps or back flips.
We leave The Convent and head west towards Lewis Pass, stopping to hike in a fern forest (aren't they all) and to walk along the St. James Walkway. We end up at Maruia Springs, a hotel owned by some Japanese who have turned it into proper hot baths for weary travelers. You can soak in three different types of baths, all scented with sulpher (natural hot springs, remember?). They were very relaxing except for the biting flies wo had begun to carry off the least-immune. These bites ITCH and leave huge bumps that continue to ITCH for days. For dinner we had tepenyaki (sp?). This is a cook-it-yourself menu of veggies, salmon and beef that you put on a hot greased as cooker. It was all very tasty but just a bit on the messy side.
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