ROAD TRIP: DAYS 9 - 11

We drove from Nelson to Kaikoura on Day 9 and spent the next two days relaxing there. We stayed in a cottage across the street from the water, and spent our days playing on the beach, exploring the area, and strolling through the quaint little town. We interrupted our own dinner at home on the first night to go outside to admire the breathtaking sunset!

On Day 11, we stopped for breakfast at Kaikoura Bakery, which is where I got the absolute best cherry donut ever. We then drove to Christchurch. A little halfway into our drive, we stopped at Waipara Hills, a winery in the mountainsides of New Zealand. The vineyard just looked like it went on forever and ever. The building itself looked like a large cottage with a stone exterior, patio with pergolas, and gardens with pink rose bushes. We first had lunch at their cafe where the food was delicious. I got the best spring rolls and a sparkling drink in a fancy glass. Before we left, we made sure to ask some questions about the winery:

• Are the grapes handpicked? No, machines go down the rows of grapes and pick them from the vines.

• What are those big machines in the back of the property? They are where the wine is made. They transfer the juice from the grapes to barrels and then bottle the wine.

• Are the grapes actually stomped on to get the juice? No, we do not step on the grapes. We have machines to extract he juice.

When we arrived in Christchurch, we dropped our bags and we went straight to another gondola! We wanted to take advantage of the sunny skies to get clear views of the city. We rode to the top of the mountain and walked around for a bit. We saw three different bodies of water that were all three different types of blue. The water just disappeared into the horizon. We even saw a famous port, nicknamed the “Gateway to Antarctica,” where many explorers board ships to Antarctica.

Seeing and visiting a winery was very cool, and I can’t wait to keep exploring Christchurch!