Day 1: Kaikoura

The trip started out depressing and exciting all at one time. The ferry ride over was fun, but the menacing weather put a damper on it. Instead of stopping at Abel Tasman Nat'l Park first (#7 on the map below), we decided to make it our last stop and instead start down the east coast. So we headed to Kaikoura, which is the main stopover for folks wanting to swim with dolphins, whale watch, etc. It's also near Marlborough wine country, widely considered the best wines in NZ. We did none of that.

Instead, the rain moved us to simply try NZ lobster, gigantic crayfish, and instead of camping, we stayed indoors in a backpackers (a hostel). Both were fairly disappointing. The drive itself--especially the coastline--was nice, but the clouds obscured the mountains that loom in the background.

So, no pictures on this one. To make up for that, I'll immediately post the next one, on Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki.