We flew down to Christchurch where Rod picked us up and introduced us to his campervan which he has kindly lent us until Easter.
Our day wandering around Christchurch was quite nostalgic with a visit to 22 Cashel Street and a stroll around Hagley Park. Once Tuesday we drove out to Akaroa to escape an ex-tropical cyclone. Then we braved the north easterlies with an overnight stop in Kaikoura.
In Picton we hooked up with Mark and Sue Hoyle who moved to Picton 7 years ago. Great to catch up with old Argyll friends.
From Picton to Nelson and lunch with Warren & Leonie - veterans from our K98 trip. By chance we also came scrambling as Lance Jennings as and his wife on their mountain bikes. Lance too had been with Ims’s in Nepal 26 years ago.
For supper we had a dinner date with Tom & Vicky Jackson who are the OCC Port Officers and are CCA Bluewater Medal winners.
Today we are in beautiful Nelson Lakes bound for Te Kinga tomorrow. | 
