You may remember news from November last year discussing a
high magnitude earthquake that hit the South Island, isolating the town of
Kaikoura. The reason for the isolation was closure to the train, and both roads
(i.e. the only two) to reach the coastal town. The road damage, collapsed
bridges and tunnels, and major slips prevented access to this small but
well-known town. Kaikoura is a major destination for visitors to the South
Island because local tourism offers whale/dolphin/seal watching opportunities.
A coastal walk takes you up close to a seal colony (it was a nice hike but wow
the smell haha). Kayak, boat, and small plan tours provide the opportunity to
view and swim with dolphins and whales. So, it is a pretty cool place.
Kaikoura had been on my list of places to see for quite some
time. When we decided to spend our summer vacation on the South Island, it was
one of the places that went on the list right away. This was pre-earthquake of
course. Post-earthquake we contacted the local tourism bureau to determine what
was expected for road access, tour availability, etc. We were advised that
based on the dates planned, there should be no problem. So off we went on our
merry way.
Kaikoura was the third major destination on our trip, so it
was after New Year’s that we headed that way. The coastal road from the top of
the island was not yet open so we took the 5-hour scenic route to get there, as
we were coming from Nelson. Other than the time required to get there it was
not really a bad drive; we got to see some new territory which is always fun.
It was only the last hour and a half, when it started raining, and was nearing
twilight, that we felt a bit frustrated and concerned about actually reaching
our destination.
As we neared the area where major road damage had occurred,
there was a big red sign that said “Danger Zone.” Cue dramatic music? Turns out
that sign was there because just around the corner was a bridge that had
collapsed, and has been replaced with a not-so-sturdy looking wood bridge. But
never mind, our car was small and we made it across. Next hurdle: driving
through a ditch. Wasn’t flooded, *phew! The next 90 kilometeres were similar
with sections reduced to gravel, slips alongside the road, and lots of bumps
(not to mention the windy curvy bits that are a part of nearly all New Zealand
roads). We did get to see a big herd of reindeer though J
We made it just before dark and were all relieved to get out
of the car. The next day we ventured into town to have a look around.
Unfortunately it was a rainy day and the majority of rainy day activities had
not yet been cleared from earthquake damage so remained closed. Mini-golf and
llama treks were an option though (apparently on a llama trek you get your own
personal llama to lead on a scenic walk. Ummmm…). We chose to only embrace the
former. We also braved the coastal walkway to see the seals. One was right on
the trail so we could get pretty close, although they can be territorial so a
10-meter distance is recommended to ensure they do not get grumpy and chase you
away.
After a lazy evening we were hopeful of better weather the
next day. Alas, such was not our luck. This meant whale/dolphin watching was
not an option because the sea was too rough for the boats to go out. So we
thought a day trip was a great alternative. Off we went to Hanmer Springs, a
spa-town we had heard lots about. Lucky for us, the coastal road heading south
from Kaikoura was open. While it was still somewhat slow going due to single
lane areas and a couple of detours from slips, we made the trip successfully.
Thus began a relaxing day of strolling through town and enjoying the thermal
pools and waterslides at the spa.
Late afternoon we thought it was time to head back to
Kaikoura for the night, as we were aware the coastal road closed at 8pm each
night due to the danger of overnight slips. Since this was the faster route
back we wanted to allow plenty of time. Unfortunately luck did not quite seem
to be on our side. We got within 20 minutes of reaching our destination and
were met with a road closed sign. No indication why it was closed early, and
nobody had thought to post a sign further down the road that could have saved
us an hour and a half of driving. We had no choice but to back track nearly two
hours to take the inland road. So ok, frustrating but we knew the way and
wanted to get back to our room for the night.
You know those moments when you think it cannot possibly get
worse? We had dealt with the damaged inland road already, missed out on whales
and dolphins due to rain, and spent unanticipated extra time driving through
rain on difficult roads. Surely there was nothing else. Well, we were wrong. No
sooner had we started down the inland road and entered the danger zone than we
encountered a sign saying that half an hour down the road, the inland route was
also closed. Uh-oh…
By this time we had been driving around for almost 4 hours
trying to get back to Kaikoura. Mom had elected to stay in Kaikoura for the day
so she could explore the museum. So all we are thinking is “She is stuck there
on our own, and we are stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the
clothes we have on and wet swimsuits….” Luckily there was a mountain lodge (due
to some apparently good ski slopes) close to where the inland road was closed.
They had a room available, allowed us to use the phone to call mom (no cell
service in the mountains of course), and kept the kitchen open late so we could
have dinner (it was nearing 9pm by this point).
We were so tired by this point, and frustrated and having to
book unexpected accommodation, with no overnight bags. But the lodge owners
were incredibly hospitable, and it was a beautiful place. There was even a piano
in the common room I could play J
So really, it was not an ideal day and there was some grumpiness happening for
sure, but we did have a good outcome. Staying in a beautiful place sure beat
sleeping in the car (especially since it had snowed in the mountains so it was
a bit chilly, especially since I was wearing sandals!), and we now know a
beautiful place to stay if we choose to return to that part of the country. And
the food was home-cooked by Mr. lodge-owner, he is an excellent cook!
The road was open the next morning, so we made it back to
pick up mom and pack our bags for the trip to Christchurch. I do recommend
Kaikoura as a destination, but maybe only if the weather is good, and you know
the roads will be open J
More South Island adventures to come!
