July 10th, 2014 - Cultural Artifacts, Caves, Cute Animals, Curvy Roads, Cold Wind

Kia Ora!  We are back from our first road trip - tired and happy from a few more "best day ever"s!

Leaving Chez La Mer Backpackers this morning in rainy conditions.

We left Akaroa this morning in wet, windy and cold conditions and headed over to Okains Bay through "high cloud" (that we actually drove through) to the site of the Okains Bay Maori & Colonial Museum where we had a chance to explore an extensive collection of exhibits showcasing Maori and early colonial NZ artifacts in a sleepy little town by the bay - we saw everything from a small Marae and a Waka to hand carved bone fishhooks.  

Learning about a Marae with Dr. Hostetler

After tea, we ate lunch down by the beach and explored a small cave and the beach.  The weather then had cleared enough so that we could take the small roads winding along the edge of the ocean between Okains Bay and Little Akaloa before joining back up with the Tourist Drive along the crater rim along the Banks Peninsula - all with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean on the one side, and the Akaroa Bay area on the other.  Along the way we were impressed by the very "hobbity" looking hills and beautiful sheep and cows.

Coming back from exploring a cave where we had our lunch

"Hobbity" landscape and Gatawaka in the background with wayward sheep blocking the road on the way to Little Akaloa.

We even braved a muddy trail to see a 2,000-year-old (the one in Hinewai was ONLY 600 years) Totara tree (measuring almost 28 feet around) before stopping in Little River for afternoon tea and to explore the art gallery and craft cooperative.

Hug a tree!

Next we stopped at Birdlings Flat to collect rocks (actually semi precious stones like agate and greenstone) to weigh down our suitcases.  The WIND at the ocean was so strong we could almost lay back on it, but it did not deter us.

Birdlings Flat - the entire shore is made up of these stones!

Fighting the wind to make it back to the Gatorwaka.

At the end of the day we stopped in a rock shop where Dr. H BOUGHT more rocks much to my amusement and then we headed home with a beautiful sunset in the sky.  LOTS of muddy laundry to do from our travels tomorrow - thank goodness lectures don't start until 10am.

 Sweet Dreams of colourful rocks, dry socks and the sweet cow singing to us on the way to Little Akaloa, Meryl ; )