Down Under January 2014 | A lazy summer day

After yesterday's over-indulgence we needed a restful day and the weather cooperated to provide for one. It was hot--as hot as we have had since we got here nearly three weeks ago. We slept in (yeh!). Margaret poached eggs. We have the greatest gluten free bread possible from Vogel's--six seed--which even Margaret can eat. Finally we headed out in shorts and Tees (a skirt for me finally) and headed toward the north side of the peninsula today where it was hot and muggy. After a short white (that's coffee for those who aren't familiar)--tall for me--and a bit of discussion, we thought we would try a short hike out Camp Road that was written up in my new, used trail guide to New Zealand. I guess I should call it a tramping guide--anyway, picked it up at a very cool used book store in Omarau.

Up and over more fences along the Adderley Head track

We drove out Camp Road, a very steep and narrow, graveled,  one-lane country road, toward Adderley Head, and then parked for the walk. That's almost as far as we got. There were two lovely beaches at low tide, and kids playing in the water. Unfortunately we are not that brave. The track was dry, poorly marked, and very exposed to sun and heat, which neither of us was needing today. And to add to that, it was private land, and we just were not sure we were supposed to be there.


So...what's a girl to do. We turned around, drove back to Diamond Harbour, found a great cafe, and sat down to a perfect lunch on the most perfect patio overlooking gardens and Lyttleton Harbour, with amazing gf food, and of course, NZ wines. A Sauvignon Blanc for me, which I am learning to like, and a Chardonnay for Margaret, which is she is learning to like.

We (heart) gf cafe in Diamond Harbour

Patio at Gibson Cafe Diamond Harbour

The surrounding park area was just too inviting, and with a zero tolerance for drinking and driving I had no choice but to stretch out in the park to read and nap. I don't recall finishing a single page of my book. It was such a good idea I guess, that I woke to find Margaret a few feet away, e-reader closed, eyes shut. We woke up just in time for coffee and dessert! Almond cake with lemon icing...

We drove back along the Lyttleton side, a deep water harbour that was severely damaged by the earthquake. I think it was probably the second quake, shortly after Christchurch was struck, based on what we have learned. It's very hard to hear people talk about their losses, and their sadness at what has happened to downtown Christchurch. We haven't been there yet, but we will spend Saturday in the city, seeing for ourselves. It's clear that people want to tell their stories. This morning at the motel, Margaret chatted with a man who is living upstairs from us in a two bedroom apartment, while his house in Christchurch is under repair. That's after 3 years. This afternoon at the cafe we chatted with a couple who said that the locals just don't want to go downtown anymore--it's too hard to think about and witness again and again the destruction. Watch future posts for more on this.

We cooked our own dinner tonight. Lamb rump steaks that we bought in Akaroa yesterday and the butchery (hah), with garlic and rosemary, and Margaret pulled off a great au jus to go with them. We had left over beat salad, mixed with fresh greens, feta, and anything else we could find in the fridge. And the last of the wine...I guess there's none for breakfast! Alas.

Tomorrow we will head out for Christchurch but first there is a Farmers' market here in Lincoln, and the woman I spoke of above is a volunteer at an art gallery here so we will drop in there. There is wine in this part of NZ (and olives and cheese) so we will likely have a stop-and-go day of checking out the local fare. My kind of traveling!