Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway
Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway in New Zealand
Driving from Picton to Christchurch
Our New Zealand South Island road trip was drawing near the end. After three days in Picton, we headed out early for the final stretch to an Airbnb near Christchurch Airport.
7:30, we were on the road and were excited to meet up with my Danish childhood friend, Tomas, and his wife, Anita. As our meeting spot, we picked a roadside café, “The Store”, about halfway between Picton and Kaikōura
The last leg of our New Zealand South Island Road Trip from Picton to the Christchurch Airport with stops to meet our Danish friends and a brief visit to Kaikōura
Danish Rendezvous at “The Store”
Tomas had written me after he spotted we were in New Zealand at the same time. We grew up, attended the same school, and played handball in our hometown of Lemvig, Denmark. Lots of good ol’ times including an unforgettable ski trip to St. Anton in Austria.
We had never met his wife Anita so it was fantastic to meet up like this, even if it was only for about an hour or so over a coffee. They were heading north, us south.
Tomas is a bit taller than me and I had to get up on my toes for this shot. Meeting at “The Store” on the South Island of New Zealand.
Kaikōura
There was lots of road work along the highway on the east coast due to the 2017 earthquake but we were not in a hurry as our flight was the following day.
Along the highway, we spotted several groups of dolphins in the ocean and although they were at quite a distance it was a wonderful sight.
We decided to spend some time in Kaikōura and went straight for the Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway and Point Keen lookout.
A photo that ended up being our signature 5050 Travelog photo at the city limit of Kaikuōra
Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway
Kaikōura is known for its abundant wildlife and its sperm whale population. The peninsula is also home to a colony of New Zealand fur seals and we spotted several on our hike. We did not see any whales, unfortunately.
First, we hiked the ridge and lookout and had spectacular views of the rugged shoreline and the ocean below. Our plan was to hike back along the coast and had read you have to watch out for the tide.
It never became an issue although we were flirting with the time limit.
Dolphins spotted in the ocean near Kaikōura
The remaining part of the drive went without a hitch and we spent the night in a family home Airbnb before darting off to the airport the next morning.
The address on our paperwork for the rental car was wrong which was a bit annoying but we had allowed plenty of time and figured it out in the end.
No ID was needed to board the flight for Auckland, only our boarding pass. Little did we know how travel would become very different shortly after our travels in New Zealand.
Our hike at Kaikuōra Peninsula Walkway
Back in Auckland
On the flight, Di had a long conversation with a very pleasant lady headed for a conference in Auckland. I had a nap.
We jumped on the Sky Bus for the city center and met Josh for lunch at a quaint burger place near his office and for a coffee later.
After a bit of shopping, we caught the Express bus for Albany, and just like that, we were back in our “home away from home” in Lucas Height with Sharon and Leighton.
A couple take in the magnificent views at the Kaikuōra Peninsula Walkway in New Zealand
Seals spotted on the Kaikuōra Peninsula Walkway
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos.
