Kaikoura

7th January

On our way to Kaikoura on the train. The weather is not very nice.

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In Kaikoura we booked ourselves an evening Whale Watch tour.
This is another boat with us at a reported site for whales.

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A whale blowing.

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As we leave for another sighting of whales the weather starts to clear.

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More photos of whales.

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As it was the last tour of the day the boat was put on the trailer and brought up on land before we debarked.

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The Whale Watch office is at the station.
That is Colleen, Chris and Peter in the centre of the photo.

Kaikoura

8th January

The view from our hostel window across the bay.

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A similar view from the shore across from the hostel.

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A seal on the rocks in the bay.

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Four hours later and the tide is going out.

Going home

9th January 2005

Our last day on holiday and the weather has cleared.
This morning we are catching the train to Blenheim to start our flights home.

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Looking back over the bay. Our hostel is at the left of the picture.

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The hostel is the second building from the left.

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The train arriving in Kaikoura.

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Salt making ponds at Lake Grassmere.The pink colouration is from a bloom of micro-organisms.

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Salt stacks.

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This is the Awatere Road Rail bridge. The train travels along to the top and the road is underneath. Traffic to and from the bridge can be seen on the opposite bank.
Two years after we crossed the bridge a new road bridge was opened and only the trains use this bridge now.

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Marlborough Vineyards.

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Waiting to board at Blenheim airport.

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Not much elbowroom in this small aircraft.

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After changing planes in Wellington we are flying over Paraparaumu on our way to Hamilton.