Driving Past Vineyards We Recognise.

WESTPORT. 12 NOVEMBER 2024.

Our journey takes us through many of the Marlborough vineyards. We play a game of label bingo, mentally striking off the labels that we have tried back in the UK.

The terrain soon changes to hills, lakes and forests as we drive through several gorges. We stop for coffee in St Arnaud and walk around Lake Rotoiki. There’s a marked trail named The Honeydew Trail. Underneath the jetty, there are foot long fish and metre long eels.

We move to Murchison for lunch, walking up and down the street looking for a pie for Rosie. The River Cafe sells a lamb shank pie which is perfect for her. Paul settles on a burrito. We carry on alongside the river as the road drops down into Westport.

We settle in at the campsite then walk to the beach and back. A little further than we expected, we ended up walking over 5 miles.

Our next door neighbour tells us that he’s called Fritz, is from The Netherlands and married his wife in Weston Super Mare.