The Swiss, Kiwis and unusual Poms

Saturday 27th. Sort of sorry to have to repack the cases and move on again but it has been good to hang up all our clothes and rediscover what we had brought with us. 

Set off up Dovedale and because I didn't listen to the navigator we went up Dovedale Hill, an unsealed (gravel) road. On the map the road was wiggley but in real life it was much better than that! Brigid has a video of the Big Dipper ride up one side and down the other. You'd pay a fortune for that ride in Disney land! 

Stopped in Stoke to top up with petrol as we had a discount voucher from New World. We then had an unscheduled drive round the peninsula because once again I didn't listen to the navigator! Mind you, it was a nice drive around an area that not many visitors would get to see. 

When we got back on track again we stopped in Nelson for lunch at the Boat Shed. They had some fresh Tuna, flown in from Fiji for a wedding but arrived too late! It was seared and served up with ciabatta bread, tomatoes and an egg tartare sauce - bliss. Brigid had a grilled prawn salad with avocado and feta cheese - heavenly. 

Moving on we had a short drive round Nelson town centre and then onto SH6 toward Picton. The road wound up through the hills (note I don't say mountains any more) until we reached Havelock where we turned off onto Queen Charlotte Drive and wound our way to our next B&B. But just before that we found the local waste transfer station where we got chatting to the couple in charge. It seems that the wife was from England and that they knew our hosts. They gave us a lot of information about the area and where to eat and what to see. 

The views from the road were stunning. 

Since we were a little early we drove on a few miles to Anakiwa and sat for a while watching the world go by. 

On finding our B&B we hadn't thought that things could get even better but, somehow, they do. Our host is a real Kiwi and his wife is from Switzerland. 

In the evening we returned to Havelock to the Mussel Pot for supper. There we had their platter which had a selection of mussels. Some were steamed, others in batter, some smoked, grilled, marinated and even a chowder. Quite a feast. 

When we got back home Mick offered us a beer and Connie said that we were the first English people she knew who drank beer. All the others preferred tea! Obviously they don't come from Bradwell!