Picton to Christchurch

This is a late posting.

When we woke up this morning the wind was still howling and it was raining. We quickly had showers, got dressed, packed the car and set off to drive to Kaikōura where we planned to stop for breakfast.  As we drove out of Picton and around a corner the wind miraculously stopped, but the rain continued.  It took us a couple of hours to drive to Kaikōura, with rain all the way.  We pulled into the car park, ran across the road in the rain and entered the café we’d liked when we were there last November.  It was lovely and warm and we enjoyed our Eggs Benedict and coffee.  Back on the road again, the rain continued.  The temperature gauge showed the outside temperature as low as 3degC at times, and didn’t go above 5degC.  Eventually we arrived at my brother and sister-in-law’s home, quickly unpacked the car, and settled down in front of the wood burner to warm up.  MrMacD had a coffee and I had a Lemsip as I could feel a sore throat and blocked nose starting.  The friend we were going out to dinner with got in touch to say she’d pick us up, which was really nice of her as it was a horrid, rainy night.  She eventually arrived and we set off for Central Christchurch to a restaurant called Hali.  We settled in, ordered food and drinks and some time later were surprised to see my brother and sister-in-law sit down at a table not far from us.  Such a coincidence that they’d chosen to go to the same restaurant.  We enjoyed delicious food and wine, lots of chat and laughter.  It was a lovely evening.  We were able to return home with my brother and sister-in-law.  I had another Lemsip and some Vitamin C and we retired to bed.

There are two photos of windows in the restaurant with lights and raindrops; and a sea shot as we travelled from Picton to Kaikōura.