Day #12, driving north along the eastern coast

I dropped Wendy off at the Chch airport for her flight and I was very sad. My travel partner left and my homesickness had taken up the passenger's seat in her place. I turned up the radio wherever I got reception and tried to concentrate on the views.

The drive along the South Island's eastern coast was also rocky, bright orange bull kelp strewn about.

I stopped in Kaikoura for lunch and found a very touristy town on the water. Plenty of whale watch tours and swimming with the dolphins if you're willing to pay the hefty price. Given the cost plus the chilly, slightly overcast weather, I decided to pass on those. Plus I had to make the ferry by 5 p.m. at the latest. So instead, I had a tasty seafood lunch (green mussels) and watched the people walk by.

The town is situated next to the ocean but also has a river (or maybe a channel diversion?). They built up a terraced concrete ledge to keep the road from flooding. Interesting way of going about these issues. It functions as a hang-out spot the rest of the time.

NZ is different than the U.S. in many respects, but one big difference is related to personal responsibility. People don't really sue in NZ, and instead emphasis is placed on individuals needing this weird thing called common sense. So hikes next to sheer cliffs don't have warning signs or fences to keep you away. If you fall, it was your own stupid fault. Likewise, there is no law or sign saying you must stay away from the wildlife. However, if an endangered alpine parrot bites you, don't blame NZ. So the fur seal colonies right alongside the highway don't have signs that encourage people to stay away. And so we walk up but keep a healthy distance, just in case one is in an unpleasant mood.

Wow. Fur seals are bigger than I imagined. But what a gem to find a large colony lounging on the rocks, snoozing until the tide comes in to swim out and find dinner.

As I continued further north, the steep, dry pasture returned and started to look like the Marlborough region.

I was rushing at this point, trying to make the ferry with some time to spare so I could call Jeff. We hadn't had much time to talk while I was away and I mistakenly thought he was upset and angry about that. In my hurry, I pulled up too hard and quick to the curb and slammed into it with the tire on the front left-hand side where my travel partner used to sit and warn me I was getting too close. I knew I had blown the tire. Sure enough, I did. I had one hour to get a new tire in a country where all the shops close down early and still make the ferry. I drove with the quickly deflating tire to three gas stations before I found one where the garage was still open. By this time, the tire was toast, a huge gash on the outside where I had hit the curb. Oh no! I had spent loads of money on the non-refundable ferry ticket and simply had to make it by 5, how am I gonna get there in time?!

Luckily, the guys at the garage, although amused at the woman tourist with the car issues, were kind enough to drop what they were doing and help me get fixed with a new tire (unfortunately an expensive one). I chatted with a local guy who was super nice and friendly, I like how kind everyone is in NZ! Although I did take a ribbing from the one mechanic, whose eyes sparkled as he jokingly said, "strange thing about that tire...it only had a flat on the outside..." I understood that he was poking fun at my driving, and so I laughed and claimed full responsibility for it. It was 4:51, I needed to hustle to make the ferry!!

Whew, made it!! I was the proud new owner of a huge Toyota campervan tire that I couldn't take back to the U.S. with me. But I was all shaken up about the experience and was homesick and now I got upset and was an emotional wreck. Tried to soothe my nerves by knitting, journaling, watching the scenery on the ferry ride.

The Wellington area and Cook Strait are extremely windy and so they have "wind farms" nearby.

And after my upsetting day, I was rewarded with perhaps the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life.

That made my bad day worth it. Upon disembarking the ferry in Wellington, I made my way back to the holiday park and called it a night. I was beat and had another long day of driving tomorrow.