Traveling to Kaikoura by the Kiwi Bus Experience
Nancy Lee CarlsonWe got front seats on the bus and enjoyed the ride. No knuckle holding on – just a smooth ride with cow, horses, sheep, mountains to see along the way once we got out of Christchurch. Halfway to our new destination we stopped for a bathroom break (TMI?) and something to snack on. We found a cute cafe that served ice cream cones. I had the boysenberry and Bill had vanilla. Back on the bus to our new hotel Dusky Lodge. Love it! The bus driver gave us 45 minutes to settle in and on the bus again to Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway. It’s easy, the bus driver said. You can walk it in Birkenstocks, he said. We went over bridges, saw penguins, walked on cow paths with cows 5 feet away! Over hills and once again down wooden stairs to a rock (large gravel) walkway and over uneven land that raised out of the ocean when the earthquake of 2014 hit this area, then back to rocks. On the uneven land were seals. We are guessing it was a 3 mile walk in total. Never so happy to see a bus in my life!!! Now Cindy, i know you are hearing in your mind everything i heard! But as we know “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. What amazed Bill and I was no one hung back to check on us. They all just hurried along like it was a marathon. Thankfully we made it back. When Bill got into the bus, the driver said “you made it”. Bill said “barely”. The bus driver reply with “Good on you!” Bill’s first time having it said to him!
Back on the bus to a lookout spot. We weren’t even going to go out of the bus but the driver said we would be able to see the view 1/4 way up so we asked him to take our picture. Proof we are still alive!!!!! He drove the bus to the center of town and we got out and went to Groper Garage. We had flat bread pizza and a huge bowl of seafood chowder. We refilled our bottles with ice water (by the way you can drink the water in NZ) and walked another 1,000 or so steps back to Dusky Lodge. Another adventure in the books! Good night my friends and welcome to March 1st – we’ve been waiting for you!
