Nu Zilland - Day Eleven - New Years Eve

The Kaikoura Peninsula features a wide plateau formed by uplift of the sea floor surrounded by a ledge of flat rocks that serve as the breeding grounds for large colonies of fur seals and sea gulls. Evidence of old Maori Pa (or forts) is still visible. I know all of this, because in New Zealand - unlike in Australia - such sites feature signs that actually have information on them, rather than nonsensical stories about dreamtime worms that shit out mountain ranges.



We hiked acros the large and very exposed plateau until our flesh was bright pink, then decided to return along the rocky coast - which was just as exposed and, miserably, much more difficult walking. We were absolutely fried by the time we finally returned to our car, which was luckily parked by a makeshift seafood restaurant which offered more restorative chowder.

A deep sun-burnt nap readied us for the evening festivities. We opted to avoid the crowds (ha) of the town pubs and decided to have our own party on our lovely deck.



As Kaikoura did not have much to offer in the way of a fireworks display, I decided to create my own show using a long exposure and playing with the lights that lined the boardwalk across the bay. I was throughly delighted with the results and now have sever megabytes of such:

As the other guests at the hotel pooped out one by one, we were left celebrating the midnight hour with a gorgeous 65 year-old Scotswoman, who has been surviving pancreatic cancer now for one year and three months. She had some very interesting things to say about taking life by the balls.


Happy 19th Anniversary Darling. Here's to an even better year.