Kaikoura and Nelson

In Kaikoura, a portion of the group did the Kaikoura Peninsula walkway.  The walk truly was a thing of beauty.  It reminded me of the Bar Harbor National Park in Maine.  The rolling hills, multiple cliff edges, lush vegetation and green grasses.  On top of the hills, there were pastures for cows to graze in. 

As for actual wildlife, seals and seagulls littered the land and skies, respectfully.  The seals were in matting season, where the males would fight to be “king of the rock” so that they could mate with the female of their choice.  What made it even more interesting was that the seals were on the shore by us.  Many were just lounging around in the parking lot, but some even by the bus (maybe 25 meters away).

On our way to Nelson, we had a mystery stop.  This stop did not only involve seals, but baby seals at that.  In a secluded area of the forest, there was a beautiful waterfall.  The waterfall had baby seals, acting as a nursery and shelter until the baby seals were mature enough to be out on their own.  It was a picturesque site.

Nelson had its own bag of surprises.  Though I did not go to the home of Ernest Rutherford (a famous chemist that worked on the first atomic bomb), this small and vibrant costal city was terrific.  After getting a kebab for lunch (it is an enjoyable wrap with meat, lettuce, onion, and tomato) we explored more of Nelson.  It offered many shops, a beautiful look into the Pacific Ocean, hiking to the center of New Zealand, and an all-around great time.  Abel Tasman National Park was also nearby Nelson, but I did not have the time to go.  Too bad, because I heard it was one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand.  The next day I skydived above Abel Tasman National Park.

The last dinner provided by Topdeck was fantastic.  It was a barbeque with steak and chicken, along with potatoes, bread, salad, along with other delicious food.  For dinner, there were four types of ice cream (all were delicious by the way, especially the flavors caramel and lime) along with boysenberry cheesecake.