We had a bit of a slow morning to start Day 26. We’ve been traveling pretty hard. We spent the rainy morning catching up on some work. We also learned that a problem was brewing on the horizon. While we have been fortunate with the weather, other parts of New Zealand have been getting walloped by rain. This morning the owner of our next AirBNB in Blenheim (about 3 hours away) contacted us to tell us that their road was completely flooded, and that we might not be able to reach them. Julie and I spent some time researching alternatives and agreed that we will make the final decision in the next day or so.

After lunch, we set off to explore a bit of Christchurch. The rain limited our options a bit, so we went to poke around the Tannery, a ritzy little indoor mall. We started with coffee and a snack. We’re trying to institute “Fika Fridays,” with coffee and a snack every Friday (fika context if you’re not in the know).

We next went to a full-sized mall to get some supplies. We found one that also had a great grocery store. I also found my new favorite store – Macpac, which is basically Kiwi REI. It was founded in Christchurch. I got a few “essentials,” and then we hit the grocery store. After dropping off our our stuff at home, we walked to the nearby Riverside Market, an indoor food market with individual shops. Cassie and I got Greek food, Lydie got Korean food, and Julie got ramen. It was fantastic!

On the next day, we spent the morning reshuffling our plans. We decided to cancel our trip to Blenheim and stay for another couple of nights in Christchurch. That means that our day on July 1 will be a long one, but at least we don’t have to pack up here for another couple of nights. We also got a chance to get a look at house number 9.

By late morning, we set off for the Banks Peninsula. The first European to see the peninsula was Captain James Cook in 1770, and he named it after his on-board botanist, Joseph Banks. Banks was a heavy hitter in the flora world. Clearly, the Banks Peninsula has a fascinating topography.

Our plan was to drive to Akaroa, a small village on the edge of the huge Akaroa Bay, a massive inlet formed from the collapse of a now-extinct volcano.

After driving for about an hour we reached the northern tip of Akaroa, where we stopped to do a short hike along a narrow spit of land that extends into the bay.

The trail started down by the water, where we found bizarre rock formations and colorings, evocative of the bay’s volcanic origin.

From here, the trail rose steadily, so that the highest point was the furthest point out in the water, providing great views of Akaroa Bay.

In an odd way, the hike was an echo of Mount Sunday, a smaller rise surrounded by higher peaks on all sides.

The hike can only be done when the tides are right, as some stretches are along the water. We hurried through those portions on the way out, but on our way back we took some time to explore. Lydie found a crab, who wouldn’t let go of a snail shell for some reason.

Unsurprisingly, Cassie climbed on the rocks along the water and wasn’t content until she went to the furthest part she could reach.

Once Lydie had released her crab friend, she likewise enjoyed climbing on the rocks along the water.

It was a great little hike. We got back in the car and continued on to the small town of Akaroa, which is unusual in New Zealand in that the town was once settled by French explorers. The French influence is still prominent today in the street names. We enjoyed walking around for a bit and bought some bread.

It was time to be heading back to Christchurch. As we drove away, we looked back on the bay and could see the spit of land we’d hiked on, portions of which were now under water.

We returned home tired but with the content feeling that comes from a day well spent. Julie somehow found the energy to make us dinner. #NotAllHeroesWearCapes. We finished the day watching the second movie in the Hobbit trilogy. A great day.

-Will