We are presently surfing on a heat wave. Strong winds are bringing 30+ °C used Aussie air to New Zealand. Being a couple of winterized Danes we're not suffering too much.
However, the beginning of the day looked somewhat mixed as seen from our kitchen,
while Eva was making us copious amounts of French toasts to go with the hot coffee.
At 9:45 we hit the road heading for Blenheim.
We passed this watering system that tried to keep a cattle pasture as green as a golf course.
In the wide and long valley along the Wairau river vineyards after vineyards appeared.
Because of the risk of freezing in spring and autumn, the winegrowers have installed a large number of small windmills to be activated when needed (they mix the cold and the less cold air).
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| A "historical" windrose in a vineyard. |
Our first major stop was the aviation centre in a suburb of Blenheim.
The filmmaker tycoon (and locally born Kiwi), Sir Peter Jackson (e.g. The Hobbit + Lord of the Rings) has been instrumental in setting up the very good exhibition about WW1 and WW2.
We even saw an old biplane being exercised on ground and in the air.
Then we drove into Blenheim –
– and after locating our motel we walked to the local wine station (which doubles as a railway station) ...
... to taste some of the 80 different wines produced in the Marlborough region just around Blenheim.
After trying various grapes, vineyards and terroirs we settled for the exquisite Pinot Gris Reserve 2018 from Lawson's Dry Hills.
We have enjoyed yet another fabulous day and have seen a lot that we will always remember.
. . .
Tomorrow we will go to the coast and smell the ocean
– and see what we can do.
– and see what we can do.
