Day 2 – Christchurch to Hokitika

We’ll today didn’t go to plan at all.  The idea was to pick up the van first thing, do some shopping then drive west across Arthur’s Pass and find a spot to camp.  Ideally by Mid-Afternoon, given we’re in winter it’s pretty much dark around 5pm.  Well that was the plan.

The motorhome company were about 30mins late picking us up.  The handover and orientation took much longer than expected.  Shopping too took age’s longer, unfamiliar supermarket with unfamiliar brands, and what should’ve taken 30mins is well over an hour.   I’ve unpacked the bags while Justine did the shopping.  As we’re packing the groceries away, we go to reopen the fridge, which has that kinda vacuum seal that a recently closed Fridge/Freezer gets, only for the handle to come off in Justine’s hand, she’s mortified….. I’m mortified “what the?”.  I just wish I had a picture of her with the fridge handle in her hand……Priceless!

A call to Wilderness, and we drive back for them to take a look at.  Another nearly hour burnt as they do a makeshift repair that should last the trip.   At least they were really good about it and responded really quickly.  In hindsight, it was fortunate we were still in the suburbs of Christchurch and not hundreds of KM away. 

Finally we start heading West, Phew.  Over the Canterbury plains and a stop at the “World famous” Sheffield Pie shop for a late lunch.  They were OK, not sure about world famous.  To see these plains and then “bang” the snow covered mountain rising like a wall is pretty amazing.

Then another 30mins, the first tourist thing, a walk around these enormous rocks at a place called Castle Hill.   Amongst other things, one of the battle scenes from the Narnia movies was filmed here and the kids have only recently seen the movies, so I figure that might spike their imagination and make them a little more enthusiastic.  

We go to start the walk, and we can’t find Justine’s handbag.  Shit, loaded with cash, credit cards….where the F%4k is it, we search and hunt in the motorhome (which has lots of hidy hole), we can’t find it!   She thinks she had it at the pie shop, so we call them.  Some bloke had found it outside the shop and brought it in, complete with cash and all, what luck.  Kinda restores your faith in humanity.   

Anyway a 80km round trip and 1 hour later, after much relief we’re back in the same spot, but now with a handbag.  It’s getting late, but I really want to do this short walk.  Maybe now more than ever to put this day behind us and start having a holiday.  Justine is feeling pretty crummy about everything that’s happened today.

Castle Hill is great and well worth it, but eventually we’re on the road over Arthurs pass, it’s getting dark and rain has started to settle in.   My first day driving a >$150k, 7.2m long motorhome, on narrow, hilly, unfamiliar roads in the dark and wet.  The headlights are feeble and the wipers aren’t much better. Stressed much!!!!

Given its dark and raining some camping spots I thought we might have stayed are not really a viable option now, so we head for a local caravan park in Hokitika.  Into town for and some Fish and chips for dinner.  It ends up being a wet, cold and not very pleasant evening.

I’m just glad this day is over, both Justine and my stress levels wouldn’t cope with another like today.

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