The drive that afternoon from Abel Tasman to the Marlborough Valley took us on windy roads through part of the Marlborough Sounds. Our base in the Marlborough wine region was a tiny town called Renwick, which is surrounded by acres and acres of vineyards on all sides. In fact, there are over 50 vineyards within a 20 minute car ride from town. We ended up staying at a great little guesthouse called Watson's Way Lodge. After checking in, we got back in the car and drove out into the country to try and catch the sun setting on the valley. We then headed to an English pub for dinner. That is where I had my first taste of Moa, a great boutique beer brewed locally in the valley. After dinner Lindsay did a little work while I played guitar on the porch of the guesthouse.
The next day Lindsay had more work to do, so I went to the grocery store and bought eggs and made her breakfast at the lodge. Once she was done, we got in the car and drove to a few of the more distant vineyards for some tastings. First off was Villa Maria. There we were, at 10AM, having the best time chatting it up with a nice chick from Oregon and drinking stunning wines on a beautiful summer's day.
After that we went to the St. Clair vineyard and then to the Moa brewery. Once we had our fill, we realized that if we kept "tasting" neither of us would able to be behind the wheel of a car, so we drove back to the guesthouse and traded the car for a couple of bikes. Off we went (with helmets) into the countryside looking for the next best glass of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. After a couple of stops (one of which was a disappointing stop at Alan Scott vineyard), we were getting hungry so we took our lunch break at Wiarau River vineyard. Good choice. We sat among the vines eating blue cheese quiche and a Mediterranean sample platter.
After a brief nap on the grass under a tree, we were back on our bike and ready to try more wine. Three vineyards later, our palates and legs had had enough, so we rode back to the guesthouse. That evening we played boccie ball at the lodge and cooked up spaghetti with garlic, mussels and white wine while rehashing the day. Both of us agreed Villa Maria was the best with Saint Clair a close second. Between the bike riding, the ungodly amount of wine and a belly full of garlicky pasta, we were asleep by 9:30.
At 4:30 AM we were awoken by the sound of air raid sirens. These went on for at least a minute, followed by and eerie silence. Lindsay and I sat there in the dark wondering about their significance. Surely we were not under attack? Everyone loves the Kiwis. Could it be some natural disaster? Unlikely. In passing I mentioned that hypothetically speaking, IF there was a zombie uprising, the best way to alert the greatest number of people would be to use air raid sirens. When I had finished explaining my logic, Lindsay was silent and I went back to sleep. It was only later that Lindsay admitted to me that the only way she was able to comfort herself enough to go back to bed was convincing herself that IF there was a zombie uprising, the zombies would eat the people who were camping in the tents outside first, which would allow those of us inside the lodge to hear their screams in time to make for the relative safety of the bathroom.
A few hours later we were up and on the road by 10, sans zombies. We made our way through some beautiful grasslands, hit the coast, and headed south toward Christchurch. On the way we stopped to watch a gigantic colony of sea lions with a bunch of pups. We made a quick stop in Kaikoura for some Internet time and a seafood lunch at a roadside stand. Two hours later we were in Christchurch.
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