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| Autumn vineyards in the Wairau Valley |
It’s amazing the difference a half-hour drive can make
around here. This morning found Waikawa marina clammy with cold fog, but
over in Blenheim, 25 km south, the sun was out. And whereas the steep hills in
Queen Charlotte Sound are mostly covered with dense green native bush, in
Blenheim most native vegetation seems to be history. Instead the town and surrounding areas were
vibrant with the autumn colours of introduced tree species along the roadsides,
and surrounded by miles and miles of grape vines turning various shades of
gold.
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| A few Chardonnay grapes the harvest left behind |
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| Wine vats and a Wairau vineyard |
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| O-baa-stacle course |
We have just acquired mountain bikes and got a chance to try
them out on some pretty steep climbs in the extensive Wither Hills Farm Park
just south of town. This marks the first time we’ve had to dodge sheep while
riding!
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| Looking SW toward the Inland Kaikoura Ranges from a ridgeline trail in the Wither Hills Park. |
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| And now for something completely different: a restored German WWI triplane at Omaka Avaiation Museum (developed in part by Peter Jackson of Hobbit/LOTR fame). Look
at the cockpit closely and you can see the machine guns. |
