With the Marlborough farmer’s market only a mile away from our B&B, we decided to pay them a visit and see what local produce was on offer.

Sunday mornings in Blenheim were full of stone fruit, free range eggs, locally produced cheeses and more at the market. Alongside the homemade chutneys, pickles and jams was the obligatory espresso van for our flat white fix!

After our coffee & music fix, it was time to move onto wine. Our first stop was Cloudy Bay, the perfect way to experience all that Blenheim and its Sauvignon Blanc is famed for. Surrounded by wonderful vineyards and spectacular landscapes, it was an idyllic spot to relax and enjoy the range of Cloudy Bay wines on offer.

As it was only 11am we decided to go for Cellar Door Exclusive, choosing those wines only available at the venue.

And off we go, three delicious wines for elevenies!

After our successful visit to Cloudy Bay, we then drove 4 miles down the road to visit the next cellar door, Wither Hills.

Wither Hills Cellar Door proved to be a great place, not only did it sit in a lovely location looking down on the vineyards opposite, they also had a fantastic range of wines and some enticing food to go with it.

After tasting 5 different wines for a reasonable $14 dollars, we were so impressed that we booked on the 10th Dec, when we return to Marlborough with Andy’s parents who arrive in the country at the start of next month.

We won’t forget the beautiful Wither Hills courtyard with its views overlooking the stunning Wairau Valley.

With the wine tasting completed by lunch, we decided to start the journey down to Kaikoura.

The drive along the Pacific coastal road proved to be eye catching and spectacular.

After about an hour, we stopped in Mangamaunu, home to a wonderful beach and views of the snow capped mountain range.

Further down the coast we came upon the Kaikoura seal colony, one from our bucket list ‘to do’s’ in the South Island.

The colony is home to a diverse population of seals that were fascinating to observe. The lookout point offered some great views of the seals, as well as the nearby Ohau Waterfall.

After witnessing these wonderful creatures once, we managed it a second time up close, when we took a stroll along the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway.

The track provided stunning views of the coastline and the seals’ breeding grounds. 

The Kaikoura seal colony was home to three species of seals: the New Zealand fur seal, the Southern elephant seal and the rare Leopard seal.

We found the seals on rocky outcrops along the coastline, basking in the sun and socialising with each other.

Kaikōura is such a picturesque town and proved to be the perfect place for marine life encounters and coastal walks.

Tomorrow we head in-land through picturesque farmland and forested hills to Hamner Springs. Here we’ll take in the thermal pools along with hiking in Conical Hill and Hamner Forest Park.