I planned ample time to reach the airport earlier but realised maybe it was perhaps too much time planned cos it was a small airport and there was actually not much crowd. So after checking-in and sending my luggages in, I walked around aimlessly. lol

There’s a small convenience/souvenir store

With some cute kiwis

Thankfully there was a cafe around so I spent the next remaining hour chilling around with a cup of coffee which I was desperately in need of one

A very quiet morning

Cafe was also equally quiet. It was so cold and quiet my coffee got cold quickly and I was slowly freezing as the time passed. lol. It was also then I realised I had forgotten to book my airport transfer for Blenheim and I panicked cos there were not many cars/drivers to start with. It started with me finding one frantically. lol

Was glad we were finally on the plane, ready to depart

I was so tired I knocked out after that, and only woke up in time for..

Cookie! I was honestly so hungry after skipping breakfast and the quick nap so I was quite glad the crew came around

There was no direct flight to Blenheim so we had to transit at Wellington. I was momentarily confused when I got off the plane cos the next gate was just right there and I thought I had to stay there for the next 2 hours but everyone was moving towards the exit. I decided to follow them instead and I was glad I did cos it’s where all the shops were. I was glad Wellington airport seemed a little more livelier with plenty of food options around

Plus coffee and bars too

I decided to have brunch then since by the time I reached Blenheim it would be pretty much late afternoon and I randomly decided on Mojo Coffee

For their Waffle with Fried Chicken, Maple Syrup & Pickles $26

Which was actually not bad

I loitered till it was time to board before making my way to the gate again. It was a short flight to Blenheim and before I knew, I had landed

I was super surprised to find the luggage collection was so simple. I had never seen something like this. lol. But I guessed given it’s such a small airport, everything is just back to basics

And exiting to find my driver! Yes, I managed to find one so yay, lucky me

The drive from airport to town was a short 15 mins drive and we reached the hotel pretty soon

Blenheim Palms Motel for the next few nights

Since Blenheim is a small town, most of the accommodations in this area are guesthouses or family- run inns as compared to bigger accommodations

I thought my room was really spacious with 3 beds and a small kitchenette

Though it did feel a little scary at night cos it was too big and quiet for 1 pax

After dropping off the bags, I decided to venture the area a little and do some grocery shopping

First stop – Easy Mart cos they have alot of Asian stuffs. Don’t worry about your soya sauce, oyster sauce or chilli sauce. They have it here. Was having a quick chat with the staff and he guessed I was from Singapore from my accent. He mentioned – there were really alot of Singaporean tourists. Really? I had not met them around. lol

Went to Woolworth next cos I wanted to get some fresh produce but the portion for everything was so big. I was having a headache while pushing my cart and planning my meals. I thought I got everything and went back to the motel happily, only to realise I had missed out the most important thing – oil, so I had to go back to the supermarket again. Thankfully, it was really nearby

And so, cooked something simple for dinner

Thought it was not a bad effort with minimal ingredients. But the supermarket wine.. was pretty bad

And with that, I decided to call it a night cos I had woke up really early that morning

Went to Watery Mouth cafe nearby to get my coffee so that I can have my breakfast with steamed siew mai. Unfortunately the coffee was a little too bitter for my liking. The roast was a little too heavy

I was actually quite proud of this portable cooker I bought from Shopee. It served me well throughout the trip when you just wanted something simple to eat. Though there were not alot opportunities to use this

And since we are in the region of Marlborough where they are famous for wine, you have to do a wine tour here. Booked mine with Jade Tours cos I just wanted something cozy and tasting with a small group. I was lucky there were only 3 of us that day. There were 4 wineries that we were visiting that day – Lawson’s Dry Hills, Framingham Wines, Saint Clair (for lunch as well) and Jackson Estate

Lawson’s Dry Hills

I really didn’t enjoy the wines here. lol. Like I think bulk of their wines have a touch more dryness, acidity and minerals in them

Framingham Wines have a nice exterior and cozy interior. It’s such a pity it was raining bulk of the time else I could have some nice photos and videos here. And the wind was also quite strong

Back to the wines, the wines were actually quite nice. I actually really liked the chardonnay, followed by the pinot gris more than the sauvignon blanc. I wished we had more time in here

But cos we had to make it to Saint Clair for lunch, which was recommended by the guide as having one of the better places for food

They really have quite a nice vineyard here as well

Food was not bad. We all had the fish of the day which was properly executed

But I’m not sure if it’s cos our palates were mixed with heavy savoury flavours, the wines didn’t quite stand out

But the coffee affogato was outstanding. lol. At least we ended on a good note 🙂

Last one at Jackson Estate

Was pleasantly surprised by the Pinot Noir so I ended up getting one instead

To be honest, I was quite disappointed by the wines in general. Or perhaps my preference towards the flavour/depth has changed so it didn’t feel like I was blown away

The tour ended with a trip to the chocolate factory before we all called it a day

I wanted to give the wines here another chance so I popped by Astrolabe Wines since it was within walking distance in town. I left in disappointment. lol

I decided to go back and cook Korean ramen instead with whatever ingredients I still had in my fridge. It tasted wonderful, especially after having so much wine for the day

I was supposed to move on to Christchurch the next day but I had some time in the morning before my train ride in the afternoon. So I grabbed breakfast while wondering if I have enough time to squeeze in one more winery for a tasting session while calculating all the odds. Cos I would need to figure if I would be able to call an uber to take me there and if I could find an uber to take me back

I decided to take a gamble

So one final stop at at Villa Maria

I have to say this winery served one of the better wines I’ve had and I was so glad I made it. I thought the sauvignon blanc and pinot gris was lovely. But the Syrah surprised as well, coming from someone who don’t really enjoy Syrah

And the funny thing was the driver who sent me to Villa Maria was the same one who sent me back to the hotel and after learning I was going to the train station next, he offered to wait for me. Well, I was thankful cos I’m not exactly sure how many widely available Ubers were in such a small town

It was raining as I reached Blenheim train station with plenty of time to spare

and there’s really nothing there

With the howling wind, I decided to hide indoors at the only cafe at the train station. And soon everyone had the same idea as me. The train was late, like a good 15 mins. But when it’s here, you will know. As the cafe owner said, you wouldn’t miss the train arrival. After passing my luggages to the staffs, I head up to the carriages. Was a little disappointed to know my seat has changed from the left side to the right (cos the left is where all the view is) and given all the seats were taken, I just had to settle with the right side

So this was the Coastal Pacific Train Picton-Christchurch bound and I had the Scenic Plus dining experience as well. I was glad I opted for the meal cos I was honestly quite hungry. And went for the wine pairing too, cos why not?

Right side view: As the train departed the station, we passed by many vineyards. It was like acres and acres

Right side view: Passed by Lake Grassmere Saltworks where there were patches of pink salt. Quite an unique sight

Canterbury Watercress & Creamy Feta, Pine Nuts, Tomato Relish

Wine Pairing: Sherwood Estate Family collection Pinot Gris

Then came our afternoon tea. I’m not sure if I was hungry, but this pie was actually not bad. And I thought the wine went quite nicely with it

Artisanal Cheeses: Karikass from Rangiora, Granky Goat from Blenheim, Handmade Crackers & Ciabatta

Wine Pairing: Kono Sauvignon Blanc

After awhile, they rolled out the mid-afternoon platter. I’m not an exact fan of cheese but I thought the cheese and wine pairing was good. I see the people around me finished their entire cheese platter and I’m like either they really liked it, or they are hungry as well

My train ride was quite well spent as I worked on my blog posts. Halfway through as I went to the leftside to take photos, the passenger asked if I’m a blogger and I was like – how do you know? He said I have a laptop with me. I mean.. that’s true, but having a laptop can also do a lot of things you know. lol

Left side view: The left side will see most of the coastal line

We did a quick pitstop at Kaikoura station to pick up passengers and passengers onboard could get off the train to take photos as well. But they emphasised we have to get back on in time as the train would not wait for us

So the bulk of us literally ran

And it was quite funny how we were cheering each other – we can make it back to the train!

I think if there was more time, we could have ventured further. But one shall not be too greedy

That’s the scenic plus carriages. Then I realised actually the staffs came down with us, so we kinda have ‘shepherds’ making sure we made it back in time

Went to cafe on the train to check out what’s on the menu

That’s the cafe on the left and the normal carriages on the right. I took a peep and the main difference between scenic plus and the normal carriages are seats on the scenic plus are definitely more spacious, tables wider and well you have staffs attending to you

Left side view: So many sheep I lost count

Right side view

Canterbury Beef Fillet, Potatoes, Glazed Carrots

Wine Pairing: Peregrine Saddleback Pinot Noir

Then came dinner. I was honestly not hungry anymore. Beef was a little gamey and under but the pinot noir was good

So I asked for another glass, and gasp, it was free. If I had known earlier. lol. They gave me a bag of chips as well

Left side view: I could imagine this in winter, complete with snow. It would be really beautiful

Cheesecake, Ripe Cherries

Pairing: Gin, Soda, Yuzo

Last one, desserts. Didn’t really like the desserts, preferred the cocktail. But I was full from liquid at this stage

And that marked the end of my 5.5 hours train journey. It’s really quite scenic and I enjoyed the meal service. I say, give it a try if you got the chance!

And soon, the train rolled into Christchurch stop and everyone had to get off since that’s the last stop of this journey

Was amused they even had a conveyor belt. So everyone waited patiently for their bags to come out

I grabbed mine, headed out of the station where cabs were aplenty. Hailed one and headed to the hotel immediately

Just one night at The Muse Christchurch hotel cos it was another day of travelling the next day. I thought the location of this hotel was quite convenient. Even though it was already 8pm, I decided to take a walk around town since it was still so bright outside

8pm, felt like 5pm still

Made my way to New Regent street, which was quite quiet at that time

And walked around the shopping area which was equally quiet with all the shops closed for the day

Caught the sunset close to 9pm. lol

And that’s it for Christchurch Day 1!

Decided on a coffee hunt the next morning so I dropped by Fika which was quite highly rated online. Unfortunately I don’t think the coffee was very well-made cos I could taste the water in the coffee. I left feeling very disappointed

Walked to the Riverside market nearby cos I wanted to do an early lunch, or brunch for that matter which I managed to get some souvenir as well

I wandered around the market in circles cos I didn’t know what to eat. So I stood upstairs for awhile, looking down and deciding where to go

They actually have alot of options in there. The locals really love their sweets. I looked at the display and I was like wow, how many calories is this. lol

I eventually decided on this seafood place cos someone told me I had to try Fish & Chips in NZ

The Fish & Chips was not bad! I chose the outdoor seats cos it was better ventilated but when I saw the birds flying around and attacking all the food, I regretted instantly. lol. So I made haste with my food and left..

To get more coffee. lol

Thankfully this was good. I had actually wanted to come back here to get the beans when I came back to Christchurch on my later leg again, but… I didn’t have time

After too much food and drinks, I ventured around the area. The weather, unfortunately was very hot

Walked all the way to Antigua Boatsheds cos I thought it looked quite nice

And managed to catch some of them in action on the canoes

Unfortunately, the weather was really quite warm. So I decided to go shopping instead. Christchurch has so many shops selling outdoor wear/gears that if you are looking for things related to trekking, camping, skiing – they would have something for you

Also popped by the mart to stock up for the next leg of my trip

After which, I decided to go back, shower and take a nap. lol

Made my way for dinner which I made a last minute booking which wasn’t very smart cos it was a Friday evening and everywhere was booked out. I took awhile to figure out where’s the entrance given the restaurant was located on the second floor

And so King of Snake for dinner, an Asian Fusion dining restaurant

I was really early, hence no crowd yet. But they were also full house that evening

Tempura Oyster, Pickled Wakame, Sweet Wasabi $10.50

Crayfish Brioche Slider, Spicy Mayo $22

This was by far the worst cocktail I’ve had. Like alcohol is alcohol, mixer is mixer. There was no balance and felt like the bartender decided to throw something, anything together depending on his mood that day. It was so bad I had 2 sips and stopped

Marinated Chicken Wings, Sweet Chilli Sauce $20

Sichuan Silken Fried Tofu, Red Dragon Sauce, Spicy Cucumber Salad $28

Food wasn’t bad, but wasn’t wow either. It was average but if you are craving for something Asian, then is probably a place worth considering

I was so unsatisfied with the cocktail I decided I will have round 2

So back again at New Regent Street after passing by the Tram Station. I decided on The Last Word, a cocktail bar that’s located there which was packed with people

And I bumped into a familiar face! So we spent a good 30 mins chatting even though we see each other at work everyday. lol

Breakfast Sour $19

I had a sip of this and was so glad I decided to go for round 2. This cocktail made the journey worth it. This was so balanced and refreshing

Message in a Bottle $19

This was a little too creamy for my liking. I would probably liked it more if they had toned it down a little cos rum, peanut butter, coffee and chocolate does sound very nice altogether

And with that, I went back to the hotel with a very satisfied stomach

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