Quietness

Sorry I haven't had much to say recently, it's been a quiet period after all that ridiculousness in the south. I've just been cruising around, taking in the sights and chilling out for a few days now. I've slowly sauntered up from the Canterbury plains area to Blenheim, which is in Marlborough (where all that wine comes from).
The Canterbury plains are a bit like the fens, flat, fertile farming land. They do have a couple of notable differences though. If you sit in the middle of the plains, it is about half an hour to the beautifully blue pacific ocean in one direction and about half an hour in the other direction to the southern alps and winter ski fields. I can't help but feel that they may have more to offer than the fens!
I've now travelled pretty much the whole east coast and it's spectacular for most of the way - the sea is clean and lovely and the beaches (mostly with black sand) are empty. Up here in Marlborough it is what you would expect of a wine region. It is very warm and dry, with acres of green vinyards running up to the feet of the hills, which are covered in grass the colour of straw. I'll be here until Monday, when I will head off to the hills and some greenery again.
Sorry there have been no photos posted for a while, but internet access in these areas is not easy to come by, let alone finding someone who is happy for you to start downloading software and plugging in your camera. I hope to find somewhere in the next week or so, but we'll see . . .
Ok, I'm off to the pub to catch more super 12 rugby, have fun everyone.