17 October 2017
Yesterday we had some navigation woes. I’d forgotten how inept we can be. The first mishap wasn’t, strickly speaking, navigational. Rather it was just plain duh (you can provide your own appropriate adjectives).
All went smoothly for the bulk of the journey from Kaikoura , with a couple of stops along the way to stretch the legs, have a coffee. We zoomed along SH1, sidepassing Christchurch, to get to our motel in Rolleston. Only to find we hadn’t booked a motel in Rolleston for last night, but rather at Northwood Motor Lodge on the northern outskirts of Christchurch. So sure were we that we had booked at Rolleston for both the going to and coming from Timaru, that we didn’t bother to check. Bad mistake.
So, back along the way we’d come, except that we didn’t see the motorway exit in time and so had to carry on to Kaiapoi before we could turn back. Even then it took a couple more misturns before we found the motel.
Our navigational woes weren’t finished for the day, however. We decided to walk to the supermarket, supposedly a ten- to 15 minute walk though a leafy suburb. It was a beautifully leafy garden suburb, but unfortunately for us that also meant lots of curvy crescents and terraces and short no-exit streets. Yes, we got lost. We took the very long way round. At least it was good for upping the step count.
On the plus side, the motor lodge was splendid. It’s set in spacious grounds, with well-established, well-cared for gardens (box hedges, irises, rhodos, hydrangeas, witch hazel trees, and meadow-style lawns). Our studio was spacious, comfortable, well-equipped and with a ranch slider and verandah looking out on to an expanse of daisy-sprinkled grass. It’s one to bookmark for a future visit to Christchurch.
Today we head for Timaru.
Off Highway One 