New Zealand 2017 - Day 24: Caroline Bay, hike Mount Sunday

Saturday, March 11 - Another day seeing what this beautiful country has to offer: a final drive down to see the ocean, then a hike up on Mount Sunday, and the night in Staveley Heights:


This road sign describes today's weather!:

We were able to make a morning stop at Wendy's favorite New Zealand store - the PAK 'n SAVE


They have EVERYTHING for EVERYBODY!

and then we drove over to Caroline Bay (in the rain):



I put my hand in the Pacific Ocean, then ran back to the car!

It was a pretty desolate, dismal, cloudy day in New Zealand:




I wanted to see/hike Mount Sunday because of its "Lord of the Rings" connections:



This is the trail I saw on the AllTrails website:

which is a little more expansive than just the green one from the DOC:

I like the idea of going down the more-gentle northside after having ascended via the steeper southside.

We started hiking early afternoon in mist/light rain. You cross a bridge to get to Mount Sunday:


It is a pretty steep climb, but it is pretty cool at the top:



No "Mountain Tops", but still some pretty cool stuff!

Although the northside starts off well:

the unmarked "trail" quickly merges into a gravel road, but the you have to find your way home between the stream and the cattle-fence:

(I apologize if I put too much stress on this "hiking part of the day".)

Made our way back to the car; when we were on the road (and in cell service), we called Staveley Heights (which turns out to be the name of the B&B we are staying in) to see about dinner. Since we were going to be the only guests having dinner there, Steve and Sharon invited us to share their beef stew (we offered to bring the wine!); and it worked out GREAT! From photos the next morning, this is the kitchen/dining area (and view):

and this was our corner room:


After WONDERFUL dinner-and-socializing, I excused myself to blog - Wendy came back an hour later! Lovely place! THANK YOU GOD for these wonderful adventures in these Beautiful Places!!

Music today - music from my silver nano:
The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Best of ..., 1988

They have more of a vibraphone-type of feel (versus trumpet).

The Lumineers - Cleopatra, 2016

See, I listen to some NEW MUSIC!

Coldplay - Clocks, 2003 cd single


Canned Heat - Cookbook: Their Greatest Hits, 2002 (I only like 4 songs)

Rollin' And Tumblin', Going Up The Country, On The Road Again, Fried Hockey Boogie

Rod Stewart - The Definitive Rod Stewart, 2008 (2 cds)


Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu, 1970