Greetings from Kaikoura

I've been trying to think of how to describe the drive from Christchurch to Kaikoura. When I was in the fifth grade, I read this series of books by Lloyd Alexander describing the mythical kingdom of Prydain. I always pictured Prydain as this endless countryside, a patchwork of pasture bordered by snow-capped mountains and dotted here and there with oddly-shaped trees, flocks of sheep and not much else.

Imagine the place I've just described. Now imagine a single strip of asphalt running through the middle of it. Then picture a little red Mitsubishi rocketing along like a bat out of hell, with Blur cranked up on the stereo (you know, that song that's basically a guitar riff and "Woo-hoo!") And that's pretty much about what my morning drive was like, at least until I got to the mountains. I can't say anything about that, because I don't want to alarm my parents, but last week's trip to Six Flags turned out to have been good preparation.

I'd come to Kaikoura to see whales, but I wasn't surprised to find out that today's cruises were canceled, even though the day was bright and sunny — I'd been warned that high winds or waves often caused problems. Besides, I'd come with a backup plan — a really terrific Maori Tours program that takes place in the same area.

"It's absolutely fantastic!" the young woman at the Tourist Information Centre assured me. "Unfortunately, the folks who do it are presenting in Christchurch today."

"Where I've just come from," I muttered.

"Oh, wow," the woman said, raising her eyebrows. "That really sucks!"

There was clearly only one thing to do at this point, and I did it: head down the street to the local winery, take the tour and knock back quite a few of the samples.

I also visited Maori Leap Cave, got in a round of miniature golf and spent sunset sitting on a cliff overlooking a rookery of fur seals. Believe me, if your day's plans don't work out, there are worse places in the world to be than on a long, grassy plain with an incredible view of a mountain range that compares with the Rockies and a crowd of clamoring seals rolling about in the surf below you.

Tomorrow, there will be whales.

Really.