Falling behind...

Last night was daylight savings time, so the clocks fell behind an hour, which was a little strange since we just sprang ahead an hour back home.  Apparently it was a little too complicated for me because I almost missed my ride this morning! I set my clock back an hour before going to bed, and then it corrected itself at 2:00 a.m. so that when I thought I was getting up at 8, I was actually getting up at 9.  Luckily, everything worked out in the end, though.

Before leaving, Christine, my host, and I were looking at a website that records the felt earthquakes in New Zealand.  Do you know that there have been more than ten felt earthquakes in the last week alone???

Anyway, we were soon off to Martinborough where we partook in an early morning wine tasting.  Then it was time for a very scenic drive through the countryside and along the coast for a fish and chips lunch at the Lake Ferry Hotel pub where we met the local "biker gang" who very amiably posed for a photo with us. 

Learning about the wine making process

Wine tasting

Lunch at the pub

Tough biker chicks

Next, we drove along the windy and rugged coastal road, past the remains of houses that had fallen into the sea, and through numerous sheep farms to the fishing village of Ngawi where bulldozers are used to lower fishing boats into the water because it is so steep and rough.  A little further along the road was an amazing seal colony where we were able to get right up and close with dozens and dozens of seals and their pups.  It wasn't until the car ride back that we saw the amazingly huge male in the water a little ways down from the colony itself.  What we all noticed was how amazingly natural it all was.  There were no signs or fencing or anything, and if you had been a tourist, you wouldn't have known how to find it, and even if you had, you would probably not have had the right kind of vehicle to get there.  It was really an amazing opportunity.

The fur seal colony

We then carried on down the road to an old lighthouse and climbed up the 250 stairs to the top for an amazing view and photo opportunity.

It was then time for the trek back home to meet up with our host families for dinner and a quiet evening at home.