33,644!
They are the number of steps taken to complete the second circle loop – the Kaikoura Peninsula walk.
From the third-bedroom campervan door to door.
Where we retraced the route ridden the day before – through the township, up and over into South Bay. Then across the top of the topography versus at sea level and around it, reaching the tourist car park on the Kaikoura side, then footed it all the way back around the coastline, township revisited, to arrive back at the NZMCA Park and where the campervan welcomed us back with open arms.
Actually, we had to unlock, slide the door open and fall in!
When you get a stunner of a day, the panoramic views north, west, south and east are breathtaking.
The sound of wildlife was also in surround sound – squealing seals, squawking shags, scavenging sea gulls, singing song from the other birdlife, and the moo of cows and baa’s of sheep, as we crossed paddocks.
South Bay was an old whaling station. The display board with black and white images with story narrative made for a magnetising read, sending the imagination into yesteryear and what life must have been like.
There was enough space to share with the hordes of others exploring, and the Sea Food BBQ kiosk where one can order everything edible from beneath the hide tide mark is worth satisfying the palette. A well deserve resting spot before completing the loop. No kina though (that’s sea urchin)!
A feed of fnc’s from the local shop nearby rounded out this day and one had to strategically not be seen throwing chips up onto Maree Grenfell and Randall Grenfell campervan for the sea gulls!
A wind down stretch of the legs before retiring for the night to rest the weary legs.
Those steps not counted however, all up, nigh on 20 kms looped when extrapolating out the 33,644.
And so totally worth it.
