SPT DAYS 28 & 29: KAIKOURA PENINSULA

Just 40 minutes outside of lush, hilly Picton the landscape flattens out and opens up to fields and vineyards.  We stopped for lunch at the Twelve Trees restaurant at the Allen Scott Winery in Blenheim.

The pretty buildings of the winery were made using rammed earth construction.

I started with a little tasting plate of wild duck and rabbit rillettes, cured salmon and pickled grapes.

A fresh beef carpaccio was a great main course with a glass of the 2008 Moorlands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

After lunch we set out again for the coast, and the landscape turned grassy and hilly... then the electric blue ocean appeared.

The South Island's east coast.

We arrived in the little town of Kaikoura on the peninsula of the same name just in time for an afternoon whale watching expedition.  We were told it was a great day to see a whale, and that Whale Watch Kaikoura had a 95% success rate in spotting whales, sharks, albatross and other wildlife.  The deep water trench just off the coast means that groups of Sperm Whales are consistently congregating in the area.  I couldn't wait!  Just before we boarded the boat, a fog rolled in.

By the time we made it out over the trench, the fog reduced visibility to near nothing.  The captain used this funny device to search sonically for whales below the surface.  He would listen carefully, then rush to the ship's control room and we would zip off into the gray abyss.  This process was repeated 10 or so times over the course of two hours.

This was pretty much what we saw while whale watching in Kaikoura.

The next day was windy and rainy, so no second attempt was made to see a whale.  I was determined to see some of Kaikoura's famed wild life, however, and dragged by boyfriend into the driving rain for a hike around the peninsula.

Most everything we saw was trying to hide from the rain.  At first I was sure this was a penguin, but my boyfriend insisted it was not.  

This seal was also unamused by the rain, and by our inquisitiveness.  Signs warning to stay at least 10 meters away from the seals were loosely interpreted (who can convert metric on the spot like that?) and we got a nasty warning growl to get the hell away.  By the end of the walk the sun came out for a bit, and we could say we experienced some of the local nature, even if it was just a cranky seal and not a Sperm Whale.

Our hotel about 10 minutes south of town was the best we have stayed in here in New Zealand. The Hapuku Lodge and Tree Houses are built with locally sourced materials high on supports to maximize views of the ocean and snow capped mountains on either side.  It was some of the most interesting, unique and sensitive architecture I have seen on this trip.

Unfortunately the tree houses were booked, but our room in the main lodge was very nice as well.  One problem with the place: they were in the process of installing a pool and expanding the grounds and landscaping.  All of this looked like it was going to be beautiful when it was completed, but in the meantime we were surrounded by a construction pit.  The service was good, the architecture great, the decor very nice, and the views beyond the gravel and cement mixers breathtaking... it just would have been nice to have all those gorgeous local plants to frame everything.  Also, and it is a small thing, but every hotel in the world should be obliged to mail postcards for their guests instead of sending them to find the post office in town.  It is just good service.

Another highlight of the hotel, and our trip, was the food.  Here is the duck liver pate.

The main course of rack of lamb.

And my strawberry balsamic tart for dessert.  

While so much of New Zealand's food is sourced locally, you aren't really made aware of that fact unless you ask.  Curious, because in the states and the UK, and even Australia, a dish's provenance is touted and the locavore obsession means foods that are obtained nearby are often priced at a premium.  In New Zealand, I think because of its isolation, it only makes sense to source locally.  Why would anyone go through the trouble of doing it any other way?  Lucky them.

SPT DAYS 9-11: ROYAL MAIL HOTEL

After flying back from Hobart, Tasmania we picked up a rental car and drove out through the misty hills surrounding Melbourne to the Southern Grampions National Park.  Nearby is the Royal Mail Hotel in the town of Dunkeld.  This was the centerpiece of our time in Victoria, and so far the highlight of our trip.

The sun came out after we arrived, and we enjoyed the native gardens and took a dip in the pool.

The view of Mt. Sturgeon from our room was like my "Crocodile Dundee" fantasy come true... on the edge of the bush!

Our little deck.

We went for a hike to the top of the mountain on our second day, taking advantage of the cool, cloudy weather.  This eucalyptus (gum) tree is over 400 years old, and is one of many of which are scattered around the plains surrounding the Grampion mountains.

In one of the most exciting moments in my life, we came across a herd of over 40 wild kangaroos.  They peered curiously at us before bounding away over a sheep fence.  I almost passed out.

As we climbed the mountain, the surrounding area began to look more and more like an African plain.

Here is the hotel from the top of the mountain.

The real reason for going to the Royal Mail, however, was the food.  This was yet another No Reservations find, and it did not disappoint.  Head chef Dan Hunter earned his stripes at one and two Michelin star restaurants in Spain before returning to Australia to transform the Royal Mail Hotel, which had been a pub and meeting place in Dunkeld for decades.  Mr. Hunter was on vacation while we were visiting, so the stellar tasting menu was not available.  His sous chefs and the rest of his staff treated us to the bistro menu instead, which was absolutely flawless each of the 6 times we ate at the restaurant.

Everything is sourced from either local producers or, as in the case of the tomato salad above, the hotel's own garden.  The olives were grown on a nearby farm by a man who brought several rare types with him from Lebanon in the 1970's.

 
Ham charcuterie with tomato bread.

One dish the first night was this olive oil poached kingfish with beans, capers, tomatoes and olives.  The broth you see was smokey and dreamlike.

The slow cooked lamb with vegetable stew, basil and pine nuts.  Lamb is a specialty in this area.

A light lunch on the second day: sardines on toast and a garden green (including a delicious bitter nasturtium green) salad.

On night two, after our hike, the roast chicken with herb gnocchi, ham hock, cabbage and fennel.

The seafood stew.

By the end of our trip we had made friends with the wonderfully professional and gracious staff, and our last night dinner was the pinnacle of three days of eating well.  Above is a local charcuterie plate with (top to bottom, left to right) curred ham, curred wagyu beef, curred salmon and curred duck.  I live for curred meats.

The entree (first course) was this delicate fried quail with beetroot, carrot and almond.

And the jewel in the crown: the roast for two.  Perfectly cooked grass fed beef,  garden fresh carrots and beets, a warm french potato salad and garden greens.  This was paired with a 1999 Seppelt St. Peter's Shiraz from the hotel's absolutely insane wine cellar.

Other (all white) wines enjoyed included:

Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio 2008

Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Mount Mary Triolet Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Crawford River Reisling 2005

Every glass or bottle was great, and the excellent sommelier helped us find exactly what we were looking for.  It was exciting to see their breadth of Australian wines, most from the surrounding area or elsewhere in Victoria.

Read more on the Royal Mail's philosophy, location, menu and rates here.

SOUTH PACIFIC TRIP: DAY 4

Yesterday we headed out to the Yarra Valley, about an hour northeast of Melbourne, with my expat friends.  After a really beautiful drive, we stopped for lunch at the TarraWarra Estate winery. 

We drank some 2007 Pinot Noir Rose with our lunch, walked around the grounds, then headed to the Healsville Animal Sanctuary, which specializes in conserving native Australian animal species, some of which are critically endangered.  It was a holiday, and we were told the crowds of excited children broke a record.  I didn't care, however: I got to see Koalas and Kangaroos up close in their native habitat.  We also saw Bilbys, Walabies, Flying Foxes, Platypus, Kookaburras, Emus and all sorts of funny little marsupials.  It was great.

Roos are apparently the deer of Australia.  It was hot, and this Eastern Gray Kangaroo was relaxing in the shade.

This Koala was pretty relaxed as well.