March 19: Rick for Ellen, plus a draft choice

Today is all about timing. The 5 am alarm slaps us awake and we tiptoe thru the B&B, and out into the cool morning, to intercept our taxi. At tiny Blenheim airport, we are the first to greet the check in lady, who graciously offers us a coffee from the employees lounge. At 7am, Ellen waves to me one final time and turns to board the 16 seat prop plane, bound for Auckland and home. No security, no scanners, just smiles...

At 9:30am, a groggy Rick Hudson wanders off another prop plane, having just completed the last leg of his 24 hour cross world flight. Rick brings fresh (well maybe in a few days..) cycling legs and a thirst for fine white wine all the way from far off, cold, grey Seattle. We grab our one day rental car and retrace steps into Blenheim to clean out belongings from the B&B, pick up bike boxes from the local bikestore, and drop all at Watson's Backpackers in nearby Renwick. Then it's north to Nelson, 1.5 hours away, to get the bike Rick has rented (from Christchurch and shipped to Nelson) and an ice cream cone. Even tho Rick is, by now, severely nodding off, the tour continues and we cruise back thru Havelock and Picton and finally, via the Cork and Keg pub, to bed at the hostel.

A long day of shuffling, and we missed the opening of the Green Mussel Festival!!