Nikau Palm Gully Tramping

Stopping to take in the views and for everyone to catch up and drink some water

Nikau Palms(think oil palms) in the background.
Left to right : Paul, Dee, Pam, Brian (I think these are their names)
Near the end of the tramp, waiting for the rest to catch up.
Closed/Private Property. We needed a permit to tramp there.

Early Sunday morning, I woke up to catch the 7:33am Metrostar to Merivale Mall so that I could meet the christchurch trampers at the papanui road shell station. We were going on an easy tramp in Akaroa. The weather on friday and saturday was absolutely miserable, cloudy, overcast, intermittent drizzle the entire day. It was supposed to be foggy and overcast on sunday morning, and gradually turning fine as the day progressed. At least that was what the weather forecast was and it was true to its word, thankfully. On the way, I actually felt a little carsick even though I didn't eat anything for breakfast. The last time I felt this way was as a kid on the way up genting highlands. Luckily, we arrived soon enough.

And so a group of about 15 of us, adults, teenagers, kids spent the day on this easy walk. The terrain was almost entirely flat with maybe about 200metres of bushwhacking/stream crossing/boulder crossing.

The view was nice and spent some time talking with Pam, Samantha and Paul along the journey. Found out that Manuka is actually considered a kind of tea tree; Samantha was born in Singapore; Paul was thinking of stopping over in Singapore for a short while; Brian was actually in Singapore in 1976!