Curio Bay, a forest 180 million years old

A short climb up along and across the headland from Porpoise Bay is the area known as Curio Bay. It is itself a stunning place but a total contrast when compared to its elegant neighbour. Checking tide times here is crucial as for two hours either side of low tide an ancient geological site becomes accessible.  A Petrified Forest dating back an estimated 180 million years is revealed as the tide washes away. Buried over the centuries under volcanic mud and ash this place is quite simply amazing. A viewing platform looks out over the site and enabled me to take in the whole mind-boggling landscape from above. Steps lead down from here to the wave washed peninsula where I very delicately and tentatively literally stepped over history. The fossilized tree stumps and logs remain clearly visible to the naked eye. Some are bruised and battered by time, others are in much better shape and are almost intact, you can even see the ring markings in a few. It is remarkable at times what nature miraculously manages to preserve.

Spend the night on a lavender farm complete with outdoor bathroom

Just north of Kaikoura is Lavendyl Farm dreamily situated beneath the lofty peaks of the Kaikoura Mountain Range. A stroll around the farms gardens introduced me to so many different variations of lavender that personally I had no idea existed. My accommodation for the night was at one of their two on-site petite cottages. This allowed me to wander the lavender gardens on my own after all other visitors had departed which was a real pleasure. A delight also was the private outdoor bath and shower I had at my cottage. My very considerate host had kindly left me a bottle of lavender oil and it was a delicious luxury to soak in the peaceful outdoor tub surrounded only by birdsong and bush. The following morning, I woke to find some freshly made bread wrapped up and left by the cottage door, gratefully received as I had another early start.