Wine Trails, Aviation and a Z4 Run... Pic heavy

[enzed4]

Felt like I desperately needed to get away after my first week back at work, so it was decided a 620Km (return) overnighter to the north of the South Island (Blenheim) was in order to give the Z4 a nice run. The weather was forecast was to be a cracker couple of days, so we packed a couple of overnight bags and headed north Saturday morning. Sunscreen/hat on, top down, we're outta here...


I posted a thread last year of the trip to Kaikoura, which is a bit over half way to Blenheim, so if you saw that thread you'll have an idea of the roads/scenery for that leg. Beyond Kaikoura you hug the coastline with some lovely twisty bits, but if you get stuck behind a truck, campervan, boat trailer, and so on.. there can be long stretches with no chance to overtake. You just have to relax and wait for the right time.
On arriving at Blenheim we checked into the Hotel - nothing fancy but I'd stayed there a couple of times for work and knew it was reasonable, and has a nice pool.
Then it was off to some wineries to sample the wares (very limited sampling for me as wine and Z4 driving don't go too well together).
Blenheim is in the heart of Marlborough, where much of the wine that the English seem to enjoy at the moment comes from. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and on and on, we only had time to visit a few wineries, but had a great time, and picked up a few bottles to bring home (although they're mostly available at the local supermarket, it's not as much fun).
Parked up at Allan Scott Winery:


(pic from Google)
Then at Cloudy Bay Winery:

Did I mention it was hot....


Stopped at the Argosy Cafe to get a cold drink and a photo op.


Sunday we checked out of the Hotel, visited a Farmer's Market (Marlborough also produces a lot of stonefruit - peaches, plums, cherries, apricots etc - yum , then headed to the Omaka Aviation Museum. It houses a good collection of WW1 era aircraft (many are part of Peter Jackson's collection) and displays of aviation related equipment. Apparently they're working towards a WWII and onwards Hangar so it should only get better.










Should I have told the wife to look behind her? :lol:


When we finished, there was a pilot at the next door aerodrome having some fun - shame I didn't bring a decent zoom lens with me, I didn't think I'd need it....






Across the road from the Aviation Museum is a Classic Cars Museum - might as well check it out since we're here...


Plenty of Jags



And a few Motorbikes



Then it was time for the return leg home, about 3hrs 40 depending on traffic. A great weekend getaway, but sadly it's back to work again Monday

 

[ekimj10]

Great post, thoroughly enjoyed reading, thanks.

 

[Rorybeanbutler]

Looks a good trip

 

[buzyg]

Thanks for that, cheered up an other wise wet and windy Sunday here in Cornwall.


Oh and I wouldn't tell the wife about the bomb. If you do it will be your fault. :wink:

 

[mr.tourette]

great stuff that

 

[mr wilks]

Glad you're getting out & about in the Z enjoyable read + pics could have skipped the 33deg bit though :wink:

 

[gasman]

Looks like a great roadtrip.
How much would it cost to ship my Z4 to NZ for a vacation ?

 

[JINGLE]

Looks like a great roadtrip.
How much would it cost to ship my Z4 to NZ for a vacation ?

maybe we could organize a group buy?

 

[Marlon]

Looks like a great road trip - very jealous of all that sunshine. Nice pics, zeds looking very sleek and shiny

 

[enzed4]

To be honest, the temperature was unusually high - it's normally mid 20's, up to 30. Just right for convertible driving.
I hoped I might cheer up some of you stuck in a wet and miserable winter - just spare a thought for me suffering the same when you're all out and about enjoying your summer :lol:

 

[GMANLAW]

Our summers consist of a few dry days and the odd day where the temperature rises briefly somewhere over the 20 degree mark!! I would trade places with you 100% Sorry just a little green around the gills about your trip. FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[paulgs1000]

What a great place to visit - two museums at the same place, brilliant.

Peter Jackson's museum eh - that's a great museum and the displays for the WW1 aeroplanes look incredible. Guess he has access to some special effects and very high quality modelling :lol: His WW2 hanger's going to be something worth travelling back to see.

Surprised you got held up on the roads - doesn't New Zealand have a very small population (4.5 million - just looked it up)

Thanks for posting - if you ever get to the UK we've got some impressive aviation and motor museums - just ask on the forum

 

[enzed4]

What a great place to visit - two museums at the same place, brilliant.
Peter Jackson's museum eh - that's a great museum and the displays for the WW1 aeroplanes look incredible. Guess he has access to some special effects and very high quality modelling :lol: His WW2 hanger's going to be something worth travelling back to see.
Surprised you got held up on the roads - doesn't New Zealand have a very small population (4.5 million - just looked it up)
Thanks for posting - if you ever get to the UK we've got some impressive aviation and motor museums - just ask on the forum

I think Peter Jackson's flying WWI aircraft are based in the North Island (Hood Aerodrome) - some were used in the recent King Kong movie, but the static displays at Omaka are pretty impressive.
Yeah, okay, so I guess traffic is a relative term, but it doesn't take much to hold up the flow when there's no where to pass :x
Plenty of clear roads with nothing but you, the Z4 and the scenery to enjoy, at other times to make up for it.
And yes, I'd love to check out some of the aviation museums in the UK (and Europe), hopefully in the next couple of years.

 

[Vanne]

wow, that brings back a few memories, before being stationed in DXB, me and the misses did 12 months in CHC. Loved that place, (pre shake) and had a Z3 Roady while we were there. Boy we did some miles there. just absolutely LOVED the scenery there.. any pics will not do it any justice.. at all!!

If you ever get the chance, please do go and take a look see, Unzed (as the Straya'ns call it) is one of the most beautiful parts of the world, and also probably one of the worlds best kept secrets.

We traveled up to the north of the south island and down to the south of to south island and pretty much everywhere in-between. LOVED it SOOO much!! enzed, we also visited lots of the same places, and saw the same museums, and all of them top bloody notch. The Pete Jackson museums also enjoyed. The top thing for us was the mountain roads, just unbelievable. very beautiful stuff. just loved it.. every weekend we we were out and about, be it wine tasting (more like guzzling) or just coffee drinking in little cafes doted around the place.

can't say how much we loved it enough, sadly the big shake ended things for us there in CHC. The nicest trip comes to mind we did was driving from CHC to Queenstown. To this day my misses still brings up how awesome that was as were all the wee little places in between.

 

[enzed4]

Thanks Vanne, it's nice to hear good things about home. You get pretty blase about it when you see it all around you all the time, but yes, it's a great place to jump in the Zed and just drive... You've got me convinced a trip to Queenstown in the Z4 should be on the 'to do' list
Last time we went it was Autumn, so no snow, but not too hot either... here are a few pics taken then, to bring back some memories for you:

 

[JINGLE]

thats some pretty impressive views! great photos!

 

[gasman]

Looks like a great roadtrip.
How much would it cost to ship my Z4 to NZ for a vacation ?

maybe we could organize a group buy?

If we double stack the cars, and remove the bumpers, we can fit 6 Z4`s in a 40ft shipping container.