Me at Kaikoura airfield: any chance someone could run me into town on the way home?

Guy in the corner: yep, going in for dinner?

Me: yeah, got some crayfish waiting for me at the Pier Hotel.

Him: yeah that’s my hotel

Me: yeah I know right? They treat you like you own the place.

Him: I own the place. Need a lift?

I really truly love New Zealand.

Later that evening

Shortly after that. Asked in a bar downtown how to get a taxi to campground (and avoid an I shit you not 1hr 44m walk) and a guy ordering dinner said he’d run me out while they were cooking it.

I offered to pay for his dinner of course, but it turns out it was his bar (also of course). He’s a cousin of the guy who owns The Pier (also also of course)

To sum up. When in Kaikoura, take a whale watching flight with Air Kaikoura, eat crayfish at The Pier and enjoy a refreshing ginger beer at the Strawberry Tree. (And consider flying over to Hanmer for a soak if you have an aeroplane handy.)