The last time I was here was well over a year ago, before the February earthquake. They opened a new Thai restaurant which I definitely intend to try one day (I am a sucker for tom yum) but sigh I am too much of a sucker for their fish and chips.

I grew up eating fish and chips (we had a shop so it was almost every day) and I must say, they do it really well.

  

Next time however, probably wouldn't get the shellfish combo. I love oysters and scallops etc but more when they are fresh, raw and slimey and taste like the ocean (when you walk along the beach in Akaroa it actually smells like oysters, really...). The hoki fish was yummy and flakey, but kudos probably goes to the fish itself. Anyhoo, no complaints and our stomachs know we will be back. Might have to work on the appetite so we can fit in some Thai as well next time.

After the filling lunch we hired a paddleboat for an hour and did about 10 minutes of paddling and spent the rest drifiting in the water enjoying the calm surroundings and napping. No, that was Jack, I spent most of the time being eaten alive by sandflies and avoiding the HUGE spider on my side of the boat?!

I normally do enjoy getting ice cream in Akaroa as well, but after the furious paddling to get back because ... something something but the guy pointed to the clouds so we had to go (he could have been courteous and towed us back with his speedboat), I was absolutely knackered and probably too eaten to be eating.