Wednesday morning 23 March 2011

Kia Ora,

We zipped past Christchurch, picking up a rental car (Toyota Corolla) at the airport.  Then on to Hanmer Springs, a thermal spa centered village in the mountains.  Nice place, and wish we could have stayed more than one day...but we are counting down NZ days now.  The thermal spas were communal, with lots of folks older than us, blending many cultures.  Mimi attributed the water hues to a richness of minerals (namely, sulphur), but I suspect a shortage of bromine.  Anyway, they felt good.  Looked dubious but felt good.

Next morning drove through switchbacks to a place nominated by Amy’s Kiwi friends, a whale watching site, Kaikoura.  Might have been nice but for once the rain/choppy seas turned us away.  We retrenched, and drove south to Christchurch, promptly losing our way in the edges of the city.  Noted: some of the damage, with whole brick fronts down on the streets, gaping holes in large structures, and frequent off limit taping of those sites deemed dangerous. We passed right by the big cathedral that looks as though it will be impossible to ‘fix’. Heartbreaking. The news is full of stories of owners/renters wanting in, but the city saying it is still too dangerous.  Once we finally spotted an Akaroa sign, we hustled out onto the Banks Peninsula, in wonder of the mountainous terrain.  Akaroa was formed by the eruptions of three  volcanoes and the Akaroa Harbour sits in one of the craters. It is a city founded by the French and it is very quaint, full of little shops and French restaurants and French street names.

We are staying in a Top 10 campground, in one of their nicer units which equates to a mini trailer park unit.  Double wide, if you please. With a killer view of the habour.

Off to see what there is to do here. Possible long hike and signing up for scenic mail run tagalong to far flung homes and farms, complete with commentary.

On the road to the unsuccessful whale watch in Kaikoura

Stopping on a one-way bridge

Kaikoura is just around the next bend

On the way to Banks Peninsula, headed south just past to Akaroa

Five hours later...Akaroa Harbour and Akaroa on the far right

First photos...more to come

View from our double wide

Will have to stop by here today!