Arrival and Akaroa and SNOW

---

Arriving at 2am with minus 2C is not that wonderful, but a quick free shuttle to our motel, welcome warm rooms, a bed, and a 8am start in the daylight.

The motel gave us a free shuttle to our motor home place where we filled in paperwork and having paid ahead we thought that away we would go. not so! Add on insurance, liability, chains, table and chairs, diesel surcharge, blah blah, double again what we had paid! Not happy Jan but no choices in the matter with a very understanding girl trying to make it as best as possible.

The weather was cold and a promise of rain, so after a bakery breaky, we headed off through the city (mistake) and off to Akaroa. This is a lovely little French town on the Banks Peninsula, grabbed by the French after the British had claimed the area, but charmingly held on to By the French. French named streets, cafes, and menus, with dolphins and fishing the main attractions.

So heading off past Lake Elsemere we were delighted to see snow on the hills in the distance, from the Saturday weather event. As we drove we got higher, the snow was closer and the section of the road between Barry's Bay and Little River had fresh grit on the road, snow ploughs standing by and signs warning of snow. And snow there was in flurries falling, on the sides of the road, everywhere.

I hate driving in snow, combine this with mountains and a huge campervan and I was down right nervous. We were warned in Akaroa to get back on the road soon, so 3pm saw us high tailing it back to Christchurch and the Amber park Caravan Park on Blenheim Rd.

Stocked up on groceries for the 3 weeks, tea cooking, movie watching, all is well.

---