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Helen up high!
Lyttelton Harbour from the ridge above Christchurch Day 3: Christchurch-Hanmer Springs
The gondola ride was well worth it, after we waited till early afternoon for the weather to clear. Both of us went up; half of us was very determined to overcome a very well-entrenched 30-odd-year fear of heights. The first gondola ride included heart thumping, and insisting the following conditions were followed: looking upward to the mountains, and insisting no-one move around. That agreed, we both enjoyed a terrific ride - although the line was drawn at leaning over the edge of the lookout, even for the obligatory photo. With the height thing overcome (maybe) we might try something higher? The view of 360 degrees included wispy cloud and fog moving fast over velvety green mountains dotted with hardy sheep, winding river, estuary and Christchurch.
The, a drive through picturesque country where only sheep and a few villages live to Hanmer Springs. The village boasts many adventure activities - although bungee jumping did not appeal.
A lovely walk there, in the forest just on dusk, through kauri and ash trees from Jolley’s Road right near the very comfortable and hospitable Hanmer Inn Motel. The thermal springs are reminiscent of ones we once went to
high in Switzerland. There were many pools, some 36 degrees, others up to 40 degrees. At the end of a driving day the thermal pools were fantastic, very warm, some sulphurous. We saw pictures of these pools in winter with snow all around - looked gorgeous. We timed getting out just right - a school group arrived just as we finished changing.
We are wondering why so many people working in NZ are English and creeks are called Streams with boring and unattractive names like Stinking, Brown and Dry?
Helen
Day 4: Hanmer Springs-Lake Tekapo
A long driving day, designed to get from point A to a distant point B with a maximum of distracting scenery to alleviate the tedium of travel. Objective achieved, although we’ll be glad not to do it again. A short walk in the morning, then eight hours in the car plus stops, and the short days down south let us in for a longer time driving in darkness than we had planned.
Lewis Pass, travelling westwards - a good 7/10 for the views. Arthur’s Pass, travelling eastwards - a class above that again, certainly beyond anything we’d seen before.
Bridge near Hanmer Springs
Site for bungy jumping. Of academic interest only. Random observations (1): the Land of the Long White Cloud is not just a marketing slogan. They (LWCs) are everywhere along the valleys, draping themselves languidly like white fox fur about the shoulders of the surrounding mountains. (2): small watercourse nomenclature: on the east side of the Southern Alps they are Streams, on the west side Creeks - at least that’s how it appeared to us. There was also just one Brook, a babbling identity crisis that turned up in the no-man’s-land in the middle. Today’s names included Wee Creek and Blue Speck Creek.
We've arrived in darkness, and are hoping the fog that has obscured various parts of the countryside lifts tomorrow to allow us to enjoy the reputed extreme beauty of the lake on whose bank we are spending the next two nights.
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Judy
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Am really enjoying your travelogue, scenery looks spectacular, especially the ducks on Bourke St!!! Weather has been fine & sunny at home. Geelong plays WC on Saturday and most commentators are still tipping Geelong, most unnerving.