Christchurch

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WOW THIS COUNTRY IS AMAZING!!!!!!

Okay - so first to Christchurch. We flew in over the snow capped mountains of New Zealand and then in the distance saw Christchurch. After a smooth landing and then a smooth transision into our campervan (go Jucy Rentals!) - we were on the road, and didn't have far to go to our camping holiday park for the night.

This is the first time throughout our travels that we had chosen the 'campervan' route and we were sooooooo excited. Even though the temperature here is absolutely freezing (well it is their winter) - and our van has no heating once the engine is switched off - we were absolutely buzzing. We actually arrived in some beautiful weather - the sun (although not hot) was shining and the sky was clear. We had been keeping close track on the weather in New Zealand up to this point and it had been raining continually, but good fortune was obviously following us.

Our night in the holiday camp site went without hitch...we cooked up some food using the kitchen facilities on site and then had fun converting the seating in our van into a bed - harder than it actually looks! Yes it was a little bit cold that night but not as bad as we thought it was going to be. And at least now our bodies were beginning to aclimatise.

The next morning we had an early start - wolfed some breakfast down and then headed into the City of Christchurch to see the cathederal, trams, historic buildings and botanical gardens.

The city is quiet and, although there is nothing absolutely specatucular about it it does have a nice feel to it, with the tram weaving in and out of the streets and the cathederal making a pleasant backdrop. The botanical gardens were nice for a stroll around - and we saw a gondala on the river.....in fact the city is very reminisent of somewhere like Cambridge. With just a morning spent here, we soon headed off for our 5 hour drive to Mount Cook, to camp under the stars for the night.

On our drive down to Mount Cook, I just have to say again....

THIS COUNTRY IS AMAZING!!!

The scenery, even as you are driving along is breathtaking. We saw the snow capped mountains in the distance and they gradually got bigger as we neared them.

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