Feb 16 - Blennheim

 We drove north to Blennheim along the coast with wild waves of shore and strong winds buffeting the car.  We had to stop at a famous food Van, Nin's Bin, that serves lobster and fish& chips. It was doing a roaring trade despite the weather and its remoteness. 

Feb 15 Christchurch

 Today we went to an Anglican Church just to the south of the city.  Then to a very unimpressive market.  After that we visited the Botanical Gardens.

Gisny Redwood (Sequoia) planted in 1869 by the then Duke of Edinburgh

Pear tree in the kitchen Garden

Ducks and a pontoon boat 

Previously Canterbury College,  now The Arts Centre

February 14 Christchurch

 After 2 days of driving,  first to Timaru, a port town on the east coast,  then today north to Christchurch,  we visited the interim (Cardboard) Cathedral, then walked into the city to visit the Art Gallery and look around. 

  

Cardboard Cathedral- the roof struts are made by pine timbers enclosed in 600mm cardboard tube made from recycled paper. 

Lattimer Square

Di liked the Apple logo. I wasn't too sure about the name that went with it

The Avon River - with canal boat included. 

Inside the elevator in the Art Gallery the walls are covered in an art work called The End, cotton fabric with metal particles representing the night sky. 

A Samoan wedding taking place in the Gardens. 

February 12 Queenstown

Today we drove along to the end of the lake to n the town of  Glenorchy. This was the site of the first hydroelectric generator in New Zealand, a dynamo producing 2000 V DC. The local landscape was used in Lord of the Rings and Narnia.

February 11 - Queenstown

 A quiet day in Queenstown. We drove into the city and went for a walk through the tourist area- had the essentials - Patagonia Chocolate's huge ice creams followed by Chinese dumplings by the water. Di did some window shopping then we saw a sports shoe shop and I bought a new pair of runners. First time in 6 years!

NZ Moa extinct for 600 years and Fountain 

Queenstown surrounds

Coronation Bathhouse- now a restaurant

View from the Bathhouse

Feb 10 Haast Hwy - Queenstown

 The drive from Fox Glacier to Queenstown took us down the west coast through beautiful temperate rain forest country up over the mountains via countless hair pin bends to beautiful Queenstown. Mind you Queenstown is overrun by tourist at this time of the year. We’re staying in an Airbnb well out of the busy part of town, with a stunning view over the Lake.

 

 

Path through the forest to Roaring Billy Falls

Lake Wanaka 

looking down to Queenstown 

Queenstown - Lake Wakatipu - from our Airbnb

February 9 Glaciers

 We drove down the coast road t o Fox Glacier, stopping at Franz Josef Glacier on the way. You can’t drive up to the glacier but you can see it from about 2km away. Fox Glacier is even further away and when we got to the viewing point it was almost covered in cloud. The road down here passes through amazing scenery with the road snaking around the mountainside in tight bends. 

Lake Ianthe on the way to Fox Glacier

Walking to the view point with the glacier on the distance. 

Franz Josef Glacier with the glacial moraine in the foreground

 

A waterfall and the glacier

Fox Glacier shrouded in clouds.  Mount Cook is also up there in the clouds. 

February 8 Punakaiki

 Today we went to the local Anglican Church in the morning. Friday was Waitangi Day, commemorating the treaty between the Māori and the British, so the service was dedicated to the celebration of National Unity with much of the service led in Māori language. We sang the complete NZ National Anthem which is a throughly Christian song. The sermon reflected on the Christian foundation of the treaty as well as the failure to follow it completely on the part of the British. There was a lot of resonance with our own history.

Holy Trinity Church

After lunch we drove north to Punakaiki to visit the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. Fascinating rock formations actions looking like pancake stacks.