Haere Mai -
Welcome!
Prepare yourself to be
amazed this is the trip of a lifetime.
My itinerary was as
follows:
December
2
LHR – Singapore
3
Singapore 14.55 pm in pool…
lol 19.45 to Christchurch
4
arrive in Christchurch at 10.40am – fly to Sydney
5
Sydney
6
Sydney - fly to Hervey Bay
7
Hervey Bay (beach all day)
8
Fraser Island – flight + 4x4
9
Hervey Bay am at leisure – 1pm flight to Sydney
10
Sydney to Auckland
11
Drive to Coromandel
Peninsula
12
Thames to – Coromandel Town, Whitianga, Hot Water Beach, Cathedral Cove,
Tairua, Whangamata, Waihi and drive back to Auckland – stay over night
13
Drive to Bay of Islands
– Helensville, Helena
14
Pahia – Haruru Falls
15
Drive to Whangaroa and Mangaonui
16
drive to Auckland
17
drive to Rotorua
18
Rotorua - Polynesian Spa – drive to Whakatane (Bay of Plenty
19
Drive to Wai-o-Tapu - Lake
Taupo
20
Am in Napier –drive up to Lake
Taupo
21
Waitomo – see 3 caves – back to Auckland
22
Return car and fly to Wellington
23
Wellington
24
Wellington – 1pm flight to Brisbane
25
Brisbane
26
Brisbane
27
Brisbane
28
drive to Noosa
29
drive to Surfers Paradise
30
Brisbane
31
Fly to Sydney
January
1
Sydney
2
Sydney – fly to Christchurch
3
Transcenic to Picton – drive to Nelson and Motueka (sleep)
4
Drive to Marahau – 11km walk in Abel
Tasman Park
5
Drive to Collingwood and Farewell then across to Whanganui Inlet - Takaka
(sleep)
6
Drive down to Murchinson - Westport - Greymouth
- Franz Josef stop for pics – Lake
Matheson
7
Drive down to Haast and Wanaka
8
Wanaka – Milford Sound
9
Drive to Queenstown – Glenorchy
10
Drive to Cromwell Town - Twizel - Mount Cook – Lake Tekapo - Mount John
Observatory – Geraldine
11
drive to Akaroa
12
drive through Akaroa Peninsula on way back to Christchurch
13 Christchurch - Singapore
14 Arrive
in London
After a manageable 12
hour flight I landed in Singapore Singapore
So there was I, laying
in a recliner chair, the sun on my face and a grin… life is beautiful.
The afternoon flew by
and it was time to board the second leg of my journey, Singapore – Christchurch Kiwi
Land
I
went to visit my friend and Sydney
Arriving
in Sydney was like arriving home, I think I am
under a spell when in Australia
The
next day I went to see a private fashion show where my friend was modeling. The
clothes were very pretty and the philosophy behind the brand appealed to me.
The designer and owner of Malone, was in Hoi An in Vietnam
I
managed to convince my friend to come with me to Fraser Island Hervey Bay
We
spent the afternoon lazing on the beach until early evening. The water was
amazingly warm, I can guess around 30 to 32 degrees... I swear! We changed and
hit town but the only action we saw was at the Beach Hotel and we sat down to
get disappointed with the food and service.
Car
rental in Hervey Bay was per person not per car... which we though was
very strange. So after ascertaining that we could not get any car in Hervey Bay
we decided to go for a fly/drive to Fraser
Island Air
Fraser Island
We
drove first to Lake Mackenzie. The 1 hour drive was partly done on the
beach and partly through sand tracks, a great challenge. I loved it of course.
My friend was enjoying being driven around so much that she did not drive,
despite me insisting on it. After a swim in Lake
Mackenzie we drove back to the beach
and went north to the ship wreck, the Pinnacles and Eli Creek
We
went back to Soul Sá for more amazing food. But all that is precious comes to
an end and the following morning we had our last meal - Brunch - at guess
where... the Soul Sá. We were not going to even try to find another place. We
flew back to Sydney Auckland
I rented a car with Jucy
and drove around the city. However I did not feel like staying in the city one
night so drove straight to the Coromandel Peninsula Manukau City and then followed signs to Coromandel Peninsula Thames , so I could
see the landscape up the coast the following day. Thames
is very small and, dare I say it, empty town after 7pm. I stayed at the
Brynies Hotel, which is also a pub. Single rooms w/ensuite cost $50. For dinner
I chose the Goldmine Café because they had free internet access. A rarity
in NZ, as most hotspots are paid for.
So on the morning of the
10th I started my drive up the coast from Thames to Coromandel Town
FromCoromandel Town Cooks Beach
Hot water beach is a lovely cove, well two coves actually, separated by a cliff wall where, if you dig a hole in the sand, you can sit in a pool of really hot water. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great and the tide was up so not much space to do it. So I watched some hopefuls digging. Don’t worry about not having a spade, you can rent one at the local shop. Across from the car park there is an art gallery, which has amazing stuff produced by a local artist.
From
Hot water beach is a lovely cove, well two coves actually, separated by a cliff wall where, if you dig a hole in the sand, you can sit in a pool of really hot water. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great and the tide was up so not much space to do it. So I watched some hopefuls digging. Don’t worry about not having a spade, you can rent one at the local shop. Across from the car park there is an art gallery, which has amazing stuff produced by a local artist.
Tairua and Whangamata
are two other perfect little towns but pressed for time I drove directly down
to Waihi beach. What a lovely seaside resort. After lunch I drove straight back
to Auckland
The next day off I went
up north to the Bay
of Islands
I took the
motorway direction of Helensville, for obvious reasons (my name...). The
motorway exits are very well signposted and after coffee in Helensville I
continued north on HW16 towards Te Hana, Brynderwyn, Waipu, Hikurangi, where I
saw a signpost for Helena
Bay
I continued on the
scenic route, which contours the coast up and down the hills towards Russell,
but did not continue to Russell instead took the ferry to Opua and
the Bay of Islands. On arrival at Pahia I had my first glimpse of the Bay of Islands
The first night I was
recommended 2 restaurants Café 6 and Peppercorn. I opted for the first one and
a lovely German man Michael, greeted me with the warmest smile ever. His wife
was a delightful host too and I ordered what she recommended - tuna and monk fish on a
seabed of vegetables and rice - and did not regret it. It was simply Divine!
That evening I watched
the Culture North Night Show ($55 with pick up included). The show describes in
theatre form the arrival of the first Maoris, the story of New Zealand
On my way back from the
show I went in the restaurant and Michael invited me to the table where he sat
with 5 German friends and I did have an extra glass of wine with them… oh what
a laugh we had. Some places you just feel very welcome and this place was
exceptional, which meant I went everyday for breakfast but not for dinner as I
really wanted to try the other restaurants.
The next day I took the
ferry to Russell - what a quaint little port village. Then in
the afternoon I took a boat tour of the Hole in the Rock. The sea was ever so
rough, my oh my... After resting a bit I managed to go out and had dinner at
Stonegrill - steak on a hot stone.
The following morning I
drove to Kerikeri a delightfull shopping paradise, where I managed to
find a few bargains. If you come here do stop at the Stone Store and Mission
House. The Stone house underwent major conservation work in 1990 and now
retains its early character. The Mission House received a few changes and
the latest in 1970 meant that the house was returned fairly close to what it
looked like in 1843, and what a lovely step back in time this tour is. I had
lovely scallops for dinner at the Peppercorn.
The drive to Mangonui
is pleasant and very pretty, with a few stops at Whangaroa and another bay I
managed to get to Mangonui - a lovely place by the seafront - just in
time for lunch. A group of musicians were playing in the restaurant terrace and
I could not have chosen a better place to eat.
Sadly it was time to
leave the Bay of Islands Cape Reinga Auckland Auckland
The
following morning I headed down south to Rotorua - the smelly city.
Smelly
indeed... I stayed at Sudima Hotel (www.sudimahotels.com)
and the stench was impossible... but I had to endure it 2 more days... This
region has a large geothermic area and geysers and hot springs
That
evening I booked myself into a traditional Maori dinner at Maitai Village
Dinner
included chicken, some red meat which they said it was lamb but unless lambs
here are very skinny this was a kiwi not lamb. But I reckon they say
lamb so people won’t go yak… I liked it. The sweet potatoes and the kiwi were
the best. There were salads and roasted potatoes as well as some stuffing and
the evening ended with a tour of the village in the dark to spot the glow
worms.
The
next day I spent the morning, just around the corner, at the Polynesian Spa (www.polynesianspa.co.nz). The Spa includes several pools and rock pools. I opted
for the 4rock pools where the water temperature ranges from 36 to 42 degrees.
What a relaxing time!! In the afternoon I drove to Wakatane in the Bay of Plenty
The
following day was cloudy as well and I decided to drive to Napier.
I was curious to see the art deco buildings. I woke up early and drove to Wai-o-Tapu
(Sacred Waters) Thermal Wonderland (www.geyserland.co.nz). I first drove to the
location where Lady Knox Geyser erupts every day at 10.15am. I was slightly
disappointed by the fact that it is a provoked eruption. Some soap is thrown
into the geyser's mouth and 8-10 min later the geyser erupts. After that I
walked through the trail to all the colourful volcanic craters and pools, including
the champagne pool, artists palette and devil's pool.
I arrived in Napier
at around 5pm and after booking into a hotel I walked through the centre.
I had dinner at the Brasserie 311, opted for the fish dish and yet again
enjoyed the nouvelle cuisine I got so accostumed in NZ. To end a perfect meal I
asked for desert and a 20 Year
Port
After
breakfast I took some pictures and drove up to Lake Taupo, the wether was
glorious, what a difference from the previous day driving down, when it was
pouring down as if there was no tomorrow. This time I was able to appreciate
the lovely scenery and yet again be mesmerised by the greenery around. I
was able to see Lake
Taupo
At around
5pm I drove up to Waitomo on a secondary road heading onto HW32 to then
turn left to HW30. I stayed overnight at The Panoram Hotel in Te Kuiti. Lovely
views and just close enough to drive to the caves in the morning. Waitomo Caves
(www.waitomocaves.co.nz)
consist of 3 very different caves - the Glowworm
Caves , Ruakuri
Caves and Aranui Caves Ruakuri
Caves
Then it
was time to visit the world famous Glow
Worm Cave Aranui
Cave Auckland
For those
who live in England , this
country is like the Lake District extended all
over the country. For those who are not familiar with the Lake
District I can assure you this is a painters' paradise, the views
are breathtaking.
Another night in Auckland
The
flight was just slightly delayed but one of the cabin crew was so funny it kind
of lifted everyone’s spirits. We were just taxying - getting to the runway
- and because it was taking a long time he announced cheerfully “no, we are not
driving to Wellington, we are flying, please just bare with us while we take
the longest runway...”, then he said something else about his colleague… oh
yeh… we were still waiting and he said “well, while we wait for taking off
Sandra here is going to sing us a song… no she is not, just bare with us while
we get a green light to take off.” And he said something else… yes about
smoking… “this is a no smoking plane, if you feel like one please just step
outside…” He was great at getting us all happy shame about the
native next to me snoring…
I headed for my
accommodation, The Hotel, on Willis
Street Matterhorn .
I had read that some of the crew from the Lord of the Rings had eaten there, and
the Jetstar inflight magazine also advertised the restaurant as one of the
best in town. I was not disappointed, the food recommended was excellent, the
desert even better. The couple in the next table started a conversation with me
and I was rather pleased to have someone to talk to. The lady was from Sydney
and the husband from England
but lived in Sydney since he was a
child, until they both decided to move to Wellington
Dinner dragged over a
Port wine and conversation about immigration. When I finally decided to leave I
was still not in the mood to go back to the hotel. Ernesto, the bar in
the next corner, had a live band playing and I entered for a last coffee.
What a lovely walk, the weather was mild, no wind that day, bearing in mind Wellington is famous for being quite windy, so I just sad down in one of the benches and enjoyed watching kids playing, teenagers rollerskating, families walking up and down. I decided to walk back to the museum. I am not a museum person but I liked Te Papa Museum, there were quite a few interesting facts about global warming and its effects in
Still too early to go
back to the hotel and getting ready for dinner I decided to take a taxi to Mount Victoria Wellington looks like Sydney
On my way down from Mount
Victoria I sat down on a bench looking over the harbour and city down
below, and took it all in... At certain times I feel the need to be grateful, to let emotion run through me and allow me to carry on breathing. Being faced with so much beauty and so much freedom causes one to be tearful some times... The sun was shining, there was no wind and I felt on top of the world. What a
relaxing spot... I finally made all the way down to the beach and had a
gorgeous ice cream at a little ice cream shop at the seafront.
I walked back to the
city centre and sat down at a splanade with a glass of wine. I was ever so
pleased with this trip. I was extremelly pleased to find a
city so different from Auckland Wellington definitively reminded me of Sydney, a baby Sydney
That evening I ate at
Ernesto's and the food was also gorgeous. The prawns were exceptionally good
and for desert I had rice pudding... my favourite.
The next morning I had a
leisurely walk and had breakfast at a bagel shop down on Willis Street Brisbane
After leaving my bag at
the hotel (Snooze Inn) which although slightly away from the cente is just
around the corner from the train station, and 2 stations away from Central.
Havng said that Fortitude Valley is where Chinatown
and the clubs are so if you are into dancing the night away this is the right
place for you. If not, well don't despair, just take the train and head to the centre of
brisbane, you're just 10 min away. Because, to be honest, even during the day this area looks a bit shabby. The Snooze Inn was also a bargain at $90 for a
single with ensuite shower, TV and breakast, served in a breakfast area.
So my first adventure in
Brisbane
Christmas day at the
beach.... well maybe next year. The weather wasn't good enough and I did not
find a car to rent so there was nothing else to do but sightseeing. So I took
the train to Central and strolled across the empty city. It was kind of nice. I
was able to concentrate on window shopping and places instead of the people
crisscrossing my path. I can't remember what I had for lunch but in the
afternoon I went to the cinema. I have a long tradition of watching TV on
christmas day as it is the only day of the year that I get to just sit down and
completely relax without feeling guilty. So on keeping with tradition I
went to see 'Atonement'. I cannot say if I liked it for the actual story or because
it helped me pass time. I had mixed reviews.
The next day I attempted
the coast on train. The train stops everywhere and it takes a long time to get
to Surfers Paradise but I got to see more than just a motorway and trees, which
cannot be bad. But the weather was not very nice, it rained the all day so I saw little more than the shops and restaurants. I
peaked at the beach to quickly take refuge under another shop. Shame. So after
lunch I got back to Brisbane
So desperate the next
day I headed to Avis and decided to spend a fortune and a rent a car for 2
days. They only had cars from 12 noon so I went back to the hotel to kill time.
Joyce, one of the ladies staying at the hotel was still at the breakfast table
and I joined her to ask about her husband, who had a stroke and was recovering
at the local hospital. After a brief chat she asked if I wanted to go with her
to the hospital while I waited to go and get my car so I did. Her husband was
in good spirits and had 3 other visitors that morning which was a change for
him. Joyce and I came down to the cafeteria to eat something and she spoke passionately
about her farm and what it entails to have such a big property. I was invited
to go and visit whenever I want. I bet my kids would love that.
I decided against
getting the car in the afternoon as it would mean I could not go
anywhere very far that afternoon or the morning of the day I needed
to return the car, so called them and arranged to pick up the car the next
morning. With some free time I headed for the cinema… I watched ‘PS: I love
you!’, a really good girly movie, romantic and funny.
So car sorted the next
morning I drove up to Noosa in the Sunshine
Coast Byron Bay Portugal Brisbane
Well the end of the year
approaching and with one more day to kill I went to the city, walked through
the city, crossed the Goodwill Bridge to southbank for lunch and enjoyed
another warm lovely day, not much sun again but not raining. And guess where I
went late afternoon ? Yes! To the cinema… lol ... I was enjoying this cinema
craze very much. I saw National Treasure 2 but it was so similar to the first
one I wonder if it was really a sequel… never mind it was fun.
And the end of the year arrived with a
nasty surprise. Boredom by airport... because I kind of missed my flight.
Well I didn’t but did... I went to the domestic terminal and this particular
flight was leaving from the international terminal, which meant check-in closed
1 hour prior to departure and I was 5 minutes late… aarrrrgggghhh
Great tip, when in Australia , in particular in Brisbane
I hate it when I mess up. So instead of
leaving at 7.30 am I had to endure a barbaric and painful wait of 4 hours at
the airport. I took the next flight at 12.45, yes a 4 hour wait... I just
hope new years eve fireworks make it all worth it…
The weather in Sydney Darlington
Harbour
The evening was clear and just beautiful,
which meant the night would be clear to see the fireworks from anywhere. And
whatever you have heard or seen on TV does not match the emotion of seeing it
live. I believe that from afar it is even more spectacular because you can see
the whole effect. I watched it from somewhere between Vaucluse and Watsons Bay
Sydney - Christchurch
The flight from Sydney to Christchurch
I headed into town for my
first impressions tour of the city. Although a pretty little city, where the
city centre is quite compact and easy to walk through, I found myself counting
too many souvenir shops... I boarded the Shuttle - the free bus - and
toured the city centre. It is easy to spot because it is yellow and runs at 10
min intervals till 10.30pm. It runs on a loop tour so you can always get on and
off as you please.
That evening I walked to the
centre yet again and chose a restaurant with a table available on New Regent Street
The next day I woke up very
early to wait for the free shuttle, which collects everyone on a route and
takes them to the station. The shuttle did not actually stop in front of my
hotel but just a few meters across the road in front of the Croydon House
Hotel. At the station I queued... The transcenic was waiting for all eager
passengers. And I was excited about the trip. I had not been on a train trip
like this since Vietnam
The views were
spectacular, 40 min into the trip the scenery changes and it's just so
unbelievably beautiful. The 2nd car of this train is an open wagon and I could
take pictures of both the staggering beauty of the sea on one side and the
mountains, valleys and wineries on the other.
Picton received me on a
sunny early afternoon. I was ever so surprised to see such a little quaint
little town by a busy port. The ferry from Wellington
Next was Nelson, although I
read so much about Nelson and surrounding areas I could not stay longer and see
everything. I had to make some decisions, important decisions, because
everything looked so interesting. I opted to drive to Golden Bay
In the morning I drove to
Marahau, the first port of call to the Abel Tasman
Park Anchorage
I was dead tired when I got
to Takaka, and the lovely meal at the Brigand lifted my spirits. I tried the
most amazing wine of the whole holiday, it was hard but the Siefried was indeed
one of the best wines I drank in NZ. The next morning I drove to Colingwood and
Farewell Spit, where I sat at the veranda of the only Café having my breakfast
and contemplating yet another magnificent view.
On the way back I didn’t
hesitate to follow a few cars heading to Cape Farewell and Wharariki Beach
I parked in a small car park
at the entrance of Hilltop Walk and was sure that these people parked here were
not here just for the walk but what I didn’t know was that I was about to
discover... yet another amazing secret location on this beautiful south island
and this was just the top of the island, I had yet to discover the rest… I was
in for too many surprises. If you read this and look on the map and think
huuummm, it seems a long way to go and then come back on the same road, well
just look at this website… http://www.goldenbayindex.co.nz/beaches.htm
and see what I saw… compare
with my pics and I guarantee you will never forget this place. What a great
decision. Obviously I wanted to do a cruise on the Marlborough Sounds and maybe
go to one or two wineries in Marlborough but I wanted to visit so many other
places too that I had to go down south, so I headed to Westport, via
Murchinson. First stop Pankake Rocks. Nature is truly amazing. http://www.punakaiki.co.nz/
I am not sure but I may have
driven all the way down to Lake Matheson via Greymouth as I do not recall
sleeping anywhere on the way. I really should write this as a blog, and write a
bit everyday during the actual holiday not a few months later… lol
I stopped a few times on the
way, unfortunately I do not have the actual names, however if you drive down this
road you will find the most amazing places to stop. Franz Josef Glacier
welcomed me for a drink and something to eat and glorious photographs. But lake Matheson Mount Cook reflected on
the lake waters but I was not in luck. I got a few pics of reflections but Mount Cook was playing hide and seek that day.
I stayed the night and had a
horrible meal at the local pub. So with nothing else worth mentioning, the next
morning I headed down south on my way to Haast and Queenstown. The weather was
terrible, grey and raining. It looked miserable but the scenery was still quite
amazing. I stopped at the Salmon Farm Café for breakfast and again what a
lovely view. Sometimes the places you least expect to be good surprise you in a very good way. I continued and stopped at Ship Creek Walks, a beach along the
road full of drift wood, it looked like it wasn’t going to stop raining and I
just wanted to arrive somewhere nice…
The road ahead was full of
waterfalls piercing through the rocks and if I opened my window I could just
touch the water spray coming from some of them.
I stopped again, this time at Fantail Falls, with no time to walk for 3 hours I opted for the 2 min walk to the
falls, and to take some pics. What a magnificent peaceful place.
The road continues along the
coast and I could see blue skies ahead. I was in luck as I turned the corner
into Lake Hawea
I headed to the tourist
office and this time opted for a hotel a little bit further away from the town
centre, and what a find. http://www.maplelodgewanaka.co.nz/
The couple who owns the luxurious Maple Lodge are fromEngland
The couple who owns the luxurious Maple Lodge are from
Needless to say I came back
the next day. Lake
Wanaka
The flight was spectacular,
the mountain range is impressive and the entrance to Milford Sound is
breathtaking. Straight after landing we (we, the passengers) were taken to the
boat and cruised the stretch of water that makes Milford Sound. I was delighted
with the magnificence of this place. The falls are small but impressive amidst
the whole scenery. I was pleased to have had the privilege to see such beauty.
I wish to go back definitely...
Missy's Kitchen rewarded me
with another fantastic meal that evening and I cannot say enough about the food
here. Again the sun was sill shinning at 7pm and I enjoyed the evening looking
at people still in the water and other just leaving taking their boats back
home after a delightful day in the lake, I am certain of it.
After Wanaka I was keen to
see more and so I drove to Queenstown and Glenorchy. I stopped in Queenstown
for lunch and a walk about. What a lovely and picturesque city! After a huge
lovely ice cream, I decided to see more of the raw side of Queenstown suburbs.
I drove yet again on a road to nowhere, I kind of like this idea now. I drove
pass a place called Little Paradise and immediately stopped. I was lucky
enough to have a room available for that night. The German owner was very
sympathetic and showed me around this truly little paradise. The house is
decorated with a 70's style so characteristic and charming it was impossible to
avoid a picture or two, or even 10...
He has the most amazing
stone sculptures and stone carvings with the distances from Little Paradise to
other places in the world. WoW! A work of art and dedication. Fabulous!
It was still early and I
headed to Diamond
Lake
That evening the owner of Little Paradise and 2
other girls, that arrived after me, were preparing dinner and invited me to
join them, we talked until late and then I went to sleep, I lay awake watching
the most amazing starry sky I have ever seen from a bed. I have seen a few
great nights in the Maldives
and in Brazil
In the morning the sun
kissed my face and I stayed in another half an hour to absorb the beauty before
me. It was time to move on again and I reluctantly said goodbye to Little
Paradise.
Queenstown was already
starting to get busy at 9am when I left headed to Mount
Cook . I have seen it from so many places I decided I needed to go
closer. So I drove to Cromwell
Town Lake Pukaki
I drove to the Hermitage
Hotel and had a late lunch looking at the amazing and majestic Mount Cook . There are moments in life when we wonder how
many other lucky people there are in the world. People that get the chance to
do exactly what they want and be in wonderful places admiring beauty. In
different places I felt this blessing come over me. I felt very humble again.
But alas I could not afford
to stay, so I drove back. I wondered how many people would bother to drive up a one
way road, however if you are in doubt and have the hour to spare, just do it.
Driving besides Lake Pukaki is a delightful drive and the reward is
sitting outside in the sunshine (I hope) and admire Mount
Cook ever so close.
I drove to Lake Tekapo Canterbury University Christchurch
The evening was approaching
and I still had a few miles until my bed for the night. I booked myself in a
family run hotel in Geraldine. I liked the name. How cool to live in a place
called Geraldine. And the city was ever so cute as I discovered the next
morning.
Upon arrival I was greeted
by the whole family and shown to my room in the attic. Nice! I had a shower and
slept. I was dead tired. The next morning a sumptuous breakfast was served
in the garden and what a garden... The property has a lake and beautiful cared
for gardens which I could not see well the previous evening. I took my time
walking around after breakfast and left once again with a smile. It seemed that
every day in this country was a motive to smile. Did I say enough times that I
loved New Zealand
Geraldine turned out to be a
pretty sleepy town but not sleepy lazy, sleepy relaxing. There was a good vibe
in the air. I had coffee in a esplanade, called my kids and headed to Christchurch
Wow! Will I ever stop saying
wow? I don't think so. Again if you have a day and a half to spare come here. I
arrived in the afternoon and after securing the most spectacular view in town
(Aka-View) I returned to explore Akaroa on foot. What a charming town. It
really looks French and European, I even found a restaurant founded by a
Portuguese chap... what about that...
I had a great dinner at
Bully Hayes and retired to look at the view from my room. The bay was
illuminated and it looked amazing. I could not wait till the morning. I read
until I fell asleep.
The next morning I had
another sumptuous breakfast. I could get used to this life. The couple who own
Aka-View were ever so nice and hospitable. I wish I had more days left so I
could have stayed longer in every place, or at least in some places. I decided
to drive back to Christchurch Okains Bay
I drove back down slowly and
stopped at the little church near the bay. The lady from Chorlton House
suggested it and I was pleasantly surprised when I went inside.
The wood carvings were fantastic and I felt the love that carver
showed while working on the decoration of this little church. No wonder it is
considered the prettiest church in the south island.
The drive through the
peninsula provides enough view points and stops to last a couple of hours but I
still managed to get to Christchurch
Again I chose another
restaurant in New Regent Street
The next morning I decided
to drive around other parts of the city and ended up in Mona Park. What a
beautiful place to do a picnic, to eat lunch in the Café in the middle of the
park, or just to go for a walk. I decided to seat at the café and have brunch.
How many things I had seen,
how many times I had been overwhelmed by the beauty of this place and by the
kindness of New Zealanders. I truly wish I can come back one day.
On the flight back via Singapore
No chance to get
to the pool this time, shame...
Back home... what a shock!
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