Blog 21 Trying to fit South Island New Zealand into a blog!

Apologies for the long delay here. We have been going non-stop for a week but every day has been rich in experience and delight but comfortably paced so we are not reeling but just wondering how to convey it all. I will try to summarise rather than detail everything though.

We arrived on Saturday 3rd November in Auckland in transit for Christchurch and were stunned to be tapped on the shoulder there by Valerie who we are planning to visit in a fortnight! She and Brian and their daughter Victoria whisked us off for refreshment and a sprint of a catch-up with each other as we sat in the sun at a nearby winery drinking wine, tea and nibbling good cheeses before heading back to the departure gate for Christchurch.

A picturesque flight and were met by big grins from our friends Rene and Esme at the foot of the stairs. It felt so good to be with them again after a gap of about 10 years I think, but it felt as though we'd never been away. We headed towards a b&b in Christchurch that they had booked and tentatively decided to stay in spite of the odd feeling that it might be a cross between Fawlty Towers and some other unknown experience. The host was definitely not quite with us but the rooms were fine and it was late to worry about it.

Delights started next morning as we bought the makings of breakfast and took our picnic to a bench in the very beautiful Hagley Park Botanic Garden and sat in the sun drenched in the scent
of rhododendrons. This sybaritic life-style gives the tone of the entire week really. Even the car we have hired very reasonably is brand new and goes like a dream in great comfort. The sun has shone down and blessed us every day.

So where have we been? We headed from Christchurch to the scenic town of Akaroa, a little French settlement on the coast found after a series of fairly winding bends through beautiful mountain scenery. As we had to go back to C to get on our road again we stopped off for a couple of fascinating hours at their new Antarctic Centre, duly being frozen in polar conditions and watching the penguins and learning huge amounts about what it is actually all about out there.
Then on to a town called 'Geraldine' (you may well ask why) and a perfect little b&b this time with hugely welcoming hospitality and the excitement of a power cut just as we headed for bed.
They'd suggested that we pop in to the local knitting shop if we were interested in medieval history (?!!) -so we did - and there found one of the unknown wonders of the world I think - a guy called Michael Linton has spent most of his life faithfully reproducing the Bayeux Tapestry in a mosaic of tiny bit of metal from knitting machines. You may well feel as we did when we saw what he was up to but within minutes we had been entranced by this guy's true spirit of endeavour and learning. I think you will find out more about him and what he has been doing to while away his minutes in Geraldine on www.1066.co.nz (or something similar) and be prepared for true respect.

Onwards via Lake Tekapo and another moment of entrancement as we stepped into the Church of the Good Shepherd to discover that instead of the traditional altarpiece there was a picture window looking out onto the lake and mountains behind. It just said it all.

We found a perfect spot for lunch and painting on the beach at Lake Pukaki watching the clouds drift round Mount Cook - and spent precious moments savouring it.

Onwards through ever changing mountain scenery to our next haven at Lake Wanaka in a very comfortable holiday home that had been lent to R and E by friends. We used it as our base over 4 days venturing out to see Arrowtown and Cromwell (goldmine towns), The Remarkables (mountains that are), Queenstown, and above all an overnight cruise on a motored sailing schooner in Milford Sound with a warm and enthusiastic crew who made the trip really special in this spectacular setting. Penguins, seals, the sound of bell birds haunting the rainforest and perfect peace under the stars and so much space...........

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I'll save the next bit for another blog.