"I just wish we could stay here for every day"

Locals were arriving at the marina with various seafaring craft as we got up this morning (speed boats, jet skis, kayaks, you name it), and people were wandering around looking nautical in life jackets and bare feet. It was a beautiful day for it - the Sunday of what we later found out was a long weekend, and the sun was shining hot and strong. So after a short stop in the playground on our way past, we went to the beach.

A good strip of slightly grey-ish sand (you can't have everything), shelving gently into the bay, lots of people were out enjoying it. In fact, there were lots of people generally, many wearing lanyards... It turned out there was a cruise ship in. Apparently since the 2011 earthquake, they've been coming up Akaroa, as their previous port, Lyttelton, was badly hit. A mixed blessing - lots of money pouring in, with the entrepreneurial making the most of it running businesses from their front gardens (an elderly gentleman in a chauffeur's cap offering tours in his vintage car; and another, younger man, doing the same (for $50 dollars each) with his five-person Harley-styled trike). But also lots of people. But it was still lovely on the beach - Jemima had a great time playing in the sand with whoever was nearby, and splashing in the waves; and I did my customary chilly swim, this time out to a platform in the bay which I then (inelegantly) jumped off (I normally do breaststroke with my sunglasses on, so actually going under is testament to my excitement at the setting - I couldn't resist...).

Time to move on: we walked to the other end of town to see the lighthouse, through the throngs of visitors on the main strip, and then into peace and quiet just beyond that: Akaroa is just so pretty, with charming old wooden houses and front gardens full of flowers; and so French: the tricolor was everywhere; the road names are French (we had to walk down Rue Jolie [Pretty Road] to get into town from the marina; and even the Thai restaurant was called La Thai. Then back to the main strip for lunch. By this time it was really very hot - hot enough to get us worried about how we're going to survive in Australia where temperatures in Sydney are over 40 degrees at the moment - as Kevin said, we might miss the rain (that'll teach me for moaning...). So after lunch, we retreated to the motorhome for some shade and a siesta.

Restored, it was time to move. We'd noticed some freedom camping spots near the Lighthouse, so fancying a change of scene, and planning a dinner in, we moved from the central marina to the very far, quiet edge of town. We parked up on the edge of the road along the bay, looking over a little beach and sailing boats moored on buoys. Jemima and I packed a picnic (she got very excited about choosing what to take), and we all gingerly trod down a rickety wooden chicken-wire-covered plank onto the beach. Beer and crisps for Kevin and I; biscuits, cucumber and water for Jemima; then a play, drawing in the sand, throwing pebbles in the sea, and looking at the snails and mussels stuck to the rocks. The sun was finally cooler, and it was a beautiful evening (although there was nearly disaster returning from the beach - Kevin and Jemima decided to take a short cut up a grassy slope, but got stuck; so I came out of the motorhome where I was making dinner to help, and then I nearly slipped back down to the beach. At one point we were in a chain: Jemima at the top holding my hand, Kevin at the bottom holding my ankle, and me in the middle, flat on my front, laughing too much to move. But we got to the top safely in the end, and Kevin even managed a return trip to retrieve Jemima's water bottle while had been sacrificed in the ascent).

Dinner in the van (burgers, lamb steaks and salads), and then bedtime to the sound of the waves. What a great last motorhoming night in New Zealand. As Jemima said at dinner, "I just wish we could stay here for every day."

 

Akaroa:

 

 

 

 

Beach:

 

 

 

 

Tickles at lunchtime:

 

 

Picnic:

 

 

 

 

"K" and "J" drawn by Jemima:

 

 

 

 

 

Via Arthur's Pass to paradise

The day started with a disappointment: Jemima and I have wanted to see glow worms since arriving in New Zealand; but the main cave on North Island was miles out of our way; and the main cave on South Island (which we drove right past) involved a two hour walk underground, which would be too much for Jemima. And then it turned out Hokitika had its own "glow worm dell"! So on our (rainy, again) departure from the campsite, that's where we headed. Kevin led us up the path; then up another path which took us to a dead end; and then back up the first path; and it turned out the destination was not quite what we were expecting: rather than a cave, more like high rainforest-y walls where (apparently) you could see glow worms. But not at 11am. Ah well. When we come back to New Zealand...

Mission 2: Hokitika town, a centre of New Zealand jade (also known as pounamu, and very important to the Maori), and the purchase of a souvenir for Jemima - she might not be able to remember this trip, so at least she'll have a physical memento. A pleasant amble in the emerging sun, including a dance to some buskers, and a wander among the driftwood sculpture festival on the beach; lunch in a cafe where they had a beehive behind glass on the wall with a pipe so the bees could get in and out; and finally the purchase of a heart made from flower jade - Jemima's choice. Mission accomplished.

And then the real mission of the day. Yesterday was the Great Coast Road; today was the Great Alpine Highway, across the Southern Alps via Arthur's Pass and its National Park towards Christchurch - we were on the home stretch now, two days left... And it was magnificent. The familiar forested mountains and creeks (favourite names so far: Cockney Creek and Deadman's Creek) led us up and up; Arthur's Pass itself was a very high up settlement of 62 people on what was the first main road to the west coast from Christchurch (men died building it); and then we were up in the high plateaus, still surrounded by mountains but huge scrubby, rocky ones this time, looking down on the wide spread of a hill station (farmland), with icy-looking rivers and bright blue lakes. And snow topped mountains! That's it: literally all weathers in New Zealand. 

It was a brilliant drive, definitely deserving of its title. And as we descended onto the low level farmed plains running into Christchurch, we decided (with Jemima asleep) to push on, past Christchurch, into the supposedly beautiful Banks Peninsula. A long journey past little farm after little farm; then a huge lagoon; and finally up an astonishingly tiny (for a State Highway) road winding up through an English-looking landscape of grassy hills. And finally, after six or so hours' driving (Kevin did amazingly), we got to the top and started to look down over the Peninsula (and the chance to take one photo before our phones died): a stunning view of a peaceful volcano-formed valley with a large sea inlet studded with boats running through the middle, surrounded by the green hills. 

It was 7pm by this time, so late for parking up, although it was still hot and sunny (the van temperature reading got up to 29.5 degrees, woo hoo!); and we had a campsite destination in mind; but worryingly there were a number of motorhomes heading back our way, out of the peninsula. We kept going, and kept hoping; but fears were realised: no room at the campsite, not a single space. But Kevin didn't despair, and drove us towards the main town, Akaroa, with the hope of a freedom camping spot (as they call wild camping here). And there, on the marina (we love a marina), with one space left: designated freedom camping spots, only a short walk across the village green/ cricket pitch through the amazingly pretty town to a restaurant on the water front with a view of the jetty and boats bobbing in the bay and the sun setting behind, right next to a playground. It would be almost impossible to beat this setting. And after a great meal (Akaroa was founded by French settlers, so is full of little bistros), we walked home in the dusk, feeling very lucky.

PS I'm afraid I'm struggling to upload photos as we've run out of mobile wifi. Annoying as the main theme of this post was the amazing scenery! Anyway, I'll put them up as soon as I get some wifi, hopefully tomorrow.

 

No glow worms...:

 

 

Dancing:

Beach sculpture interactions: