We didn't make an early start today, because of laundry. We needed to do it, and were too late last night. By the time we had packed everything into the car, breakfasted and washed and dried a pile of clothes, it was after 11. I had been intending that we should drive slowly to Christchurch via various seaside places along the way, but Paul had had several conversations with people who had told him Akaroa was wonderful, so he wanted to go there. This involved going around Christchurch to the west, then heading south east of the city for about 80 km onto the Banks Peninsula.
The scenery round Hanmer Springs really is lovely, and I was sad to leave such a beautiful place, surrounded by mountains and with so much bird life.
We still found ourselves stopping to photograph things we had photographed before. This is a rather better picture of the bridge over the Waiau River. You can bungee jump from it, apparently.
This is the river a little lower down, once it has stopped flowing so fast and cutting itself such a deep gorge.
And this is the amazing rocky outcrop I photographed before, but from the other side. It is called Frog Rock. I'm not sure I can see the resemblance, from either side.
We rejoined State Highway 1 towards Christchurch, across the Canterbury Plains, stopping to eat our sandwiches beside a river. The highway became very busy as we approached Christchurch, and there were no signs for Akaroa, or even for SH75, which was the road that leaves SH1 and crosses the Banks Peninsula. Eventually, I managed to find the way.
At the start, the road along the Peninsula is flat and surrounded by what looks like old sand dunes, overgrown with grass and trees.
Eventually, the road starts to climb into steeper hills.
The first view of Akaroa Harbour is stunning, and I'm afraid my photograph doesn't do it justice.
Apparently, Akaroa is one of the best examples of an eroded volcanic crater in the world, and though it is hard to see in such a small photograph, the sides are steep and the road is very twisty. There are numerous occasions when the car seems poised above a very steep drop. Mostly, I was too terrified to take pictures and it wasn't safe to stop anyway, with narrow roads, no crash barriers of any sort and people driving very fast.
Akaroa was indeed charming. It was originally a French Settlement, and lots of streets have French names. Quite a few of the buildings fly the French flag, and some have French names too.
You may not be able to read this, it is called La Boucherie du Village. One of the Hostels is called Chez la Mer.
Many of the buildings are old. You won't be able to read the one below either, but it is the Madeira Hotel, and has a date of 1872
This is the rather charming General Store
The statue below is of Charles Meryon, a lieutenant aboard a French naval escort ship which was in Akaroa between 1843 and 1846. He is apparently a quite well know artist and engraver in Paris, and his work is said to reveal the influence of his time in New Zealand.
The harbour is very pretty. There is a cruise ship in, so presumably the far side is deeper than the side where the village is built, where there is a nice beach.
We had coffee and cakes at a delightful place called The Stables, in a building dating around 1870.
You can see how beautiful the garden is; we sat there in the shade. I have to record that this is the first time in years I have been given a cake fork to eat my cake! Much nicer.
I was sorry not to be able to stay longer, it seems there are plenty of walks as well as small harbours and hamlets to explore, but we had to get back to Christchurch, since the car has to be returned by 10 am tomorrow. This was our last view of the upper harbour, the bit above the town.
The wake you may just be able to see disappearing behind the trees is of a boat towing water skiers.
We drove back along the twisty roads through the volcanic landscape
And eventually arrived at our Christchurch hotel about 6.30. Now we just have to re-pack and throw away anything not required in North Island so our luggage is not overweight!
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