Just because you probably can’t get higher, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy other directions!
From the dizzy experiences of Queenstown (and that was without the extreme sports on offer), we headed west to another wonderfully blue lake at Wanaka. The little town surrounding it seemed idealic. More lakes followed and, just when we thought we were all laked out, rainforest captured our attention, old twisted trees, ferns that apparently cost a bomb in the UK and huge open plains leading down to the sea. We stayed in the far south at Hasst and read a little about the lives of the first western settlers there.
Then snow topped mountains crept into the picture and we went in pursuit of Mount Cook’s reflection in a lake. We didn’t quite get it but, whilst we were at the look-out the clouds mysteriously cleared to give us a peep at the summit. We passed several ‘1 shop 1 hotel (bar) towns and we tempted by several mammoth cakes before arriving in Christchurch with its v. British churches and parks to explore.
Our faithful little car’s been zipping around the mountain passes and long straight roads over the plain, and even tackling Christchurch’s one-way system. The natural diversity of this country is so rich. We’ve constantly something to see and experience.