Waking up in our fancy hostel in Greymouth. Here's the lounge.
Kitchen.
Dining room.
We made Andy get up early as usual and as usual he was late!! We only had a short drive to our next destination - Hokitika.
We drove into the town and got some leaflet and advice from the tourist centre. The main place to go here is the gorge, but on route there are some pretty gorgeous places.
Dorothy Falls.
HELLO!
We made it - Hokitika Gorge. Known for it's megaaaa blueeeee water.
And scary swing bridges...
We of course had to touch it, and it was as cold as cold cold cold can be.
Got to try a panorama...
Back for a walk through the town and on the beach.
Andy likes buildings.
This one is kinda cool.
Not much to do in town so back to our lovely AirBnb for some food and chill time. We watched A Knights Tale.
Mine and Jacks room.
Andys bunk.
Early start again.
On route to Arthurs Pass - the place we were told we would need snow chains.
It wasn't snow chain weather at all. But it was bloody cold! We make it to our wooden lodge hostel in the ass end of nowhere.
We were the only guests. No radiators exist here - just electric heaters and blankets.
Mine and Jacks bunk!
Andy private room...
Cute place.
A two minute drive down the road was this cafe/bar/hotel - Otira Stagecoach Hotel. A very unique place.
Pretty boy.
Toilets...in the hallway. Genius.
Yes that is a big book, not a small table.
AHHHH
No idea...
Still not a clue.
That however is Golem....
...and Gandalf.
We set off to the small town of Arthurs Pass.
On the way we bump into one of these. A cheeky Kia. We'd heard about these birds and how friendly they are but didn't think we would see one. Very tame birds and seem to love humans - if they think there is a chance of food!
We headed to the information centre to try and find a walk that wasn't too dangerous but where we could get a great view. Bealey Spur Track, here we come!
The snow starts to appear.
And we made it!! Pretty beautiful.
Obligatory tea at the top. I don't know what Jack would do without tea these days - he's a changed man.
Icey icey.
Back down we plod.
The ice grows so weirdly.
At the start of the track there are a few houses which look creepy - whatever floats yours boat.
Back at the lodge for the evening.
SAUSAGE AND MASH!
The stars are meant to be incredible in this area. So we took our fancy cameras and tried to figure out how to take a picture of the stars at night, it did not work. But here I am.
In the morning we notice fur has started to grow on Demmy the Mazda.
Here's just a few pictures to try and show how bloody cold it was.
This is the ground.
Our drive through the mountains.
A cave we found.
Wowwwwwza.
Guess which part made me laugh.
Our next stop - the limestone boulders of Castle Hill. But first a mouse.
Apparently these rock formations are 'the water eroded remnants of limestone formed during the Oligocene age 30-40 million years ago when must of present day New Zealand was covered by sea'.
Cold in the shade.
From Castle Hill on to Christchurch, we hit Springfield! THEY HAVE A DONUT!
Lunch...
...by some sheep...
...and a road with mountain views.
Best friends.
CHRISTCHURCH! Us outside our place for the night.
Ooooot and aboooot.
This is the Cathedral - it was partially destroyed in the 2011 earthquake. At one end it looks like a complete building but its completely chopped off at another end.
Tram!
River - they punt on here. It's just like Cambridge!
Antony Gormley created this sculpture in the river!
Bridge of remembrance, one of two war memorials in Christchurch.
ITS DRINKING TIME! I believe this is Engineers Bar and it had a happy hour.
The big glowing screen has a computer game playing and jack is stood on the controls with a joy stick!!
A bus converted into a bar.
A Mexican place with expensive food - we didn't eat just drank.
Then we found Indian Sumner CBD which was glorious - especially after a few beers.
Sports bar/Irish bar...cant remember.
The Institution on Regent Street.
There's an axe holding the table up.
After this we walked back to our weird AirBnb with small curtains.
Goodnight!
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