Today started overcast and a bit chillier than of late, but by the afternoon was bright and sunny. This is the most difficult post I've written on this trip as it deals with very recent tragic events. I hope anyone reading this who was affected will find this a sensitive account of what I saw and my thoughts, and ultimately optimistic. We spent the whole day in Christchurch, which was devasted by a series of 4 earthquakes between September 2010 and December 20...

We had heavy overnight rain but thankfully by the time we left for Westport centre for breakfast the sun had appeared.  After breakfast we drove east along the Buller Gorge pausing at various points of interest such as an iron bridge constructed in 1890 and still carrying the SH6 across the Buller River, although it's currently being repaired. We also stopped at the Brunner Memorial, commemorating Thomas Brunner's achievement when, accompanied by 4 Maoris, he t...

As we emerged from the depths of night, the sun was shining.  We headed inland to Lake Brunner. Yes, yet another picturesque lake with a mountainous backdrop. Taking a diversion off the beaten track, we passed the much smaller but still beautiful Lady Lake.  Then it was back to the coast road, where we stopped at The Strongman Mine Memorial, marking a local mining disaster. Set right next to the coast, there are also some lovely views. We moved a bit further ...

Waking to the sound of helicopters flying out to the glaciers brought back fantastic memories of the previous day. It had dawned cloudier than yesterday, neatly justifying our decision to have gone for the helicopter flight yesterday.  Nevertheless, we drove out to Gillespie Beach, which we had heard is pretty and offers great views of the mountains. We discovered it is also a popular camping spot. It certainly is a pretty beach but it was a bit too cloudy for...

Another beautiful day started with a short trip to Arrowtown, an old gold mining town that has been described as the prettiest town in New Zealand and, having been there, I have to say it's probably an accurate description. For a start it's nestling on the edge of the Remarkable Mountains. The architecture is of a pioneer style that retains an element of charm born from functionality, with many little nooks and crannies. There is even a little cinema with 2 scree...