Last day with friends
Trip Start
Feb 15, 2006
1
118
164
Trip End
Feb 16, 2007
Christchurch, New Zealand
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Today we thought about doing something really touristy like the cable car ride, but if we just drive up into the hills the view is pretty much the same and it's FREE! So we drive well George does out towards the Peninsular in particular to a place named Taylor's Mistake. It is called this because this Taylor guy ended up in the wrong place I think he should have been at the other side of the Peninsular (is that right Jazz? I have forgotten). Oh well we park the Big Fella put Lizzy on her lead and head off for a walk in these beautiful hills which look like they could have been a back drop for the movie Brave Heart. It's a little windy but the fresh air with clear blue skies will do us the world of good and so we follow paths down hills right down to the coast line where there are just two houses and if you follow a little track to your left there are 5 or 6 more. Oh to live a life here with no traffic, noise or pollution. There is a middle aged man tending to his garden as finally arrive at the bottom of the hundred or so steps and he tells us his family have owned this house for 3 generations and it was only in 1969 that the Government enforced running water for sanitary reasons and electricity too which I should think would be a luxury after all those years of candle light! There are no roads in or out, just the path and steps we walked down which takes about 45 minutes from the very top so I guess he just fishes and eats what he catches and perhaps he grows some veggies in his garden. There is a post box at the edge of his garden so I guess the postman has a long walk to deliver the post down here.
Out on the rock there are a few guys fishing and I'm sure George wishes he had his fishing rod! I wonder the rocks close to the shore and stumble on a dead seal which looks and smells like its been here quite a while and all too soon we are making our way back up the hill where the sun is now shinning and a much gentle breeze is blowing. We drive further towards to Peninsular at the other side of which is Akaroa where we went we first arrived here so I think it's quite fitting that our last visit should be the opposite side. The views are stunning all around this area and again the sea looks more tropical green than blue and even 3 weeks later I am still amazed by its colour.
We drive though Lyttelton and Governors Bay admiring the view of Diamond Habour and stopping of for lunch in a Pub before taking the scenic road back to George n Jazz' for the last supper; roast lamb and YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS.
We pack up our things, enjoy one last soak in their huge bath, exchange music files on our computers; at last NICKLEBACK, give them choices to say thanks for having us and a squeaky toy for lizzy which frightens her to death and retire to bed as it now much later than we thought.
To be continued. . . . .
