Saturday 19 February

No time to update the blog yesterday because we were out late Saturday night in Christchurch so we are writing this on Sunday.

Saturday morning was spent on the road travelling from Kaikoura to Christchurch.

We spent the afternoon looking round Christchurch and deciding where we will go when we return next Friday and Saturday. The art gallery looks good, as does the arts centre and the Botanical gardens, so they are definitely on our list. We'd also like to take the tram although it is more for tourists than an everyday means of transport.

Christchurch seems to be the in place to go for stag and hen (batchelorette in NZ parlance) parties and we saw several during the afternoon and evening. Jo recommended a show called “Scared Scriptless” (improvised comedy) at the Court Theatre which she had been to when she was in Christchurch so we bought tickets for that evening's performance, good job we did because it was full. The show didn't start until 10pm so we had dinner first at a nearby eatery called Dux de Lux (where we were “entertained” by a groom to be on his stag night dressed all in pink!). The show was very good so Jo thanks for the tip but by the time we got back to our hotel it was too late to write the blog. Needless to say one of the hen party groups was also at the show in the front row and the bride to be, Jinny (probably Jenny in English!), who looked about 16, was sung to by the cast!

Sunday, 20 February

Today we are heading further south to Queenstown with a one night stopover at Twizel (pronouned “twyzel” not “twizzle”).  Twizel is apparently named after a place in Northumberland and a sign in the town centre points to Twizel UK and says it is 18600 km, so we've got a long walk home! Has anyone heard of Twizel UK?  On the way Steve was very pleased to hear by text from Paul that Everton had beaten Chelsea in an FA cup match!

On the way we drove through Ealing although we must have blinked and missed the Hangar Lane Gyratory system! Also a road to Holbrook! The further we went the more remote it became but fortunately the roads weren't too windy as mostly the drive was through a wide plain flanked by mountains and lakes.

Our stopover is another lodge about a mile outside Twizel. It is in a wonderful setting by a little lake or big pond, whichever way you want to look at it, full of trout jumping out from time to time to catch flies, and with a mountain range in the distance.

View from the deck outside Matuka Lodge

This is another lodge which has an early evening get together over a glass of wine. We had already spent about an hour sitting and chatting to another couple staying here who come from Melbourne. By coincidence one of their sons went to Edinburgh University where he met his wife!

It has been really nice to receive some comments and to realise that so many friends and family are following our blog.  See you all in Queenstown!