told the story. Our shuttle driver informed us that he stood outside the coach on that November day and the ground opened. The crack was only about half a foot and it was now filled in. He described the shaking of the home.
The ferry crossing was pleasant . We arrived at 21.45 having left at 18.35. The ship was surprisingly uncrowded. We arrived at Picton B/B, B/B are very popular choices with the Kiwis. It was not dissimilar to entering a convent. Though it was only 22.15 the place was very quiet and when two young guests came through the door, laughing, they were told to be quiet in no uncertain terms!!
The room was a through back to 1980s Ireland with its dated furniture but we are lucky to have an ensuite as many have only a bathroom at the end of the corridor!! NZ$140.
Breakfast was continental. The lady of the house was much more engaging and gave me some useful advise as we headed for the west coast.
We boarded the bus at 0730.
It was to be a long day - ETA 1600hrs. Unfortunately because of the recent earthquake the coastal route from Picton to Christchurch is closed and we have to deviate inland , adding at least 3 hours to our journey. Dear reader I attempted to enclose a map but none was small enough to delineate our journey. So if interested, you must take out your atlas!
Leaving Picton ferry terminal at 730, we took highway 1 to Blenheim. This was Marlborough wine country earning over one billion $ in sales. It used to be an apple and cherry growing area but the wine industry proved more lucrative. I recognised one vast estate Bancroft - well distributed in Ireland.
At the railway station
there, we contemplated what might have nbeen- a shorter journey by rail along the coast but the recent earthquake terminated that journey. Instead we turned inland and followed the Wairau River to St Armand with the Richmond Mountains to the west. The scenery was spectacular and one can only imagine it in winter when the ski season is at its height.
From there we drove to Murchison where after a brief sop, we continued to Springs Junction for our lunch stop. It was a truckers' cafe unused to the crowds that now frequent the route. due to the closure of the coastal routes. A trucker opined that the coastal route might not open for 12 months and he pondered what the consequences would be if snow closed this route? On the latter section, we had followed the river valley between Victoria Forest Park to the west and Nelson lakes National Park to the east. Even though it was raining the river beds were dry , the fields were being irrigated The cattle huddled together for shelter and the sheep shivered having lost their fleeces. !
We continued to Lewis Pass 903 metres above sea level. It was unnerving as the road had no protective barriers so one relied on the skill of the driver as one contemplate the drop to the river below.
We continued to Hanmer Forest Park, eventually arriving in the thermal springs town of Hamber Springs. It was wet but the rain that marred our journey had ceased. No photographs could adequately depict the grandeur of the scenery we encountered on this journey.
We continued to Culverden, and on to Waipara, where we rejoined Highway 1 en route to Christchurch. I had thought we would travel the coastal route but Highway 1 went inland so we never saw the coast!! We eventually arrived in the ultra new bus station at Colombo St - a bus station more akin to a n Airport Terminal with the most sophisticated technology I have yet to encounter at a bus station.
We were advised the the O bus i.e. The Orange bus would drop us outside our motel. At the station, the clerk could bring up our motel' location on his screen!
Arriving at the motel , we were pleasantly surprise d at the standard. It was rated 4 star and indeed it was (NZ€$ 110) t it was superb!! .
We're off to explore Christchurch city centre. More anon.......
No comments:
Post a Comment