R in the mail coach that went across Arthurs Pass and G on a pennyfarthing.
This is part of the reconstruction of the front room of a house from Bluff known as Paua House. Can you see why?! It was quite a touristy icon and visited by people from all over the world. When the couple died their family donated the house to Christchurch Museum.
From Christchurch we drove towards Blenheim and felt quite defeated by the continual drizzle that often turned to down pours. It felt just like being at home! One place we did stop at were the Maori Leap Caves where Frank took us on a 40 minute guided tour to see the stalagmites and tites in the limestone caves. They were very new - some only as old as a few hundred years.
Next stop was Nelson...and it goes in our top 10 best places. You could imagine living here .... and the picture below is where we would live (in our dreams that is!)
Lots of settlers from the UK had landed in Nelson and they had just finished a lovely display by the sea to commemorate this. It appears I have already been to Nelson with my husband and 2 daughters!
The cathedral was also interesting. This was the third building on the site and is very odd. Started in 1932 to a 1925 design it never reached it's full height and the tower was finally added in 1965!
The free standing organ was quite amazing.
We drove north around the Abel Tasman National Park to Golden Bay and had a lovely time looking at the hills and playing on the beach.
This is Pohara Beach
Caves and rocks at Tarakohe Harbour.
Views towards Nelson from Hawkes lookout.
On our last day in Nelson we visited the Museum of Wearable Works of Art which was as the mane suggests - a WOW!! fantastic place with lots of classic / vintage cars and the most amazing collection of art / costume design. Check out the web site (not that we have yet!!) www.wowcars.co.nz
We are now blogging this part of our holiday sitting in the first class section of the Cook Strait Ferry from Picton to Wellington; so the next blog will be from the North Island. See you all there.
