We left Abel Tasman two days ago and drove south west around several mountain ranges and over the Lewis Pass until we reached the alpine village of Hanmer Springs.

After a comfortable night in a B&B where we cried our way through the film ‘Billy Elliot’, we continued south east towards the Pacific Coast and our destination of Akaroa on Banks Peninsula.

It is good to have landed for a couple of days in this lovely place with its subtle French influence.