Let's get peninsular!

Today, eager to escape the hustle and bustle of Christchurch, Hopie and I set off on a day trip to Akaroa, a French colonial town on the Banks Peninsula. We decide to take the scenic route recommended by my guidebook, which was somewhat treacherous. We drove on narrow, winding, variable-quality roads along the northern coast of the peninsula, hoping to catch some views of the countryside. Unfortunately, we missed a lot of them because we were socked in with fog and clouds, but when the air cleared the scenery was absolutely stunning. Although at one point (when we were driving along a rough, one-lane gravel road) I almost thought Blue Steel would expire from all the abuse, we eventually made it into Akaroa.

Map showing Christchurch, Banks Peninsula, and Akaroa:

The town itself was really nice...a great place to spend an afternoon. We had lunch at a tiny seaside restaurant with great views of the harbor. The place was little more than a kitchen room with a small bar at one end and a small group of tables and chairs, but the food was great, and it was nice just to tone things down for a while. Afterwards we browsed through the town and had drinks at a local cafe.

I didn't take this picture, but it's a pretty good shot of the town of Akaroa:

By today, we both realized that we were ready to part ways. Not that we didn't enjoy each other's company, but I think we are both on independence kicks at the moment and eager to strike off on our own. I'm excited to explore the South part of the South Island, especially Stewart Island and Fiordlands. But I think I'll take my time getting there. Tomorrow I'll probably spend the night in Oamaru, and after that, who knows? I may not be able to post in a while, so don't be surprised if things are quiet for a bit.

Hope all the "folks back home" are doing well and not freezing their arses off!