VM vs NZ Day Six: Lake Tekapo to Christchurch

Our last day driving was very laid-back. Pepper woke fairly early so she and I went upstairs in our apartment and hung out for a bit while the other two slept. Daybreak is late where we were, so I managed to capture this beautiful sunrise at about 7.30am. I got up when it was still completely dark and was treated to the most spectacular show.

The weather wasn’t really the greatest, and we could see the cloud creeping low over the mountains. I was so very disappointed as we couldn’t see anything from our hotel and we had chosen it for the view! I knew we were in one of the most beautiful areas and we could barely see a thing. I was also told Lake Tekapo’s colour is all kinds of amazing, but it just looked grey to us.

To appease my disappointment, we decided to have breakfast at the Astro Cafe on top of Mt John, where there is an astronomical research observatory. The area apparently has some of the most incredible night skies, with stargazing and astrophotography very popular. Of course with the cloud cover we didn’t see anything at all. SAD FACE.

The view from the Astro Cafe though was fabulous. Huge glass windows let you see out in almost all directions and we had plenty of photo opportunities! (The breakfast wasn’t bad either!). It was very much well worth visiting.

From there we drove straight to Christchurch, only stopping for a loo run and a Tip Top icecream top-up. It howled with wind and poured with rain almost the entire time. There was even hail at one point! We got to Christchurch late afternoon and unfortunately couldn’t see much. What little we did see though was so sad – beautiful old buildings reduced to rubble and boarded-up windows. The remnants of spires and gargoyles and goodness knows what were just lying on the ground where they fell after the earthquake. It is still such a beautiful city though.

We stayed in a converted 1880s era house and it was divine. We ordered some Thai, we sat around reading magazines and playing with the kids, and organising ourselves for our 4.30am alarm. We were off on an 8am flight back home.

I already can’t wait to go back.