Take a hat

   Canterbury Tales - Hanmer Springs and Christchurch. Canterbury in Autumn We made a right turn off Highway One and headed west towards the holiday resort of Hanmer Springs. It was a good road, not too busy, just local traffic. Canterbury definitely had its Autumn coat on for us. Looking down on Waiau We were not too impressed with our coffee stop in Waiau. We were the only patrons at the Brenda’s on Lyndon Cafe and it was like sitting in a garage. We were glad to get back in the car. It's easy to criticise I suppose. They were impacted by the Kaikoura earthquake and we don't how difficult life is now.   Hanmer Springs  Hanmer is a mountain resort offering skiing in winter and various active holiday activities in summer. It's renowned for its thermal pools and a large spa area, which we decided to skip.  We were fortunate with the weather; it remained dry, allowing us to enjoy a delightful walk to the Conical Hill Lookout. From there, we took a circular route back to the t

  Heading North From Geraldine we skirted around Christchurch heading for Amberley a small town to the North and our staging post on the way to Kaikoura. The Teviot View Motel was very comfortable and the hosts were friendly. We had a wander on the beach at the end of the road. Not a paddling day on Amberley Beach. The weather was still a bit wild. I ventured for a hair cut in the barber next to the Supermarket. I had to wait a short time but the other customers were friendly and one recommended we go to Ohau Point near Kaikoura to see the seals. Amberley has a very fine Pie Shop which of course we visited and picked up lunch. Kaikoura Kaikoura is a popular tourist destination. Despite being struck by a massive earthquake a few years ago, there are no obvious signs of damage.  The seabed was lifted up during the earthquake apparently. We chatted with a woman who lived through the frightening experience. Whales are a major attraction here, with numerous companies providing flights and b

  Easter in Otago. Alexandra Alexandra is a notable cycling hub, situated on the Otago Rail Trail, one of New Zealand's iconic bike trails. Alexandra is a pleasant town of a decent size. It's less touristy compared to other nearby towns, giving it a homely feel. Our motel in Cromwell had warned us about a potential bike shortage during Easter, so we reserved in advance and managed to pick up the last two bikes at the rental shop. We collected them on Good Friday and returned them on Easter Sunday. On the Otago Rail Trail to Clyde True to its name, the Otago Rail Trail follows the old railway line, meaning it's pretty flat. We hopped on at the abandoned Alexandra Station, not far from our AL motel. Our ride took us to Clyde, a quaint little town nestled on the banks of the River Clutha, where we planned to stop for lunch. The trail wound through pastoral farmland and past vineyards. Although there was a coffee stop near Alexandra Station, we sped past. Clyde's layout is