Gorgeous gorge

I got up expecting to find my friends gone but their cars were still there. The police had set up a road block due to the festival and were testing everyone for alcohol. Although we were all sure we were fine to drive, the police wouldn't let us do the breathalyser if we're on foot and we couldn't take the risk, so we had to stay in town for longer than planned. We walked to the supermarket and did some shopping, then we drove in one car to the Hokitika Gorge where the water colour was an amazing blue but the number of sandflies almost ruined it (you can see someone on the left of the photo slapping the sandflies on their legs).

After a quick lunch we all set off and I said goodbye again. I drove north and then went on the Arthur's Pass towards Christchurch on the east coast. I stopped about half way at a free campsite and set up next to a lake for the night. It was lovely!