Travel...

……………………..………Day


BACK BLIP #6


An even earlier start to the day with the taxi booked for 5.15am pickup to deliver the Wellington family to the airport for their early flight home.

We said goodbye to them and departed Christchurch ourselves at the more leisurely time of 9.45am, driving as far as Hanmer Springs where we stayed the night on the first step of our journey home.

The alpine air was cool and brisk. Near the thermal pools voices of many children could be heard making the most of the hydroslides and heated pools - it is school holidays in NZ and this is a popular village to visit.

We took the chance to walk several paths in the Hanmer forest, again looking for fungi, and visiting the old Queen Mary Hospital grounds to see the recently renovated Soldiers’ Block, a building for soldiers returning from WW1 suffering from mental illness. There are a number of derelict buildings standing in the extensive park-like grounds and they are all very photogenic.

Walking back to the Hotel a variety of decorative light installations were glowing as darkness fell. These were part of the Alpine Winter Festival. 

The main photo is looking towards the bridge providing access to Hanmer Springs.
First extra is the WW1 Soldiers’ Block
Second extra show some of the light installations as part of the Winter festival.