The Deep South

-The Kaikoura mountain range as seen from the Kaikoura Peninsula.-

The last leg of our journey here in New Zealand has taken us from the northern island on down to the southern island. After taking a three hour ferry ride from Wellington across the Cook Straight, we've been amazed at how breathtakingly different the south is from the north.

-Near the old wharf.-

In the south the mountains have a striking resemblance to our Rockies back home in Canada; the water seems to be clear and pure, the grass seems a little more green and lush. In general we much prefer the southern mountainous terrain to that of the more rolling terrain in the north. Trev and I have agreed that when we come back we'd like to spend most, if not all, of our time in the south.

-Sleeping seal. Kaikoura.-

In the past week we've stayed in both the small village of Kaikoura and the mid-sized city of Christchurch. While it was raining and extremely cold in Kaikoura, we still great enjoyed watching the waves crash on the rocky beach and shopping along the quaint down-town street.

-The bell tower of Christchurch Cathedral.-

-The magnificent stained glass windows of the Christchurch Cathedral.-

Christchurch on the other hand offered so much more in the way of history. While our days here have been few, we've greatly enjoyed walking around the beautiful gardens, meandering along the streams and touring through old churches.

-A restored tramway used for seeing the sights of Christchurch.-