Posting by Barb:
Our final stop was in Christchurch. But first we made a stop to view the Moeraki Boulders. Striking, mostly spherical, ranging in various sizes and probably the most photographed boulders in NZ. We also made another pit stop on the way and walked the beautiful beaches near Chch.
Once in the city, we toured the devastation of the 2011 earthquake which killed 185 people. There is still a lot of evidence of the destruction and for me it was a sad and sobering visit.
Chris and Paul drove our car down from Blenheim and stayed the night. We had a wonderful evening together and got up early next morning for another teary good bye as it is the end of Caroline and Vic’s visit and they are off to catch a flight to Auckland and then the many flights back to Thunder Bay .
We did have an amazing, fast tracked visit of beautiful South Island NZ with its vast palette of landscapes including alps, rolling plains, rugged coastline, imposing fiords, solitary miles of white beaches, regal castle to vastly populated campsites, dairy and sheep farmland to miles of wineries, the remarkable architecture of Dunedin to the earthquake devastation in Christchurch.