Day 116 - Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park

Borrowing our hosts' car, we set off to explore the nearby northern suburbs.  Not far up the road from Mona Vale is a Baha'i Temple, self-styled "Religion of Unity" (established in the 1840s by a Persian chap)

Further on, we entered the peaceful Ku-ring-gai NP - with its lovely views back to the bay

and gorgeous wilderness of gum trees. 

What with that and the road signs, you certainly know you're in Australia! (though no sightings I'm afraid!)

Day 117 - Newcastle and Nelson Bay

Gordon had planned around of golf with the boys at a course along the coast so we three used this is as an excuse to tag along and have an excursion to Newcastle, New South Wales' second city.

Newcastle was built on heavy industry (steel and coal - yes, coals to Newcastle!) and had a rather bad reputation with Sydneysiders. However, it's smartened itself up of late, boasting a fine civic main square, 

top quality architecture including the Art Deco, ocean-fed swimming baths

and some lovely views.

From there, we went north to Nelson Bay, stopping off at sand dunes

Day 115 - getting to know Mona Vale

Mona Vale is a very pleasant suburb to the north of Sydney's city centre, with a buzzing town, lots of parkland and, of course, very handy access to a series of orange-gold sandy beaches on successive bays curving up to the 1881

Hawkesbury Sandstone Barrenjoey Lighthouse at Palm Beach.  

Another super morning to have breakfast on the terrace

and later an introductory drive up to the top of the spit and the lighthouse, and a chilly paddle

Day 114 - Kia ora, NZ; g'day, Sydney!

Edwin's trusty Hanmer Springs-to-Christchurch (including the airport, thankfully) shuttle bus is efficient and speedy.  He picked us up at 8am for a gorgeous last look at the mountains

and we were in Chch by mid-morning for our 15.45 Air NZ flight  Plenty of time for the finale to the NZ leg of the double-points-for-holiday-themed-words Scrabble tussle.  Including Duncan's knock-out blow on the RHS triple score...

Shocking crosswinds at Christchurch airport meant a goodly delay and eventually a very bumpy take-off, but the round-the-world odometer continues to click round with the 1,319 miles (2,123 km) from Chch to Sydney. And into a bee-oo-tiful Aussie day - and just look at this view from Fiona and Gordon's terrace.  Not going to get bored of that!

Day 113 - Arthur's Pass National Park II - this time, in the sun

Trusting to an improved weather forecast (and needing to get the blue car back to Hanmer), we set out to retrace our steps through Arthur's Pass NP. And our optimism was certainly rewarded

with dry clear views of "Castle Hill" (you only get a sense of the size of the rocks when you see a cow in the foregroung)

and of the snow-topped mountains (completely obliterated by cloud yesterday)

and even the keas were in better humour and back to their old tricks, nibbling another motorist's wipers as soon as his back was turned!

Day 112 - coast-to-coast via Arthur's Pass

The weather forecast wasn't altogether promising for Arthur's Pass National Park (a 217 km/135 mile coast-to-coast road from Christchurch in the East to Kumara Junction in the West) but the sun was shining in Chch and fortune (sometimes) favours the brave so we headed off.

And well worthwhile it proved to be...

...for the first hour or so.

But eventually the clouds and rain caught up with us (and it's not green around here without good reason!)

Even the wildlife looked woebegone and bedraggled - this kea (another kiwi stalwart, of the parrot family) couldn't muster the energy to try his usual tricks of attacking wing mirrors/windscreen-wipers on passing vehicles...

On the West coast, we went a little further South to stay overnight in a small place on the coast called Hokitika

where it cheered up later on

Days 110 and 111 - happy new year and farewell Hanmer Springs

Despite some truly confused weather, new year's day saw more gardening and digging up some lovely potatoes (and we can confirm that garlic stir-fried homegrown silver beet is another great Kiwi speciality)

On 2nd Jan, we said goodbye to Morag and Pete and the twins and St Helen's Homestead.  We returned Euan's van to Lyttleton (just beyond Christchurch) (swapping back for M&P's blue car). From there, on their recommendation, we drove about 50 miles eastwards from Chch to the Banks Peninsula, ending in the very pretty village of Akaroa (normal population 600, Summertime pop est 15000!). 

Akaroa, as well as being in very beautiful countryside (surrounded by volcanic hills on the seafront),

is also the oldest colonial settlement on the South Island

and with uniquely French influence (which maybe they play up a little these days!) **

** The Crown issued an Imperial Proclamation on 15 June 1839, which cited New Zealand as part of the British Realm and, on learning that France intended to colonise Akaroa for use as a whaling port, the English ship, the "Britomart", was despatched in order to proclaim sovereignty for the Crown. She arrived in Akaroa on 16 August 1840 and Captain Stanley raised the British flag and held a court at each of the occupied settlements.  In 1838, Captain Langlois had made a provisional purchase of land in "the greater Banks Peninsula" and paid a deposit; on his return to France, he advertised for settlers to come to New Zealand and 63 emigrants left from Rochefort on 9 March 1840. The "Comté de Paris" arrived in the North Island on 11 July 1840, where they discovered that the Banks Peninsula had been claimed by the British. The French arrived in Akaroa on 18 August.