Picton - Kaikoura - Hammer Spring - Christchurch. The Garden City, Christchurch of New Zealand established in the year 1856, was the oldest city of New Zealand and is the largest in its South Island. It lies in Canterbury and located at Southern end of Pegasus Bay , bounded by Pacific Ocean Coast to the East. It is very well-known for its natural beauty. With a population of less than half million, it is a great place to live, to work and to visit. People inhabited in Canterbury plain 1000 years ago was Maori, belonging to Mao-hunting tribes and later followed by Waitaha migrated from Northern Island in 16th century. The first European landed in Christchurch was in the year 1815 and by 1850, first organized groups of English settlers arrived.
Centrally located in the city is the 161 hectare Hagley Park, Botanic Garden, Victoria Square and spectacular gardens like Mona Vale along the bank of Avon River. Enjoy a scenic view while punting down the river.
Avon River flows through the center of the city with large form of urban parks along the banks
Boat sheds on the Avon River
Sit back, relax and just drift along through parks and gardens under shady trees and enjoy the tranquility of your own punting journey on Avon River. Each punt was custom built, fully upholstered and completed with its own boat person to do all work by himself.
Canterbury supplies the world purest and cleanest water.
Late Victorian homestead of Mona Vale was once owned by Deans who were from the family of first settler of Christchurch.
To admire this delightful place, combine a walk and ride in the punt on River Avon.
Central Square, surrounded by Anglican Cathedral, is a landmark and a cultural magnet of Christchurch for over 150 years. Located at the heart of the city with four avenues, it has been the focal point and central business district of the city. Wide open spaces with historical architecture provides a perfect backdrop for events, celebrations. It is the venue where more than a dozen of festivals were held annually in Christchurch.
Shops and outdoor market with stalls at Cathedral Square, offering handcrafted goods like wood-ware and sheepskin and also imported items.
Anglican Cathedral were built in early 19th century.
Interesting unique facades of historic Christchurch street scape.
The arts center and Canterbury Museum.
(1) Christchurch offers 24 hours gaming entertainment and service with a free shuttle operating to and from local hotels and motels every evening (2) Art Gallery is a city public art Museum and also a home of Christchurch art collection from homeland and internationally
Tramway offers a quality inner city tour experience covering the heritage of the trams attractions and historical buildings with culture of the city. Hays situated right at the center of the city, is a catering school for cooking. The restaurant offered one of the best lamb-chop in NZ.
NZ motel is one of the best in the world, provided with kitchen, neat and clean and at good location, with good service.
We left the town of Christchurch and had a scenic self driving to explore the fascinating sites of the natural beauty.
Economy of Christchurch was built on primary products like frozen sheep, meat and wool processing products and also dairy products. It was used to say that Christchurch was living "off the sheep's back" Driving out from the city, you would see thousands and thousands of sheep and cow under white snow-capped mountain foot or at vast green hill.
The Alpine Thermal Holiday resort of Hammer Spring has 3 open air sulfure pools ranging from different temperature. And further, there are 9 open air thermal pools, 6 private open pools, 2 private saunas and steam rooms and one large family activity pool with 2 water slides .
Hot springs keep Hammer alive with visitors, offering them fun, relaxation and also health healing effect.
Local visitors started making use of the hot spring since 125 years ago but the native Maori knew it long before that. The first pool complex was built in 1880s.
The little hut was our home in Hammer Spring.
Quiet, calm and peaceful natural environment made its visitor reluctant to leave.
Snow-capped mountains are the backdrop of this lovely little town.
No traffic, unpolluted air, clean water and spectacular environment, it is one of the most ideal place to live on earth.
We were as if the main character in this picture of natural beauty.
One or two houses nested under the foot of vast green mountains. Compare to its huge population of cattle, human became rare species.
The starting point of a river jet boat .
Have an experience of an adventurous jet boat ride of New Zealand, sometime speeding in deep water and sometimes skimming at shallow shed of stones and perhaps an unexpected 360 degree turning......
A scenic coastal way while driving westwards to Hammer Spring, a natural thermal center.
There was hardly a vehicle or a house within two hours drive from Kaikoura to Hammer Spring.
No people, no houses, only marvelous scenery of snow capped mountains along the entire journey.
Vineyard at Blenheim about 30km away from Picton. It is one of New Zealand's most important wine producing areas.
A scenic drive from Piston to Kaikoura Peninsula which is the best place to watch the coastal marine bird life and natural wild life.
It was so much comfortable and enjoyable to have an affordable seafood meal with fresh crayfish in this scenic environment, along the highway to Kaikoura.
Kaikoura which means crayfish (koura) food (kai). Paying a cost of less than 100 nz dls, you could enjoy a local delicacy seafood crayfish meal with a huge seafood pizza.
Stunning combination of rugged coastline and grand mountains created a wonder of nature where mountain meets the sea.
Significant Lyttelton sites were the early Maori and European settlement, which are famous for its little blue penguins, coastal marine bird life and natural wild life.
Akaroa Harbour, 90 minutes from Christchurch is a delightful scenic township. This is the only place in the planet where you swim with world's smallest and rarest Dolphins, Hector's Dolphine.
The mighty Pacific Ocean with layers of rocky shorelines became the best backdrop for pictures.
Ohau Point Seal Point might be the most accessible seal watching place in the country where you experienced a close contact with the animal and it is absolutely free
Numerous seals basking in the sunshine on the rocks.
Large colony of New Zealand fur seals make their home on rocky shoreline and the surrounding area of Kaikoura town.
Boarding onto the Inter-islander Ferry, we ended first part of our journey at North Island and started our next excursion to South Island. The ferry takes about 3 hours to ply between the North and South Island of New Zealand. Half of the time the ferry was at the open sea of The Cook Strait while the other one and half hour was in the Malborough Sounds. The service was sometimes disrupted due to the stormy nature of the strait. The ferry sailing several times a day from Wellington to Picton, is a vital link between the two islands.
Picton is a town in Marlborough region at North East corner of South Island. It was named after the military associate of The Duke of Wellington, Sir Thomas Picton, killed at The Battle of Waterloo. It is the only spot for the ferry to arrive and depart from South Island to North Island or vise visa.
Scenic view of Marlborough Sounds.
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