We travelled down on Friday night. The celebrations were not outlandish (I went to bed before midnight but the girls went down to
Cathedral Square to see the new year in) and after a respectable lay-in we headed out to
Lyttelton Harbour for a walk. This is the view from the Port Hills looking down the road to the bottom.
There is a good track from
Cass Bay into the town.
This is the view of Lyttelton across the docks with the old
Time Ball on the ridge.
We had afternoon tea in the town and saw some of the damage done by the earthquakes.
This brick building on one of the wharves seems to have survived unscathed
but just along the road was more evidence of the effects of recent earthquakes.
It was about a four hour walk so we felt justified in having a drink at the
Governors Bay Hotel.
Sunday dawned hot with a stiff breeze. We headed out to Ashley to see Jeneane and the girls, then went to the mouth of the
Ashley River for a walk along the estuary and beach. Here is a
Pied Stilt.
We posed for a group photo by the river mouth
and, being English by birth, Noreen had a
paddle (Meaning 7 in the link).
On Monday we went over to
Akaroa and
Banks Peninsula. This is another
caldera (Lyttleton Harbour is also) and the road above Akaroa goes up and over the rim of the ancient volcano.
There is a good track from Cass Bay into the town.
This is the view of Lyttelton across the docks with the old Time Ball on the ridge. 
We had afternoon tea in the town and saw some of the damage done by the earthquakes. 
This brick building on one of the wharves seems to have survived unscathed
but just along the road was more evidence of the effects of recent earthquakes.
It was about a four hour walk so we felt justified in having a drink at the Governors Bay Hotel.
Sunday dawned hot with a stiff breeze. We headed out to Ashley to see Jeneane and the girls, then went to the mouth of the Ashley River for a walk along the estuary and beach. Here is a Pied Stilt.
We posed for a group photo by the river mouth
and, being English by birth, Noreen had a paddle (Meaning 7 in the link).
On Monday we went over to Akaroa and Banks Peninsula. This is another caldera (Lyttleton Harbour is also) and the road above Akaroa goes up and over the rim of the ancient volcano.
Down the other (seaward) side Le Bons Bay has a very fine, sheltered beach
and a river safe for children of all ages to play.
