From Christchurch we took the 4 hour bus ride to Lake Tekapo to see some of the spectacular views that New Zealand is famous for! As soon as we arrived we checked into the YHA which was right on the edge of the Lake and so had great views from the Communal lounge. This was one of the nicest hostels we've been in, although it was more than a little chilly in the evenings.The weather on the day we arrived was brilliant - cold but a really clear sky and the sun ...

We arrived at Chirstchurch and the first thing we noticed was the drop in temperature! 12 degrees it was when we walked out of the airport! Colder than England was at that time we were later told. It wouldnt have been as bad a shock had we not just come from 30 degree heat in Noosa. Arriving?early?evening we just had time to squeeze in the walking tour provided by the lonely planet, which also helped us get our bearings. Walking around we realised 2 things. First...