In Christchurch at a camprground in the city. It's a bit noisy from the traffic but very central - we'll stay here a couple of nights and then move on. The Ferry crossing was smooth which Michele was particularly pleased about as she's not a great fan of Ferry rides after a few bumpy cross channel efforts. The final part of the Ferry crossing through the Marlborough straits was spectacular with tall hills either side of a narrow channel (see pictures).

The journey down to christchurch was long and winding but with a real treat halfway down as we stopped to see a seal colony basking on the rocks about 10 metres from us. The children loved it and Meg was so animated by seeing animals in the wild like this. We took plenty of pics and then got back on the road for the final leg to Christchurch. It is worth mentioning here that the roads in NZ are good quality but only single lane either way with a bit of dual carriage way near the cities. It makes one a very patient driver but it does mean you see more as the roads go right through all the scenic areas.

I've updated a few days here so click on all the BLOG updates on the right to see the others.