Up with the alarm just before 7:00, as we had a fairly long day of driving today (had I only known!) After breakfast and some cleanup, we were out before 8:30. The weather had cleared and the sun was out, though it was a bit cold in the morning, it seemed promising to warm up through the day. We headed out, having seen signs and heard stories about how one of the main roads to Christchurch had been destroyed by an earthquake and traffic was still being detoured, but it didn't matter because we weren't going anywhere near there. Anyway, we drove until lunchtime, when we stopped for fuel and fish and chips in a town called Reefton, then we headed out again on what we knew was Highway 7. What we didn't realize until 3 hours later, was that we headed in the wrong direction. Both go south, but one goes southeast, the other southwest. We ended up practically in Christchurch before we realized it! After considerable self-chastisement, we looked for a way to correct the error, and the only practical route was Hwy. 72 through Arthur's Pass, which would essentially zag the zig we had just made across the country, without going all the way back to Reefton. It was another 5 hours of driving (it was now 4:00,) but we figured we could find a different campground on the way if it got too late. So we headed back west again, or actually, northwest. As stupid as the mistake was, it turned out to be an INCREDIBLE GIFT. This is a must-see drive for anyone on the South Island of New Zealand! It's actually called the Inland Scenic Route, for good reason. Very boring along the plains when you first start out, but once you reach the mountains, incredible! We would have missed this if we hadn't made the mistake, and that would have been a terrible shame! Gorgeous view, fabulous windy roads, a snow-capped mountain, just a stunning experience! When we finally reach the coast, we started looking for a place to spend the night, and as the sun started to go down, I finally pulled out my Google Earth map of all the DOC camps, and discovered one just a few miles down the coast, and we arrived just as the sun was setting. Perfect timing! The ¾ moon was up, the campground, though very busy, still had plenty of room for us, and we settled in quickly, foregoing a cooked dinner since we had fish and chips for lunch. Hubby started getting a sore throat today, so he headed off to bed after a cup of tea and was asleep moments later. I'll be joining him shortly, time to brush teeth and go to bed!
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