DAY SEVENTEEN -- -- NINTH OF SEPTEMBER  --KAIKURA TO HANMER SPRINGS

I'm sitting in the front of the motel admiring the view as I'm typing this. Only supposed to be a couple of hours drive today but the road was so windy and only two lanes (one only on bridges). Some of the bends were almost 180- degrees and it was a pretty tough drive for Gary....but a beautiful one for those in the passenger seats. 

To our right were snow capped mountains and to our left green pastures and mountains. Still plenty of cattle and sheep including those we stopped for crossing the road. Incredible scenery coming into Hanmer Springs and a couple of hours in the warm sulphur springs were wonderful.

On our way here there were no real villages just isolated farmlands but Hanmer Springs is obviously a resort town catering for summer and winter activities. I just wonder how this town survived Covid and the lockdowns. 

Tourism is still not back to its pre Covid days.

An Irish pub for dinner... advertising bangers, mash and mushy peas!