Days 13-14: Drive to Hanmer Springs

October 26: 

When we left Westport, it was lightly raining/misting. We drove through the Lower Buller Gorge Scenic Reserve

and pulled over to see a T-rex Tree

and a Sand fly (black fly) statue.

Actual phone booths still exist!

We planned to stop at the Buller Gorge swing bridge, but it was still sprinkling a bit, so we continued to Murchison.

We drove around town a bit as the weather started to clear. Steve really wanted to pet a lamb and we saw some near a fence. However, they ran to their mothers as soon as he got close.

I then saw that there was a creek to see eels. When we arrived, there was barely a creek and no eels.

However, on the way back out of town, we saw a pasture that only had lambs (no mothers). Steve approached the fence and they all ran to greet him. He was in lamb heaven.

When I pet them, they just kept trying to bite my fingers!

At our next stop, we walked the path to see Maruia Falls.

From there, we drove through Lewis Pass 

and arrived in Hanmer Springs. We headed downtown for a late lunch at Monteith's Brewery.

Whrn we checked into our motel, we admired the beautiful view from our m room.

I booked a room with a private hot tub, so we had a nice soak, then a nap before going to dinner.

After dinner, we had another nice soak before bed.

October 27: 

It was raining this morning, so we relaxed in our room and hot tub at until the weather cleared around 11.

We then went on the Forest sculpture ambles walk in Hanmer Forest Park.

We enjoyed seeing the different carved sculptures along the way

We then headed back to town and had pies for lunch, gelato, and bought fudge.

After that, we went for a drive on a few gravel roads outside of town and saw sheep

and alpacas,

none of which wanted to be pet.

We found an honesty box selling honey and bought a few bottles to add to the collection we've been buying.

It was getting windy, so we headed back to the motel for another hot tub soak before going out to dinner. We each got an appetizer

Tandoori Prawns

New Zealand mussels 

and split a venison main.

The sky actually cleared up and we started gazed as we soaked in the hot tub before bed.