![Click to enlarge](img/th_7070.jpg) | The highway through the Otira Gorge, heading up towards Arthur's Pass, one of the few roads that felt like driving in BC. At left is an avalache shelter (i.e. a snow shed). To the right is a waterfall overpass, which I found sufficiently odd that it warranted a picture. Fortunately there was a scenic turnoff just up the road. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7071.jpg) | There was a track leading up from the turnoff parking lot, which I thought might lead to something photogenic. Unfortunately, all it led to was a scenic overlook of the scenic overlook parking lot. Strange. Also, I think this is the only picture I took in which my car features (the Toyota at bottom). In this light the ridiculousness of the blue colouring isn't as apparent. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7074.jpg) | Arthur's Pass village. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7076.jpg) | The Devil's Punchbowl waterfall. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7077.jpg) | The Devil's Punchbowl waterfall. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7078.jpg) | Looking north up the valley towards the Pass. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7079.jpg) | State Highway 73, "The Great Alpine Highway". |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7080.jpg) | Looking across at the Punchbowl. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7081.jpg) | Heading up Avalanche Peak. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7082.jpg) | Mount Cassidy. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7083.jpg) | Another view up the valley. The track which heads right from the highway up the valley is the Temple Basin Skifield road. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7084.jpg) | The track was very much up hill. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7085.jpg) | Another view of the Devil's Punchbowl. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7086.jpg) | Mount Rolleston / Kaimatau. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7087.jpg) | Looking West, again. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7089.jpg) | High above the Punchbowl. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7090.jpg) | Looking West, again. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7091.jpg) | A view of the village. Prominent also is the rail bridge across the Bealey River. Immediately after crossing the river heading north (lefward), the track enter the 8.5 km long Otira Tunnel. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7092.jpg) | Mount Rolleston, with the Crow Glacier on it's southern face. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7093.jpg) | Crossing an avalanche zone on the climb up Avalanche Peak. I guess it's not named after some guy called "Avalanche". |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7094.jpg) | Mount Rolleston, again. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7095.jpg) | The view northish. The Temple Basin Ski Lodge is now visible, with Mount Temple behind it. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7096.jpg) | The Devil's Punchbowl Creek basin, between Mounts Cassidy and Aiken. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7097.jpg) | The view down the avalanche slope. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7098.jpg) | The view southward towards Bealey Spur. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7099.jpg) | Avalanche Peak, from the point at which I turned around. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7100.jpg) | Crow Glacier on Mount Rolleston. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7101.jpg) | Arthur's Pass village. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7105.jpg) | Refraction in the Devil's Punchbowl waterfall. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7110.jpg) | The emergency exit at one end of the short hallway leading to my room in Arthur's Pass... |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7111.jpg) | And the emergency exit at the other end of the hallway. Every time I wanted to leave my room I had to declare an emergency. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7112.jpg) | Waterfowl in Akaroa. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7115.jpg) | Akaroa. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7116.jpg) | Akaroa. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7117.jpg) | Akaroa. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7118.jpg) | Akaroa. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7119.jpg) | Akaroa. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7120.jpg) | Akaroa lighthouse. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7121.jpg) | Akaroa harbour. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7123.jpg) | Akaroa harbour. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7125.jpg) | Akaroa harbour. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7126.jpg) | Akaroa: it's Frenchish. (The gas station had a big sign proclaiming "D'Essence".) |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7127.jpg) | Akaroa harbour from the Summit Road. The village at right is Duvachelle. The Summit Road is a great one for panoramic views of the Banks Peninsula. Unfortunately, there are too few places on the road where the verge is wide enough and flat enough to stop, that it's hard to get pictures. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7128.jpg) | Takamatua on Akaroa harbour from the Summit Road. Akaroa itself is just on the other side of the slope. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7134.jpg) | Christchurch: the only city I know with a bus route number zero. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7135.jpg) | Demolition continues in central Christchurch. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7136.jpg) | A visitor at breakfast. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7137.jpg) | A visitor at breakfast. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7142.jpg) | A visitor at breakfast. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7144.jpg) | A visitor at breakfast. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_7145.jpg) | A visitor at breakfast. |