Mountains, mountains,

mountains and farms.

We left Christchurch and Liz at the airport and then headed north. We followed what is called the 'Alpine Pacific Triangle scenic route on 2 sides, heading up to Hanmer Springs Alpine Resort and then back through the mountains down to the Pacific Ocean and Kaikoura where we are spending the night.

In Canterbury there are the plains with broad farming for miles but the mountains are always there in the distance. Taking this route through the mountains, very different from those of Fjord land and the west coast rainforest, the farms were still ever present if on a smaller scale. Pine forest and scrub replaces the lush rainforest and on our arrival the initial picture was of dark green trees and brown parched grassland.

Usually there are sheep but the biggest farming industry at the moment in NZ is dairy. Many farms have both or have deer as well. Most of the produce is exported, especially to the Chinese and, according to Roger of Tussock Tales, the Kiwis have to pay full export price.

Many of the fields have massive irrigation machinery, not for crops but for pasture for the stock.

Very soon after this shot we saw the Pacific Ocean and we arrived in Kaikoura. We couldn't complete the triangle down the coast but we will be following the Ocean road tomorrow to Marlborough.