Over your right shoulder as you travel south from Christchurch, across the Canterbury Plains, are the Southern Alps. They kept me company all the way to Ashburton and then to Timaru ... it was a splendid day and the viewing was easy!



Maybe when I reached Timaru and dropped in to spend a bit of time there at Caroline Bay, I had been influenced by having recently seen on TV the comedian
Rhys Darby , famous for his part as the manager in 'Flight of the Conchords.' He was pointing out how NZ is a land of Adventure and Fun! Yeah; such such as mini-golf, mini-train rides, bumper boats and the like. He was affectionately poking the borax; but it is so true.
Yesterday while wandering pleasant Caroline Bay, everywhere I looked there seemed to be evidence of his claim ... oh dear.





You could say however that these guys are a bit of a step up from trivial rides. They are floundering. Now I know what that sounds like ... but in fact they are setting a flounder net.

And as always, there's a dog joining in.

And you thought mermaids weren't real? I found this one on the sand, just lying there minding her own business; sunbathing .


Timaru is an established seaside town with a port - these old houses on the skyline above the Port look down upon the doings like the dowagers they are.

Numbered concrete seats at the Sound Shell where Open Air Concerts and Talent Quests and such-like Summer Fair Fun are held.

A ferris wheel waiting for its turn ...

Sound Shell - the stage for the Open Air Concerts. This photo is for McD - she knows why!

On the road again heading for Oamaru ... this bright yellow paddock catching my eye.

I stopped at a cute little Berry Farm and bought some jams and chutneys.


Farther down the road, another stop. The day was gloriously warm and I was finding it hot driving, so a lot of stops were the order of the day. I was now away from the Plains and travelling along the coast.

I took a small detour to have a bit of a look around the small coastal township of Karitane.



And then before I knew it, I was home again.