Through Arthurs Pass Once More

Day 14 of our tour, hard to believe how fast the time has gone.  As if our stay with Claire at Drifting Sands wasn't top-notch already, she had three types of fresh, homemade bread and about 8 different spreads (also homemade) for our breakfast!

You can find the recipe for her Scottish Gran's Famous Lemon Honey spread here - I will definitely be trying this recipe when I get home, it was fantastic.  It was such a lovely morning - cozy and warm with no rush.  We didn't want to leave.  There was more snow on the mountains and we needed to make it through Arthurs Pass to arrive back in Christchurch on time, so we did eventually hit the road.  A quick stop at the beach in Hokitika for some spectacular views and we were on our way.

Sunshine and snow, we could see nearly the entire Southern Alps range because it was so clear.  The Taipo River and the views through the pass were magnificent.  Arthurs Pass was such a contrast to when we'd gone through just two short weeks ago.  We had our snow chains, just in case they were required. The pass had been closed overnight, but they'd been able to reopen it to cars once it was plowed early in the morning.  As we arrived they were just letting all the semi-trucks through (they were all lined up along the sides of the road waiting).

Taipo River

Arthurs Pass Lookout Point

It is an odd thing to say goodbye to people whom you've only known for two short weeks and yet have shared many memories with the likelihood of ever seeing them again close to zero.  Between the guide, the people in the group, the size of the group, and the pace of the week, I preferred this second week even though we didn't seem to see and do as many things.  Sitting at the airport to catch my flight to Hawera, I heard the woman beside me say all the flights out of Queenstown had been cancelled.  That would certainly make things interesting for Jed, Nathan, and Sarah as that's where they're heading next...