The Lewis Pass and Hanmer Springs

Mountains and valleys everywhere
River valleys - a little low on water

The land is quite barren around here

Anyone for a bungy jump?

Snow on the far mountains still

Nelson lakes

This is another Nelson Lake (forgotten the name of each one)

Waterfalls along the route

Mountains all around

From the east coast to the west coast north of Christchurch there are two passes - the Lewis pass and Arthur's pass, if you do not take one of these passes then you have to drive the full coastal road all the way around the north of the island. I chose to take the Lewis pass one way and would come back over the Arthur's pass on my way back to Christchurch. The pass was very empty and I hardly saw another car all day - and if I did I usually had to pull over and let them pass - one because I go so slow and have a tendancy to stop all of a sudden to take a photo, and two because the locals all drive like maniacs anyway and are usually going way fastest than the speed limit. They are quiet freindly though as they usually bib to thank me for pulling over.