The Wow Factor

To the SE of Christ church is Banks Peninsula. We drove round the hills and New Zealand must be the only country in the world where you're driving along marvelling at the scenery and then you see a sign for the "scenic route". Banks Peninsula is the most astounding place we've ever visited. It's as if they've ticked off a checklist for a beautiful landscape: "snowcapped mountains; check, rolling green hills; check, brooks, streams and rivers; check, wildlife; check, clear blue bays; check".

"I think we need something more though, I know let's have turquoise oceans on both sides and the first European settlers should be French so that the village in Akaroa is chic too".

The pictures don't do it justice, we needed Hutch or Rich with us to take some decent photos. We spent the whole day just driving round, stopping and taking in the views and the atmosphere.