The drive from Christchurch, on the eastern edge of the South Island of New Zealand, to Lake Wanaka, where we stayed, was a pleasant one.

Here’s a shot of the typical rolling hills with some cattle enjoying grazing in the field. Thick groves of pines were common along the way.

For a brief period, we got to drive along the ocean before going back into the center of the island and more rolling hills. The wind was really whipping up the waves near the shore.

Back on the road, the low clouds over the hills made it a very pretty sight for several hours. Eventually, the clouds lifted, but the sky remained Robin egg blue.

Near a restaurant and shop we stopped at, there was this interesting field. We were told that it was a “pea” field. On another day, we saw sheep turned out in the same type of field to browse!

The Farm Barn Café used this huge tree to hold its sign.

A shot of the Café from near the huge tree outside. The Café was in the middle of nowhere and we were ready for something to drink.

The décor in the Café was simple, but nice.

There were some nice things for sale, but very pricey.

We didn’t see anything we wanted to eat…but some nice

hot chocolate hit the spot.

Judy and I took a break from the

drive and enjoyed some hot

chocolate—complete with

some cinnamon on top. Very

tasty. After a few minutes, we

continued our journey to Lake Wanaka, where our timeshare was located.

The back porch of the Café had an incredible view across the hillside.

Red Deer are raised in New Zealand—for hunters and for

meat. Two shots of some deer herds we saw on the road.