Last Day On the South Island: Arthur's Pass, Christchurch again and back to the city

Lake Pearson near Flock Hill Lodge

Arthur's Pass

Flock Hill Lodge

April 18th-19th

When Leslie's friends picked us up, they proposed the idea of a laid-back day in the mountains west of Christchurch. So we booked a cabin at this place called the Flock Hill Lodge and they did some marathon night-driving to the place. It was probably the best place I'd stayed on the whole trip, and it was still only 45NZD for the night. It was basically a 7-8 person cabin, so we each had our own room and I stole the room with the double-bed straight away...best night of sleep in literally weeks. Woke up to one of her friend's cooking potatoes in the kitchen and guests doing some sort of sheep-shearing demonstration around the corner. The place in the daylight was adorable, with sheep, a pony and a pig. The leaves on the property were falling and the mountains were of course really pretty and stark. We dropped the boys off to rock-climb (their idea of a laid back day I guess) and we drove into Arthur's pass, where I discovered potato top pies...its mostly mashed potatoes mmmm. Drove back and stopped along the valley for pictures and to take in the scenery. Picked up the boys and headed towards Christchurch, stopping at a vineyard along the way.

Met up with my friends at the hostel and had a pretty uneventful night because we had to be out of there at 5am to catch out 7am flight. This was handsdown the WORST night of sleep of the trip. I spent 25NZD to sleep on the floor, because the guy above me on the already shoddy bunkbed was rather large and playing on his laptop and therefore unable to stay still which rocked the whole bed apparatus, which eventually made gave me legit motionsickness (I know, not on any of the boats but yes, in this shitty bunkbed). I finally gave up on him ever stopping motion long enough for me to not be sikc anymore, so I rolled onto the floor, through which I could hear our bed creaking. Barely slept, but made the flight and surprisingly all my classes later that day. Just kills me, because my friends who camped out for free at the airport slept better than me!

Wooo.

I congratulate you if you actually read that play-by-play. As I said it was written for me to remember it as well as for you guys to know what I've been doing down here. (the trip recap starts a few entries back...)

Next time I will 1) not delete all my photos at the tail end of the trip and 2)try and keep a legit travel diary in  case I do!

Hope all is well and you're all enjoying the warmth of spring as much as I am enjoying the crispness of autumn :-)

~Ashley