Just W.O.W. again

Rosie  and I had a lovely weekend away at Akaroa, where French settlers originally had a small town. The French road names still exist. However it had been the British who reached there before them and stuck their flag in NZ (well, Maori) soil and laid claim to it.  

Moi outside one if the original settler's cottages, which had the most amazing garden.

Rosie by the same cottage. Wriggly tin (and it's more modern counterpart, flatter tin!) is what is largely used for roofing here.

Geraniums growing like you've never seen them grow before. It's a frost-free area I believe, so they just keep on growing.

Modern wriggly tin houses.

The line of blue buildings are the wharf where we boarded the catamaran for our two hour wildlife cruise on Saturday morning. 

The lighthouse.

When the first Maori settlers saw these Palms, they hoped for nutrition but this type aren't productive.

Rosie in the sunshine. We were so lucky with the weather and and to go out of the bay onto the Pacific and round to Scenery Nook.

Fur seal .

Scenery Nook.

If I remember rightly, this was a volcanic blow hold many million years ago. The entire bay around Akaroa is a vast caldera.

Another fur seal hauled out.

More great geology.

These are Hector's Dolphins, and aren't very big. There are Swimming with Dolphins boats which go out and if you are lucky the dolphins will approach.

I have dozens more photos just on my phone, and loads more plus videos which will have to wait until I am home.

I fly back at an ungodly hour tonight - well, tomorrow really as it's 1.05 a.m. Back in the UK mid afternoon.