Arthur's Pass and Narnia!

17.05.2007 - 18.05.2007 11 °C
View round the world on nicdavid's travel map.

We were now working our way slowly back to Christchurch and crossed over the Southern alps for the last time via Arthur's Pass. This was very dramatic with all the switchbacks and eerie surrounds of cloud and mist. We pulled into a great little campsite and settled there for the evening surrounded by mountains and a dry riverbed. An hour or so later we were fighting for our spot with a several keas which are mountain parrots. They're curious little blighters and are known to wreak havoc wherever they go, pinching walkers bag covers, food and even snapping aerials and wipers off cars. Soon enough they were under the campervan and on the roof testing the vans durability. After trying to get rid of them on more then one occasion, we knew they wouldn't give up! Needless to say we decided it was best to move on and ended up stopping a bit nearer Arthur's Pass village, which was kea free!

We took our time getting to Christchurch the following day and as we waved goodbye to the mountains we found Narnia! Well, at least a spot where they did some of the filming. We had a walk round and found an enormous cave - neither of us felt inclined to get soaking wet up to our waists in the freezing water so admired it from just inside the entrance! The whole area was quite incredible and we soon came across a field with the biggest boulders we'd ever seen. These babies were as big as houses and just in the middle of nowhere! Rock climbing/bouldering heaven!

On our way down to the caves