Total Nights and Distance Travelled on Tour to Date = 13 Nights & 1193 Kms
Leaving the domain grounds at Tai Tapu we almost had a head on accident with a youth in a red car being closely pursued by a police car coming around the corner. Luckily we all managed to stop just in time – but we did wonder the reason for the close pursuit. No hills today as our drive down State Highway One took us through the Canterbury Plains. We drove through the little village of Dunsandal, made famous by Ken Avery and his Kiwi classic song “By the dog dosing strip in Dunsandal”. To those who haven’t experienced this piece of vintage Kiwiana, the song refers to the days gone by when dog owners were required to take their dogs to specified areas to be dosed for hydatids.
We drove over the Rakaia River Bridge, the longest highway bridge in New Zealand at 1.8km long. At that length it seemed to go on, and on, and on. The Rakaia River is known as a “braided river”. A braided river is one that, over some part of its length, flows in multiple, mobile channels across a gravel floodplain.
Rakaia is well known for its salmon and trout fishing, and has this giant salmon statue standing at 12 metres high on SH1 to entice keen fishermen to try their luck.
It was then just a short run to Ashburton (the town was named in honour of the 2nd Baron Ashburton). We are staying at a rural POP and have a couple of pet sheep to keep us company. We have to be careful as they are used to getting their own way and can become quite a nuisance as they are not at all afraid of people. Our host has a large assortment of old vehicles which he plans to restore and our men-folk were delighted when told that he will take them around his workshop sometime.
Romany Rambler: Travelled 20,790Km; 358 Total Nights
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