After our side trip to Mt. Cook we headed back towards the East Coast to head southward on our circuitous route around the South Island.
Lots of young international car campers everywhere. These are pretty typical loads with each carrying three or four passengers plus camping gear.
This couple carries everything they need on their bikes. Guess we can’t complain about the inconveniences of living in a small campervan.
Appropriately named “Goliath” travel lift on Lake Benmore dam.
This scenic byway was a bit rougher and narrower than most.
But it lead us to this beautiful lunch spot.
Back on the coast at Oamaru Harbour.
The quirky town of Oamaru considers itself the Steampunk Capital of New Zealand.
It also has some of NZ’s best-preserved Victorian commercial buildings.
“Lane’s Emulsion” claimed to be a reliable remedy for pulmonary ailments. It was invented in 1898 by Edward Lane, a chemist from Oamaru, and was still in production until the early 1980s.
A sailboat in a bookstore…?
I just had to try out this chair and the gun was sitting on the arm of it.
Our next “Freedom Camping” site has a nice beach view…
from the bluff above.
Guess we didn’t get too close.
Beautiful beach stones glowed in the sunset.
The coast here is similar to Northern California except that extensive farmland rolls right down to the shore.
Lots of beach walks.
Miles and miles of beaches, bays, and inlets. This was a lunchtime view.
Downtown Port Chalmers.
“Freedom Camping” spot at Carey’s Bay, a small fishing town.
Carey’s Bay Historic Hotel across from our campsite.
Nice afternoon tea service at the historic hotel’s restaurant.
Much like an English pub.
Sunrise and low tide at Carey’s Bay.
Breakfast view at Aramoana.
What’s left of the wharf some residents want to save. Think it might be a little late.
Very eclectic neighborhood. This home looks like an ark.
Nearby backyard.
Why worry?
A little bit of Sante Fe, New Mexico For Sale in New Zealand.
The Aramoana Massacre, the deadliest criminal shooting in New Zealand, is a sad chapter in this idyllic neighborhood’s history.
Aramoana has two beautiful beaches.
Travels with haRVy 
Thanks for sharing!
Sent from Jane’s iBike
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By: Jane Beezer on March 21, 2016
at 8:27 am
Steampunk – funny! So interesting to see what cultural artifacts land along your adventure. The Victorian commercial buildings are beautiful. Sailboat in a bookstore? – we make it all up. Carey Bay is very pretty.
By: Leslie on March 21, 2016
at 10:16 am
Aramoana looks beautiful! I especially loved the photo of Leslie in the chair with the gun, and the golden rocks.
By: Janne Roehm on March 21, 2016
at 3:09 pm
Is that ‘THE’ James Caird, or a replica? I think we have seen it (or the replica). The James Caird is Earnest Shackleton’s boat that they used to escape from Elephant Island to South Georgia, after their ship the Endurance was crushed in the ice. The carpenter McNish modified the lifeboat (see the extra freeboard, and the canvas deck and the mast). ‘South’ is a great read.
By: intothetransporter on March 21, 2016
at 5:00 pm
Sorry to say that I did not investigate why the bookstore had a boat in it. now I sure wish I had!
By: sunnyharvy on March 23, 2016
at 11:41 pm