Although the main even is not actually until the weekend, we decided to take advantage of the weekday rates. In my years in the aviation industry I used to flinch when comments were made about airlines gouging prices at holiday times, but airlines have got nothing on car rental companies and hotels! I mean, $212 for three day car rental during the week, but nearly $450 over the weekend. Hotels can be much the same. It's amazing how we just accept that. In my earlier years I used to work for a wholesale stationery company and there was a standing joke in that trade that people would complain about spending $30 on a present, but would think nothing spending another $20 on the wrapping paper and a card.
Anyway, early Tuesday afternoon we boarded our flight to Christchurch then, after picking up our rental car, drove north for an hour and a half to Hanmer Springs.
Now we've been to Hanmer before, during a trip through the South Island in March 2021, but we only spent one night there - a stop-off point between places. We 'took the waters' in the hot springs and really liked the place. We fully intended to return and in fact had booked another trip until another Covid lockdown intervened and we had to cancel. So we decided that now it was time to go back, this time for a little longer - three days in fact.
Despite the MetService predicting gale force winds and rain for our arrival, the weather was calm and dry, although a little cool. Arriving a little before 5:00 we topped up supplies at the local supermarket and settled in for the night.
MetService told us to expect stronger winds and more rain in the morning, but they didn’t get it quite right … as you can see from this image from the hotel room porch just after 9:00AM.:
Still it was a little cool, at a degree or two above freezing, not that that is a problem for us as the morning was to be spent in the hot pools. This is an excellent place and not too many visitors in the morning.
However, by noon the weather had closed in, not the stormy forecast, but a drizzly rain. A late lunch and a couple of drinks helped to pass the afternoon.
The grey skies of Wednesday cleared overnight to beautifully sunny, albeit frosty, Thursday. We returned to the pools in the morning. It was much more popular on this day, particularly amongst the grey population - so much that as we approached one fairly full pool her indoors muttered ..."my God, its's pensioner soup!", even though we had entered complex on an aged concession!
After lunch we climbed to Conical Hill, for view from north of the town.
A little retail therapy and a drink or two in a local pub followed.
Dinner at an Indian restaurant finished the day and ended our Hanmer Springs break. Tomorrow it's back to Christchurch, then home. We should be turning the key at home before the rush hour starts...Friday rush hour starts at 2:30 and ends at 6:00.
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