Living in Akaroa

Since arriving we have adapted well to the slow pace of life here! The good weather has obviously helped in making our stay here pleasurable.

The cottage is a short walk from the centre of town and the waterfront.
The harbour water is almost glass-like, still and clear with a beautiful bluey-green tint.

Akaroa Harbour is home to the rare Hector’s dolphins and from time to time they can be seen swimming and playing in the harbour - a real spectacle.

Although Akaroa is a popular holiday resort, the town still retains it’s community feel and character, reminds us of a little Cornish village!

The scenery around us is predominantly tussock covered hills and valleys with houses nestled into the hillside. Views from almost everywhere are of the waterfront which is breathtakingly beautiful.

A very peaceful place, Akaroa is the South Island’s oldest town, a charming corner of New Zealand which has seduced us!

Our time here has been spent strolling along the waterfront, browsing in the local shops and art and craft galleries, gardening and enjoying the garden and tramping the hills for some great photos of those very special views!

We have eaten out on a number of occasions during our stay here - the food has been superb, generous and excellent value not least because 35p currently buys us 1 NZD!! Or, to put it more plainly - grilled salmon and veggies, bottle of water, a bottle of wine and we still get change from a tenner!!

Our walks have taken us through the tiny streets that surround the main town, lined with quaint little cottages complete with picket fences and hollyhocks, very pretty. Most of the walks then continued up in to the New Zealand bush, lots of trees we did not recognise but also a fair collection of oaks, elms and limes. Initially quite a steep ascent but good cardiovascular exercise(!) and worth the effort for the views.

We have become regular visitors to the local library as this
is where we have been able to get some internet access and we have also found some very informative books there too! We also paid a visit to the building that used to house the old library here in Akaroa and which is now home to a collection of very old books and magazines some of which are for sell and exchange.

We did not get the chance to go to the local cinema although some good films were showing -

We have made friends with a few of the locals, some who only visit for the weekend and have
holiday homes here and others who run small
businesses in the town - we have even been asked to housesit and given out a number of our business cards!! Watch this space…….

Fish & chips (or “Fush & Chups” as the kiwis say!), by the harbour, chilled local white wine, a warm northerly and watching the sun set - New Zealand is shaping up to be a real treat of a trip!