Day 19: Cloudy day in Lyttelton

The predicted rain didn't transpire, so I walked down to the Saturday market in the main street and browsed around there for a few minutes. Much of the usual stuff, but also some nice food and live jazz. Then I set out along the coast to the west. There are two more cruise liners in today. Some of the passengers get coached into Christchurch, but a few come up and try the pubs and restaurants, which helps to explain why Lyttelton is a bit richer and more cosmopolitan than you would expect from its size.

The port area is quite confusing, and at one point I got diverted into a fenced dockside area, but eventually I was able to find my way out and around the coast. There is a reasonably good track running for about 5k and I was able to stay on this for most of it. More views across the bay. The track was quite busy, and there were worrying spots where the edge fell away sharply to the sea, but it wasn't too bad, and I found a few ripe blackberries within reach. The track ended at Pony Point with a long climb, and I came back along the road just in time to get some lunch before the market closed.

Tried a couple more beers at the brewery, including a wheat beer. Not bad, but not really up to the Three Boys or Macs standard. They are somewhat cheaper, which may indicate that they're aware of that; or perhaps they're just being nice. But it's a pleasant place to hang out.

Home for lunch and then one final walk up into the hills. I was hoping to find a saddle or pass that I could cross to get over to the coast on the west, but no such luck; it's all straight up or straight down. Once out of the town it's like being in wildest Patagonia; no people, no sheep, just an occasional stile or gate in some unlikely spot, and unsigned paths winding off into invisibility. Once again I gave up and came back down. And so home for dinner and bed.

--
Jon Jermey
Indexer and database consultant
042 535 0422
webindexing.com.au

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