Having just come from Lake Tekapo, I place I feel totally in love with,  I have to admit that not much else was going to top it as we started to head back towards Christchurch and towards the end of the .  "Bback to work on Monday" was looming ahead of me in the not to distant future.

We spent our second last night in a little self-contained cottage located just outside of Christchurch called The Gardeners Cottage.  A sweet and charming cottage filled with loads of antiques.  I myself love antiques and love collecting tea cups and platters, etc, but am not much of a lover of the furniture, especially when I'm wanting to sit and relax.  It doesn't scream comfort to me which is what I was looking for and hoping from this cottage.  HOWEVER, the garden was another story.  If it had been warm sultry night, I could have slept out there it was that peaceful and beautiful.  Little pathways wound themselves through lush trees and beautifully flowering plants.  Like a little fairy garden when you were a little girl, you didn't know where the path would lead and suddenly you would come out in front of little lake with it's own old fashioned rowing boat.  Or perhaps pop out onto an isolated clearing with a park chair for you to sit and just listen.  It felt like we were the only people for miles. 

Such a special place.

The morning we left there wasn't even the slightest wisp of a breeze in the air which allowed us to view beautiful reflections in the lake - as you can see I had a ball with my camera trying as hard as I could to capture the moment and the colours that were there.

And then it was over and it was back to reality.  I guess all good things must come to an end, but what an amazing couple of weeks.  New Zealand surpassed all of my expectations in all areas from the scenery to the food, even to their coffee.

I think this photo wraps it up perfectly!

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