Coming To An End

Today would be our last day freedom camping, and it felt odd. We had been engulfed in the whole camping thing and got into a good system for finding places and then hitting a good campsite the next day for, most importantly, a hot shower. This leg of our trip was coming to an end, but a new one would soon begin.

According to the map it would only take 2 and ½ hours to get to Christchurch. According to the map. We hit Timaru after 55 minutes of driving, which the map had said would take only 30, so we took the 2 and a ½ hour drive time to Christchurch with a pinch of salt. The plan was to get into the area outside Christchurch and find a spot to camp, and then “do” the city the next day. The plan was going well; I had researched some free camp spots on the t’internet and had 4 potential areas to investigate. When we got into the vicinity of Christchurch we headed for Spot 1, which was located on the side of Lake Ellesmere, by the coast. As we pulled up and stopped the campervan we noticed a mosquito land on the windscreen. Then another. And another. And another. There were, and I’m not exaggerating here, millions of the damned things, all swarming around the van, trying to get at us through the window. It was very much like the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds, but with mozzies. We knew we couldn’t stay there, the hot sun and the water probably had made for a “perfect storm” of mosquitos, so we checked LAPPY 2 for the next available spot.

Two (of the million) mozzies 

Sadly, it too was by the lake, but on the other side. As was the third. So left us with one last option, which we would have to double-back on ourselves to reach. When we arrived at the Rakaia Huts we noticed the campsite that was chargeable, but nowhere to free-camp. After we had checked the map we realised that it was on the other side of the massive river, that didn’t have a bridge across it save for the Longest Bridge In New Zealand, that we had already crossed and would take us a fair trip to get over, let alone down to the free-camp spot. So, I suggested we try just south of Christchurch, as it would also mean that we could get into the city much easier the next day.

Our last spot freedom camping in New Zealand

After a few swings-and-misses we eventually found a great little spot up on Gebbies Pass which overlooked Diamond Harbour. At 150 meters high it was sure windy, and at times it sounded like voices outside the campervan. Either that or sheep. Maybe it was just actual sheep.