Pinnacles

This is our "sleepout"... pretty flowers.  Too bad it's friggin' freezing at night!

wtf?

She likes scratches under the chin.

Limestone path we cut into the hill.

Bed for sunflowers.

Speaking of sun... Today we learned that it's not just our imagination, the sun really IS hotter here.  Partly because of the hole in the ozone layer over antarctica, combined with the exceptionally clean atmosphere.  Less pollution means no particulates in the atmosphere to block the suns rays.

So, even though the air temperature may only be 18, when the sun comes out it might feel like 28.

We took a road trip, and Abby was just as fascinated by the gravity defying trees as I was!

Mountains in the distance are the Kaikoura Ranges on the South Island... we were there only a few days ago.

Chris is so excited!  Apparently this is where the TRUE Dimholt Road is.  According to the Dept of Conservation:  "The eerie scenes in The Return of the King as Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli ride along the Dimholt Road to meet the Army of the Dead were filmed against the surreal backdrop of the Pinnacles."

Following the riverbed to the Putangirua Pinnacles.

Happy Chris, heading back down the riverbank.

On the way home we saw strange little critters in the grass beside the road.

Funny little piggies!