The Jennings 3

On our way to Christchurch to pick up our stuff and car from the port (long story but we ended up coming home empty handed and empty walleted – the scars are too fresh to write about just now but I will go into a bit more detail soon) we stopped for the night at Hanmer Springs. About 3hrs drive from Nelson, Hanmer Springs is nestled in the Southern Alps and is famous for its thermally heated outdoor pools and skiing in the winter. After a night of pro mini-golf (check out Flickr for Lisa’s hole in one celebrations) we all felt the need to ease our sore muscles in the mineral pools so paid the princely sum of $12 and headed in. The Springs complex was pretty much brand new, having just had a makeover, and consisted of about 12 different temperature pools ranging from a standard swimming pool at 23 degrees to mineral rock pools that were 42 degrees (bliss) and everything in-between. There was also a great kids area with slides, waterfalls and water canons so that parents could get their own back on any belligerent kids. I could have stayed all day – it was bliss, and there was a stead stream of tourists passing out from the heat in the hot pools and falling into the pools head first after slipping on the wet rocks to keep me entertained indefinitely. The weather was pretty wet and miserable which made the warm pools even more enjoyable – sitting in a super hot outdoor rock pool whilst the rain came down was excellent, apparently when it snows its even more enjoyable. We will definitely be heading back for some skiing in the winter and I’m going to look into life membership of the Springs.

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