Until I can find a few more of my Britrail photos, I invite you all to take a detour with Let's hop over the Ditch. The Ditch I refer to is the Tasman Sea, which divides Australia and New Zealand. I have plenty of NZ photos and I promise I won't duplicate the ones already in the pages of HT&E. By the way, these photos are digital.

Above: The 2011 Christchurch earthquake absolutely flattened stone buildings, many of which were churches. This one had the steeple removed to stand beside the main body of the church. I'm unsure whether they took it down because it was unstable or it fell instantly due to the quake. I wonder whether they've kept it there? 

Above: Six months on and it's  still hard to tell what this building even used to be.

Above: Across the Canterbury Plains the Southern Alps rise in a magnificent line.

Above: John in the midst of the Mount Cook/Aoraki National Park now. The scenery is breath-taking, but the chilly air calls for a comforting mug of hot chocolate at the 'Hermitage hotel', just around the corner.

Above: Serene and beautiful countryside just before arriving in Dunedin, one of the southern-most cities on the South Island. Weather was perfectly clear and sunny (though icy at times) until we returned to Christchurch, which is where the Antarctic storm began.

Above: I'm not absolutely sure, but I think these crystal clear reflections were to be found en route to Milford; either that or near Queenstown.  New Zealand is of course, full of the most amazing photo opportunities and I do love this one.

Above: This one was definitely on the way to Milford. Icy frost soon gave way to heavy, avalanche producing snow. It was taken in the early morning and I can't begin to tell you how freezing cold the air was.

Above: A perfect winter's day begins on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown. Calm and quiet, only broken by the sound of the TSS Earnslaw, a heritage steamer that carries tourists over to Walter Peak Homestead on the far side of the lake.

Above: Plenty of rain keeps the Beech forests lush, green and beautiful.

Above: 'I went to the sea, to see the sea, and what did I see?  I saw the Tasman Sea.' On the West Coast the treacherous Tasman Sea thrashes against the rocky coastline. The West Coast of NZ really does have a 'frontier' feel.

Another ten 'Over the Ditch' photos to come. These are ones that won't appear in HT&E, to be published later this year. I have far too many to put in my book,  and this is a nice opportunity to be able to show them to you.