We wound our way through countless hilly pastures, much of it on gravel roads where only the livestock noticed our passing.

Soon mountains were erupting into the postcard farmscape.

The drive took us across many one-lane bridges spanning braided riverbeds that poured out of the mountains,

and the scenery became more dramatic as the road rose to meet the cloud ceiling.

We found Arthur’s Pass to be a dry saddle between the peaks with the aptly named Castle Rocks sprouting from the empty high plain.

And then we were across. The western valleys were covered in purple alpine flowers…

and wide braided stream beds.

We stopped for lunch and then sped quickly through a twisty piece of road called “Death’s Corner.” 

The road led down through many small towns and more one-lane bridges. We were soon back among the sheep, who ran whenever we stopped,

 

until we met these friendly twins and their mother.