[New Zealand Travel Notes] First experience of the Akaroa Life and Death Mountain Road! The romance and thrill of a French harbor town

As soon as we landed in Christchurch, we set off straight to Akaroa, a famous French town in the South Island. Unfortunately, Christchurch had experienced several heavy rains in the past few days, causing the main road leading to Akaroa, Highway 75, to be closed and impassable. We had no choice but to find another way. The driver said that although there was a "Road Closed" sign in front of the mountain road, there was said to be a small opening that cars could pass through, which might mean that it was possible to pass through? With a bit of luck and expectation, we decided to take the risk and take this alternative route. 🌀 Horrifying mountain road: cliffs, car encounters, and accelerated heartbeats As we drove up the mountain, the road conditions became worse and worse, and narrower and narrower, until we turned a corner at the top of a mountain, and suddenly a camper came from the opposite direction! We were almost speechless at the moment, and could only silently evaluate how the other party was going to drive. At that moment, my passenger seat was less than 30 centimeters away from the edge of the cliff. My palms were sweating as I watched the tires slide towards the edge step by step... At this moment, I only admired those who could take out their mobile phones to take pictures in an emergency. I didn't even dare to move my hands, let alone take pictures! Fortunately, we finally passed the other car successfully and drove slowly down the mountain road. 🌄 Afterglow after the rain: Akaroa at sunset Just when we thought that today was just a frightening memory, the scene suddenly opened up. The setting sun cast golden light through the thick clouds, and the mountains in the distance were surrounded by warm light, as if the sun was congratulating us on passing this adventure: "Congratulations, you are reborn!" Akaroa looks breathtakingly beautiful no matter how you photograph it at sunset. 🌊 Arriving at night: the tranquility and coldness of the harbor town It was already evening when we arrived at the town. Perhaps because of the vast harbor and the strong sea breeze, the temperature was much colder than we had expected. It's a pity that the weather was bad, otherwise the scene of the moon hanging high in the sky and the lights twinkling in the harbor would have been extremely romantic. A small episode is: the Airbnb host we stayed in was surprised and said "You are the only ones staying today!" We were the only guests in the whole house, it was really amazing XD The next morning: Strolling through the town and French style After breakfast, we went out for a walk immediately. The shopping area in the town is not large and you can walk around it in about 15 to 20 minutes. Akaroa was one of the first places where the French settled in New Zealand, and street names such as Rue Lavaud and Rue Jolie retain French. There are many French signs and introduction boards on the streets. If you are interested in this period of history, it is recommended that you visit the town’s museum to quickly understand the stories and cultural background of French immigrants at that time. ⛯ Must-see for taking photos: The lighthouse panoramic view We then headed to a nearby lighthouse and looked down at the entire harbor from a high vantage point. The view was so beautiful! Under the slanting sunlight, the sea surface of the harbor is sparkling, and the hillside on the side extends to the horizon. It is a place that is very worth stopping to take pictures. 🐬 A pity and a hopeful revisit Akaroa has a super popular experience - swimming with Hector's dolphins! This is one of the only places in the world where you can swim with these adorable little dolphins. Unfortunately, we came in winter and it rained, so we could only leave with some regrets and rush to our next stop - Lake Tekapo. But it is precisely because I was not able to fully enjoy the place that I miss it even more. Akaroa, next time, I will definitely come again to experience your four seasons and the company of dolphins! If you are planning to come to New Zealand, Akaroa is definitely worth including in your itinerary - not only is the scenery beautiful, but even the thrilling process is impressive (laughs).