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Tuesday 13th February 2018

I was woken up at 6am with what I originally thought was a helicopter landing in the campsite, but then realised it was the annoyingly-loud Harley Davidson of one of the bikers staying here, either coming or going. Why most Harley owners feel the need to have their bikes fitted with exhausts that are deafeningly loud and anti-social I'll never know. I'd be too embarassed to start the engine when anyone else was nearby (but then, I'd be embarassed to be riding a Harley anyway!). I went back to sleep and dreamt about Hells' Angels riding over my lawn. At 7:10am I woke again and this time reasoned it was early enough to rise, so got up and headed over to the shower block to wake myself up properly. After breakfast of cereal and toast (made necessary when I smelt someone else's toast cooking!) we hit the road just after 8:30am. Making a quick stop at the gift shop at Whale Watch Kaikoura to pick up the mandatory fridge magnet - and a T-shirt for Tracy - we took the coast road (SH1) south. As this followed the bay we'd visited yesterday whilst whale-watching, I drove with one eye on the ocean and the other on the road. We spotted a pod of dolphins swimming just before encountering the first of many sets of roadworks. The road here has been badly affected by the 2016 earthquake, so there were lots of stretches of roadworks and slow-moving traffic as we hugged the coast. We followed the coast to Waipara before turning onto highway 7 towards Culverden and Hanmer Springs. Now clear of the roadworks and heading inland, the traffic cleared and we had the road to ourselves. Playing the game of Road Trip Bingo I'd picked up at the campsite, as well as admiring the changing scenery, time passed, as did the miles. My over-riding impression of the landscape on this first leg was it shows yet more signs of the geological activity that formed it - with great gorges and valleys that meet natural dams of other hills forced upwards. The valley seemingly created more by land being thrust upward than being eroded away by rain or glaciers.

After driving through Hanmer Springs, where we planned to stop before the whale-watching postponement changed our plans, and topping up with fuel, we continued on up the Lewis Pass. Here the road wound its way into a dense forest - where we stopped for a quick lunch - before descending out onto open farmland with fields of cattle and sheep. We drove on, through Reefton with its buildings reminiscent of the wild-west and onto Inangahua, then towards Westport before turning onto the coast road towards our intended stop at Punakaiki, home to the infamous Pancake Rocks, By now the blue sky had long gone, replaced first by dull clouds and then rain. Fortunately, this rain abated a little as we stopped at a couple of scenic outlooks (only one of which actually had a view!) and stayed away as we arrived at the freedom campsite of Punakaiki Marine Reserve. When we arrived there were only 2 other campers, despite it already being 4:30pm, so we parked up on a patch of level ground and settled in for the night.

With a beer to help me relax, and a rum and coke or 2 for Tracy, we watched as the site filled up before cooking dinner. As I write this (6:30pm) there are now 8 campers all parked up, the site right next to the ocean and surrounded by what looks to me like a tropical rainforest (palm trees in a forest of other greenery). Another ideal camping spot - and it's free!

After dinner of chicken & chillies with basic, cooked without the usual ingredients but still quite tasty, we turned in for the night.

Wednesday 14th February 2018

Waking once more to dull skies and the sound of rain, but with the words Happy Valentine's Day!, we made a decision to break camp early and head directly back to Punakaiki to see the pancake rocks and use the facilities there, our toilet once again full(!). Sadly the café next to the car park was closed, so we started the walk round the peninsular, with waterproof coats on against the slight drizzle that was the remains of the overnight rain. The tarmac path took us through more tropical rainforest, with New Zealand flax plants by the pathside and out to the viewpoints overlooking the rocky outcrops pounded by a still angry Tasman Sea.

Here were the famous Pancake Rocks, a strange formation whereby the limestone cliffs appeared to have been built in layers (like a stack of pancakes) with softer mud rock interspersed amongst the limestone having been eroded at the edges. Watching the sea pound these rocks, and seeing the obvious signs of erosion, was a great reminder of the power of nature - far more awesome than anything produced by man, atomic-bomb included.

After wandering round the headland, taking lots of photos that will inevitably fail to convey the experience of being humbled by nature, we returned to the camper via the gift shop (sadly no fridge magnets, but a cap for me and a tea-towel for Tracy's mum). Heading south again on the coast road our next stop was borne of necssity - a dump station - where we emptied our over-filled toilet and waste water tank and filled up once more with clean water. Happy we were ready for anything again, we drove on. Straight through Greymouth, where we saw a supermarket but opted to continue (which would prove a mistake later) and then skipping past a visit to Shantytown, where we would have liked to have stopped but didn't have sufficient time.

By now it was mid-morning and we were getting hungry, having skipped breakfast to get on the road early. We found a lay-by within sight of the ocean and pulled up, and I got busy cooking bacon and mushrooms. After wrapping the remainder of the bacon in cling-film, I went to return the cling-film to the drawer, only to discover how narrow the camper is at this point, as when I stood up I gave my head an almighty whack on the cooker hood. Ouch! With a trickle of blood oozing down my forehead, our thoughts of breakfast were put on hold whilst I felt sorry for myself and Tracy mopped up the blood and inspected the wound - nothing more than a painful scratch fortunately. With the wound cleaned and the blood stopped it was back to cooking duties and we were soon tucking in to bacon and eggs with a side of mushrooms (almost an English Breakfast!). We were accompanied by a small chicken-like bird - a Weka - whcih was brave enough to jump onto the camper door step and help itself to an eggshell from our carrier bag of rubbish!

After washing up and saying goodbye to our new friend we continued on the coast road, which wound its way inland, to Franz Joseph Glacier (the town name includes the word Glacier oddly). Just south of town we took the road that followed the river upstream, to the main car park where we found a space and parked up. A relatively short walk took us to a viewpoint from which we could see the glacier. A sign noted that when first photographed in 1867 the glacier reached almost to the car park, which brought home just how far back it has retreated since then, as it now barely reaches half-way down the valley. But high up on the mountain it still glistens brightly - white with bright blue-green stripes showing the deep crevaces that litter its surface. It's hard to gauge the size of the glacier from so far away, but with lots of helicopters taking tourists up for a closer view, there was at least something to help - and as they were mere dots it's clear the glacier is truly enormous!

We stood and photographed it, then stood in awe for a while, watching the more able-bodied on the longer walk that would take them much closer to the foot of the glacier, before we returned to the camper. The walk had been relatively easy, apart from a steep incline at the end, and it was this that seemed to have aggrevated Tracy's knee as by the time we returned to the camper it was clear she was in pain. Not that she was complaining - far from it - but things were obviously not good. So when we found we couldn't park close to the only supermarket, I left her in the van and went shopping for dinner.

The short drive to Fox Glacier, where we planned to stay the night, was made longer by 2 cars of Japanese, who obviously had never driven round bends before. Seriously, I've not seen such incompetent driving in years. At the only straight stretch - clearly signed with Let Other's Pass signs,they accelerated as though in a drag race, preventing me from overtaking, then coming to an almost complete stop at the next bend. Tracy, in the passenger seat, was getting as frustrated as me at their lack of awareness of the queue of traffic forming behind them. Fortunately I found a way past - the lead driver refusing to look at us, focused with great intensity on his own white-knuckled journey. The ignorance of some Oriental tourists once again clearly demonstrated.

A little time later we arrived at Fox Glacier and drove to the Top-10 Holiday Park where we checked in, only to be told all the access roads to the glacier had been closed by a recent storm, then directed to our pitch right next to the toilet block and kitchen... After a couple of beers whilst getting cross at the poor-quality internet refusing to send my work-related emails, I cooked the steak I'd bought on the BBQ whilst Tracy prepared the salad. The steak was poor (I should have found a butcher's shop) but at least the Pinot Noir was good. So good that after some cheese we opened the bottle of Hunter's Pinot Noir and I drank that whilst trying to write up my journal. Fortunately common sense then kicked in and I stopped drinking the wine, leaving half a bottle for another day...

Thursday 15th February 2018

Once again we woke naturally, had breakfast and broke camp before continuing our journey south on SH6. This wound its way up into the mountains, surrounded by rainforest before depositing us on the coast by Knight's Point. Here was a viewpoint looking out over the Tasman Sea, with a plaque commemorating the opening of the road in 1965. Before that, there was no direct route from the west coast to the Otago region and the far south-west. By now it was raining, quite hard. We stopped for fuel and then at the café at Haast junction to be able to use their wifi as I'd not received confirmation of the jet-boat river safari we'd booked the day before. Once connected, the reason was apparent - I'd spelt my email address incorrectly, but found the booking confirmation page still on my browser so at least we knew where to go. We arrived then checked in with Ruth at 12:30, where we were joined by an Australian couple, Jeff and Dianne, and then drove a little further down the lane to meet Ruth's husband and company owner, Wayne, who would be our boat driver and guide. Kitted up with thick tartan coats (in my case to cover my legs) and life-vests, we made our way down to the river and onto the little jet-boat. Made of aluminium and with a perspex roof and open sides, it had a seat in front next to Wayne's and two rows of seats, each just big enough for 4. But with only 4 of us on the tour each couple had a row to themselves, Tracy and I sitting on the back row. We then made our way backwards into the centre of the wide, green water of the Waiatoto river. Then we started pottering upstream as Wayne ran through the safety briefing and explained how the boat worked. With a jet engine that is basically a pump that sucks water in before forcing it out backwards at speed (thus driving the boat forwards) it has not propeller and a very shallow hull, making it ideal for river travel. It is capable of operating in water just a foot-or-so deep. Wayne then opened the throttle and we were off, the front of the boat rising as it picked up speed, to around 30kph. Not exactly mind-bogglingly fast, but this wasnt' a thrill ride. As we continued upstream we had to manoueuvre our way round lots of big trees that had been eroded out of the river banks only to get stuck in the river bed. When mud they'd brought with them trapped in their root system was washed away and they became free again, they'd then float downstream and out onto the Tasman Sea. A little furher up river we moved into a small side creek where there was a little suspension bridge above and fallen trees blocking the flow. Here we stopped, driving the boat into the bank before cutting the engine so we could hear Wayne speak (the engine was rather loud!). Here he explained that they'd created a Kiwi sanctuary here as the numbers of this iconic New Zealand bird (and national symbol) was in decline. The main issue is the stoat, introduced initially for its fur, it has decimated the Kiwi population by killing infant birds or eating their eggs. They now have a lot of stoat traps in the area and also have GPS tagged the adult Kiwis. Through this they can tell when the female has laid an egg, she will then leave it to the male to incubate. After 3-4days the male will need to leave the egg unattended to get some food, so the conservationists move in, remove the egg and take it to be incubated and hatched elsewhere. The young Kiwi is finally released in a safe location until it reaches a Kg or so in weight, when it is returned to the Waiatoto area. Should the female lay a second egg, having realised the first is lost, they leave that one to the forces of nature.

The other thing we discussed was the number of deer in the forest here. Originally New Zealand was an island devoid of mammals with the exception of a small bat, all other mammals having since been introduced by European settlers. The deer used to be a problem, but there is now a burgeoning export market for their meat, so the locals now use helicopters to find them in the forest and take them out. This was so successful that the numbers dropped to a point the export business was threatened, so now deer are farmed - we had seen evidence of this with fields of female deer as well as separate fields of male deer on our drive. After educating us on the ways of the forest here, Wayne drove us back onto the river and we continued upstream at a fair pace, slaloming around more half-submerged trees, passing a waterfall that was only half-visible with the low cloud and rain, but Wayne told us it was over 1,000m high - 3 times the height of Niagra Falls! The further upstream we went the less trees we saw in the water and at the riverside. The water also changed colour, from a dull grey-green to a vibrant bright jade-green. This is due to it being fed mostly from 2 glaciers high in the Southern Alps (the source of the river being Mt Aspiring). The farther the river travels, the more dirt is suspended in the water, forming flour which changes its colour.

Further upstream we passed through the gorge, an area with a few large boulders creating a bit of white water and causing the boat to buck and weave, as Wayne slalomed us upstream until we reached a point where it was clearly too rough to continue. Here we again pulled in to the bank, so Wayne could explain what we'd see if we took the optional walk into the forest - we all opted not to, the pouring rain making the prospect unattractive. Apparently a mere 800m into the forest is an alpine pasture where the local farmer brings his herd of beef cows. He has a cabin here, deep in the forest and will travel up by boat, then stay a few days tending to his herd. Sometimes it is necessary to move the herd through the forest, crossing 3 rivers, in order to get them to market or to the vet. Quite a hard life, by the sound of it!

Then it was time to head back downstream, a journey much quicker than the upstream one, and quite exhilerating as we went with the flow, occasionally slaloming violently from one side to the other around an obstacle. We took a short trip out to the edge of the Tasman Sea, past lots of strange crane-like structures jutting out from the riverbank. These were for catching whitebait when in season. Then we went to a very quiet spot on the edge of the rainforest where the rain stopped and we were given a sample of whitebait - in egg - to try. Think a cold whitebait omlette and you get the idea. Not exactly something I'll look for in the supermarket or on a restaurant menu anytime soon...

After returning to the jetty, we bade Wayne and our fellow travellers goodbye and got back on the road, heading towards our next overnight stop at Wanaka. Once more the road took us up and into the hills, the landscape gradually changing from dense rainforest to farmland once more. The sun made a welcome appearance as we reached the huge Lake Wanaka, and then the equally impressive Lake Hawea.

We had tried to book a place at the Lakeside Campground in Wanaka the day before, but were told that they don't do reservations as it's first-come first-served, but not to worry as long as we were there before 7pm there'd be a space. We actually arrived around 5:30pm to grab one of the last 4 spaces! Picthed up we made the bed and took a very pleasant walk by the park into town. We soon found a nice bar on a corner and ordered a beer - but quickly realised we'd not eaten since breakfast and were in danger of getting drunk very quickly! So we ordered a couple of pizzas and settled in. Whilst I went to order a 2nd beer, Tracy had a shock as a woman sat a couple of tables away started breastfeeding. Nothing unusual or shocking about that, except that the baby was a small child of 6-8 years old! The beer and pizzas were good - especially with the extra Jalapenos from Tracy's added to mine! Not being in the mood for a heavy night drinking, after eating we left the bar and walked back to camp alongside the lake and through the park. Another great day.

Friday 16th February 2018

Today is as close to a rest-day as we're likely to get, so we took our time getting up and even FaceTime'd Tracy's mum & dad whilst eating breakfast. Our plan was to drive to Queenstown for a mooch around and lunch before heading over to Carrick Winery for our pre-booked Winery Haven. After sorting the camper it was 10am by the time we got moving, but there was no rush. The drive over Cardrona Valley Road, past a clutch of very old properties, and over the spectacularly high Crown Range Road was wonderful. The road descended in a series of hairpin bends to the smell of other vehicles (at least we hoped they were other vehicles!) brakes was quite something. Spectacular views all around! (We later discovered we are not permitted to take rental campers over this road - that's an indication of how steep the descent was!).

Queenstown, though, was a disappointment. It was absolutely rammed full of people and vehicles. We drove to the Skyline Gondola, but the queue extended half-way across the car-park, so we opted to skip it. We drove right through the centre of town and whilst there looked to be some lovely bars and restaurants, there was no-where to park, and it was heaving with people. A quick stop at a Countdown supermarket on the way out of town and after left turn towards Arrowtown, we found a lovely quiet spot by a small lake where we stopped for lunch. A picnic in the sun by a lovely lake surrounded by mountains is infinitely preferable to lunch in a crowded café surrounded by hordes of tourists!

After a half-hour or so of blissful peace, we drove on towards Cromwell on SH6 through a narrow gorge (Kawarau Gorge) where we were held up for 10-15 minutes at some roadworks, again not a problem as the views all around were good and we had New Zealand's own Crowded House playing on the stereo. Arriving in Bannockburn, At the Heart of the Desert as the welcome sign proclaimed, we found the Carrick Winery and pulled in to the car park. A quick question later and we moved the camper from the car park to its spot for the night, looking down over the river, and went inside the large modern building for our wine-tasting. Having booked the Haven Experience through Maui before we left we had no real idea what to expect. We'd had no further details and couldn't access the website to find out, so went in blind. Regardless, we were welcomed by the host, a woman of Spanish decent who didn't even tell us her name, but was pleasant enough. We tasted the wines in their starting list - a very flavoursome Sauvignon Blanc (not at all like the others we've had lately), a very crisp and quite fruity Pinot Gris, a lovely semi-dry Reisling (not too sweet at all) and finally a Pinot Noir (the wine they produce most of here). The Pinot Noir was quite tannin-full, still being quite young, and Tracy wasn't keen, which prompted our host to offer us a taste of their Excelsior Pinot Noir - which was very good and on a par with a good Burgundy, though so it should be at NZ$95 a bottle! Made with grapes from one small area of the 25 acres of vines here, this is most akin to a French wine. Now our host was in her element and offered us a taste of their other Pinot Noir, a much lighter, easier drinking wine that I found instantly forgetable. Then she asked if we liked Chardonnay (we do!) and produced a bottle of their Cairmuir Terraces EBM Chardonnay, the EBM standing for Extended Barrel Maturation. Now this was really special, with a classic rich chardonnay flavour followed by a whallop of oak-rich aftertaste. I don't think I've ever tasted a white wine with such a full flavour and massive aftertaste. Lovely! Having tried that, we started to work out which wine to have as our free bottle to accompany the hamper (the EBM Chardonnay not on the list, sadly!), and what to buy for later or to take home. Here's where I felt a little of the hard sell going on, as our host first showed us the shipping options - NZŁ165 for each 12 bottle case! No Thanks. The she offered us a 10&percent discount on 12 bottles. But with the wines being very good and me wanting a couple of the Bannockburn Pinot Noirs to lay down for a few years, it wasn't too difficult to chose a dozen to take away, including 2 of the EBM Chardonnays. Hopefully we'll avoid drinking them all before heading home!

A little while later everyone left, leaving just Tracy and me in our camper, the entire winery ours to explore (except the building was closed and locked, obviously!). We also had the hamper of food they'd supplied us with for our Haven meal which contained: some smoked salmon and lettuce, various breads, potato chicken salad, cucumber and feta salad, garden salad, creamy herb mayo, vinegarette, extra virgin olive oil, a pot of weird tasting sauce and some fruit/berries. As the whole winery is organic most of the produce in the hamper is grown here or locally sourced. What was it like? Well, the potato and chicken salad was actually potato and gherkin, the mayo was a nice lemon sorbet and the garden herb mayo was more like a buttery cheese. Not exactly very filling or that tasty. However, the wine was excellent!

After dinner I took a short walk around the vineyard to get some photos and was chased by a flock of small partridges (Ok, they actuall ran away when I chased them, but it sounds better the other way round!). Returning to the camper we watched the skies darken with black clouds and the wind picked up, rocking the van from side to side like a boat in stormy seas. We fell asleep to its rocking motion whilst listening to Pink Floyd and dreamed of owning our own vineyard.

Saturday 17th February 2018

After going back to sleep after Tracy's phone had woke us up at 6am, we were woken again by my alarm at 7am, dragging us both from the only deep sleep we'd had all night. A quick shower later and we put the bed away before leaving the winery without even bothering with a brew, keen to get on the road early with a long drive to Milford Sound ahead of us. As we got moving the rain came and by the time we were working our way back through the roadworks in the gorge on the way to Queenstown, it was thoroughly hammering down. Just before Queenstown we turned south, following SH6 down the side of Lake Wakatipu, the weather gradually improving and affording us spectacular views of the mountains all around. At Athol we finally stopped for breakfast, having covered over 100Km and so broken the back of the journey. The Hide Breakfast with a side of beans was both very welcome and very filling. Suitable stuffed, we rejoined the highway and continued to Five Rivers, where we turned onto the 94, via Mossburn and on to Te Anau, where we found a butchers and bought some strip beef for tea and some free-range chicken breasts for tomorrow. We then found the supermarket and stocked up on veggies and a few other bits and pieces, before continuing the journey. Enterign farmland the landscape changed yet again, with a large expanse of water (Lake Te Anau) flanked on its westerly shore by huge mountain ranges, whilst on our right was a big forest, punctuated by farmsteads. Then we crossed the Te Anau Downs and the land flattened out, the road moving away from the lake and by a river. We continued to the DOC Campground at Cascade Creek, 40-odd Km south of Milford Sound and the last campground on Milford Road. A very large site, but mostly empty when we arrived around 1:45pm, we found a nice spot by a river and parked up. Paying the NZ$26 camp fee was simple once we'd located the right cash, placing it in a plastic envelope and into the deposit box then placing the corresponding piece of the registration form on our windscreen for the ranger to see.

We spent the afternoon relaxing and reading and I took a short walk through the forest by the campsite, until it got too muddy to continue. I did have another chore to deal with before dinner, though, as our fridge had frozen a can of rum & coke completely! I emptied the fridge, cleaned the ice from the inside, washed it out and switched it off for a while to try and prevent a recurrence, but only time will tell whether I've been successful or not. We also did some washing in the sink - just the essentials - as we continue to adapt to the life of the motorhome gypsy! For dinner I cooked the beef we'd bought earlier in a stir-fry with veggies and a Terriaki sauce, and I have to say I was pleased with how it turned out. We had a bottle of the Hunter's Pinot Gris to wash it down with and it was as nice as we remembered from our tasting in Blenheim. As the sun gradually started to set, Tracy sat reading, Bob Dylan was singing on the stereo and life was good!

Sunday 18th February 2018

I woke early to the thought that today would have been my mum & dad's 40th wedding anniversary. Seems a very long time ago that a long-haired, spotty, 16-year old me gave her away...

After the usual routine of freedom-camping breakfast (where we use the gas bottle and stove-top kettle, not the electric one) and packing up we hit the Milford Road north once more, making our way through rainforest and hooking up with a convoy of motorhomes and cars heading the same way. We'd heard them leaving the campsite in a constant stream since 6am, so were expecting the roads to be busy, and I guess for New Zealand our convoy of 8 vehicles would count as busy. Soon the road started climbing steeply before we entered the Homer Tunnel. This has nothing to do with the Simpsons, it's an engineering masterpiece that is a one-way tunnel that descends as it cuts through the rocky mountain, its arched roof bearing evidence of how the solid rock was cut to create it. Started in 1935, it wasn't completed until 1954, partly due to the war, but also the difficulty of cutting 1,270m through solid rock. Back into the grey daylight, the rain still teeming down, we encountered the most astounding landscape. High, steep, rocky mountains on both sides of the road glistened with countless waterfalls, giving the impresion they were bleeding from multiple cuts. The road wasn't to be outdone by this splendor either, cascading almost vertically down in a series of sharp hairpins and short straights. Once down in the valley we were once again engulfed by the forest of ferns, mosses, braken and trees, including the odd palm tree. Every now and then we'd catch a break in the roadside rainforest and a glimpse of the giant mountains rising vertically either side of the narrow valley, or yet another waterfall cascading from the clouds that hid the tops of the mountains. Or a glistening, thundering, green and white stream hammering its way over rocks in the rush to the sea, following the valley floor. I've seen some beautiful and humbling scenery in my life, but this was unlike anything I've seen before - just simply awesome, in the truest sense of the word.

Upon arriving at the end of the road we managed to find a space in one of the very full car parks and made our way to the visitor's centre. Here we checked in with Southern Discoveries for our boat trip. We'd booked the Nature Cruise with an extension to visit the underwater observatory, departing at 10:30am. The boat began boarding at 10:20am with the usual chaos and pushing/shoving from ignorant German and Oriental tourists. Hoping for a seat on the upper deck, we were disappointed as most were reserved - for a coach trip that never turned up as it transpired - so we settled for a table on the lower deck. The boat was a large catermaran, with no viewing deck on the lower floor, a small open area to the front of the first floor and one to the rear, and an open upper deck that had no seating and was only accessible via a very steep and narrow staircase, that was not suitable for Tracy with her crutch and bad knee. Once loaded with passengers, most of whom seemed to want to keep going up and down the stairs (noisily), we set sail up the sound. Onboard our guide, another young girl, valiantly tried to explain the geology and point out things of interest. Not a true sound - rather a fjord as it was created by glacieral movement not a river - Milford Sound is quite unusual. At the head of the sound, where it meets the Tasman Sea, there is an underwater mountain - the remains of the glacier's terminal moraine - which dramatically reduces the flow of sea water into the sound. This, coupled with the very high rainfall in the area - which averages 6-9 METRES per year (3 times that of the Amazon rainforest!) - creates a floating freshwater layer 1-5m thick on the top of the sea water below. As this freshwater is laden with minerals (mostly tannin) from its passage through and over the rocky mountains blocks the sunlight passing through, the sea water is much darker and colder than usual at that depth. This in turn results in the marine life rising up, living at a depth of 10m where normally they would live at 40-50m. We would see evidence of this in the underwater observatory later in our trip.

What we did see was the staggeringly beautiful sight of sheer mountains rising steeply from the water, covered in mosses and trees. Known as catastrophic rainforest due to its precarious nature, how these trees cling to the almost vertical rock is incredible. First the mosses and litchens grow, encouraged by the high rainfall. Then heathers will grow, using the mosses and litchen to attach themselves to the vertical rockface. Finally, trees will appear, their roots using the heathers and small cracks in the rock to find sufficient grip and nutrients as they grow. Then other trees will use these pioneers for their own footings, growing up and forming the forest. Every now and then things will go wrong and all this vegetation will fall from the mountain into the depths below, leaving a scar on the forest, soon to be covered in moss as the process begins again...

As well as learning all this fascinating stuff, we saw some basking seals (not close-up-and-personal as on our kayak trip, so we didn't bother taking their pictures!), lots of waterfalls, and even evidence of the geological fault (the Alpine Fault) that cuts through New Zealand and is visible in the rock. I went up on deck a couple of times to take photos, and we enjoyed a rather good packed lunch included in the tour. The boat even got close to one waterfall so people could get a really close view and a glacieral facial or shower. With Tracy unable to get up the stairs onto the foredeck, I volunteered to experience this and report back. As the boat edged closer to the sheer rockface, the waterfall cascading some 150m (5 stories!) threw a light spray over those standing on the deck, including me. But it didn't stop there, as the boat continued to edge forwards until it was like having a hundred people all throw a bucket of water at you. I was SOAKED!

After the drenching we made our way to the underwater observatory where we disembarked and joined our new guide for a trip down under the surface. Built in the safety of a little cove, and reached by descending 60 steps, is a round chamber, suspended 10m below the surface and with green-tinted windows all around. From here we could see the black coral (it's actually white), starfish and lots of other fish all living in the dark, cold, waters of the sound (below the fresh water layer). Once we'd had our fill of watching this marine life, we climbed back up the steps and waited for our new boat to take us back to the visitor centre. This boat was much better - smaller and with an open upper deck with chairs - so we travelled back outdoors with the full majesty of the remarkable landscape all around. After buying a fridge magnet (of course) and another postcard, we made our way back to the motorhome and began the return journey. This was just as spectacular as the journey to the sound as we retraced our steps, and it was all I could do to keep an eye on the road.

After the tunnel and past our camping spot at Cascade Creek we stopped for some photos by Mirror Lake, before continuing on to Te Anau. Intending to camp at a commercial site in order to do some laundry, we'd opted for another Top 10 but on arrival found it was full. Not to be disappointed, we headed on to another campsite I'd read about in the Lonely Planet guide, by Lake Manapouri, called Manapouri Motels and Holiday Park and described by the guide with the words: This eccentric but ultimately charming old-style camping ground... and But wait, there's more, including a field of old Morris Minors and a collection of vintage pinball machines.... I think I was quietly glad the Top 10 was full! Fortunately they had room a powered pitch with a view of the lake and we checked in. It was exactly as described!

Whilst Tracy went off to do the laundry, I busied myself creating adn ordering some leaflets for work (using my phone to access the internet as the site's wifi was only free for the first 100Mb and then expensive for any more!). I then cooked us a Chicken Balti with rice and we drank the 2nd bottle of Hunter's Pinot Gris, which seemed to compliment the food very well. With the skies again heavy grey and clouds obscuring even the small hills on the lakeshore, we closed the curtains on the world and went to sleep, another great day done.

I must apologise for the total lack of photos of the awesome scenery on the road to Milford Sound. The reason for this is simple - I couldn't stop to take any. But trust me, it was SPECTACULAR!

Monday 19th February 2018

After a good night's sleep we took advantage of the site's hot showers and then their electricity supply to cook some toast using the excellent granary bread we bought a couple of days ago. With a long-ish drive of over 230Km today we got on the road early, around 8:40am and were soon tramping our way cross-country to rejoin HWY 94 back towards Mossburn then via Lumsden and across farmland on arrow-straight roads through pouring rain to Gore, where we picked up HWY 1 through Clinton and Balclutha and on to Dunedin. Here we headed straight for the centre of town and the Octangle, where we circled a few times looking for somewhere to park. Once parked on a nearby side street, we walked a block back to the Octangle, where Tracy could post her postcards at the i-Site. We then went to the Velvet Burger for lunch, where I had a spectacular Queen Lamb Burger (which was really pulled lamb in a bun) and Tracy had a smaller, home-made beef burger and we shared some Fatties (large chips as opposed to Skinnies, French fries) with chilli mayo. Delicious and very filling. Then it was time to return to the camper (via a souvenir ship) and a short drive around before heading up the coast.

Our first stop was the campground at Warrington, which like its namesake in the UK was not very attractive, being just large fields with a few straggly-looking tents, some portakabin toilets and a disgusting concrete toilet block that looked like it hadn't been cleaned for years. Unsurprisingly, we decided not to stay and continued up the coast. The next marked campground had no information available on the CamperMate app, but we found it easily enough, only to discover it was closed. With the local council supporting freedom camping on any area of hard-standing or gravel, we determined to find a quiet spot not in CamperMate, and found somewhere just outside Karitane, next to the river and beside the (barely used) railway line. A lovely, peaceful spot and just us. Perfect!

Tuesday 20th February 2018

Just as we were going to sleep last night a train trundled noisily past, but that didn't stop me falling fast asleep. And the 3 others that passed during the night according to Tracy didn't disturb me either. So waking refreshed, another shower in the confined space of the onboard shower/toilet in the camper and breakfast of cereal and tea and we were once again on the road. We followed HWY 1 up the coast to the imaginatively titled Shag Point, not a spot for rudeness, but named after a local sea bird, a cormorant-like bird called the Shag. Here we parked up and walked a short distance to the overlook where we had a great view of a group of fur seals relaxing on the rocks. It was a pity the weather was still unpleasant, as cyclone Gita started to make her presence felt, the wind and rain preventing much seal-watching.We continued further up HWY 1 to Moeraki where we stopped to see the famous boulders. These remarkable spherical rocks were formed deep below the ocean floor over 4-5 million years ago and then ejected through erosion to appear on the beach. As they are formed by compacting of different stone types, including softer mudstone, some look like large turtle shells, with striations over their surface. These fault-lines have resulted in some of the spheres collapsing, leaving the boulders looking like hatched egg shells. Very unusual indeed and worthy of a great many photos, despite the by-now persistent rain. We took shelter in the café for a coffee and slice of cake and then the gift shop where we found some suitable gifts for the folks back home.

Returning to the road we drove once more through a landscape of farms, passing the Totara Estate, where the frozen food revolution began. This is a 15,000 acre estate where they found a way to export their produce around the wold by freezing it and helped spawn the worldwide expansion of New Zealand's sheep farming industry. From here we continued on to Oamaru in worsening weather, with the rain now torrential and the wind howling. We drove up to the yellow-eyed penguin colony and braved a short walk onto the beach, but as the penguins spend the day on the ocean and only come onto the beach at dusk, there was nothing to see except a couple of fur seals. We then drove through downtown Oamaru, admiring the old Victorian buildings and looking for a suitable pub or restaurant to frequent that evening. We spotted the Steampunk HQ, a quirky building with a steam train and metal zepellin outside, then spied the New Zealand Whiskey Shop, before heading to the Harbourside Tourist Park where we had reserved a pitch. After checking in we were directed to the best pitch on the site, right on the front overlooking the harbour, where we were told we should see some penguins after dark. Using the on-site internet (unlimited for once, albeit still very slow) we did some more research. First to investigae was what exactly the term Steampunk meant, as Oamaru is proud to be New Zealand's Steampunk capital. It transpires it is a form of science fiction, based on the idea of an alternative history where technology evolved mostly from Victorian steam power rather than electricity. It's also an art-form and fashion culture, leveraging the Victorian aesthetics and making use of odd machinery.

Also on my list of things to research was New Zealand's whiskey/whisky industry. This area is very proud of its Scottish heratige (especially Dunedin) and so has its own whiskey distillery. The New Zealand Whiskey Shop is their main outlet and does tastings as well as selling their produce. After completing our research by checking reviews of the local pubs / restaurants, we put on our rain jackets and headed out into the storm. Our first port of call was the whiskey shop, where we paid NZ$30 for a 4-whiskey taster, comprising South Island 25-year old single malt; the Doublewood, a blended whiskey of which 40&percent is aged in French red wine oak barrels; the High Wheeler, another blended whiskey aged in Ex American bourbon oak casks and their Oamaruvian, a single-cask doublewood. The South Island was lovely and smooth with a good aftertaste, the 2 blended whiskies nice but nothing special and the Oamaruvian very unusual with a mix of flavours of fruit as well as whiskey. As my souvenir from the trip I treated myself to a bottle of the South Island and a small sample bottle of the Oamaruvian - totalling over NZ$260 - I was a little relieved when the cost of the taster was halved to just NZ$15!

Warmer inside than out, we returned to the rainy streets, stopping in a quirky gift shop for a browse before heading to the Steampunk HQ, which is a sort of art gallery of Steampunk sculptures. Only it was 4:45pm and it closed at 5pm, so we opted to leave it to the following morning. Continuing on in the rain we went to our first choice for dinner, only to discover it didn't open until 5pm, so continued a little farther to the Last Pub and Restaurant where we had a beer. We then returned to the Star and Garter, where we ordered a Seafood Chowder starter for me (Tracy opting for just garlic bread) and a main course of Lamb Shank for me and Blue Cod and chips for Tracy. We also ordered a bottle of Hunter Valley Merlot, mistakenly thinking it was a New Zealand wine, only to discover it was Australian. When the owner/waitress brought the wine, she opened it and poured 2 large glasses without checking with us and I noticed it was the Shiraz, not the Merlot, so we had to send it back, much to her embarassment. She still poured the replacement wine out without checking or asking us first, which was not quite the level of service we expected from the reviews, but she did apologise, explaining that she wasn't expecting to be so busy (the restaurant wasn't full!). Regardless, the chowder was exceptionally good and the lamb shank (2 shanks) both huge and delicious. Stuffed to the gills we once again braved the storm as we waddled back to camp. Once in the camper we put on the electric heater to warm up and help dry out our clothes and settled in for some penguin-spotting.

Despite everyone being told how to behave around these animals there was a constant stream of people on the harbourside, getting soaked and probably preventing the penguins coming ashore to their nest sites. Eventually around 10pm they dispersed, but there was still no sign of penguins. I braved the storm to go to the washrooms and when I returned I took a quiet look over the harbour wall and saw 2 little blue penguins amongst the upturned boats opposite our pitch. I went back to the camper to get Tracy, who was excitedly pointing to the road, where she'd seen a penguin cross just behind me. She put her jacket on adn we both went across to have a look at the penguins I'd seen, then returned to the camper to watch from the warmth before bed.

It's also worth noting that all this rain has resulted in a flood inside our motorhome. It seems to be coming in from under the cupboards at the rear (under our bed) but we can't see where. We've used the used dirty bath towels to dry it off, but its just a little irritation, not something that's affecting us.

Wednesday 21st February 2018

After a fairly solid night's sleep I woke late - 8am - and after dressing headed out in the morning rain to the shower room. I had to wait an age for one of the two showers to be free as there was a man and his young son sharing one of the showers, the youngster spending all the time screaming and crying (reminding me of my own kids!). Once clean and back at the camper Tracy cooked a fantastic breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon and baked beans (the latter not being very nice!), then we packed up, emptied the toilet and waste water, filled up with clean water and generally made ourselves ready for some more freedom camping. We only drove round the corner before parking up and heading into Steampunk HQ. This was a very unusual gallery in a warehouse, with eclectic statues of metalwork that defy description. There was a steam-powered organ that played sounds from old science fiction films, a statue of a man-like creature attached by tubes to 3 babies, a metal frog, a gorilla made from recycled car parts and a little room with mirrors and lights that simulated a journey through space and time - similar to when spaceships in films jump into hyperdrive. Outside was a Mad-Max style train, an oversized motorcycle made from scrap machines and all sorts of other-worldy scultpures. Very odd indeed!

With it still raining we returned to the camper and set off again, heading north on HWY 1 before turning inland on HWY 83. This was yet another long straight road through farmland, the incessant rain and low cloud preventing any long-distance views. We stopped to see the Maori rock drawings near Duntroon, which were very disappointing as they were mostly worn and surrounded by graffiti. Then we stopped for views of the dams at Waitiki and Aviemore. At Omarama we turned north on HWY 8 via Twizel where we stopped for a coffee and cake before arriving at our chosen campground by the shore of Lake Pukaki. Despite the rain and low cloud this is still a beautiful spot, with bright green water adn emerging views of the surrounding mountains. Pitched up it was time for an evening of relaxation, hoping the weather improves before tomorrow as we want to see Mt Cook!



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