Friday 5th December

Sorry for the delay in blogging but it has been hectic. The last blog had a date error and we will start this one on Saturday 29th Nov. We have currently come to rest in a place called Moruya in Australia and now have a week to catch our breath.

Sat 29th Nov.
for all the wonderful things we have done this mornings spectacular adrenaline rush was the most spine tingling so far. We had a delay due to weather for our glacier flight over the Fox Glacier, BUT, in meant that we had a whole helicopter to ourselves and the sky and glacier too.
The flight lifted off in clearing weather and by the time we'd climbed the glacier it was brilliantly clear. We climbed over the wall of the arrete at the side of this huge glacier flew over 2 more glaciers and around the face of Mount Cook. All of this was superb but then we landed on the Neve field at the top of the glacier, ran around and threw snowballs had our photo taken by the pilot who then processed it into postcard form in the back of the helicopter and presented them to us on the way down. The New Zealaders do not miss a tourism trick. The remainder of the day could not be bettered so we motored down to Queenstown and to a place called Glenorchy for the night. An anti-climax but nevertheless stunning coastal and mountain scenery all the way.
Sunday 30th Nov.
Lynne and Greg will be interested in this one as we spent the morning walking up the start of the famouse "Routeburn Track". It is a 3/4 day walk and we only had 3/4 hours but we got up into the mountain part seeing great waterfalls and some deep diving gorge runners below us. Our picnis lunch next to the Dart River however showed us what a different country N.Z. is. Within minutes the dry river bed had been whipped up into a tremendous dust storm and we had to leave. The day ended with another long drive to get to Manapouri in the far west to see the fiords. The campsite there was a bit wierd. Lindsay porter would like it. It was a car graveyard, mainly Morris 1000's of all types, not restored just lovingly left to rest.
Monday 1st Dec.
Manapouri has again the most spectacular views across the lake of the same name towards the western mountains. Last night was spent taking evening light photos' from the beach. This morning we were on a fast boat crossing the same lake again in beautiful light at 8:00 am.
The lake is so large even at over 20 knots the boat takes an hour to cross it. We arrived at the terminal to a brilliant rainbow. Warning sign!!
We transferred to a coach and were driven over a mile underground to see a massive HEP station which uses the lake water and the drop from there to the sea to generate power. When we emerged we drove over a high pass on a road built just to build the power station but it got murkier and murkier. We dropped to sea level in Deep Cove , Doubtful sound. In this case very Doubtful!.
We got a big High powered Catamaran to whisk us down this massive fiord but the drizzel that the crew described was more like the rain in Tewkesbury in July 2007. It was very atmospheric with swirling mist and rain but not beautiful. At the end of the Sound we had a bouncy sea ride to view the rare Crested Penguins and a big colony of fur seals. The weather relented a bit on the way back but the mountain road on the bus and the start of the trip back over the lake were grim, then, half way across the lake the sun came out and apparently Manpouri was dry all day.
Such is the time shortage of days left in NZ we set off straight away heading back north towards Queenstown. Unfortunately the local constabulary have an interesting device that clocks your speed as you drive towards their cars. We camped in Arrowtown that night, not the jail, and wandered around this lovely old mining town and setting for bits of Lord of the Rings.
We had fish and chips from a Turkish restaurant and drank NZ beer in a pub playing the highlights from the premier league week?
Tuesday 2nd Dec.
We spent the morning enjoying Arrowtown and the tracks around it in a liesurely way, taking morning tea, window shopping, very nice but we got the adrenaline twitch. W e set off for the north then remembered the Queenstown Jet boats. We turned back drove to Arthurs point, parked at 1:29, booked at 1:30 and by 1:35 were in a 500 horsepower jet boat flying through the narrow gorges of the Shotover river at high speed through water only inches deep and doing splashy 360 degree spins. By 2:30 we were on the road again completely adrenaline rushed. but ceratainly one of the greatest things we've ever done. The boat driver reminded us of our nephew Owen, think we've found a new career path for him.
We then headed for Lake Tekapo through the MacKenzie country, astonishing huge rolling mountains, semi-desert and narrow passes, until we were on the high plains where Rohan was filmed, and drove through ferocious winds to the amazing sight of the deep turquoise lake in a great bowl of high peaks. Freezing night! More later of that.
Wed 3rd December
Happy Birthday Kate!!