New Zealand - South Island May 2012

Got to the South Island, town of Picton in the evening so we decided to go on a motor camp site for the night and head off on our road trip in the morning.  Woke up all fresh and ready to take on the stunning drive of the South Island.  Heading to Abel Tasmin National Park, a particular highlight on the way being the 35k drive from Picton to Havelock called the Queen Charlotte Drive.

Stunning Views

Great!!!

Had a full day Kayaking around the Abel Tasmin National park, took a picnic with us and did some seal spotting along the way, WOW!!!!!

Kayaking again in the Abel Tasmin NP

Loving your style......

Suntan lotion in Winter!!!

Seals coming to see us.....

Smile for the camera.....

Moving on we called into a small town of Murchison to do a bit of DIY Gold Panning, how funny was this, we had no idea what we were doing, but it was fun thinking we could see gold......

Please let there be gold here!!!

We stopped at the Buller Gorge and walked along the largest swing bridge in NZ, (110m),  aaagghhhh how scary at first getting across it and knowing that you have to walk back along it to get back over he he!!!!!

Don't look down Andrea.....

Now we are heading along the West Coast to the Franz Josef and Fox Glaziers,  travelling through the gold mining village of Ross. Here there is a replica of NZ's largest unearthed Gold Nugget, weighing 2.772kg.  Also the Miner's Cottage Museum and Ross Gaol (Jail).

"I didn't do it"

Only me!!!!

We arrived into Franz Josef Glazier ready to explore.  Legend tells of a girl losing her lover who fell from the local peaks, and her flood of tears freezing into the glazier.  We walked to the terminal face of the glazier.  Amazing walk through the river bed with great views of the glazier.

Franz Josef Glazier

High 5 Mr Guide.....

Next day we drove to the Fox Glazier which was only 30k down the road.  Again here we walked to the face of the glazier.  Again WOW Factor!!!!!

Fox Glazier

Fox Glazier

Had a pleasant walk around the Matheson Lake, with beautiful views of the glaziers, and mirror lake.  This is one of the most photographed scenes in NZ showing Mt Cook and Mt Tasmin reflected in the waters.

WOW!!!

Drove onto Wanaka, Queenston Region.   Stayed here for a couple of days, lovely little town, I could actually live here....Chilled out for a bit.  Also did a spot of single track mountain biking on the Deans Bank Track, which Steve loved and it was a first for Andrea which she loved in the end just a little slow he he!!!!

Oh I've missed this......

I want to ride my bicycle.....

Deans Bank Track....

Now onto Queenstown to check it out and arrange our Milford Sound Cruise.  Great little town, with cool shops and lots of adrenaline stuff going on.  Will see what we can do when we arrive back here...

Queenstown

The drive to Milford Sound was awesome, although the weather was awful travelling, rain rain rain all the way.  With 7meters annually of rainfall, this is one of the most wettest places in the world.

Road to Milford Sound

Road to Milford Sound

Its s little wet here!!!

It rained all night while we camped up here, even rain came in through the air vent in the van which was not good.  But we got it sorted in the end.  Next morning it was the Cruise morning, the rain had calmed down a little but not stopped.  This did not ruin the cruise.  The waterfalls are at their greatest in periods of high rain.

Milford Sound Cruise

Little cold Andrea??

Nice waterfall!!!!

Milford Sound Cruises

Thumbs up to the Jucy Cruise......

The drive back to Queenstown was awesome again, with snow at Milford Sound gradually turning to rain then clear blue sky.  Although Steve got a speeding ticket on the way back BOO HOO!!!!!

Road from Milford Sound

Road from Milford Sound

Road from Milford Sound

Road from Milford Sound

Back in Queenstown.  Steve did a BUNGY JUMP at AJ Hackett's original home of Bungy,  Kawarau Bridge, 43m.   Well done Steve you did it!!!!  This deserved a few beers and a famous ferg burger yum yum!!!

A  J Hackett BUNGY.

Getting ready, sure this fits right?????

1, 2, 3, 

JUMP.........Aaaagggghhhhhhhh..........

You did it!!!!!!

Famous Ferg Burger. Yum Yum!!!

Next day Andrea did a Tandem  Paraglide off the top of Gondola Hill, 2500 feet.  WOW what a brave girl, she loved every single minute of it, would definitely do it again.....

Getting ready to Paraglide 

Is it a bird, is it a plane, Noooooo its Andreaaaaa

Doing some spins.....Weeeeeeeeeee

Made it down....

Next, after all this adrenaline fueled fun we headed for the mighty Mount Cook,  the highest peak in the whole of New Zealand, at 3755m.  Had a walk round the Edmond Hilary Museum.  Then walked to Kea Point over looking Mueller Glazier and also walked to Lake Tasmin which was like a scene out of Titanic with surreal Icebergs dotted within the lake, truly spectacular.  Camped up at nearby Lake Pukaki, freedom camping, which had an unbelievable view of Mt Cook and Mt Tasmin.

Edmond Hilary 

Mt Cook 

Tasmin Lake

Lake Pukaki

Camp fire by the lake....

We then drove to Hanmer Springs to have a spot of relaxation in the thermal springs, and a wash as we have been freedom camping for a few days, we smelt a bit he he!!!!

We returned southwards to Christchurch had a walk around and saw all the devastation which was caused by the earthquake last year, how sad...There is still a red zone in the centre which you cannot enter.  They are trying to take down and re-build the area, shops are working out of shipping containers to try and make a living, quite ingenious really.....This is the re-start area.

Christchurch Red Zone

Christchurch re-start area

Steve's new best mate......

While in New Zealand you just have to go to a Rugby match, so we did...The Crusaders (Christchuch Team) was playing in the temporary new stadium built after the earthquake against the Brisbane Reds, Australia.  We managed to get 2 tickets in the cheap end behind the goal posts, just had to sit 10 seats apart for 40mins at a time, oh well, I think Steve did this on purpose he he!!!  Really good family atmosphere, we had a great time.  What a way to spend our last night in the South Island......Crusaders won 15 - 11, but was not really the best team..

Crusaders warming up...

Crusaders v Reds

Now we are returning to Auckland for a couple of days before our flight to South America........Think Jubba wanted to show us some UDC with Skip he he!!!!!!

Ultimate Dog Cuddling

Ultimate Dog Cuddling 2 

Skip x x x x