Invercargill, Stewart Island, Catlins

21/1 Southern Comfort, Invercargill
A long drive back to Manapouri to go on the Southern Scenic Route, that didn't turn out to be so scenic after all until pyou got to the sea. We passed an histroic bridge at Clifden, Riveton (an older whalers settlement and one of the oldest towns in New Zealand), but went on to Invercargill. The backpackers was full, but we got to stay at the owner's own house, complete with dog and everything!

22/1 -"-
We were supposed to plan for the Rakiura Track on Stewart Island, but I didn't want to go it. It was raining anyway. We went to the museum and the "Raoring Forties" experience, about the subantarctic islands south of New Zealand.

23/1 -"-
More rain, we stayed in and watched Edmund Hilarys funeral on TV. We decided not to do the Rakiura Track (which turned out to be the right choice since other people we met who had done it said it wan't that great). Then soaking in the spa pool at Splash Palace after a few laps in the pool.

24/1 Stewart Island Backpackers, Oban, Stewart Island
A drive to Bluff and then the Foveaux Express across to Stewart Island, quite a bumpy ride. We went for a walk out to Acker's Point Lighthouse, then to Bathing beach in the evening for the sunset.

25/1 -"-
Ulva Island. A small ferryboat across to this island where there are no more predators like rats etc who disturb the birds, so there are lots of birds. In 6 hours we saw almost all the birds in the guidebook, except the kiwi. There were also beautiful beaches on the island.

26/1 -"- Gernot's birthday
We went kayaking with a French guide and a French family who lived in New Caledonia but had a summer house on Stewart Island. In the evening we went to Church Hill reastaurant to celebrate Gernot's birthday and had Stewart Island salmon and a nice white wine. Then a visit to the pub, where there were mostly eccentric locals.

27-29/1 Hilltop, Papatowai, the Catlins
Back to Bluff on the ferry and this time the sea was totally calm. After a stop at the supermarket in Invercargill we went on to the Catlins where we visited Slopw Point, the southernmost point of the South Island. A beautiful drive through rolling green hills and with the sea on one side took us to Curio Bay, called so becasue of the fossilised trees you can see there. Not very interesting, but right next to it is Porpoise Bay, where we saw a lot of Hector's dolphins, the world's rarest dolphin. They were playing in the water very near the beach for at least 30 min. We then had a lovely picnic there and then drove on to Hilltop, which turned out to be amazing. A little cottage with four rooms (we got one with a view of the green hills, sheep and all the way down to the sea), a lounge and kitchen with a view, two bathroom aso. Very well decorated, as the owner renovated old houses and then sells them on.
The next day we went to McLean Falls, which weren't very big, but it was a nice walk throug the forest. Then to Cathedral Caves, also a nice walk down to the beach and then along it to the caves, which were actually huge and very much like a cathedral! You could walk into the one cave and then out through the other, and we were lucky to be there at precisely low tide, so we didn't get our feet wet. Then we walked around the small Lake Wilkie and then had picnic on another beautiful beach at Papotupotu Bay. We decided to stay another day because it was so nice, and just relaxed and went for a walk on the beach in Papatowai where the rocks are very interesting - you can actually see the different volcanic layers in the rocks as they have been gradually exposed by the erosion of the sea. We also visited the Lost Gypsy, a small shop in an old bus where they sold very strange handmade artworks that were also like little machines.

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