Awesome Alps to Petulant Penguins

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This is how I had always imagined NZ to be! Sparkling turquoise lakes and a backdrop of snow tipped mountain ranges. And Tekapo doesn't disappoint... It was just amazing.....no apologies offered for splashing about the superlatives but I don't know how else to describe this landscape. True, there can be miles of flat, almost boring plains, but then you turn a corner and...Ka Pow! Your blown away. We switched to Camper van after Christchurch, and are now doing our second overnight in her. Why do we tend to call boats, cars, etc after women? We still haven't given her a name, but she is big. Almost obese. And she is thirsty. In fact maybe we should call her whatsername....you know..Patsy's pal in Abfab? It'll come to me about 2 am...that's 1 pm your time. And we call the sat nav Margaret ( after Margaret Will...cos she's got the same accent), and the cruise control, Tom ( Tom Cruise?..that was Shirley, not me). Anyroadup, we've got plenty room, although Shirley is having to learn how to guide me when reversing as its a bit like a lorry. I've only squashed her twice so I'm getting the hang of it!

Today we stopped just north of Dunedin at a magical wee fishing village a bit like Portmahomack..its at the end of a road, has only one pub..though much better than the Castle Hotel, and no shop. We came here cos we heard you could see rare yellow eyed penguins without paying $25 and joining hordes of Chinese on a coach for the priveledge. We drove up to a lighthouse, hid in a hide (well what else would you do?) for half an hour watching fur seals (that's meant to be fur...not ' for' )...and eyes fixed on where we thought they would come ashore ( just before dusk)...when someone noticed that they had, in fact, all trooped BELOW the hide and were heading for the nests. Still we did get a good look at them...another ' lifer', Lyall! Then we got caught in a thunderstorm....still, can't have it all ways.

Tomorrow we go to the Otago peninsula ( after Dunedin, and the obligatory..'just want a quick look at this shop' thing that women seem to have programmed into their chromosomes)....to seek out the Royal Albatross and the blue eyed penguin....and maybe even Henrys dolphin...the smallest in the world apparently..should make it even harder to spot! Then we have to give it back to Henry...or maybe make a pie with it. Meantime, we are still talking to each other, even if it is from the opposite ends of Edwina....you see....I get there eventually....even if it is now 2 am! Onward and upward.

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Photos

Lake Tekapo
And wild Lupins...well you would be wild too if someone tramped all over you to take cities.

Lake Tekapo
Pretty as a picture...oh yeah..it IS a picture. But I took it!

Lake Pukaki
Or something like that... Yes I know it looks the same as the last one..but if you look at the mountains..….oh never mind

Edwina
She is big and she is clever.

Oamaru
Victorian architecture bla bla..but look how empty the streets are..

Oh Shit!
Is this why the streets are so empty?

Fur seals
They're there somewhere if you look hard enough

Yellow eyed penguin
OK I couldn't see them either..but apparently they are yellow

No, I won't turn round
Cos I'm a p.p.p.petulant f.f.f.penguin