Blogs from Lake Wakatipu, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania

Yesterday was mostly a driving day from Manapouri to Arrowtown so not too much to report other than we stopped at Te Anau for an hours walk on the lake front and also at Kingston to check it out at the foot of Lake Wakatipu. We are now based at Settlers Cottage Motel for most of the next week. We chose this place as it's the least like a motel and more like a homely cottage which it is. A good choice, with plenty of room and good heating since I'm sure the temperature plummeted to almost zero overnight despite the lovely calm weather. I guess this is the norm for being inland and it now being autumn. We spent the rest of the day checking out the village, visiting the information centre for information on ... read more

This was an unplanned trip on a steam train where we rode first class in our own dedicated carriage with lunch and wine. We had been scheduled to drive 4 hours to Milford Sound and take a boat cruise down the fiord - alas heavy rain had caused a landslide and closed the road.... read more

Tempting as it was to go and explore the last minute camping spot we tracked down late yesterday evening, it turned out to be a recreational reserve for fishing in particular which, being a vegetarian, is obviously not my thing. Instead we packed up once again and set off in search of a better location. On the way, we passed through Te Anau which was pretty touristy but not in that tacky unpleasant way. I had left my toothbrush at the campsite in Invercargill so we popped into the little supermarket there to pick up a new one. In a neighbouring souvenir shop, we couldn't resist buying a couple of fingerpuppets (as you do) in the shape of a kiwi and a penguin. Did you know that New Zealand is home to several penguin colonies? Alas ... read more