Te Anau

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Yesterday

Started with an early morning cab ride to Queenstown to catch the bus to Te Anau - we drove through amazing countryside with a mad Irish guide who had many stories some of them Mauri and some of them blarney I would guess. For example the long necked sheep that are a special breed of giraffe and sheep mating !!!! or maybe they are alpaca's/lama's? Arrived in Te Anau in time for a late breakfast to find that my hotel is next to the bus station - result. Then went for a walk around the lake - not all of it as it is the longest in NZ but has lots of little Mauri stories all the way round. I ended up in a little bird sanctuary where they save birds from the islands around and some that are on the endangered list so they live there so that they won't become extinct. The green parakeets are mesmerising and call you back when you leave.

It smells so good here it is the massive cedar trees (or so I am reliably informed) and like everything else here the trees are huge. It is a strange feeling that reminds me of a Thai saying "same same but different" it kinda feels like home but then again it really doesn't.

Today

Caught a Catamaran across the lake to Foirdland and cruised around amazing scenery including perfectly dome like islands, massive mountains and calm waters - then heading off into the glow worm caves. The caves themselves were interesting if a little tight in places and very very dark. We then got on a little boat in the pitch black and were pulled through an underwater lake where the little glow worms live - how magical - they were like mini constellations twinkling above you and around you.

Then they took us back through the caves and showed us a film. Glow worms are gross and mean and yucky and I chose to forget the film and remember the magic !!!

We then sailed back and it was fascinating to see how the mountains were collecting clouds - we are going to have some rain (being British that doesn't bother me and I have a rain mac packed of course !!!) but watching how it changes this landscape the mood, the colours, the density of the heat fascinating - plus they do rain right here big fat rain drops that are warm.



Of course i am here in Summer I am not so sure I would love it so much in the winter.

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