From Glaciers to beaches

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Howdy folks!

Here's a wonky picture of us right this second, as we type this entry! As you can see we are tired from lots of travelling! Helena shall fill you all in with our travels so far.....i'm off to have a nap in the sunshine! ....lots of love Chris xx :-)

Hello!!!

Firstly a bit of honesty - Chris is off to have a beer in the sun.

We are now in Dunedin, a fine town with many splendid tourist attractions. I have spent the whole morning in one in fact - the Cadbury Factory. It was heaven, as the doors part you are welcomed by the sight of a crunchie mountain. Once inside you are given a bag which you fill with samples along the tour, you also get to see a chocolate waterfall - a tonne of choolate falling two stories. Then you get to the gift shop. In the afternoon we went to an art gallery, you can't win them all!!

Anyway, our travels so far...

We have driven through Arthurs pass, a lovely mountain range, did a few walks and generally enjoyed the scenary. I say walks, - one was called avalanche peak, and it was more like climbing than walking. We think DOC (department of conservation) has a little on going joke with their 'walks'. Then it was onto the glaciers, first was Franz Joseph, we did another walk there, where we came across another DOC joke. The walk went up through rainforest, very nice, view bit cloudy though, when we came across this gaping hole in the path (where a mud slide had washed a portion of the path down the mountain). The joke being, that over the hole was a tree which had fallen down. We debated if the tree was now part of the path, or dangerous. We decided it was both, climbed over the tree and hoped for the best (i.e. that the tree wouln't continue it's trip over the edge whilst we were climbing on it).

Then we went to Fox Glacier which was much nicer to look at, lots of ice.
Drove down to Queenstown, then onto Milford Sound, which was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mountains, snow, waterfalls. We camped at milford for a couple of nights just to soak it up. We were lucky as when we arrived it had been raining for a couple of days, so the waterfalls were awesome, and then we had a couple of sunny days in which to enjoy it. Then we headed back to Queenstown where I went white wate sledging - you go down rapids with a plastic float, life jacket etc, throwing yourself in whirlpools and the rapids. Wicked way to spend three hours. Then the next day we both went Monster Truk Driving (Chris's choice), which was interesting. (Chris had a wonderful time)

Now Dunedin. Found out KCC has come through with my back dated pay rise (from March!!) so had a wicked day today, spending it (not all in the Cadbury Factory, although tempting).

Only 2 weeks left in South Island now, so making the most of it.

Hope everyone is well at home, and the cold, grey, dampness hasn't led to any serious cases of cabin fever setting in. As Billy Connolly says, put some wellies on and enjoy it. (But with more swearing than that).

lots of love
Helena x

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Photos

This is us now!
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Comments

[Petch]

Cadbury World
I once went to bournville and the town was all purple, even the bins! Also, people had cadbury's cream egg cars in their drives! I bet you could smell the chocolate before you reached the factory, Helena! I can never eat enough chocolate(unless it makes me ill).

[Charlotte]

Glad you both OK and sounds like you are having loads of fun. Jill Barrett has asked me where you want your P45 sending? Keep having loads more fun, looking forward to the next installation. Love Charlotte

[Ben]

I hate you......
Hi guys, don't worry, it's just jealousy and will pass in time. Got the postcard, thank you very much :) Glad to see you enjoy the Glaciers, they were one of my highlights but I cheated and used a helicopter, wether it was a safer option than yours is debatable!!! Keep on enjoying yourselves, today (2nd Dec) has been very windy and wet, if I were you I wouldn't come back just yet...... (Louisa here now) I'm so so so jealous. I never got to go to Milford Sound, and I've heard so much amazing stuff about it from my dad. Also, when I went to Dunedin the only thing I saw was the 'castle', which I really wouldn't put in the same category as English Castles - more of a mansion with turrets. I want to do what you're doing! Glad it's fun. Also, my trips to the glaciers were probably during the rain that washed the path away, so all in all I think I'm going to have to come back soon! Loads of love from both of us, and jealous kisses from Lou (and from Ben to Helen hehe. Handshake to Chris :P)