So after the Catlins we arrived in Dunedin. Being back in a city we did the usual timesucking city acivities of updating ourselves online for hours, sorting out bank transfers and then we checked out the rather comprehensive museum to learn as much as possible about the local area. This pretty much took up all of the day, so we decided to stay outside of town in a free rest stop but instead got lost up what seemed to be a never ending hill, not finding a rest stop, eating a dodgy pie from a garage and then parking just off the roadside. This may sound particularly bleak, but it really wasn't so bad. When back in Dunedin the next day we obligingly tagged along with all of the other tourists to the steepest street in ... read more

As most of you will know, we were both re-H-eally looking forward to going to Milford Sound. We were hoping to join the "comparison sound" clan and visit both Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, so that we could become official members of this pose - who, as I seem to understand it discuss their personal views on how each of the sounds compare when they meet fellow members. It's one of those things you come to experience when frequenting hostels, communal TV rooms at campsites or simply when you find yourself among pretentious travellers. Anyway, in this case and on this trip, our membership is null and void and this is due to money and time allowing. I still hold hopes of visiting both of the sounds in a day in my own helicopter with some ... read more

Remember the last entry? Where we told you about our fun had in the children's play area on the flying fox? Well you can imagine the grins that emerged on our faces on reading that the biggest flying fox in New Zealand which was next to the biggest swingbridge in New Zealand, was a few kilometers up the road just near to Westport. We made haste towards Buller Gorge and happily presented our fare for a tandem ride on the fox which also granted us free entry to the goldmine area there, the fault line from a huge earthquake, and a chance to look at a big tree. My pre-fox giddiness reached a premature peak on my finding a mushroom I had decided was pure fiction - see the photo. I really thought that a red ... read more

It was with not so spritely shuffles, yelps and a winces that we got into beloved Bart to venture on in our journey down the west coast. I was walking about like steptoe (minus the gerning of course) for days after our volcanic tramping expedition - I am craving a good sesh with my guru Johnny Yoga like nobodies business (Amy please send him my love - by way of a sedate zen bow or something). Avoiding the safe road and all sensibility we opted to drive down the unsealed Whanganui River Road which runs alongside a treacherous drop down to the river on one side and crumbly cliffs on the other. As we were approaching the start of this road we were stopped by a tiny road traffic controller of about eight years old. His ... read more

We arrived to the Eastern side of the North island after enjoying a really lovely riverside drive which wound it's way in and out of farmlands and rural settings. When we got into Gisbourne we stayed at a beachside campsite which was full to the brim of last minute holidayers enjoying the last of the school summer holidays. After sorting out the usual re-stocking of food, petrol and also splashing out on getting some new brakes for Bart we enjoyed a seaside holiday pace for a couple of days. During one leisurely brunch we were entertained by 3 different street performers - all completely original in their own way: A fifties dressed opera singer, a 'zaney' comic who told some shockingly bad jokes and then scooted about in a portable toilet on wheels, and finally a ... read more