Storm runners

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Day 11

We have spent the last couple of days trying to survive major storms! We have called ourselves The Storm Runners rather than storm chasers! In Christchurch after we wrote our last blog the weather got really bad and we heard that the road we had just come down (the major state highway 1) had been closed due to land slips, so we were lucky that we got through when we did.
It rained all night AGAIN, and we were woken in the night with a 'glug glug' sound, we leapt up because we thought we were floating but it was the sewage disposal over flowing and was something else floating not us!!!!!
we woke up in the morning to floods and at reception they informed us that christchurch was cut off so we couldn't go anywhere else, so we planned to look round christchurch however visability was so poor walking to the bus stop that we just went into the nearest mall and watched Mama Mia, ate and shopped!!!

Day 12

Rained again all night! had to start thinking how we were going to get back over to the north island, main state highway was still shut. Campervan company said we could leave the van in Christchurch and fly back as they also thought there was no way out and more storms were forcasted. We did hear of one route out through the Lewis pass but we were told we'd need our snow chains and the pass was difficult. We both decided we had come for an adventure so we'd take the risk driving back, it took a long time but we eventually made it back to the ferry. The scenery was dramatic and we stopped off to see more thermal springs in a place called Hamner springs high in the mountains.

We caught the ferry a day early because of the weather coming and head for Welligton campsite. There was no one on reception and the barrier was down, we rang and rang the buzzer but nobody came, Denise used her detective skills and found somebody elses letter with their barrier code in a key returns box! We stole the number and headed in to the campsite and parked up on the nearest avaliable spot, but what we didnt know was we had stolen some one elses spot. They came back to find us in our pjs getting ready for bed!! We did lots of smiles and sorries and moved to another spot!
We slept undisturbed but our karma the next day was to have showers that couldn't decide to be cold or boiling hot! Again our screams could be heard from the wash room!

Day 13

We went to pay at reception and she was totally amazed at how we got in! but pleased we had paid.
We went for a cup of tea with Pams son and daughter-in-law who live in a beautiful house in welligton and then set out to wanganui. We stopped for dinner at KFC and met some local kiwis who were sooo funny, we swapped email addresses and set back on our way. We are now in Wanganui campsite and just about to watch the All blacks rugby team play.

Lizzie and Robert thank you for your message love you loads and miss you sooooooooooooooooooooo much xxxxxxxxxxxx

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