Invercargill - Day 4

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We wake up in Te Anau and quickly have some breakfast and decide to head of to make the most of the day. We want to spend some exploring the town as we did none of that yesterday. Still feeling bit tired. Anshu wants to do some shopping for presents, I dont feel like spending any money buying presents for family that are in NZ. Anshu insists that they have not been to the South ISland and would love something. I quickly peruse through the shops and like nothing (didnt want to spend any money anyway =)). Leave Anshu to do her shopping while I walk along Lake Te Anau shoreline enjoying the beautiful scenery and taking pictures. Still hungry must have worked up a huge appetite and there is a small pie shop not too far from where we have parked the car. The aromas coming from the pie shop smell delicious so I wonder in and get myself a freshy baked pie......yum. Decided to hold on to it and share it with my buddie when she has finished shopping. I get some anthisan cream for my now very itchy sand fly bites and start applting like crazy. She finally finishes shopping and heads towards me excitedly waving her goodies.
"Look I got Mum & Dad these winter indoor shoes lined with fur"
"And this for Aaron & this for ......."
I show her my pie and the talking stops, her eyes go wide with excitment.....turns out she had also been wishing for a pie from the pie shop. With shopping out the way we decide to use the toilet for one last time and take some photos before heading to Invercargill. We drive towards Manapouri happily chatting away. 70kms or so out of Te Anau the silly sausage realizes that she has forgotten her mobile phone under her pillow in Te Anau!!!! I am seeing red and trying to stay calm. She wants us to go back and get it, its her work phone and she wants to stay in touch with hubby!! We had already been driving for an hour. We drive back to Te Anau and the cleaners have found the phone and she is so apologetic the whole way. Its already lunch time, I decide to eat my lunch in Te Anau she is now in a hurry when it was her fault to begin with and says she'll eat it on the way.
We're of again..............
First Stop - Clifden Suspension Bridge. Built in 1899 and now no longer in use due to the strain from traffic over the years. Just a another historical site and a weewee oppuntunity for us. Small break over.....moving along.

Second Stop - McCracken's Rest. A viewpoint for Hector's dolphins, Te Wae Wae Bay & Solander Islands. All in all a fantastic lookout point. We didnt see any dolphins - Hector's or otherwise. Did take some photos.

Third Stop - Monkey Island. Monkey Island is a fun stopping point for picnicing, camping, or sightseeing along the Southern Scenic Route near Orepuki. It is known by Ngai Tahu as Te Puka o Takitimu, or the anchor stone of the legendary Takitimu waka/canoe that was wrecked in Te Waewae Bay. At low tide, Monkey Island can be reached by foot. A stairway leads to the top of the island, where there is a great view of the bay and the mountains of Fiordland. Walking up the staircase to the top I still feel my body hurting. Luckily today isnt too hectic.

Fourth Stop - Kackling Kea. Our accomodation for the night. Lovely backpacker and we get a room right next to the kitchen. WE are also informed that fresh bread is baked very morning at around 7am and you have to be quick to get it. Nothing can be quicker than sleeping right next to the kichen =)) Quickly refresh ourselves, book our beds - the bottom bunks & have a cup of tea. Ans we off exploring again.

Fifth stop - Bluff. Bluff is located at the bottom of the South Island, New Zealand, in the province of Southland and is the 'Gateway to Stewart Island'. State highway 1 starts at Bluff's Stirling Point, an attraction in itself. Bluff is unique in the fact that it is the oldest European settled town in New Zealand, added to that it has had a very colourful past, some of which can be found here and at the local Maritime Museum. I was quite excited most the way thinking that it was the Southern most Point in NZ and I was visiting it, already having been to Cape Reinga (The Northern Point), only to find out the it wasnt the Southern most point. The Southern most point was "Slope Point" therefore we decided that "Bluff" was called so because it bluffed most people into thinking that it was the Southern Tip of NZ. Oh well Bluff was an attraction in itself and there was a long bridge there that reminded us of the Niteroi bridge in Rio. We did not get to find out where the went to or even where it started - just reminded us Niteroi.

Sixth stop - Kacking Kea. Back at the backpacker we had a shower and made some dinner. Changed into some fresh clothes and just enjoyed our meal. Still a bit early and did not feel like still around and playing cards.

Seventh stop - Queens Garden. Decided to take a walk in the gardens to digest our food and get our exercise for the day Invercargill’s Queens Park, is the grandest of all the city's parks. Encompassing more than 80 hectares, it offers the visitor the most diverse range of facilities and attractions. The Park boasts two beautiful and varied rose gardens, a rhododendron dell, an azalea garden, dramatic tree lined walkways, bush paths, a selection of native plants, a Japanese garden, rock and herb gardens. The rose gardens were beautiful and the walk was good fun too.

Last stop - Invercargill City Center. Decided to walk down the main street and view some of the historic buildings. It was quite beautiful, could not figure out why they still had Christmas decorations decorated in the the streets in the middle of February. I guess these South ISlanders are just a tad bit slow =) We did also see a Basilica and were suprised to find one in Invercargill.....looked so beautiful against the setting sun setting abaze its ochre exterior.

Back at the backpacker we chilled out with a glass of wine, chatted to fellow travellers and planned what we wanted to do and see the next day. Bed time.....nite.

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Photos

Anshu in Te Anau
....birdlover =)

Clifden Suspension Bridge
and me posing =)

Anshu
at McCrakens rest.

Anshu
making a movie of the handycam at Monkey ISland

Pebbles in the ocean at
Monkey ISland

Long Bridge viewed from Bluff
reminded us of the bridge at Niteroi, have no idea though where it went.

Lighthouse
also viewed from Bluff

City Architecture....
historic.

Pillars in INvercargill City
looked like they belonged in Egypt.

Basilica
in Invercargill.

Comments

[bridgette]

kia ora
invercagill looks really kooll!!!!!!

[Richard]

hehe, that "historic building" (the clock) isn't historic at all...it was built in the 80s lol =) The clock with the statue on top is about 100 years older =)