Milford Sound and Stewarts Island

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Hello all, this is the first blog now that I am away!

Well I survived the 3 day and 4 change flight! Although I very nearly didn't get to begin my adventures. My flight from Heathrow, was delayed and then the ciaos of LA airport resulted in my name being called and me running for the plane with everyone sat on the plane waiting for me oops!

I am staying with my friend in Ashburton for 10 days in New Zealand before flying onto LA. It should be summer here, but unfortunately its been a little overcast with only one day of glorious sun so far!

New Zealand is like the UK 50 years ago with quaint villages and restaurants that close at 9pm!

I have joined a 5 day tour around the south of the South Island, travelled to Lake Tepako, a huge lake that is a beautiful green colour.

Stayed one night in Queenstown, Queenstown is absolutely fabulous, full of bars and restaurants and street entertainers - jugglers and tightrope walkers, watched the sun set with a beer on the beach!! A little reminiscent of Ibiza. Definitely recommend Queenstown it's also the adrenaline junky area where you can do sky dives, bungee jumps, have given these a miss, although I could be tempted to a white water raft!

So far I have been on a day trip to Milford Sound to see the fjords and the most impressive number of waterfalls, were able to get very close to them in the boat and they are just so impressive especially when being soaked by the spray! For all Wolverine fans, I have seen the waterfall where Hugh Jackson emerged in one of the Xmen films!

When I have the ability to download photos I will include photographs especially of last nights accommodation, when I say I stayed in a tin shed I really do mean a tin shed, electricity was by the means of a generator, which was turned off at 10pm, so the entire group was in bed by 10 as there was simply nothing else to do in the dark! The flowing river next to our cabins was amazing and there were not too many sandflies to bite us! There was no forms of heating just a wood burner which of course the other members of the bus tour who are not from the UK find hilarious that we have no idea how to start and keep a fire going!

Today I am staying over in Rakiura National Park, a ferry journey from Bluff on the South Island which is like a UK seaside, but nicer, the views and woodland are amazing! So far visited the Rakiura National Park Centre, museum and of course had to indulge in a hot chocolate and cake watching the sea and people go by.

Only encountered so far one really strange person, on a tour bus where there is a Greek lady in her 60-70s, so far she has been accused of stealing from a gift shop, managed to get on the wrong boat tour to the rest of the group and when we should have left at 6am this morning the lady in question was still in bed and had to be woken up!!

Tomorrow onto Dunedin.

xxx

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