New Zealand

Greetings ALL those still faithfully watching the blogathon! WE are in Hamilton, home of the newly arrived James Clarke who has already made his way into 'recommendations' in the Local city guide Last few days spent sadly leaving the South Island and making our way up north ready to get the plane to Thailand on Thursday. Ferry crossing was very rough and I just kept control luckily, despite the sick bags that were placed ALL around the boat which didnt help! Anyways, we made our way from the Glaciers, Franz Josef and also Fox, to Lake Matheson, known for its gorgeous reflections, and from there down South to Queenstown. The first day we went skiing at Treble Cone, where the snow was great, though the slopes challenging, many sneakily becoming black halfway down and not pisted in the main. A great day, with some lovely sunshine, and stunning views over the Southern Lakes. The weather got colder and icier as the day went on and we eventually stopped and hit the town for some 'apres-ski'. The next day was cloudy, so we headed south to the 'Milford Sound', inappropriately named as it is actually a Fjord, being carved from a glacier and incredibly deep. It was a long round trip, despite the short distance, as the mountains make the shortest route impassable except on foot as a 5 day walk, open in Summer. The drive was windy, icy, cloudy, but our Campervan did well and we made it by dusk. The Sound is beautiful, really still and silent, mist lurking up in the mountians, and the odd bird diving into its dark depths. We took a nature boat trip and within minutes spotted New zealand fur seals, a penguin, and many birds. The highlight was on the return when a pod of bottlenose dolphins joined us and swam alongside us, pulled along with the boat, and jumped up and around, clearly watching us and showing off, a truly magical moment
From there it was back to Queenstown, and another day skiing at Cardrona, where, depsite being sunny in the valley, it was snowing, and we had the fun expereince of putting snow chains on the Van to get up the hill! Great snow and good slopes, but bitterly cold esp. as we hadnt got the full gear (Paul in jeans and a hoodie as usual! njo gloves!) and on the lifts we literally froze. My hair iced over at the ends , and in the end mid afternoon the snostorm set in, visibility reduced severely, and we headed back for a Gluhwein, mmm Drove to a town called Omarama where we had the luxury of a holiday park and elecreticity and a shower (5 days with no shower at this point,ewww...) as normally we just pull the van up in some beauty spot. Its pretty freezing at night, minus 3 in the van the other night, I am SO ready for Thailand!
OK folks thats it for now hope everyone is great and enjoying August and We'll write from Thailandia!
Baci, A&P XXX

Hey ALL! Anna and Paul writing from the Fox glacier village, in a national park forgotten name of. WE arrived in the stunning South Island at Picton, a pretty little port town. Had an early start and were lucky to get the ferry as not many were running and they werent taking bookings until last minute. Journey was pretty rolley due to the storms and wind (which have cost NZ an estimated 50 m dollars....) but great to arrive and head off. Oh dear time running out! Will try to cpntinue soon, today climbed Franz Josef huge glacier in sun then freezing conditions, very satisfying, amazing seeing ice caverns and how it is advancing and retreating over the ages.
A&P XXX

Greeetings all, HAERE MAI to the Northisland update! (Maori for welcome We'rein very rainy Wellington before corssing to the Sourth Island. Since last update we discovered the sulphur bath whilst fun at the time is impossible to wash off! Still smell like farts for 4 days now, especially my hair Getting less tho! Have had crazy weather last few days, rain, storms, gales, and lots of damage has been done (not to our camper luckily!) Driving t6oday have passed lots of tree surgeons and people repairing stuff. Spent 2 days in the beautiful Tongariro national park where a lot of Lord of the rings stuff was filmed, right by mount doom! We couldnt do the famous great walk due to the weather, but we managed half a day skiing on the active volcano Mount Ruapehu in the Whakapapa (maori for ancestry) village which was great, tho poor visibility and really freezing. also did waterfall walk, veruy beautiful. Spent last night on the east coast and are now heading south jhopefully for better weather and for the skiing, glaciers, national parks, etc. NZ scenery everywhere is stunning, and lots of animals arpound too. Still not seen the elusiuve kiwi bird but havew eaten a fair few! (fruits The camper is doing well and not leaking tho the gales blew us around a bit! Cooking u0p some nice warming meals on it after our 'tramps' as they call hikes here.
Love to All!
A&P XXX

HI all faithful subscribers! Writing from Rotoroa, geothermal area with huge lake, geysers, volcano, and it STINKS! There was an awkward moment in the van on the way here befoire we realsied it was the town that stunk, really sulphurous. Anyways we arrived into Auckland on Thursday and hired a campervan. Were imagining some small thing and its HUGE! Kithcne, big bed/table & chairs, bathroom....its wicked! Anyways headed off to the east coast for the night and woke up to incredible scenery, beautiful green hills and valleys, lots 0of cattle, sheep, ducks, goats, turkeys, evrything imaginable! Really different after dryness of Oz. The coast was gorgeous, we jumped down some sand dunes in the black volcanic sand and played with some rock pools, rocls covered in baby mussels, and found a dead portugese manowar. Today we are in Rotorea where we are going to hells gate, a geothermal area to have a mud path, hang out in some hot pools, and also visit some Maori cultural villages, a third of the maori population live here. Also some hiking round lakes, forests, and volcanoes on the agenda before heading to Lake Taupo next. NZ is really beautiful in the style of Lord of the rings. Love to ALL and write again soon! A & P XXX