Hello, okay so we didnt get pics of those elusive penguins who only seem to surface during dusk! Since the last entry we have done a lot of miles covering much of the south of the south island. This part of the world is so wild and scenic. Cruising along the roads you get to view so many mountain ranges, rugged and barren coastline that gets a battering from the arctic weather systems. Thus we are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to tan those white cheeks again! Have seen some amazing beaches with ice-cold perfect waves reeling over points and reefs. Also stumbled across a 180 million yr old coastal fossilised forest.....I (adam) got the location wrong hence we ended up fumbling our way over it in strong winds and darkness.....thanks to the headtorch, we were able to see entire fossilised tree trunks and stumps....cant even imagine 180 million years! Next stop was the Fiordland National Park, a landscape shaped by Glacial activity 10,000 years back (approx). Here we have been keeping active with the countless tracks there are to walk. The most we have managed so far in NZ is a 4 hour walk on the Kepler track, which is actually 67KM long and takes four days to complete. We just covered 15Ks on our day trekk - Pussies arent we! Made the trip up to Milford Sound, probably the most vsited natural wonder of the South Island. You may have seen pictures of it, but unfortunately our pictures dont do it justice - NZ weather is as bad as Blighty! Now we are in Queenstown. The ski slopes are not open yet but it is still baltic,,,,snow capped mountains everywhere. Tomorrow we are gonna shake off our fuddy duddy itis, and brave a grade 5 rapid white water rafting session... with helicopter transfer to the river included.....all booked up so no turning back now.... Just a quick insight into our scenic driving life in the tranny! We have almost developed a routine these days which consists of: 1 - adam crawls out of bed and defrosts the interior whilst brewing up some brekkie for her majesty.....(a tiring process especially when she orders gourmet meals). 2- A couple of hours disappear whilst yapping over brekkie and listening to NZ's Redneck FM. 3- Jokes are made about lu's recent sleep talking the latest being "SWEDISH SAUCE PLEASE........NO NO THATS FINE......BYEE!!" - i only assume she's ordering yet more food in her sleep! 4 - Discuss which town we are gonna mope around and what lovely sites there are to take pics. 5- Application of essential scenic driving equipment (socks and sandals) 6 - Drive......Drive......and keep driving! 7 - Evening meal prepared somewhere in the wilderness by the chef in her pinny, socks and sandals...see pic 8 - brew up and scoff chocolate whilst adam reads and lu becomes transfixed in the depths of the soduku world.......bloody geek till the next time....