Dec 24th 2011

Christmas Eve and I am so missing having our family around us but there we are. We would have been alone this year even if we'd been in the UK and that would have been miserable!!! But there are compensations. Thank goodness they are all healthy, happy and doing well. And we have wee George now too. Not only that but it's a year now since Pete finished his chemo & he is so well. In fact he has improved while we've been over her - in the sunshine rather than in grey UK and looking really well.

Enough of my thoughts! Today has been a fantastic day otherwise I would have been feeling sad. At 9am we went up to Frank Josef glacier in a helicopter. It was PERFECT weather - hardly a cloud in the sky. The contrast between the pristine snow and the blue sky was stunning. We flew over densly forested mountains to start with & then up to the craggy mountain range. They get between 30 & 50m of snow up here annually. & it takes 3-4 years for it to compact & start moving as a glacier. We got out to walk on the snow. It was crunchy rather than slippery & it seemed a shame to walk on it. It was an amazing experience although I was a bit scared as the helicopter manouvered its way through peaks and banked over on its side!

After that we walked to the end of the glacier - about 45min each way. The end of the glacier used to be at the start of the walk but as a result of global warming it has retreated. Scary! We walked through the glacial valley - -v wide with waterfalls. The 'floor' of the valley was littered with stones and v large boulders of various rocks which had been deposited by the glacier. On one side of the valley ran the melt water from the glacier & this was turbid because of all the particles of ground down rock in it. On the other side of the valley another river ran. This water came from the waterfalls and was crystal clear.

We did some food shopping then headed off for Hokitika. Another scenic run through forest and farmland, mostly beef and venison.

Our hotel seems v quiet but we have a fabulous room just across from the Tasman Sea. We have a balcony with glass wall (like Em & John's) & we have just watched the sunset & I am sitting on the balcony at 9:40pm. The light is just fading but it's lovely hearing the waves crashing onto the shore. We had a look around Hokitika this afternoon and bought a necklace made out of the famous local jade stone as a souvenir. We were hoping to see Kiwis in the local sanctuary but the lady said that they were tired so we've to go at 9am on Boxing Day before we move on. We went out to a French Cafe for our dinner tonight & there was only one other couple there! We are having dinner at the hotel tomorrow night. We hope to have a swim in the ocean after breakfast tomorrow!!

Dec 25th 2011

Christmas day and we were woken up at 7am by a very excited Beth telling us that Barry had proposed! We already knew this was going to happen as Barry had spoken to Pete about it. So it wasn't a surprise - which Beth was a bit sorry about I think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway we wish them every happiness & I look forward to being involved in the planning. We went for a long walk on the beach. There is a lot of wood dumped here by the ocean, much of it weathered into interesting shapes. We had fun picking this up & trying to decide which animal etc it resembled!! Later that afternoon I was reading through the Field Guide to NZ Wildlife when I came across this bit of information:

"Katopi Spider

The Katipo is a close relative of the infamous redback spider of Australia and the black widow of North America and all three are dangerous to humans. Although fatalities are now rare since the advent of antivenenes a bite can still incapacitate a human at least temporarily. Fortunately the Katipo is restricted to sandy beaches , rarely far from the sea where it weaves its characteristically tangled webs amid driftwood".

No more playing with driftwood for us!!!!Phew!!

We then came back for lunch & plan to chill a bit this afternoon before going to the restaurant for dinner. The wind is a bit cold for a swim plus we found a jelly fish out on the sand today. Had a lovely Christmas dinner but it wasn't the same as, of course, sprouts & parsnips are not in season & there was no stuffing & no mince pies!!!!! However, I had no hand in making it so that was wonderful!!!! Lovely to speak to Ben & Annie and Beth later. Sorry Emma & John but we are 13 hours ahead of you here & when you texted re Skyping we were in bed. 300 mile journey tomorrow.

Dec 26th 2011 Boxing Day

On the move again, this time to Nelson. They had heavy rain a few weeks ago when we were in Dunedin which resulted in mudslides and power failure so hope they've got it sorted now.

Before we left Hokitika we visited the National Kiwi Centre where they have TWO(!) Kiwi of different sub species. (so they are kept apart & can't interbreed). Neither of them would show themselves until the lady put the water sprays on. Then the male came out and hid at the back of his enclosure (they're nocturnal so they keep the light dim to trick them into becoming active so the (paying!) public can see them. But of course, that makes it quite difficult to see!! The female was a bit less timid. She was about the size of a chicken & round like a ball with a very long sharp beak that she was foraging around with!

They also had huge long -finned eels in this place and we watched them being fed. We could have participated but I've never been fond of eels - -tho' I believe they're v nice smoked! One was called Grandma and was about 130 years old. Apparently they are not able to breed until they're about 40 yrs old & they go to somewhere near Tonga to breed. So if any of these captive eels show signs of getting ready to release eggs they have to be released into the ocean (close to Tonga). They only release eggs once & then they die. Because of commercial fishing their numbers have dropped dramatically. They release several million eggs so if one is captured and killed that's a lot of elvers to lose.

They also had some Tuatara there which we had seen at the museum in Invercargill.(Reptiles with bird like features, a third eye and vestigial feathers.)They had tree frogs, crayfish, whitebait, Weta (a giant grasshopper) which was hiding & Some other things. We really just wanted to see a Kiwi. The only other way would have been to wander through the forests after dark which was not too appealing!

We then set off on our journey. We stopped at Greymouth to pick up some food and drink. This is where the mining disaster happened in Dec 2010 and some bodies are still down there as the mine has been too unstable to allow recovery of bodies.

We then took the scenic route along dramatic coastline. Azure sea with white horses and many large rocks in the sea. Forested mountains to our right - with quite a few red flowering Rata trees in amongst them. These are the beautiful trees that are endemic to NZ which are a favourite food of the introduced possums. They have killed thousands of these trees and attempts are being made to eradicate possums in many ways including poisoning with a chemical called 1080.

We then stopped to see 'Pancake Rocks & Blowholes. These are amazing rock formed by shells and skeletons of sea creatures being trapped in between layers of limestone and becoming amalgamated into 'mudstone'. The mudstone has been weathered more rapidly than the limestone so creating this strange layered effect like piles of plates or 'pancakes'. They cover quite a large area and have the appearance of chimneys or turrets. The blow holes weren't that impressive as the sea was relatively calm.

While we were there we looked out to sea and spotted a pod of Hector dolphins. These are the small black and white dolphins that we werehoping to see at Porpoise Bay in the Caitlins. They onlt raise themselves out of the water to breathe & so are more difficult to spot than the other dolphin species. I think tha fact that we were high up on the rocks made them easier to spot.

We then left this beautiful, dramatic coastline to go across to Nelson. via the mountain route - -the Louis Pass. We drove through this densely forested valley alongside the river - -stunning wooded valleys for miles. Then these were replaced by commercial pine forests.

As we got closer to Nelson we hit small towns with vinyards and orchards. Richmond seemed to be quite a big place with light industrial units. The weather has been wonderful again today with just a few fluffy clouds in the sky. As we reach Nelson there are mudflats on the left - -looks like a tidal inlet and lowish mountains on the RHS. We have a family appartment this time which is 'OK'. No outside space but we have a kitchen so we can microwave up some food for dinner! There's a pool too. We're both pretty tired & Pete's fast asleep. Early night tonight I think - -no driving tomorrow so that's good!

Dec 27th 2011

Well, so much for no driving - -we travelled 300 miles today because we decided that we should see Wharariki Beach and also the longest sand spit in the world - Farewell Spit. So we did!!

Drove out to Mahua which is on the channel between the mainland and Rabbit Island. The tide was on its way in and coming in at some pace - - -quite possibly faster than the tide in the Menai Straits between Anglesey and Caernarfon. We sat and watched the flat bottomed Ferry (or Fairy as they call it!!) go out while we enjoyed some delicious home made ice cream. It felt really hot though it was only 21 degrees C.

We drove along the highway through vineyards, hop & fruit growing areas. BTW do kiwi fruits originate here? - -we'll have to find out. We then came to the mountains and climbed up VERY high above farmland, higher and higher onto pine & rain forest in Abel Tasman's National Park. The scenery was just spectacular! As Pete said it was Scotland on steroids. Down, down, down now to Golden Bay - -farmland, sheep, crops e.g. corn on the cob en route. Had lunch at Paton's Rock tho' there was no sign of a rock but we didn't like to ask!!. Here there was a nice wild sea & beach covered in driftwood (no we didn't touch it!!!. Sun v hot (23 degrees C ) despite quite a stiff breeze blowing.

We then drove up to Wharariki Beach. Walked from the car park across farmland & through forest to a WONDERFUL beach. Golden sand this time (many of the beaches here have dark volcanic (or glacial??) sand unlike Oz. Not much driftood at all. Large rock formations on the beach /in the sea weathered into interesting shapes (like the gorilla with an itchy head), caves (with crabs, mussels, barnacles, sea anemones etc, etc, etc.) and arches. we then walked back along the hill top. The walk was about 5k in all. While down there we were thrilled to spot a Sacred Kingfisher on the rocks. As we drove away past marshland there were several Pukekos (or purple swamp hens as the Aussies call them) a chicken sized marsh bird with purple/blue underparts. Drove on for about 1km & I'm sure I saw a Yellowhead. These are rare and endemic to this corner of NZ. We then walked about 200m to see Cape Farewell the most Northerly point of South Island. There's something strange about seeing sheep and palm trees in the same place!!

Drove on a bit further and walked up to a view point (knees were complaining a bit by this point!!!) to see Farewell Spit - the longest sand spit in the world stretching out 30km into the ocean. It was 8pm by the time we got back from our "nice, easy, relaxing day!!!!" but a bottle of wine later all aches and pains were forgotten!!!