Even though Christchurch has been our base for a couple of days we had other areas as our location headers. So we are leaving :-( Annabelles Lodge Motel was very kind to us, helping us with times and directions to the airport, car wash, town, restaurants etc. We had already completed most of the packing last night, so this morning just the PJs and hand luggage to get ready. Checked out, and took Lucy to the "splash and dash" car wash. And it really was like t...

Six hours down and only four to go... Auckland airport has a steady traffic of travellers, with no good food! It's a gorgeous sunny day outside but we are in winter clothes, prepared for our chilly return... So while we are waiting, here was our .... "New Zealand To Do List" See Anna - check Dinner in the sky tower - check Pick up a hitchhiker - check Walk on a glacier - check Find a kiwi - check Spot some penguins - check Climb every mountain .... Chec...

An early start again, 7.45 pick up from our Motel, free shuttle, to Christchurch railway station to pick up the Trans-Alpine train from Christchurch to Greymouth. This is supposed to be one of the top six most beautiful train journeys in the world. (The marketing didn't tell you the other five!) The journey starts at 8.15 by crossing The Canterbury Plains, the flattest and most farmed (scenically most boring) part of NZ. Here, 90% of all species were introduced ...

Tonight we're sad because we've arrived in Christchurch which means we're at the end of our holiday :-( We've had an amazing time though and still one day left, hurrah! This morning we woke up early to a huge thunderstorm. After a couple of extra hours sleep we awoke to find the weather had cleared and we had bright sunshine. Woohoo! We got up and ready and packed the car. First stop was the Moeraki Boulders. These are huge boulders on the beach that look like...

This is a yellow eyed penguin, nesting high on a beach in Oamaru. His mate is behind him laying down by the stick. When we got here we were pointed to the beach where between 6-8pm, yellow eyed penguins, the rarest breed of penguin, come in overnight. The beach is closed off but there is a viewing platform. One occasion I wish I had a pair of binos! We were told we would see between 1-4 penguins. We saw 2 nesting and about 5 come out of the sea and waddle up the ...