KAIKOURA 2FEB 2010

BEEN BUSY ENJOYING NEW ZEALAND-FANTASTIC COUNTRY.WE DID A CRUISE ON MILFORD SOUND,NOT THE BEST OF WEATHER AND THE SANDFLIES WERE A BIT ANNOYING BUT WE HAD A GOOD DAY.SAW WATERFALLS AND SEALS ON OUR CRUISE,WE ENJOYED THE STUNNING DRIVE FROM TE ANAU TO MILFORD SOUND-LAKES,STREAMS,SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAINS AND DEEP GORGES.DROVE TO QUEENSTOWN-BLOWN AWAY BY THE VIEWS,EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK ITS POSTCARD SCENES.THE GONDOLA RIDE (400 METRES ABOVE QUEENSTOWN)WAS WELL WORTH DOING,AGAIN GREAT VIEWS PLUS WE HAD A GO ON THE LUGE.WE DID THE SHOTOVER JET,DID 360 SPINS AND FLEW THROUGH NARROW CANYONS-GREAT.WENT TO ARROWTOWN,ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES OUTSIDE OF QUEENSTOWN AND ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT-VERY QUAINT.HAD TWO DAYS IN WANAKA-AGAIN NICE LAKE AND VIEWS,A BIT QUIETER THAN QUEENSTOWN.LOTS OF FAMILIES WITH BOATS GOING FISHING HERE-THIS IS THE LIFE! NEXT WAS FRANZ JOSEPH AND OF COURSE WE HAD TO CLIMB IT! 8 HOUR GUIDED TRIP WAS ONE OF THE BEST TRIPS WE HAVE DONE.MIMI OF COURSE HAD A DRESS ON! AMAZED SHE DIDNT FALL.LEGS ONLY JUST GETTING BACK TO NORMAL AFTER THE HIKE UP AND DOWN.STAYED AT HAMNER SPRINGS-AGAIN VERY NICE-HAVNT FOUND MANY IF ANY PLACES WE DONT LIKE YET-ROLL ON NORTH ISLAND.WE DID 18 HOLES OF PITCH AND PUTT IN HANMER SPRINGS,IT WAS A BIT MORE LIKE WHACK AND THWACK FROM MIMI-SHE MANAGED TO LOSE FOUR BALLS (ON A PITCH AND PUTT!) BUT HAD FUN.WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CONSERVE MONEY IN KAIKOURA AND LOOKING FORWARDS TO GOING TO PICTON AND STAYING IN A PROPER BED FOR A WEEK AND NOT OUR TENT!