Saturday 22nd January Franz Josef to Makarora

We headed off this morning to our next destination, Makarora a stopping off point on route to Queenstown.After a short drive, we stopped for a walk at LakeMatheson.LakeMatheson is 5km west of Fox Glacier township and is famous for reflecting a near perfect image of Mount Cook.At one point we stopped for a group photo and got this poor guy to take the same photo with about 10 different cameras!!!

We stopped at various other locations along the way to take photographs of the amazing scenery including waterfalls, beaches and amazing Blue Pools.We also learned about the dreaded sandflies here!!We have been plagued with them since Abel Tasman, I have several bites all over my feet and one hand (the only bits of my body I didn't cover with insect repellent), but Ant has had quite a severe reaction to them and has a swollen knee.It is the female sandfly that spits a kind of acid onto your skin and then sucks it up!!They are very painful and itchy and we have grown to loathe them.

Our accommodation tonight is in chalets at Makarora at the foot of MountAspiringNational Park.There is nothing for miles around so tonight we have to make our own entertainment.After a buffet dinner (only one visit allowed and don't pile your plate up too high!!!), Erik and Ant played pool, followed by Sophie and Erik.Erik got beat both times!!! (sorry Erik).Marco entertained himself by building a Jenga tower with packets of sugar and later on the karaoke started - this was my cue to make a quick exit!!!!