south island summary!

we arrived in picton after the ferry crossing that seemed to take ageeesss. and head off towards nelson but it had taken longer than we'd banked on so didnt make it quite all the way there. we stopped on a pub carpark for 5 dollars as wanted to wait til we were properly in the wilderness before stopping on the road just in case we got in trouble! the next morning we arrived in nelson but because it was a sunday not much was open and we caught up on internet stuff and odd jobs as its the last big place we'd see for a while.

AFter Nelson we headed over to Abel Tasman National Park and stayed just on the edge of it so we could head off on a walk early the next morning. we got an aqua taxi at 9 and did the 6hr walk back from bark bay along the coast. it was really pretty but also pissing it down!! u could appreciate how good it would be on a summers day stopping off at all the beaches along the way..i lost the others half way through it thinking they were ahead so was walking fast, but actually they were behind oops.. just headed back to the place though and the aqua taxi office gave me a towel to wait in cause i didnt have the camper keys! the others arrived back a bit later and we were all absolutely drenched and so were all our belongings cause it soaked through the bags lol bit ironic since the day before had been glorious sunshine.. and the day after it turned out to be too!

the next day we were going to skip visiting golden bay but because it was so sunny we headed up there, had our lunch and hung around on the beach for a bit. we then had to backtrack a few hours to where we'd stayed previously, before heading on down to the glaciers. we stopped off in hotikita for a pub lunch cause we've been really good so far getting grub from the supermarket and cooking it in the camper.. i had a BLT and a FAT chocolate cake mmmm gorgeous. we got to the glaciers later that evening after buying tiks in hotikita, we'd been recommended fox as it was slightly cheaper than franz and pretty much the same thing.

we left for our half day hike at 9.30 and walked up to the glacier for an hour ish. when we got there we had to put crampons on to walk on the ice. the guide was dead good explaining all the history and how quickly it changes.. while we were standing on it there was a massive rock fall from the hills on the sides which was a bit worrying since the paths go under some near that area and they had recently had to make a new one due to avalanches! anyway.. we made it back and all really loved it! lunch in the carpark was next up involving a tuna mayo sandwich mm

after the glacier we looked into queenstown activities (We're getting quite good at the planning ahead game!) after everyone had said they wouldnt do a bungy at the start of the trip.. barn and moore flip reversed and decided they were up for it wooo. we couldnt decide between the highest one and the original one but thought if we were gna do one it might as well be the biggest.. and hence the Nevis tickets were bought!

we drove to queenstown which took 5-6 hrs.. not as long as we expected.. but did involve driving quite late til after midnight to get there. moore did the first stretch then i finished up.. think it might be a bit of a shame we missed the dirve in to the town as it was dark.. cause i can imagine it is really beautiful.. but when youve got an appointment with a cliff and a piece of string...

will have to continue another time cause need to gead back to Donde.. he's already rec'd his first parking infringement ticket and we've got to get back before he recieves another!! xxxx