Now at the drop off for the van! We fly to Hong Kong this evening. We stopped off at Christchurch, where the shops have been rebuilt in containers. The damage after 2 years is still vast and the main attractions of the the city are not open yet. No cathedral, no art gallery etc. hence we are early at the drop off. Amazing to see how much has been pulled together and also how much still needs to be demolished and rebuilt.

So we left Dunedin and drove north, up the east coast. Coffee stop was in Palmerston, a coffee shop with no cakes. A big disappointment. Stopping at Shag Point and saw more seals and then drove on to see the Moeraki Boulders, large sphere shaped rocks on the beach. We had another stop at Omaru, large white Victorian buildings, many turned into Artisan workshops and galleries. We turned inland and camped in Omerama, after passing the dams. The next day we drove...

We drove to Dunedin along the Southern Scenic Route, which became quite spectacular. We stopped at various points - Maclean Falls, Cathedral Caves and Florence Hill to name a few. The bays were all beautiful. We stopped at Nuggett Point, the site of an old lighthouse and looked down on to the rocks were there were just masses of seals. Loads of birds too, which we think we're possibly spoonbills. As we drove away there wasa lone penguin on the each. Somany amazin...

Left Queenstown with a view to staying at Invercargill. The weather was wet with a lot of low cloud, quite miserable. We had been having trouble with our tap and called in at the Maui centre at Queenstown. A lot of people having trouble with their vans and a German family wanted their towels and sheets changed! Anyway rather than wait we were booked into a garage at Invercargill. All got fixed. Still raining on arrival in Invercargill. We went to the museum and w...

So we stopped at Haast for one night. A rather bare site but the loos and showers were good! We followed the Haast River, south, stopping at various points for photos, mainly Thunder Creek, Fantail Falls and the Blue Pools. All beautiful! Stopped at Makarora for coffee. We followed the edge of Lake Wanaka and crossed over the mountains and joined Lake Hawea. Again views where stunning. Stopped for a stroll in Waneka and then picked up the scenic route to Quee...