On the road again, this time to Queenstown. We go back, part way, over the road we came into Te Anau from Dunedin. Turning off at Mossburn we headed north toward Queenstown.

It had rained steadily all night and obviously that rain was widespread. All the little streams and rivulets had turned into raging rivers, melding into big waterways covering the lush pastures. I'm sure the farmer love these little spillovers, nourishing their pastures and adding to their dams.

It was a dull day but nonetheless stunning in the landscape. The cloud hugged the hills tightly, the poplars, dressed in their bold yellows, trying to reach up to it. We spotted the farmer and his dog, shepherding his sheep on the high slopes with the colours of autumn everywhere. The hills are all rutted with sheep tracks. These sheep must have legs shorter on one side to enable them to walk around the steep and rolling hills.

The beauty of this drive can only be described in photos. Its like watching a tennis match. Eyes to the left, now right, now left, right, left. Or trying to get that perfect Christmas tree. There is always another one better than the last.

I must talk of Athol. The most beautiful little hamlet we have seen. In fact I don't think it would qualify as a hamlet. We stopped because we couldn't take in all the spectacle of colours. We eventually wandered into the sole eatery and bought a couple of pies, then drove around the back of the cafe to eat them, whilst taking in the views of the sheep right in front of us and past the cemetery to the hills encompassing what is Athol.  
Finally Queenstown in a brighter afternoon but with heavy black clouds descending.