(DAY 2)

Kia Ora!

8am came and, still freezing, we took advantage of the campsites $2 hot showers. Having warmed up, we set off for our next destination which was yet to be decided! We headed towards the small town of Twizel, knowing that we would pass Lake Pukaki and the Mount Cook lookout. We stopped to admire Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki a number of times, as the views were unbelievable - the photos really don't do it justice. The lake is a turquoise colour due to rock flour (sediment) in the water present from the glacier movement creating rock on rock action thus grinding out fine particles that ended up being suspended in the glacial melt water; this sediment gives the water a milky quality and refracts the sunlight beaming down (Thanks to the Lonely Planet for teaching us all we know!).

We decided that a trip up to Mount Cook would have cost us too much in terms of petrol so we continued onto Twizel and to the camping shop that we had been told about, where we purchased a thick sleeping bag to use as a duvet during those cold nights! We were also informed that we were one of many campers to have had this first night experience! We stopped off a few times along the way, firstly at the Pukaki Tekapo River Road to look at the Pukaki Spillway, a large dam which we assume creates energy through the water flow, and once more for lunch just outside of Omarama - where we boiled some eggs and enjoyed a sandwich next to the river in the sunshine.

After clearing up our mess we continued our journey to our now decided upon destination of Oamaru where Sophie decided to get into the drivers seat for a little while to give Kie a rest. We parked up at the Top 10 Holiday Park before heading into town to buy an FM transmitter so we can now play our iPods through the radio so we don't have to endure the intermittent radio coverage while driving through the mountains! After a successful mission we returned to the camper, made a rough plan of our intended campervan trip of the South Island and at 6pm we went to the yellow eyed penguin viewing platform on the beach. The yellow-eyed penguins are rare and only between one and four can be seen here, luckily for us, just as we arrived one popped out the water and wearily crept up the beach past the sleeping seals. We left for the campsite where we made bangers and mash for dinner and retired for the camper for an early evening.

xx