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Ok - its been awhile since our last entry and we've done loads and travelled 100's of Ks!
There wasn't much for us to do in Motueka so we left straight away and headed for Westport. On the way we stopped at Bullers Gorge for a wlk around the park. There was a swing bridge across to the island which was fairly high and wobbly but after the things we've already done it didn't even registar on the adrenaline scale! We got to westport in the afternoon and headed down the beach. Laila and Ed went swimming while Rachel soaked up the sun - but it wasn't long before the sand flies found us and we were hitting ourselfs frantically in an effort to scare them away. The sand flies won and we ran away like big girls! ( Ed was the girliest!!) There was a live band festival on the green just up from the beach so we chilled out there - wicked atmosphere!
We drove down to Greymouth and stopped at loads of places along the rugid coast line. We saw a loads of fur seals and it was pupping season so there was loads of babies!! Very cute! People keep promising penguins but we haven't seen any yet - maybe tomorrow will be the day!
We got to Greymouth but being a sunday it was dead! It was worse than Budleigh Salterton on a bad day! Before we left in the morning we went on a caving tour. We got kitted out in our wetsuits( again ) and walked for 25mins to the cave entrance. It was really cool and because there was just the three of us the guide took us further and for longer into the cave. When our lights were out it was pitch black and you could see hundreds of glow worms ( luckily we didn't see the 'plate spiders' that eat them! And yes - they are the size of a plate! ) On our way out of the cave we had to go through a very cozy tunnel before reaching the main chamber again. Ed observed it was like being born again! Poor laila had the veiw of my butt - she was convinced it wouldn't fit through ( cheeky mare!) And yes it did fit through thankyou very much! On our walk back to the base we passed a hydroslide. It was a natural waterfall - not very steep but very slippery and once you were on it you had no choice but to go down! The waterfall did not understand to meaning of control - and therefore you had none! Ed went first but Rachel was too scared - and although Laila wasn't scared she was convinced that she'd break something! Even the guide refused to do it and the safety sign said " you could be killed here" you do the math! ( ed did it twice!)
We left Greymouth and drove to Franz Josef. We walked up to a veiwing platform to see the Glacier. It was very strange to see clear blue skies, lush jungles and a big block of ice the size of a mountain! Next morning we drove to the Fox Glacier and went on a guided tour up onto the ice. It was a 1 1/2hr hike up the mountain and then a 40min walk on the ice before heading back down. There were amazing views across the Glacier and being on the ice itself was just wicked. The Fox Glacier is 14ks long and we were juston the tip of it. I bet its an amazing veiw from the air but funds don't always agree!!
Contrary to popular belief you don't loose weight when you go travelling so laila and Ed have taken up running. The problem is that the more running they do - the more tiptop they think they deserve ( Tiptop is the yummiset icecream EVER) Its always tip top time in NZ!!
We spent a few days chilling as we headed towards Queenstown. We didn't stay long but it was long enough for Ed to throw himself 134meters from a cable car on a peice of elastic! It was the tallest Bungy in NZ and i just couldn't convince him not to do it! Its just wrong watching someone you love dive head first into the floor! He loved it of course! He did a wicked dive off the platform but getting to it he looked more like a penguin without feet!!
We then went over to the Milford Sounds and we'd booked an over night cruise around the sounds which was just beautiful. The cliffs tower above you and the water is so still its eerie! This morning as we came back into shore we were followed by a pod of bottlenosed dolphins! They were playing with the boat - it was just awesome to see such amazing creatures in the wild! We can't wait to swim with them now!!
We're now in Dunedin and as it happens there is a Cadburys Chocolate Factory here. Guess what we'll be doing tomorrow!!
Hope you are all ahppy and healthy
Lots of love Ed, Rachel and Laila! x x
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