LAST UPDATE FROM SOUTH ISLAND. Since the last update we have been up to a fair bit (just for a change). We took a 4-wheel drive tour up the Glenorchy valley near Queenstown. Our driver and host, Dick, took us up a most inspiring valley which was used much in the Lord of the Rings filming (no it was interesting really). No one else in the valley other than us. Weather did turn out nice in the end despite Michelle¨s concerns to the contrary. After the drive we took a walk along the first section of the Routeburn Track which, if you complete it, will take you over the mountains into a valley close to Milford Sound. We only had a few hours so we made it to the first hut before turning back to beat sunset. After another night at the Top 10 Campground (classy) in Queestown, we drove north towards Mout Cook, the highest mountain in the country. We stayed a few kms short of the mountain that night as it was properly dark (and the howling wind was playing havoc with our high-sided vehicle). Our walk the next day to the base of Mount Cook was icy as we started before the thaw (as all expert climbers do, I'm told). After a look at a couple of glacial lakes we headed back to the bus. Incidentally, the lakes were frozen solid and had icebergs in them from the snout of the glaciers. On arriving back at the bus M decided to have an easy afternoon and read books while I (J in case you are struggling to follow this journal) headed off up another valley to try to get to a few more Tarns on top of a hill. it turned out to be a moutain. This second walk soon descended into an alpine snow-shoeing extravaganza (sans snow-shoes). Upon meeting a chap coming down with axe, ropes etc. I wisely took his advice to turn around and come back another day (i.e. summer). After taking a few comedy self-timer photos trying to look like Captain Cook in several metres deep of snow, I descended into the valley, back to the bus. See photo album for Everest Summit style photos. That night we stayed at the same base near the mountain. I created much amusement amongst a chinese family (unusual in itself) by cooking the dinner while M watched TV. Modern man I've become. Next stop on the road was Methven. We had arranged to meet friends (Ben Castle and co.) here to go for a 2-3 day ski weekend at nearby Mount Hutt. While waiting in the pub for Ben & team we got chatting to 'Trickey', an English Beer salesman who had just emigrated to NZ. He had just started work with a major brewery in the country and was doing the rounds visiting his salesforce and was taking advantage of a free weekend in the area to snowboard. We agreed that we might hitch up on the slopes the next day - only on the basis that he was 'Mad-for-it, superfast, worry-about-it-later-type-person', the only way we know how you see. He assured us he was from the Andrew Meyrick school of skiing (he did indeed cover himself with glory the next day). Evetually we made contact with Ben to find out that he was not planning to meet us at Methven but was instead installed in a chalet about 15km away. After poor directing from my co-pilot (who shall remain namelss) we arrive there after about 30km of driving in the dark. A good catch-up and feed was had after which we had to sleep in our bus (again!) because the landlady was clearly concerned by the way I looked and did not want another 2 persons in the house on top of the 6 already there. Fair enough. Early start. M & I drove bus to start of perilous muddy ski-station access road. We then squeezed 8 of us into Ben's estate car. Arrived at the top with no trouble at all (well done 'Stig' Castle). Other than a bit of excessive wind the conditions were fine on the slopes. I hitched up with Trickey (previous night in pub) who was boarding like a demon, even after a reported night of excesses. He was the type of skiing parter with whom you find yourself pushing yourself progressively closer towards the edge (i.e. beyond) of your abilities until something horrible happens. Luckily it did not. I had a prearranged appointment to do some sensible afternoon skiing with M; an appointment which I duly kept. Excellent day on slopes. Trickey helped to ferry some of the team down the mountain at the end of the day (many thanks) and then we all had another good feed at Ben's chalet. Next day weather was poor so we went to a small ski-field but upon assessig the dreadful conditions we tucked the proverbial tail between our legs and went into Christchurch instead to do some touristy stuff. We all visited the Antactic Exhibition Centre in the town and learned all about being a scientist in Antarctica. Great. Next day, weather still poor so we decided instead to take the scenic route back to Ben's place at Nelson. Driving in convoy (slow bus followed by fast 4x4) we struggled up Arthur's Pass. Great views on way up and near top but blizzard came in just as we reached the town near the top. Decided to forget pub lunch and instead get ourselvs down the otherside before we were snowed-in. HA! Chains on tyres, we set off, cold and a bit wet. (yes, it took a while for us to figure out which way around the chains go etc...who would have thought there were instructions in the bag!?) In the final climb to the summit, the bus tyres were spining all over the road as the silly vehicle is effectively a tin-can carrying not very fresh air. No weight over rear axel = no traction. We got to top after much spinning and only after we had ejected spare weight from the vehicle, including M (and I am not joking). I began to feel extremely smug that we had opted for the 'nil excess' insurance policy from the hire company - and lucky we did. About 1 km down the road we passed a sign sayig 16% gradient (downwards). With 2 inches plus of snow on the road at this point, my heart did not just miss a beat, it effectively went into hibernation. Ahead of us was a line of involuntary stationary- vehicles including cars, campervans, trucks etc. I stopped bus in full knowledge that we had passed the point of no return. It would not reverse back up. Upon visiting owners of said vehicles (by foot) it soon became apparent that all of them had started to slip down the road on the snow & ice and only stopped after a). hitting the roadside barrier involuntarily, or b). hitting another stationary vehicle, or c). driving into the barrier voluntarily because you were extremely scared and you calculated that one bent vehicle was slightly less disastrous that two or more. I had no choice. Our bus was blocking the road and could not go backwards. I chivallrously (I guessed the spelling of that) put Michelle in Ben's car so it was me alone against gravity! Almost the second I released the handbrake a 4-wheel slide started; the bus had no antilock brakes but they would have been no use ayway. The vehicle started to gather momentum and clearly was not going to stop until either it, or I, had selected one of the options from the list above: a), b) or c). I was heading straight for a line of stuck / crashed cars which were stuck further down the mountain. Thoughts of bouncing off 5-10 vehicles then toppling over the edge all flashed through my mind. Luck was obviously with me. Skillful pumping of brakes, furious spinnging of steering wheel, a good dose of expletives and luck, I steered the skidding bus between stationary vehicles and into the barrier with a reassuring thud. Impact was on front passenger corner of bus and the front tyre (turned on full lock) took the brunt of it. A small dent in the door and slightly scratched bumper was all we had to show for it. After a round of applause from (other stranded) onlookers and cries of 'welcome to the club', I dressed in my waterproofs and boots to prepare for a long wait on a moutain pass in the snow while a rescue party was assembled for an ever growing line of vehicles. Meanwhile Ben had managed to get his car down the worst slopes and he & the team walked back up to see where the bus had got to. The bus was going nowhere so we told Ben to go on ahead and we would stasy with the bus and get out later. In the end we were stuck there for 3-4 hours I recal. Gritters and snowploughs in sufficient numbers eventually cleared the road to get us down. Good adventure though. We arrived at Ben's place in Nelson at around 10:30 pm. Our remainder of our time in South Island was spent between Nelson & Collingwood. I headed off to the northern tip of the South Island (Collingwood) to stay with Kevin, a friend of Ben's. Two excellent days up there including sailing, walks on Farewell Spit, partaking in the town's weekly badmington session, attending a skippe's sailing course - yes it was all happening up there. I wçeven attempted to use 's unicycle. I cannot say I mastered it but the photo looks as if I did. Our sailing excursion is worthy of note. We set off at around lunchtime in K's 4 metre dinghy. Light winds soon picked up and took us out of the estuary (much tacking involved into the headwind) into the open sea with a bit of swell. After about 2 hours on the same tack heading south down the coastline we turned about and headed back. Spinnaker (sp?) up, what a day! All fine until the wind dropped, sorry - died. Not a breeze / gust to be seen. After paddling with hatch-covers for about 45 mins (a painful job)I got out and walked....... No really I did. Even though we were 2km from shore, the sand bars meant that I could walk while towing the boat behind me. K was obviously taking the 'Skipper & Crew'thing too seriously. After a bit of walking it became too deep and we had to paddle again withhatch-covers. Eventually wind came back in gusts and eventually through a combination of paddling & sail we again entered the estually. THe last bit of sailing was unforgetable. Wind was so light that the estuary was mirror flat although it was enough to propel us through the water at about 0.2 of a Knot. It was also almost dark by the time we reached shore. A priceless sailing excursion and I am sure that K will agree. For those safety conscious among you who are shaking your heads at our recklessness (!), no need to. I had a plan all figured out. We could have walked ashore an hour before dark, with or without the boat. I could have ghot up early in the morning and found it somewhere out at sea. Easy hey. But that would not have been as much fun would it Kev!? Upon my return to Nelson,we had another good night with the Castles before setting off for North Island. 2 hr drive to ferryport at Picton and 3 hour crossing was easy. Arrived at Wellingon in evening. (see North Island -Journal Entry for the next installment).