22.02.11 Journey to Pancake Rocks Not a lotto report really, it was still pouring with rain, made a couple of coastal stops looking for penguins(little blue penguins) drove to Hokitika for our lunch stop. This is the small town where the jade carving industry and crafts people are. We visited a factory and watched the local craftsmen. There was a fresh fish and chip shop so we succumbed!! Then, I visited the washrooms in the Jade Centre just as news broke of...

20.02.11 Wanaka Decided to stay and chill for a day, can't think why can you. Wanaka is a very pleasant ski resort type village next to the lake. Damian and I dropped Liz and Jim at the start of a 3 hour walk and returned to Wanaka village for coffee and a browse. After lunch we picked up the energetic walkers and then returned to base to relax. Some how the day passed , I caught up on the diary, downloaded photos, red my book and then did a little internet wo...

19.02.11 Milford Sound Nature Cruise and Journey to Wanaka We woke to find that the skies were clear as in it was not raining and the clouds were above the surrounding peaks. It took around 20 mins for us to get from the lodge, park the van and walk to the terminal…just in the nick of time. I was very pleased to see that we were on the old fashioned sailing/motor boat which was a lovely old iron and wooden vessel, The Milford Mariner. The scenery was as sh...

15.02.11 Kepler Track: Te Anau (Brod Bay) to Luxmore Hut - 3 hours 30min Damian and I decided to begin the day with a leisurely coffee in The Sandfly Café and caught the 9.30am ferry across the lake to Brod Bay.. Liz and Jim began their walk at 8.30am after a drop off by minibus at Control Gates. Damian parked the Camper at the DOC centre car park and met me in the Sandfly. The ferry was a very small craft taking 7 of us including the Luxmore Hut Ranger. This wa...

14.02.11 Te Anau Started the day by visiting the sandfly Cafe for a leisurely breakfast and read of the papers and magazines. It is actually sunny today, and has been pleasantly warm. We managed to pass some time watching the helicopter land on a tiny jetty beside the lake, and watched the seaplane taking off. We are all prepared for our alpine Kepler Track tomorrow. We have packed food for 5 days, billy can, sleeping bags and various layers of clothing etc...