We woke up to an overcast day which was ok as we planned to drive through to Queenstown today. Jean suggested that we have an egg/ham omelet cooked in the camp kitchen. That turned out to be a very interesting experience! In the evening yesterday, a large number of jet boats towed behind trucks and cars pulled into the campsite. While we were cooking our breakfast, all the boat guys (New Zealand's equivalent to good ole boys) came into the kitchen, fired up the b...

Today was very much a travel day so not too much to report. The highway turns inland for much of the trip between Greymouth and Haast passing through the towns of Franz Josef and Fox Glacier village. Both are very much tourist towns with many souvenir shops and cafés. Lots of tour buses coming and going. As one approaches Franz Josef, the large mountains making up the spine of the South Island suddenly pop into view. They are significantly higher than the mo...

We had a very busy day today, traveling along the west coast highway. After leaving Westport, we stopped off at the fur seal colony at Cape Foul Winds. Didn't see too many seals but the day had started off with clear skies and no wind so it was looking like we were going to have a great day. The west coast of the South Island has to rank amongst the most beautiful places in the world. Every turn in the road presented more and more beautiful views. Reid Fowler had...

After I published yesterday's update, Jean and I decided to go for dinner at a great little Thai restaurant. On our way there, a siren sounded and shortly thereafter a fire truck went by us. We got to where the firehall was and another fire truck left the hall, then a third. Sitting in the restaurant we saw 7 more fire trucks go by and then a hazmat truck. An 11th fire truck went by but it was parked at the firehall when we went back to the caravan park. We could...