Arrived in Auckland yesterday and has been wonderful to catch up with Tessa Sephton (Deenik) - who I haven't seen in 20 years - and her husband Garth. After watching some rugby this morning, we had a wonderful time zooting around Waiheke Island on scooters!

Tessa and I:

Fun with helmets:

Have been in North Island since the last post. It rained for the first 3-4 days, but then we managed to go white water rafting on the 'Mighty' Tongariro River - which was lots of fun. After that we spent some time boggling our minds at some amazing geothermal stuff (bubbling mud, crazy-coloured pools, geysers) and we have just spent 2 days out on a boat in the Bay of Plenty, hoping to see and swim with dolphins. We were really unlucky though, no dolphins this time.


In hot water at Hot Water Beach:

Back from kayaking in one piece (apart from a few small pieces the sandflies took) - Yippee! But wow - what an absolutely stunning part of the world. Relentlessly beautiful. Vying for top highlight with our Doubtful Sound trip. There was some rather large swell and choppy weather on the last day, but generally bravery was most required for the long-drops.

Returned to hear that Rob has been offered a good post in Pietermaritzburg (after the midnight interview at Mount Cook!). The area is not really 'home' to either of us, so it feels a bit strange, but as it sinks in we are getting excited about the prospect of exploring a new part of the country. Bad luck to those of you hoping to come and visit us in Cape Town! However, the town is the gateway to the Drakensburg, our beautiful mountain region, so keep the plans rolling....

Now off to celebrate with dinner in an actual restaurant - what luxury!

(Rob and the mother lens.)

On/in th Fox Glacier

We are now in Abel Tasman, after an adventurous few days climbing all over a glacier, seeing kiwi, and sitting at the motor mechanic's after our wind-screen wipers seized -up during a particularly wet rainstorm in a mountain pass.

I have some-how managed to sign myself up for four days of being wet, cold and unwashed - and probably terrified too, judging by the size of the surf. We (with hardcore friends Justin and Bron) are kayaking around the Abel Tasman reserve, with all our kit - tents etc - in the kayaks with us. In the photos the sea is completely flat, clear, and the people in their kayaks look warm, dry and happy. The guy renting the kayaks shook his head at this. We are expecting rain and winds of 30 knotts (sp?). Today we had to go out and practice getting out of a capsized kayak (they are the type you get tucked into). The waves were big and I was terrified... so I will be happy to report back when it is all over.


(Rob's ball and chain.)

Today: Making friends in Wanaka:


We got carried away by the adventurous activities on offer in this area, considered sky-diving, paragliding, white water rafting and eventually decided on canyoning. However, it was almost a relief to hear that the canyoning company was doubtful about the water temp, and we were very happy to sit in a warm cafe reading the paper this morning, instead of being out dangling off a rope in a waterfall of glacier water!







A Puzzling World!

Here are some photos at last:

Just below Avalanche Peak at Arthur's Pass (Scott's track):










Bron and Village at their beautiful house in Christchurch:










Aoraki/ Mount Cook:











On the boat in Doubtful Sound:

Lake Tekapo, Southern Alps, South Island:










The last few days have been in the Fiordland area of NZ, which is so wild, dramatic and remote. Forests dripping with moss and ferns, hanging onto the rock face until a tree eventually gets too heavy and topples over, creating a tree avalanche and wiping a clear path of bare rock in its path. The fiord waters teaming with fish - as all the ocean must have been once upon a time. You just drop in a line and pull out a fish for supper. Waterfalls from the cliff tops which are hundreds to thousands of meters straight up above you. We spent a night in a small boat in Doubtful Sound, one of the longest fiords. Captn Cook was 'doubtful' about whether he would be able to negotiate his ships in and out - and so didn't venture in. I was 'doubtful' about whether it would be worth it. A bit pricey, although we got a good early season discount, and, at the end of the day, it cost less than a train ticket from Cheltenham to London return. And rather more special. So we ventured in - it was the highlight of our trip so far.

Would love to upload some photos, but have been trying for half an hour already at this internet cafe, and nothing is working! Even if I make the photos really small, they refuse to upload. And this is the 'big smoke' of Queenstown, where we stopped for a cup of coffee and a good internet connection. From now we head into Mount Aspiring (Glenorchy) and then on to Wanaka over the next couple of days.