Fox or fiction

Fox: There are only three glaciers in the world in temperate rainforest and Fox is one of them.

Fiction: Franz Joseph was created by a girl who's tears froze to form the glacier after her lover fell to his death from one of the peaks according to Maori legend.

Fox Guiding the company that took us on the ice (27th Nov 2013)

Fox: The neve (snow accumulation area) of Fox is bigger than Christchurch!

Fiction: The Fox Glacier is actually minty fresh and the guides calve out Fox's Glacier Mints for walkers to savour on their walk.

Going for gold

Our trip through the lakeside towns of Queenstown and on to Wanaka took us on a small detour to the quaint village of Arrowtown. An old gold mining settlement that had kept hold of its charm.

 The post office in Arrowtown (25th Nov 2013)

The wooden stores and pharmacy felt like we'd walked into a Western movie, with gold at the heart of its attraction both when the first settlers arrived as well as today.

Photo of the week (w/c 25th Nov 2013)

   The Pancake Rocks at Punakaki (28th Nov 2013)

Piopiotahi aka Milford Sound (Fjord!)

After a full days driving continuing on the Southern Scenic Route, with a stop off to try and make our millions on Gemstone Beach (sadly we found we were more likely to win the lottery than find any gems!), we arrived to Milford Sound in the glorious sunshine with a welcome from the swarms of sandflies!

Milford Sound isn't actually a 'sound' but a Fjord, calved out by glaciers (the early British explorers obviously didn't know their geography and it certainly didn't resemble Milford Haven, after which it was named). The alternative creation story according to Maori legend was that the Fjordlands were cut out by Tu-te-raki-whanoa and his magical adaze Te Hamo. He started in the far south where he created a rough coastline, but by the time he reached Milford Sound he had perfected his technique and calved an awe-inspiring fjord. Whichever theory you believe, it is certainly stunning! As Rudyard Kipling put it "the eighth wonder of the world".

Milford Sound in the sun! (23rd Nov 2013)

A walk on the wild side

The next step on our road trip brought us to the wild wonders of the Otago Peninsula (just by Dunedin) and The Catlins National Park.

It seems luck was on our side as we simply stumbled across plenty of wildlife as we hit the Otago headland...albatrosses circling above our heads and fur seals lazily bathing in the sunshine on the rocks by our feet. We even spotted a couple of dolphins gently swimming around the bay.

Albatross flying over The Otago Peninsula headland (20th Nov 2013)

Small as an ant

Everything with NZ's landscape is BIG and none more so than the central mountain and lakes region.

As we drove the beautiful wild lupin lined roads we found ourselves turning a corner and getting that 'wow' moment as Lake Tekapo came into view. Its bright turquoise colour (created by the suspended glacial rock flour in the water) was like we'd switched on the super vivid setting of our camera.

Lake Tekapo and the wild lupins (13th Nov 2013)

Photo of the week (18/11/13)

    Mount Cook with the Mt Cook lilies (buttercups)

Who needs a campervan anyway!

We picked up our new home for the next 30 days on Monday.

Having looked at all the options available we managed to get a deal on a Toyota people carrier which so far (2 days in) is really starting to feel like home!

If you want to save a few bucks - we've been completely sold on our homemade decked out camper-car!

Hi Rob!

    Chris spends his time reminiscing of his trip 5 years ago!

Rue de Jolie

Who'd have thought we'd end up feeling even closer to home from the opposite side of the world upon invitation from my cousins Chris and Helen to visit their holiday home in Akaroa.

As soon as we hit the ridge of one of the two old calderas that have formed the Banks Peninsula just south of Christchurch, it felt like we we're heading off for a holiday within our holiday... and it appeared we had arrived in France!

French 'artiste' sculpture, Akaroa (15th November 2013)

The after shock

I travelled to Christchurch 5 years ago as part of my trip with Rob around the world so I was keen to see the effects of the two earthquakes in Sept 2010 and Feb 2011. From what I remembered it was a bustling city with many similarities to Oxford/Cambridge (the city is named after Christ collage) and had a fabulous botanical garden and river where you could go punting. 

Christchurch Botanical Gardens (14th November 2013)

However what we discovered quite shocked us.

Photo of the week (w/c 11th November)

On the top of the caldera on the Banks Peninsula with the view to Akaroa and the Pacific Ocean. Photo taken by Helen PJ on 17th November 2013

And we're off...

50 things to do before...we get back!

Whilst getting ready to turn on my out of office this week after almost two years of working on 50 things to do before you're 11 3/4, my wonderful colleagues have set me a challenge of completing this Bucket list of 50 things to do whilst on our travels...

Will let you know how we get on!