Hi my lovely family ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️one for every grandchild🤗

We had a really great drive from Haast past lakes round bendy coastlines through rainforest, past glaciers and a stop at hokitiki

Then on past Greymouth to Reefton. Phew what a long way.

First coffee breakfast stop was at Fox glacier. We saw everyone getting ready for helicopter rides over the glaciers to view Mount Cook.

We stopped at the next glacier Franz Joseph and although it takes 90 minutes to walk to the start of the glacier, we opted to walk 30 minutes to a viewing spot. Well we did have a long drive still to do.

Next we drove on leaving the rainforest plants and finding more farming lands and leaving the insects behind thank goodness

We passed ex gold mining towns and eventually came to a seaside town called Hokitiki. Try to say that Louis and Otis.

We found the sun and heat here and summer temps again.

There we found a sand and driftwood competition. Hope you like the photos. There were so many sculptures to walk around and see. I took lots more photos. Do you like Trumps Mexican wall?

We again by chance, met a couple who are travelling the way we are and had another good chat with them.

So through Greymouth and onto Reefton.

We weren’t sure if we’d made a mistake in booking here but it is lovely. A little coal mining town famous for being the first place in the Southern Hemisphere to have electricity and street lights. Also famous for a Fairlie engine steam train made in Bristol at Avonside works… An R28 it articulates with a flexible frame 1879. I haven’t a clue what that means but grandad was very pleased to see it.

We have a lot of space, a large kitchen with even an oven and hob as well as microwave and fridge. A large lounge and bedroom and another small bedroom, a toilet,a bathroom and a patio with artificial grass and comfy chairs. What a shame we only booked 3 nights.

So more exploring tomorrow

Keep in touch with us let us know you are all ok 💕💕💕💕xxxx

Friday 25 Jan today, We travelled north along the coastal road the Haast Highway to see 2 lakes, Lake Moeraki and Lake Paringa.

Then we went on further to a salmon farm / café gift shop. here we had lunch and saw an egret looking at the captive salmon. He had no chance of getting one!

Back in Haast we decided to travel back to Roaring Billy waterfall. We had fun photographing macro images of rainforest plants.

When we got to the river we were amazed to find it had dried up over half its width and we could walk over the pebbles to get much nearer to the waterfall. Grandad put the timer on his camera and we took this pic of us in front of the waterfall

Well we move on tomorrow 400 KM to past Greymouth to Reefton. Its a long journey but at least it wont be raining this time.

 

This is haast beach just across the road from our motel.

We woke up to sunshine and 18*c. The wind has dropped and we have blue skies. What a different day from yesterday!

Haast looks so good today. We can see the tops of the mountains behind us and everything has dried up.

We first retraced our journey through the Gates of Haast and up to the blue pools and to explore all the waterfalls and the valleys.

We first stopped to see a waterfall called Roaring Billy. You walk for 15 mins through a beautiful rainforest to reach a sight of it across the wide fast flowing river Haast.

It is very impressive as you can see.

We stopped at a rest area to take some views of the river and the valley. The noise of the insects was deafening.

Blue Pools stop. We made the mistake of parking on the furthest park from them. We walked up the hillside and down for about 20 mins only to reach the road and the easier parking. From here it was another half hour walk to the river and rope bridges over the blue water. The wire rope bridges were fun to go over as they bounced as everyone moved along them. Only 10 people were allowed on the bridge at a time.

It was like a beach down there. The water was freezing but brave people were swimming and sunbathing. We stayed there a long time. The return walk was all uphill! I’m proud we managed it so well and enjoyed the walk.

Lunch was at the nearest cafe and cups of tea we were thirsty.

On the way down the beautiful road ….and it really descends for 50+ miles! We stopped at view points and waterfalls and did a few little walks to reach the view points. The road is incredible and not at all scary when it is good weather!

This is the Gates of Haast

We are tired now and chilling out watching the TV . Wifi and Tv lost signals all yesterday. Haast is a very remote town!

Hope you enjoyed the snow Anona in Sheffield? Louis and Alice had snow I know, did Oxford get any? Keep warm and well

Love to you all xxx

These are dads pictures

when we left Queenstown the sky was full of clouds, but it was warm. We stopped for coffee at Cardrona

We went over the mountain road to Wanaka and along the road towards the west coast passing Lake Hāwea on the right and then top of lake Wanaka on the left. Then the fun started! We stopped for lunch as the rain started. These are the photos up to lunch and you can see the rain clouds.

Then as we travelled down through Gates of Haast Thunder Creek. We kept descending in torrential rain. Grandad thinks it was worse than 3 years ago and that was very bad! The sides of the mountains were absolutely pouring with waterfalls. It was spectacular but you had to take the road carefully. No photos as we would have been drenched to the skin.

Afterwards when we got to our motel the black clouds moved to the mountains behind us and clearer skies came in from over the sea.

We can’t believe it but it is now beautiful blue skies with white clouds! It’s 8.30 pm and we’ve just had a walk along the beach.

It’s very windy and gusty, quite exhilarating. I will send more photos tomorrow of Haast when hopefully it should be a better weather day. Xxxx

Our motel. There is a road and then a short walk through the vegetation onto the beach.xx

Our last day in Queenstown area today and we decided to visit a few of the lakes starting at lake Wakatipu and go over the high road to Wanaka and beyond.

Today we are in Summer weather and temperatures for the first time 23* to 26*c. Again with wind all the time but a warm wind.

We walked a looooong way along the lake shore at Wanaka. We found the “lone tree” that is famously photo’d. It looked very small from the town but we walked all the way to it and as we got nearer, it is very impressive growing in the lake.

We have certainly caught the sun today.

Next we travelled to Lake Hawea and Lake Dunstan(artificially made by a dam)

We returned to Queenstown via the highway that travels through the gorge where the gold was mostly mined. Megs Falls were impressive and the hydro electric centre.

We then made a visit to Arrowtown but felt it was a commercially made town recreating a gold town and not very well done.

It is still very warm tonight and hopefully we will see a dry Haast tomorrow. If you remember, 3 years ago we had the worst rain we’ve ever experienced continuing for 3 days and nights! Fingers crossed for this timexxx

 

We overslept this morning! The bed was so comfy and the windows blacked out completely and we didn’t wake up at the usual 7.30 ish….

We were booked on the 12 noon sailing of the steam boat so no panic. Queenstown wasn’t quite so busy as yesterday(Sunday)

It was windy but a warmer wind and clear skies with fluffy white clouds. It was a bit blowy on the steam boat but we wrapped up warmly. The trip lasted 1and 1/2 hours and was pleasant. Hope you like my photos of Lake Wakatipu

The mountain pass to Wanaka was breathtakingly beautiful. Loads of hairpin bends and we woke up very high. Again we took lots of stops for the views. We had a break at an historic gold rush town of Cardrona. It has the original buildings there and the bar is now an hotel.

At Wanaka we followed the road around the bottom and left of the lake. We will travel along the other side on our journey to Haast.

We lounged a bit by the lake in the sunshine. We got back here again by 7pm.

Hope the weather stays good tomorrow xxxx

Missing you all as I feel a long way away from you all xxx

After yesterdays stormy day we woke up with hope for a better day. we started off in the rain with grey cloudy skies and a cold wind.

The road inland towards Queenstown was through miles of agricultural and animal farms with very few towns. The hills and valleys were green and lush vegetation. We saw sheep cattle and deer farms.

The weather was getting better as we reached Lake Wakatipu this is our first view.

The clouds were full of rain but we managed to explore Queenstown in the dry.

It was cold though and we kept our coats on! This is the steam boat we have booked to go on tomorrow The TSS Earnslaw. Also Grandma found a kiwi bird!

We progressed on up the lake to the end at Glenorchy. It felt like we were in the Lake District and very like the Scottish highlands.

Although it kept spotting with rain We found a parking area out of the wind and sheltered. So I took lots of photos.Here are a few.

Hope You are all feeling well and sending you love. We have a nice lodge house for 3 nights near to the airport. We have just treated ourselves to a lamb shank dinner with lots of vegetables, very yummy!

Today Saturday, we knew it was our last chance to explore the Catlins. When we looked out it was pouring with rain. So never say die, we wrapped up in wet weather gear and headed out. Our first stop was to a lighthouse at Waipapa Point. It obligingly stopped raining after a while and we got some dramatic skies behind the lighthouse and all around us. There was a huge enormous sea lion swimming in the water close by. and lots of sea birds around. It was a truly unspoilt natural coastal area.

As you can see in the photos a huge storm was brewing up.

Next we went to the petrified forest; to the centre there, as there is an exhibition to look round and a café. It was very wet now on and off. We walked to see the sea again but this time it was high tide and the rocks were covered mostly.

We next called at a lake with great reflections and a walk through the rain forest. Lake Wilkie. It was a steep walk down and then a loop over the lake on board walks.

We gave up on the weather then and headed back to the hotel. I had some washing to do and we rested a while. Early evening we went along the headland to the port near Invercargill. It is a wild strange area with a large port and harbour. The wind was so strong it was making huge waves and blowing the water away from the land. It was quite exhilarating.

Back in Invercargill we had to battle against the wind to walk to a burger bar. it felt like a force 10 gale.

In the evening the rain pelted down and the wind battered the building . You certainly experience weather in extremes in South Island! We watched the film The Piano on TV

That is of course set in NewZealand.

It took us ages to reach the Catlins today. We mistakenly put the wrong spelling in for destination and ended up miles too far north before we realised oops! We had a coffee break then headed to Catlins to arrive at lunch time!

Our first stop was a walk through a rainforest to see the tallest waterfall in the Catlins McClean Falls. It was flowing quite full today and we got some good pictures.

Next we travelled past a spouting cave near Purakaunui Bay. The bay was an almost perfect crescent shape. We took the images from a view point on the southern scenic highway.

Our last stop today was to see a petrified forest at Curio Bay. People also go there to see yellow eyed penguins, but none to be seen when we were there. You can make out the tree stumps and long tree trunks. The seaweed was also fascinating to watch swirling in the waves. By this time it was so hot and sunny such a contrast from the morning when we were cold and in coats.

Again we have done some nice walks to find nature’s beauty and also seen lots of seabirds and wild life.

Missing you all hope you like my photos

Mum xxx

We travelled to Invercargill today from Dunedin. On the way we visited part of the Catlins area on the Southern highway.

First stop was Kaka Point. The sand was white and gritty, full of the tiniest stones shells and driftwood. Lots of long seaweed and vegetation were washed up too. There is a strong current here and too dangerous to swim. The surf was pounding on the beach. it was totally unspoilt and very few people around.

The road lead onto Nugget point Lighthouse. When we came here 3 years ago. it had a gravel road and was very scary to drive on. We only went so far and turned round.

BUT this time the road was tarmacked and there was a car park and a path to walk along to the lighthouse. The walk was so pretty with views both sides when we got nearer to the lighthouse. There were a few jutting out rocks beyond the cliffs and the lighthouse was strategically placed to guard ships from danger.

 

There was a colony of spoonbills on one area of rocks and I also photoed a beautiful butterfly.

Next stop and long, long, walk too…. was to Jacks Blow Hole. It was quite a steep slog up the cliffs and down through 2 bays, then inland to find the huge chasm. It was low tide and so sadly no spout of water to see, but the force of the waves through the tunnels was so terrific.

We are now at Invercargill in a studio apartment with kitchen bathroom lounge and bedroom, luxury xxx

Lots to see in the Catlins tomorrow