Day 4 and Day 5 - Riding in Mount Cook NP, a long drive and Yellow Eyed Penguins !

Day 4 

Started early still at Mount Cook, with a VERY excited Lowenna waking us up to inform us of blue skies ,no rain and ideal riding conditions...so Tim kindly did the honors and off they went while William and I did chores and things..... sort of hot chocolate and buns chores while soaking up the view  !!!

They had a simply amazing time on a two hour trek on the foothills and Lowenna came back high enough to last a few days and counteract the long drives ahead ....

So- off to Dunedin >>

298 km later after driving through what looked like Dartmoor with a hint of American Gold rush towns, and we were there -  though we had a couple of stops one of which at the rather weird and mysterious Moeraki Boulders -Round stones  varying in size from 1m to 2m in diameter on the beach which are really rather mystical and about 125 million years old and we couldn’t help but mess about on them for a bit.....

Day 5 

Next day after a good catch up on sleep we headed into Dunedin- a bit like Edinburgh(the station is the most photographed building in NZ so Tim thought it best he kept up with tradition!!) and had a good look at the Farmers Market- fab fruit and veg but pricey......

Later in the day we headed out on a Tour of Wildlife of the Otago Peninsula... supposed to be a bright sunny evening to view The Royal Albatross, Yellow Eyed Penguin, Blue Eyed Penguin, Fur Seals and Sea Lions.. Yes we saw them all, and the penguins really were amazing... seemed totally weird to se them waddling up the sandy beach to stand on the grassy cliffs and just for a moment I felt like like David Attenborough.... but as is the weather in  NZ it changed from sunny 25c to rain and wind in an hour.. not to mention the very steep and long hikes up and down the grassy cliffs. But seeing these endangered species so close is staggering and very humbling.William was utterly entranced by the little pingus... he has always loved them and Lowenna once again enjoyed every minute and despite the very long steep hikes and wet rain ...never a muttering of a complaint... she really is up for anything on this trip ....makes a world of difference having big bro’ to encourage her along....

Day 6

Bright and sunny morning... and thats about the best it got today!!

This was the day of the long drive -390 km, and Tim decided to do the Southern Scenic route just to take a little bit longer -around 2 hrs and 100 km longer !! 

First to Nugget point but this was no gold choice . sea lions from 200ft up a cliff and an old lighthouse. Then on to Curio Bay to see a petrified forest.Not too sure what petrified them but we all decided to stay in the dry just in case it happened again....and  by the time we arrived it was pouring with rain anyway. However having got us there, Tim put on his sun hat and pac-a-mac with shorts and crocs and disappeared down the path to the beach... nobody else followed,I wonder why ??!!  When he returned looking like the proverbial drowned rat he obviously had seen and enjoyed the trees of 150 million years old turned to stone.... they were of appeal to him so that was good! Took a few pics of the team along the way....

He sleeps and eats... he eats and sleeps

Our Driver !

Navigator

Lowenna keeps tab on those of us bringing shoes into the camper van - three hits and its floor washing duty ! 

Good to hear from our driver we were as far South in NZ that you can drive - how about that... we had all rather lost the plot by this point so- Invercargill- Te-Anau here we come....

So.... after a snack lunch in the van we continued arriving in Te Anau after 9 hours and 451 kms.....mmmmm... and still it rains ! 

but tomorrow is another day and its going to be amazing- we are off on an overnight cruise on the mystical and awe inspiring Doubtful Sound... Can’t wait..