Avenal Place Motel Invercargill

Day 24<br> Rental company branch wasn't far from our hostel. By half 9 the things got sorted out and with a new car (Nissan Sunny) we were dashing to Milford Sounds. It was around 3.5 hour drive, mostly through picturesque country, especially just after Queenstown along Lake Wakatipu and then as we were approaching our target. It's unbelievable how few cars you can meet on such a long journey.<br> A bit less than 2 hour cruise we took early ...

... unfortunately he wasn't there, but there were many a local who were intrigued to know just the hell we were, despite none - bar one - of them actually coming up to speak to us, in favour of adopting the tactic of simply staring at us in bewilderment! that wasn't great, and was bizarre to think perhaps they'd never seen an outsider, bearing in mind that, i think, all of the girls behind the bar were from wales and making the most of their working visas. anyway, the next day, we ...

... World Heritage Status Wilderness you would otherwise never see. Mysterious, evocative, exhilarating and utterly spectacular, filmed across extremes of season, climate and terrain, it will take you on an unforgettable journey through one of the most awe inspiring landscapes on earth." This 30 minute movie was filmed by a helicopter pilote (I cannot remember the name!! and I have sent the liflet back home...) over 10 years. There are no lyrics, just music and amazing ...

... pour revenir. C'est a regret que je prend la route pour Dunedin (que je suis incapable de prononcer correctement a la maniere NZ). Tout le monde me dit que la ville est bien. Malheureusement j'ai perdu plusieurs photos en raison d'un foutu virus attrape dans un cafe Internet. Mon promontoire, les arbres penches etc. Mais j'ai tout a partir de Cathedral Caves. J'espere etre en mesure de les faire recuperer sur ma cle USB a mon retour a Quebec.

... the Catlins. Dunedin is a very neat city with a lot of English character. We picked up a few books at a second hand book store. The Catlins are on the very south end of the south island of New Zealand. When you look out onto the ocean from the south shore here, you are really looking out towards Antarctica....which I thought was totally cool. We stayed for 4 nights in a very small town (i.e. 20 people) called, Takahopa. The hostel we stayed at was called the Wrights Mill Lodge ...

... curry house with the permanent sign outside saying 'Its cold you need curry' * The giant umbrella statue to remind you if its not raining now, it soon will be. We didn't need reminding it was raining, it rained alot but was many adverts and leaflets tell you 'it's not as bad as you'd think' and as other tourists told us 'Its not as bleak as bluff' which one booked we read politely described as '****ed'. We are giving bluff as miss.

... the town's culture that the front page of the local paper summarizes the day's weather alongside the expected time the penguins will come ashore to their nests; · Earlier I was too hasty to downplay the animals that can be seen in New Zealand. In a detour on our drive from Oamaru to Dunedin (recommended by yet another friendly local met at church) we also saw the rare yellow eyed penguin (not as cute as the "blues") cohabitating with a bunny, as ...

... t be dark enough for them to twinkle until 10.15 at the earliest. Then tomorrow is the Twilight Christmas Farmer's Market - at 4.30, not quite twilight but it is Christmas! There is even a competition for the best lit house in the area - just like Lower Morden Lane, but more scattered. Shopping is not the awful experience it is in the UK - we did ours this morning ...

... Invercrargill and you can park for $5 a day. They take sport seriously here - even netball, which has a wooden sculpture at the entrance to the airport. From the i-site in Queens Park you can get buses to Dunedin and Queenstown, amongst other places. Parking is easy and either very cheap or free in the city. City buses are also free between certain hours. New Zealand in General There are some ...

... acts actually making it down here I can still recommend some New Zealand music. I have to start with Rock'N'Roll: If you like to sweat and pant and get bruised and kick some major backside the best acts to see are the Datsuns and the D4, cutting edge live bands and great records, should be available most places. If you're a girl and like marvelling at lovely melodies get Bic Runga, she makes the Cardigans sound boring (which they undoubtedly are). Haven't been able to witness any new Zealand Jazz as yet.