Cruising in the campervan!!
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Queenstown,
New Zealand
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Hey guys!! I'm really sorry I haven't got the time to do a proper blog today but thought I'd at least do a mini one. What I'm gonna do is do a massive update either in Christchurch before we leave or maybe in Japan. I might even leave it till when I get home and I don't have to pay for the bloody internet!
We're currently travelling around the southern part of the south island in our campervan JIM!! It's very cool and I even had a go at driving today - it's taken me 4 days to pluck up the courage to drive the beast!
Here's what our itinerary has been like so far:
Day 1 - Thursday 31st Jan - picked up the van in christchurch. Travelled north from Christchurch and had a brief stop in the small alpine village of Hanmer Springs before driving onto towards the east coast and Kairkoura where we stopped for the night. Lovely little place with a very scenic beach and coastal drive.
Day 2 - Fri 1st Feb - left Kaikoura and planned to drive the bazillion kilometres down the coast to Dunedin. We decided to stop for the night in a town about an hour and a half north of Dunedin called Oamaru as we had been driving all day.
Day 3 - Sat 2nd Feb - carried on for the rest of the short journey to Dunedin. Stopped on the way to see the Moeraki Boulders and have a picture taken with the signpost at Shag Point (lol). Saw loads of seals there too. Spent the afternoon (freezing) in Dunedin, shopping and then visited the worlds steepest street, Baldwin Street and walked up it. Crazy idea that was! 19 degree angle! Stayed the night at a campiste in Dunedin.
Day 4 - Sun 3rd Feb - got up early for the drive to Te Anau, gateway to the Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. Basically we were going from the east to the west coast in one day but it didn't take as long as we thought to get to Te Anau. Quick toilet stop off and then we drove the Milford Road to Milford Sound. It was, quite possibly, the most gorgeously scenic drive I have ever been on! So much to look and and we jumped out a million times on the way for photos. Weather got bad on the other side of this massive tunnel, carved through the mountains, so when we got to Milford we decided to head back through the tunnel and stay in one of the cheap campsites for the night.
Day 5 - TODAY! Mon 4th Feb (My bday eve) - Got up at a leisurely time for the 3 hour drive to Queenstown. I had my first go at driving and loved it but the accelerator pedal kills your right ankle joint so swapped back to melly after about an hour and a half. Now in Queenstown, off out tonight for a bday meal (gonna be in a quieter place tomorrow so celebrating tonight) and gonna check out the minus 5 degrees ice bar. Everything is made of ice!!
Potential day 6 - Tues 5th Feb MY BIRTHDAY wooop! - Start the drive back to Christchurch, staying the night in either Twizel (to see Mt Cook again) or Tekapo (to see the lake again). A few drinks in the van!
Potential day 7 - Wed 6th Feb - back to Christchurch to drop Jim off at the camper place then a night in a hostel before flying to Tokyo on the 7th!
Only a week today till I come home and I'm really excited but sad too. I've had such an amazing time, paritcularly in New Zealand, this place is awesome and I'm gonna make the most of my last few days!
Lots of love to everyone, see u soon!
Love Smiffy xxxxxxxxxxx
