The following was written yesterday but due to failure of Internet access at the camp site, it couldn't be uploaded.

It’s now Christmas Day in New Zealand but when we got up this morning the sun was shining, the temperature around 18 degC and it just didn’t seem very Christmassy. I remarked as much to a couple on the camp-site who it turns out came from Reading, 38 years ago and were the patriarch and matriarch of a collection of sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and myriad grandchildren who were all camping together in a tent/caravan city for a big Christmas get-together.

It was another pleasant place to camp with limited facilities and an honour box for payment. After we guzzled away gleefully from the water supply we found a notice warning us that the water was probably OK but you it would be better to boil it first – ugh! However, we’re still alive. We took the opportunity for a short walk through some primeval forest.

The camp-site was on Lake Manihapua where we stayed on our way down from Gentle Annie, via some food shopping in Greymouth, Hokitika and another visit to the Punakaiki pancake rocks and blowholes which did not really co-operate, but here’s a short movie of some of the sights.

Our destination was Franz Josef (maybe the guy visited here before he got shot) and the first of two glaciers we plan to visit. We are in a regular campervan park with power and showers and Internet access and we plan to go out for Christmas dinner this evening.

Current progress: