After the Franz Josef comes the Fox glacier which (as we’d been told) is a much better glacier experience. You can actually get quite close to it; however, your reaction to the following picture is probably “Big deal”, except that what you are looking at is probably at least a hundred feet high and about a kilometer wide. They won’t let you go right up to it without a guide, as bits fall off all the time and squashed visitors are bad for tourism.

We stayed overnight there (Fox Glacier Campervan Park) before continuing on our southerly track. The next day was a horror with heavy to torrential rain while we were driving and then when we finally gave up it just rained harder still, complete with one mighty, very close, thunderclap. We parked in a remote campsite (Pleasant Flat) and didn’t get out of the van for 16 hours and it was very cold – good job we brought some warm clothing.

The next day (29^th) dawned with clear sky and we had a wonderful drive down here to Wanaka with several sight-seeing walks on the way. The Gates of Haast was an impressive gorge with thundering water that doesn’t quite come across in a photo.

The Blue Pools turned out to be green but the walk was pleasant and crossing the suspension bridge was exciting.

The road going to Wanaka passes by Lake Wanaka

and Lake Hawea

which are long North/South lakes with no sail boats (too shallow I think) but plenty power.

After stocking up on supplies in Wanaka we were directed to Outlet Camp (on Outlet Road) in the most fabulous location on the lower part of the huge blue Wanaka Lake, surrounded by mountains. It was a little noisy for us, as it’s absolutely teeming with power boaters and sea-dooers. We took a walk for a couple of hours along the Clutha River that flows (quite quickly) out of the lake and watched a jet boat run the rapids. Apparently, along with bungee jumping (spelt bungy here), the jet boat is a New Zealand invention. The river is the colour of jade and the walk was very pleasant, apart from dodging the hordes of mountain bikers on the path.
After a lunch by the lake we headed off South again through Cromwell, stopping to take a picture or two as we traveled down the Kawaura River valley lined with vineyards past the spot where the sequence “Pillars of the Kings” on the River Anduin was filmed for Lord of the Rings.

Arrowtown turned out to be our final destination that night with yet another location (Born of Gold Holiday Park) promising Internet access that didn’t work, with nobody having a clue what to do about it. - a familiar New Zealand theme. The next morning we took a walk along the river where more scenes from Lord of the Rings were filmed. We’re not sure of the exact locations – there are no commemorative plaques – but here’s a likely spot for the ‘Ford of Bruinen’.
Later that day we drove on through Queenstown and over-nighted in a DOC (Department of Conservation) campsite at 12 Mile Delta with the worst facilities toilet-wise so far. I won’t go into the grisly details here but if anyone really wants to know they can email us. And strangely enough it costs more than all the other excellently serviced DOC sites we had stayed at before. But as per usual the surroundings were breathtaking and it is in the vicinity of another LOTR site – ‘Ithilien’.

Now it’s New year’s Eve and we took in a few of the sights of Queenstown and met up again with Jane and John Forrest and their son James at John’s brother’s place outside Queenstown where we had lunch in the (rare but very welcome) sunshine with John’s sister-in-law Shirley. Queenstown is a beautiful town (filled to capacity on New Year’s Eve) on the shores of Lake Wakatipu which exhibits a seiche phenomena due to changes in atmospheric pressure. The level goes up and down every 5 secs by 10 cm. The Maori believe it is caused by the beating heart of a long vanquished giant. The following is a steam driven lake cruise boat

Here's Carol with Jane Forest on the prom in Queenstown.

Then it was on the road again and tonight, where Internet is promised, we are in Te Anau ready to make the trip up to Milford Sound. While taking a walk by the lake after supper, we met a very interesting fellow by the name of Richard McKay who is also at the Lakeview Campsite visiting family here in Te Anau. His mission is to play his violin in every town in New Zealand and he is willing to play for anyone who would like to hear him. Here he is entertaining us with his expert playing:

Just a little later came the New Year here in NZ, with a great firework display across the bay.

Progress to date: