ON THE ROAD TO MILFORD SOUND

We travelled from Queenstown to Te Anau where we stayed at the Top 10 Holiday Park and I was able to do a BBQ in the sunshine at 7pm! In Queenstown we lose the sun where we are about 2 hours earlier. The following day we drove up to Milford Sound as we had flown in there on our previous trip.

Driving through Beech forest near the start of our drive from Te Anau to Milford Sound.

Me in the middle of Eglinton Valley.

Mirror Lakes

Monkey Creek

Entrance to the Homer Tunnel as we head toward Milford. Traffic is one way and controlled by traffic lights that work on a 15 minute cycle.

Water flowing through the "Chasm" where the flow of water has carved its way through solid rock over thousands of years.

A roadside view of the remnants of the slip that closed the Milford road earlier in the year.

What we came to see, Mitre Peak.

BBQ

Hosts, Annika & Lutz

"Mates"

The fairer part of the guests.

Serious conversation with drinks in hand.

Ken, a dab hand on the BBQ.

WELCOME VISITORS IN OUR GARDEN

Our home for now. We share the property with the staff dwelling.

Intersection of Fryer St (left) and Hamilton Rd from our site. "Creeksyde" is on the opposite corner.

Our garden through the door.







Very domestic, note the washing.

Our visitors (what a pleasant surprise!

Goin' for a bike ride to get dinner.

A good photo of the cuzzies.

HIGH COUNTRY TOUR (EARNSLAW STATION)

Lake Wakatipu looking towards Glenorchy.

This trip was a halfday excursion with RD Tours and was another unique and enjoyable South Island experience.

Lake Reid Wildife Reserve

Stags, Mt Earnslaw Station.

Mt Earnslaw Station woolshed.

Getting our bearings. Mt Earnslaw is the snowcapped peak above the cab of the vehicle.

Rees River (centre) flowing down from Mt Aspiring National Park.

On the way down.

Belinda our driver, we climbed up Mt Alfred 1300 ft to just above the rock face in middle of picture.

Arcadia Station Homestead on the Shores of Diamond Lake.

500 METRES UP QUEENSTOWN HILL

Our ascent of Queenstown Hill was tough before it even started as we had to go up some very,very steep streets from downtown to the official entrance of the walkway.

A lot of the lower part is bush clad.

Part way up looking towards Queenstown Airport.

The beginning of the final assault (note people at top of picture).

The very top looking down on Queenstown.

From the summit looking towards Skippers.

One of the many photos taken by the "Botanical Queen"

A summit conquering nap in the sun.

The descent begins, just below the summit.

Looking down on the "Truck"

A bit hard to see but if you enlarge it is on the section opposite the red car parked on street.

You can see a campervan parked in the corner of "Creeksyde" which is over the road from where we are.

ETC & INVERCARGILL

View from our window from our new site on a staff property adjacent to the park.

Christmas Eve present time as we were both working Christmas Day.

Note Christmas wrap on my present from "My Love" with compliments of Courierpost.

Midnight Carols & Communion, Christmas Eve, St Peter's Anglican Church, Queenstown

We had the opportunity to deliver the Top 10 promotional car from Queenstown to Invercargill, this is a coffee stop at Kingston, home of the Kingston Flyer.

Lands End Restaurant, Bluff where we had an absolutely divine Blue Cod lunch.

Dog Island Lighthouse, Foveaux Strait.

Top 10 Car as far south as she can go.

Bluff International Signpost, 1401 k's to Cape Reinga.

Stewart Island from Bluff Lookout

Who says it doesn't rain in Invercargill???