Again on the run down. Took the bus tour around Singapore and then the Singapore Flyer. At 165m the tallest in the world. Great for Matthews vertigo

Formula one track for next months grand prix

Massive views across the bay

View of the marina bay sands hotel

Finished off with a meal at a local diner

Took it easier in Queenstown today.

Took the river taxi from the jetty Om the hotel to Queenstown central. Not really a tax rather a very small boat

Water Taxi

View from the quay

Matt skimming stones

After Lunch took the Queenstown Gondola to the skyline. So much for Matts ad version to heights

Views from the top

Mad bungee jumping guy

More views

Back down to Earth visited a Kiwi reserve ( no pictures allowed) and finally saw a Kiwi.

Finished off in an American diner for dinner

It’s was a full day out for Doubtful Sound well organised.taxis ,coach, bus ,boat,bus and boat to get there. Hidden highlights were the drivers commentary on each of the towns we passed through. (not much action since 1922 was his best comment) Some of the landscape was genuinely untouched grassy steep with specific conservation areas including areas where endangered species were being bred and for once it got really cold.

Best in pictures

View down the sound entrance

The tallest waterfall in NZ

It was misty and raining but that added to the raw un touched landscape

One off photo pop

A few seals

Matthew braving the cold

Remote lobster base

Gentoo penguin the smallest penguin in the world

On deck

At the Tasman sea

Eerie misty mountains

Visited the Manapouri hydro power station. A 2 mile tunnel lead to the central processing area. Potentially 10% of NZ dometsicpower ( although most of it used by the local aluminium smelting plant). Only 2 or 3 staff down there. No sunlight quite eerie.

Short Trip to Queenstown our final stop in NZ. But it certainly was the highest climb ( temp went down to 4 deg and we got quite close to the slopes. Then it was a really tight sharp descent to Queenstown.

Cool view down the valley

Drivers eye view

First view of towards Queenstown.

After checking in went and had a look at Arrowtown a 19th century gold mining town. Which still has the original town layout and buildings. Seemed a bit Disney but the museum was great since you could actually touch all the exhibits.

Finally went into Queenstown for a look see. Lovely vibrant town centre with great aspect nestled under the mountains and bay

Not feeling too well today, so taking it a bit easy. Had a look around town.

Then took myself off for a long walk in the afternoon. Miscalculated the time and ended up getting back after dark! The lake views looks quite good at sun set. Just outside town the views looked totally un spoilt. No sign of anything human except the track that I was on. Really quiet and serene.

Was expecting snow on route but the temperature rarely dipped below 10deg.

Beautiful drive, forest areas no other cars no towns just mountain roads, lakes, deep valleys and waterfalls. Let’s just do it in pictures.

Also the customary rugged coast

Rapids and waterfalls

Wanaka apartments are huge with a bedroom each for Matthew and Emily

And the views outstanding

Well we couldn’t go to Franz Josef without experiencing the glaciers. Me and Matt were up for this despite Matt being scared of the helicopter ride. Well organised with guide, walking gear water proofs. The helicopter was a six seater. Matt loved it.

In flight was only 7 mins but it hugged the terrain!

Then put us down on top of the glacier.

Ready to trek!

We zig zagged up the glacier lead by our guide

Eventually we arrived at a newly formed ice-cave

Which we squeezed through(well I squeezed through) to the other side.

Matthew securing his inheritance!

Rain greeted our early departure from Christchurch.

We boarded the TranzAlpine train to Greymouth an East West journey that skirts the southern Alps. It had a old romantic feel about it even though the carriages had been updated. They had a car that was open to the elements for taking pictures. As the train went higher and higher it got colder and colder and with the rain was the first bitter weather we had.

By the time we hit Greymouth the weather had cleared up sun had come out 🙂

We then took the long drive to Franz Josef Glacier country but also of silent still lakes. Check this out!

The place we are staying at Franz josef is self contained villa with an Amazing view

Got up early for a fantastic sun rise at Kaikoura.

After finding some breakfast( its a very quiet town). Headed down to Christchurch. Drive was notable for the seals and sea birds at the coast and the stark change from mountains and valleys to the flat Canterbury plains.

Even Tunnels

More Flat

Dropped the car off and got a taxi to the b&b we were staying at. Got the Taxi driver view of the Terrible Earthquake of 2010. He pointed out a building being constructed as flats. That used to be a dance hall I courted in 40 years ago! Developers could wait to get their hand on it. That said there as a lot of rebuilding going on but in the centre every where you looked their was damage.

Anyway for reasons left undocumented nothing more to blog today!

I’ve decided I want to live here I’m never coming back. Weather was fantastic should be 10 deg was 16 and no rain!

Went whale watching this morning. Left from the whaleway station!

Can’t get over the views from the beach

Highlight of the trip close up of Sperm Whales (largest toothed whale) larger than the boat we were on!

We also saw a school of white sided dolphins. Several 100s circled the boat jumping and generally larking about as they hunted.

In the late afternoon me ,Matt and Ems took on one of the walks into the mountain at fyffe. We the drive took at a reasonable way up and it got colder!

The walk kept on going up and up within the forest, Ems especially did well.

First walk not involving the sea but did involve suspension bridges and waterfalls!

Got kinda dark by the time we got back. Bad Dad.