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This page covers all the States and Territories we visisted with our pals chris & allyson in 2017 on the Big Trip in hired motorhomes. This covers Western Australia, The Indian Pacific Railway, Northern Territory Alice Springs flown from Adelaide and back, Adelaide-Sydney, Tasmania , Arrived in Perth, WA from Singapore. We saw the town before picking up the motorhomes and seeing Monkey Mia, Carnavon, Rottnest Island & the adorable quokkas, Margaret River but you can see this on the WA page AUSTRALIA - Aussie Adventures 4th February - 9th April 2017 States & Territories Oz - Western Australia Oz - Indian Pacific Railway Oz - South Australia Oz - Northern Territory Oz - Victoria Oz - New South Wales Oz - Tasmania Oz - Campsites Oz - Galleries "From Carnarvon in Northern WA, On the Indian Pacific Railway, Thru the Red Centre and then around the Coast Adelaide to Sydney, Plus Popping over to Tassie & Rellies" Happy 39th , Restaurant by Shag Inn, Perth INTRODUCTION Arrived in Perth, WA from Singapore. We saw the town before picking up the motorhomes and seeing Monkey Mia, Carnarvon, Rottnest Island & the adorable quokkas, Margaret River, Cape Leeuwin, Albany, Northam, Wave Rock, the wheat belt and a whole lot more before picking up the wonderful Indian Pacific railway to Adelaide, flight to and from Alice springs before picking up a 2nd set of motorhomes to see the Barossa Valley and more. We crossed over into Victoria from South Australia at Portland where we saw a Koala crossing the main road right in front of us. We headed around the coast taking in the fab Great Ocean Road, London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge, The 12 Apostles to name but a few sights before crossing into New South Wales just above Mallacoota. We saw a lot of wildlife in Victoria especially at Kennet River where once again the Koalas obliged. Once in NSW we headed up for family time in Sydney, oh and Tassie for K&A. In Sydney thanks to Allyson we saw the wonderful spectacle that was Carmen in the harbour. Diaries and Slideshows and / or Videos (The Talkies) are available via each State of Australia via the dropdown menu or the BUTTONS above, thanks for looking Desert Park, Foothills of the Gap, Northern Territory Map Intro Slideshows gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/9 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/5 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/31 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/5 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/17 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/10 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/22 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/30 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/12 Galleries Audio Diary Trailer

The WESTERN AUSTRALIA page of our BIG TRIP holiday 2017 website gives an introduction to where we went in WA via diaries, photo slideshows & audible videos. Arrived in Perth, WA from Singapore. We saw the town before picking up the motorhomes and seeing Monkey Mia, Carnavon, Rottnest Island & the adorable quokkas, Margaret River but you can see all of this and more on this WA page WESTERN AUSTRALIA Slideshows & Diary Indian Pacific Railway Highlights of our time in Western Australia see slideshows and diary gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/32 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/3 Gallery Includes Perth (3 days), Freemantle (Freo), Ledge point, Pinnacle National Park, Cervantes, Thirsty Point, Jurien Bay, Indian Ocean drive, Greenhough hanging tree, Geraldton, Northampton, Nerren Nerren, Billabong & Overlander roadhouses, World heritage drive, Monkey Mia, Shark Bay, Shell beach, Denham, Carnavon, Nanga, Hamelin Pool (where the desert meet the sea), Space Museum, Gascoyne River, Port Denison, Badgingarra, Moora, Brand Highway, Avon River, Northam, Crossing the flooded road nr Hyden, Wave Rock, Kalgarin farm stay, Wheatbelt, Snake, Blue tounged skinks, Tin Horse highway, Kulin, Dumbleyung, Bluebird, Mens Sheds, Railway, Farming, Boot fences, Kojonup - possibly the best campsite in the world NOT!, Rosellas, Mount Barker, Porongurup, Albany Highway, Castle Rock at the Porongurup National Park, Brig Amity, Princess Royal harbour, Middleton beach , Scenic drive Wilsons bay, Denmark, Greens pool, Elephant Rocks, Parry beach (for lunch) and the hippy in the van, valley of the Giants red tingle trees and tree top walk, Quokka on the path, Northcliffe eco park and roos plus roos jumping across road at dusk,Pemberton, Augusta, Cape Leeuwin and lighthouse, Leeuwin-Naturaliste national park,Margaret river, cape Mentelle winery, Lenton Brae winery plus tour and ladies picture of a family house in Lenton, Nottingham, we will try and find it, cheeky monkey brewery, Cowaramup, Busselton and the pier / jetty, Bunbury and Koombana bay , plus non dolphin watching, although in fairness Chris & Allyson did see one on their walk. Mangrove board walk, sub tropical flowers, Lechenault inlet and estuary, swimming in the site pool, sunbathing, chilling, intersting sub tropical birds, Avalon beach, Mandurah, Rockingham, Penguin island, seals, little blue penguins, board walks, conservation areas, Freemantle or Freo, Ferries, Van bumps, Rottnest island, Quokkas again, cycle rides, swims, guided tours, walks in the sun, history, lunch, cafes, ice creams, friends, fun, rocks, boats , blowholes, blue seas and skies and ice creams , royal perth hotel, lucky shag bar and aqua bar for our 39th wedding anniversary in perth SEE THE FULL WESTERN OZ EXPERIENCE, 1hr 19mins Slideshows Summary WA Campsites Talkies Map Audio Diary Trailer

The Northern Territory Australia slideshow page of our holiday 2017 website gives an introduction to where we went in NT via our diaries, photo slideshows & pictures, with diaries and images from our time there, 1-3 march 2017 on the big trip NORTHERN TERRITORY Slideshows & Diary Wednesday 1 March Adelaide to Alice Springs Had the fresh figs for breakfast which were delicious. Another hot sunny day. The campsite staff drove the golf buggy with all our bags to reception and from there we got a taxi to Adelaide airport. Keef & I didn’t recognise it (we had flown from Alice to Adelaide 10 years ago) so it had obviously had a bit of an architectural make-over. Our flight to Alice Springs left at 10.40am & we had to change our watches as Northern territory daylight saving time was one hour behind Adelaide time. At Alice airport we got the Alice Wanderer shuttle taxi service to take us to our motel – Elkira Motel. We walked around the town & it was very hot at midday. Saw the Residency house & garden which was open to the public. The Queen & Price Phillip had stayed there in the 1960’s for 2 days & he had got food poisoning. Charles & Diana had also visited Alice & stayed there on a later date. Next to the Residency there was a new Northern Territory Supreme Court building almost finished. Walked through Todd Mall & went into tourist info. Keef & I enquired about about the shuttle bus taking tourists to all the best sites in & around Alice but unfortunately it had ceased running. Also the man who used to do the free didgereedo lessons had gone bust & was now a bus driver (we had bought our didgereedo from him 10 years ago). The tourist info staff recommended us to visit the Desert Park a few kms outside Alice so we decided to do this the next day. We visited an art gallery which exhibited Aboriginal art works – dot paintings. An Aboriginal lady called Margaret was sat on a cushion on the floor concentrating on her dot painting. When we tried to talk to her she was not communicative. The gallery owners probably make a handsome profit from these paintings. We walked on to the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum at 4pm. We had missed the film presentation so instead looked at the museum which was very interesting. Went back to the motel & K & I swam in the pool & then had showers. We all went to the Red Ochre Grill restaurant in Todd Mall for our evening meal. Thursday 2 March Alice Springs Had motel buffet breakfast which was very good. Keef had the full English breakfast which was huge. Then we got a taxi to Desert Park ( a wildlife park in the desert outside Alice). I was not feeling well, weak & occasionally light-headed with a cough & swollen glands in my neck – a virus probably picked up on the plane. Hope none of the others catch the bug. C & A kindly gave me some tablets which I took. When we arrived at the park we had to hurry at top speed to catch the wild birds in flight demonstration in the amphitheatre which was just about to start. The ranger gave an excellent talk about desert birds & the setting was spectacular with the MacDonnell Ranges as a backdrop. We saw owls & kites fly low over our heads & wedgetailed eagles flying at speed towards the amphitheatre. The temperature was 37c according to one of the park wardens & it got even hotter in the afternoon. We saw animals such as roos & emus & watched an informative presentation about Aboriginal bush tucker by a female Aboriginal park warden who showed us food , wooden tools, weapons & bowls. It was very interesting to hear how the women gathered berries, bush fruits, plus seeds & grasses to make damper (a flat bread) whilst the men’s role was to hunt game. She said that witchety grubs tasted like runny egg yolk & were nutritious. They had to bite the heads off the grubs which were found in dead tree branches or tree trunks. The grubs were about 2½ - 3 inches long & ¾” wide. Luckily she only had a plastic one to show us which did look quite realistic. We walked into two bird aviaries to see more desert birds, including a large black cockatoo. Then we went to the nocturnal house where an Aboriginal guide told us about the exhibits – small mammals such as the bilby, desert rat, numbat, plus snakes & lizards. He said that the small & thin Death Adder snake is so toxic if it bites you that you only have 40 mins before you die. Thinking back to us walking around Cook on the Nullabor it was no wonder that the train staff did not want any snakebite victims. Most of the roos were asleep & lying down so we couldn’t see them properly. Did not have any lunch but drank a lot of water. At the end of the afternoon at 3pm we watched a 20 min film about the desert in the cinema. We all enjoyed the Desert Park. Got a taxi back to our motel. Had a shower then I went to bed & slept for 3 hours. In the evening we all walked into town to a pizza restaurant. I ate hardly anything as still unwell. I don’t know how I managed to walk around in the desert heat all day. Went to bed & slept for 10 hours!!! Friday 3 March Alice Springs to Adelaide We ate breakfast in the motel again then caught the shuttle transport back to the airport via various hotels & backpacker hostels to pick up other tourists. The Qantas flight went over the desert & some massive salt lakes – no habitation visible at all from the plane apart from dirt road tracks. When we got to Adelaide we collected our large bags from the left luggage lockers & got a taxi to our motel – The Atlantic Towers in Glenelg, a suburb of Adelaide by the coast with very fine white sandy beaches. This motel was a tall round tower & even our rooms had curved walls. The rooms were very modern & spacious with an excellent bathroom. We all went for an evening stroll & had some drinks at an oyster bar. As it was Friday evening the restaurants & bars in Glenelg were packed. Walked past the marina & more restaurants. There were some very large expensive boats in the marina & designer apartments with sea views. Saw the Glenelg pier, tram & clock tower & then walked back. We decided to have dinner at an Aussie Outback bar/restaurant where we managed to get a free table. I could barely manage my meal (chicken salad) and had to rush to the loo with severe diarrhoea. Walked back to the motel & I took some tummy tablets which sorted me out. Had no idea what caused the bug as no one else was ill. 1-3 Mar 2017 Trailer

This page shows some of the wildlife we encountered on our BIG TRIP in 2017 and images were taken by all 4 of us covering from snakes to cuddly koalas and all points in between, enjoy the slideshow WILDLIFE Wildlife spotted in Australia Western Australia Blue tongued skinks, Major Mitchell Cockatiel (white & pink feathers), emus, turtle, pelicans, eagles, goats, galahs, small frog, flock of white & yellow cockatoos, small lizard, green parakeets with yellow ring round neck – could be yellow ring lorikeets, alpacas of a farm, kangaroos, dead snake on road, budgies, quokkas, magpies, small black lizard 6-8” long, stick insects, dolphins, Australian sealions, 4 Ospreys, pelican colony, Little Blue Penguins, New Zealand fur seals. Northern Territory Lots of Aussie mammals, birds & reptiles in Desert Park, a wildlife park outside Alice Springs. Cockroaches in pavement in Alice at night. South Australia Corella parrots (white with lemon feathers under wings), large moorhens, stingray. Victoria Dead snake (brown) in middle of road. Koala crossing road, budgies, black rock wallaby, echidna, 4 koalas, wallaby, baby black snake, bandicoot, red & green parakeets, 2 sulphur crested cockatoos, seal by a jetty, grey kangaroo at Hanging Rock, thin lizard, large group of grey kangaroos & 1 albino one, black swans, large 3ft stingray with orange spots on top & orange underneath, koalas, bellbirds, small lizard. New South Wales Kangaroos, rainbow lorikeets, stingrays, white cockatoos, small geckos, dead wombats by highway, wattle bird, heron, ibis birds, possum. Tasmania Dead Tasmanian Devils by roadsides, plovers & sandpipers, kookaburra, wallabies. Wildlife in Cook Islands (Rarotonga) Plovers, sandpipers, small crabs, sea cucumbers, fish, geckos, black/brown birds. Wildlife spotted in New Zealand Green Praying Mantis, weka (bird), 3 kingfishers, eagle, dead possum, bush turkeys, black swans, large black eels, fantail birds, pet emus & small wallaby at campsite in Murchison, whales, rock wren, Kea alpine parrots, 2 dolphins, NZ fur seals, small albatross, white heron, grey herons, Little Blue & Yellow Eyed penguins, seals. A Gallery of some of that wildlife gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/43 Gallery Trailer

Capture the spirit of exploration with HOLIDAY2017 (KHWD), a visual journey through landscapes, travel photography and stories from a year of unforgettable travel THE BIG TRIP HOLIDAY 2017 A TRAVEL BLOG WITH FRIENDS With our pals Chris & Allyson "If it moves snap it, if it doesn't.. snap it" 😉 Replicated by BLOG 168 If you enjoy my photography or website design & development , and wish to support it. You can now do so at buymeacoffee.com/khwd , thanks for supporting small local businesses Audiobook The Big Trip - 31st January - 14th June Audiobook voice overs for the site Should you prefer to listen rather than read The Big Trip: In 2017 we explored Singapore, Australia , the Cook Isles & New Zealand with our dear friends Chris & Allyson. At the end of the trip Annie & I spent time in Singapore / Malaysia with our family and Chris & Allyson visited Hong Kong. A lot of planning and pre booking went into this adventure to ensure we had a great time. We flew to Singapore for a stop over of 2 days to break the journey down under. We visited East Coast Park and the wonderful Quentin's restuarant. We arrived in Perth a bit jet lagged but excited and cruised the Swan river to Freo and had a fab day in the Botanic gardens in Kings Park. After a few nights we picked up our Britz motorhomes and after a quick swim off the Indian Ocean Drive we initially explored Monkey Mia (sadly no dolphins due to inclement weather) then onto the tropics of Western Australia Geraldton, Northampton (gallahs and Allyson fear of the clientele 😉 and a spin in Apollo 11 at Carnarvon before doing the loop thru the Wheatbelt and Wave Rock back to Perth via Albany. Esperance and Kalgoolie at this time were off limits due to some massive rains which washed out essential roads. We then took the luxurious Indian Pacific Railway to Adelaide across the Nullabor Plain. After that its was a quick flight to Alice Springs where we visited the fab Desert Park , ate Roo (Camel was off 😉 ) at the Red Ochre Cafe , avoided the cockroaches and pondered the insoluble Aboriginal problem. Then it was back to Adelaide to pick up another motorhome to explore some of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) before ending in Sydney for time with families. K&A flew down to Launceston in Tassie to visit rellies before returning to Sydney. From here we touched down in Auckland briefly before spending a fab but somewhat wet and humid week of chillin' in the Cook Isles in the Pacific ocean on the main island of Rarotonga, snorkelling, BBQ-ing or whatever took our fancy, lager at the Rarotonga brewery. Mis planned lugagge allowances to Rarotonga meant a somewhat fraught early morning experience trying to retrieve K&As 3rd bag, but all OK in the end 😉. Then its was back to Auckland to pick up another pair of motorhomes to explore both North & South island of New Zealand, crossing between the two via the Interislander ferry. After much Boysenberry ice cream we returned to the UK via 2 weeks with family in Singapore and C&A 3 days in Hong Kong. Saw so much and had such a fun time shared with our pals. What an amazing journey - travel definately broadens the mind. NOTE: For the Big Trip All photos, videos and slideshow content on this site were taken by one of the 4 of us! A much more in depth appreciation of what we did and when can be gleaned from the diaries. I encourage you to use the dropdown menus to fully immerse yourselves in the Big Trip, we also have galleries by person as well as headlines by place visited whether country, island or state. NOTE ALSO: For the BIg Trip tablet viewing best in landscape , also on mobiles use the dropdown in the top right hand side signified by 3 lines within a square, justsaying 😉 Thanks for looking Intro HEADLINES < > 1/12 Headlines The Big Trip Overall GALLERY This Big Trip gallery covers Singapore, Australia (Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territories,Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania), The Cook Isles (Rarotonga), New Zealand (North & South Islands) & Malaysia (Desaru long weekend break with family) #TICK #TheBIGTRIP gallery of images for the Big Trip downunder 2017 created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/41 Galleries The Big Trip GALLERIES by Person Annie more images in a gallery created and uploaded by created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/36 Annie Keef images featuring Keef uploaded and created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/31 Keef Chris images of Chris uploaded and created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/21 Chris Allyson images of Allyson uploaded and created by KeefH Web Designs gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/22 Allyson Visitors to the Big Trip Visitors KeefHWebDesigns@outlook.com +44 (0) 7843962729 site created by KeefH Web Designs , Sandiacre, Derbyshire, UK please help me out by taking my KHWD survey , less that 1 min to complete, thanks Mail Contact KHWD Calendars Singapore Campsites Australia Distances Cook Isles Wildlife New Zealand Full Slideshow Malaysia SEO Links Blog - Hints & Tips - Travelling with Pals in a Motorhome Are you ready for the ultimate adventure with your friends? Picture this - cruising through the stunning landscapes of Australia and New Zealand, with your best buddies by your side, all packed in a comfortable motorhome. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, it doesn't have to stay as a dream - it can become a reality! Gather your pals and get ready to embark on the journey of a lifetime, exploring the incredible wonders of these two beautiful countries. The first step to planning this epic adventure is finding the perfect motorhome to accommodate your group. Thankfully, with the convenience of modern technology, your search has been made remarkably easy. Head over to https://www.holiday2017.co.uk/ and discover the motorhomes we hired, they may suit your needs and preferences. With different sizes and models available, you can select the ideal one that provides both comfort and space for everyone. Try folk like Transport Holdings Ltd, they run Apollo, Britz, Maui etc. Once you have secured your stylish motorhome, it's time to hit the road and enjoy the breathtaking landscapes of Australia. From the iconic Great Barrier Reef to the spectacular Uluru, this vast continent offers countless natural wonders to explore. Imagine waking up in the morning to the sound of waves crashing on the golden beaches of the Sunshine Coast or enjoying a sunset picnic overlooking the scenic Great Ocean Road. With a motorhome, you have the freedom to go wherever your heart desires, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of Australia. After you have thoroughly enjoyed the wonders of Australia, it's time to hop across the Tasman Sea and experience the awe-inspiring landscapes of New Zealand. From stunning mountains and fjords to picturesque lakes and vibrant cities, New Zealand has it all. Start your journey in the charming city of Auckland and make your way down to the adventure capital, Queenstown. Along the way, you'll encounter breathtaking sights such as the geothermal wonders of Rotorua, the majestic Milford Sound, and the stunning Franz Josef Glacier. With a motorhome, you can take your time, soak in the stunning views, and create memories to last a lifetime. One of the greatest joys of travelling with pals in a motorhome is the sense of camaraderie and freedom it offers. You get to bond over long drives, share laughter at roadside picnics, and experience the thrill of discovering hidden gems together. Plus, with the convenience of having your accommodation on wheels, there's no need to worry about booking hotels or constantly unpacking and repacking your belongings. You'll have everything you need right there with you, making every day of your journey stress-free and enjoyable. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your friends, visit https://www.holiday2017.co.uk/, and start planning your unforgettable adventure across Australia and New Zealand. Get ready to create memories, witness stunning sights, and experience the joy of travelling with your closest pals. This journey will undoubtedly be the highlight of your friendship, so don't miss out on this incredible opportunity. Start your engines and let the adventure begin! For more information contact us anytime at KeefH Web Designs , you may even want a travel blog like this to record those adventures, you take the picture and videos and we will do the rest for you, how's that? Blog Trailer Travel Photography

Sorry, This Page Can’t Be Located. HOLIDAY 2017 sends apologies but after the close down of Moonfruit by Yell and transferring my site to WIX despite my efforts to use 301 redirects it appears there is a broken link, click below to go to the new home page or search for what you want via the search button HOME SEARCH Trailer

Sadly just 3 days on route to the southern hemisphere 1st time then a much longer stay on the 2nd return visit at the end of our almost 5 months away this time around 2 glorious weeks with family. National Gallery Biennele kids exhibition, Liao Fan Michelin Hawker centre, Singapore Zoo, Wet Wet Wet (Wild) park and much more, see the videos and slideshows to get the full picture SINGAPORE - Marine Parade & About in the City 2 Visits, Start of Holiday 31 Jan-3 Feb the End of Hols 30 May - 12 Jun "Family Time with Doug, Phoenix & Charlie" INTRODUCTION - 2 visits at start and end of the holiday Stay 1 - Sadly just 3 days on route to the southern hemisphere to break the journey but it was a chance to catch up with family and see our lovely grand daughter again. Plus some good eats esp. Quentin's Eurasian with family and C&A. The Escher exhibition at Art/ Science was a particular favourite of mine. MRT coming 2023 to a station near you at Marine Parade. Love East Coast Park, helped somewhat in the jet lag stakes. Stay2 - A much longer stay this time around. 2 glorious weeks with family. National Gallery Biennale kids exhibition, Liao Fan Michelin Hawker centre, Singapore Zoo, Wet Wet Wet (Wild) park, Mustafa's, Chinatown, East Coast Park BBQ and walks, Parkway Parade, The supercool Library and a fab long weekend in Malaysia at Lotus Desaru Beach Hotel Intro Map Diary 1st part only 31st Jan to 3rd Feb , 2nd via videos and slideshows 30th May- 14th June, no time to write a diary too busy having family fun! 😉 but you can look at the slideshows and photos to get an idea of what we did, including our posh weekend away in Malaysia. Tuesday 31 January 2017 Left Keef’s mum at around 5am – still dark. Took hire car (Easi Rent) to Sheraton Skyline Hotel & dumped it off. Caught free hopper bus to Heathrow (one bus drove straight past the hotel without picking us up so had to get the next one). Met Chris & Allyson at Heathrow for our flight with Emirates to Singapore via Dubai. 9.10am departure. Very exciting & looking forward to our great adventure in the southern hemisphere. Had to change planes in Dubai. Wednesday 1 February Singapore We were met at Singapore airport by Doug at 8.30am which we were not expecting, so it was a nice surprise. Chris & Allyson took a hotel hopper bus to their hotel Grand Mercure Roxy, Marine Parade Road. We got a taxi with Doug back to their flat in Marine Terrace. Met up with Phoenix in their lovely spacious flat on the 18th floor which they had moved into last August. We went to collect Charlie from her local playgroup. So nice to see Doug & family again, although it had only been a few weeks since they were with us at Christmas/ New Year. We went out for lunch at Babalicious, East Coast Park & had Singapore chicken & rice. Then we went for a paddle in the sea nearby with Charlie and we all sat on the beach. Joined by Chris & Allyson who walked along East Coast Park from their hotel. They came back with us to the flat for a drink, although Charlie & Phoenix had returned earlier for an afternoon nap. Later in the evening we all met up with C & A at Din Tai Fung, a famous & popular Chinese dumpling/noodle restaurant chain in Parkway Parade shopping mall, opposite C & A’s hotel. Very tired – jet lag kicking in as did not get much sleep on the planes. Thursday 2 February Singapore Took Charlie to playgroup. After lunch in a food court near Marina Bay Sands Hotel that we all went to the Science/Arts Museum. Saw brilliant Future World art/light/techno installations which Charlie loved. Keef went to see the Escher art exhibition and Doug saw the Nasa exhibition. We all thoroughly enjoyed the Future World installations which was very hands-on and magical & we were in there for hours. C & A visited Gardens on the Bay which they really enjoyed. In the evening we all met up at the Eurasian Community restaurant which Doug & Phoenix had recommended. Had various curries which were very good. Charlie had not had her normal afternoon nap so very tired. We got a bus back to the flat & C & A returned to their hotel. Friday 3 February Singapore to Perth Doug had to go back to work today. He & family had just returned from a short trip to Vietnam with P’s parents on Monday 30 Jan. After Charlie’s playgroup (9.45-11.45am) we walked with Phoenix & Charlie to their local library, then had lunch in the indoor food court at Parkway Parade. Keef & I got the bus back to the flat whist Phoenix walked back so Charlie could fall asleep in the pushchair. Had afternoon nap for 1 hour as still jet-lagged. Big rainstorm. Then we took a bus & walked to meet up with C & A & Doug at the outdoor food hawker centre in east Coast Park. Doug had his cycle gear on & his 21 gear bike. Very nice BBQ chicken wings/thighs & duck satay sticks etc. Doug cycled back from the park to the flat & the rest of us got taxis. Re-packed bags & Doug ordered taxi for us to Changi airport. D & P looked after us so well & sad to say our goodbyes but at least we will visit them again for 2 weeks at the end of the trip in June. Charlie is so adorable- we love her so much (soppy grandparents!) Met with C & A at airport – our flight to Perth was at 11.40 pm Diary Photos, Slideshows and Videos (The Talkies) Slideshows gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/18 gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/1 Talkies All images Slideshow Galleries Audio Diary Trailer

The Victoria slideshow page of our holiday 2017 website gives an introduction to where we went in Victoria via our diaries, photo slideshows & pictures, the diary covers date 9th to 19th March 2017 with slideshows below each diary portion making it easy to bring to life all the words pictorally, enjoy please VICTORIA Slideshows & Diary Thursday 9 March Mount Gambier to Portland, Victoria After we had crossed the state border into Victoria & on the outskirts of Portland, the next town, we were surprised to see a lone adult koala crossing the road directly in front of us!! We had to brake in order to not run him over. I took a photo of him – gorgeous cuddly!! We stopped for fuel ($1.24 litre for diesel) & drove into the town. It’s a port with container ships but did not look that busy. We spied out a fish & chip shop on the seafront for later & then found a campsite. When we returned later at 8pm the fish shop had closed so instead we went to a restaurant further along the seafront & had barramundi, chips & salad. Back at the campsite we had a game of cards. Friday 10 March Portland- Warrnambool Sunny & hot again. After breakfast we drove to Cape Bridgwater to see the blowhole, petrified forest & seal colony. The blowhole was not very spectacular – more like a wave crashing against the rocks. We had to take a wooden boardwalk down to the viewing area & were attacked by annoying biting flies, especially as we were wearing shorts. The petrified forest was a misnomer – it was limestone rock eroded by sea water & then eroded by wind to form weird vertical tube-like shapes which were several metres tall. We saw no seals or other marine life. On the return journey we found the seal colony car park and found that to walk to it along the headland took 3 hours. We didn’t have time was we had food to buy & we were aiming to get to start the Great Ocean Road scenic route along the coast the next day. We returned to Portland & did a big food shop at Aldi (did not know that Aldi supermarkets were in Australia). When we left Portland, unbeknownst to us all at the time we got speeding fines from a camera which clocked us doing 6mph over the limit & this fine ($197 = £106) was posted to our home address in England as Britz had given the police our address. As our post was being re-directed to Craig & Leanne’s house they got the fine a couple of weeks later & e-mailed us about it. Obviously we had to pay the fine to the Victorian police. Drove to Port Fairy – a lovely little town on a river with a heritage wharf with small yachts & motor launches moored. Some of the old wooden houses looked fab with beautiful cottage gardens, white picket fences & wooden verandahs with wrought-iron work. Thought it looked a bit like New England – very pretty. Stopped at a bakery for a late lunch with seating outside & bought pies & cake. The chicken & leek pie was the worst pie I had ever had – it was mainly a glutinous white sauce. The town was busy as a 3 day folk festival was about to start with thousands of people expected. The tickets were more expensive than the Glastonbury festival. There was an afternoon concert for children with musicians singing silly songs. We couldn’t stay in the Big 4 campsite here as it was fully booked, so we decided to drive on to Warrnambool & look for a campsite near there, although we knew there wasn’t a Big 4 there. At Warrnambool we called in at the tourist info & the helpful lady there found us the last 2 available pitches at a Top Tourist campsite in town. We stayed one night & they both had en-suite loos/showers etc on the pitches. We got 10% off & the site was packed. Keef cooked pork & vegetables in a Japanese sauce with rice & I did some papaya & passionfruit for dessert. There were still people arriving with trailer tents in the dark – lots of families with kids as it was a Bank Holiday weekend in Victoria – Labor Day. Saturday 11 March Warrnambool &, Great Ocean Road to Princeton Cool but & sunny today. Set off along the Great Ocean Road, one of the top scenic coastal drives in the world and visited all the places of interest & viewpoints. This was the 3rd time Keef & I have visited. The Bay of Islands & Bay of Martyrs were spectacular rock formations along the coast. At The Grotto further along the route we saw an echidna waddling along a grassy bank next to the steps leading to the grotto. Took lots of photos. Saw a thin (pencil) black snake on the same bank. By midday the weather had warmed up & it became hot & sunny. At one of the viewpoints & spotted a creature in the grass next to the path & took a photo – it looked a bit like a rodent. It got very busy at Loch Ard Gorge as there were lots of coaches. Also very busy at the 12 Apostles – now there are only 6 rock stacks left as the rest have fallen into the sea with erosion. The visitors centre no longer has info on the rock stacks & erosion (2 cms of coast eroded a year) as it’s now a kiosk selling snacks & drinks. There were lots of signs warning about venomous snakes around the car park. It started to drizzle with rain as we left the 12 Apostles. At the end of the day we stopped at a campground in Princeton which was reached down a very short dirt road & a bridge over the Giltbrook River. The campsite was a council owned recreational ground & was only $20 a night but had no electric hook-up. We parked next to some tents. It was raining by now, but overnight it became torrential. Keef & I slept well with the rain drumming on the roof. Sunday 12 March Great Ocean Road to Geelong Awoke to see ponds had formed near our van. Some of the tents had leaked & the occupoants had spent the night in their cars. Left Princeton & drove down a secondary road to Cape Otway, through the Great Otway National Park – 11 kms. We looked out for koalas but did not see any. Near the Cape there were a lot of dead trees with no leaves. There was a charge of $19.50 (£11.70) each to visit the lighthouse which was set back from the entrance so you could not even see it from a distance. Being a Bank Holiday weekend the car park was jammed & Keef & I did not think it was worth the money to see the 1856 lighthouse. We’d been inside the similar aged lighthouse on Rottnest Island which was free to visitors. Chris & Allyson decided to do it so we agreed to meet up later in Apollo Bay further along the GOR. Keef & I returned along the road & kewpt stopping in lay-bys to look for koalas but saw none. Apollo Bay had changed considerably since we were last there in 2008 & not for the better in our opinion. Now so touristy & full of coaches, fast food joints & not attractive. Keef & I went into the tourist info centre & asked the lady if the Kennett River campsite was still operational & she confirmed it was. We then went to a supermarket to buy milk & bread & had lunch in our van. C & A used their walkie –talkie to say they were in Apollo Bay & we met up. They stayed in Apollo Bay to get some lunch & we went on to Kennett River & unfortunately found the campsite was full. While we were waiting for them to arrive by the campsite Keef & I saw some koalas in the gum trees & took some photos. One was asleep & the other was higher up eating leaves. Chris & Allyson arrived & were excited to see some koalas. A man alerted us to some other trees where a koala was eating leaves & moving around lower down the branches. At one point I thought he was going to fall but their claws are very sharp to help them cling on. Took lots of photos & video. Love those koalas – they are so adorable. Lucky to see 3 koalas at Kennett River. We carried on along the Great Ocean Road to look for another campsite & it was so busy everywhere. Gorgeous views of the blue-turquoise Southern Ocean with cliffs & waves crashing on beaches. After the town of Lorne (like Oxford Street at sale time) we decided to turn inland as it was so busy & we knew we’d never get a pitch at any campsite along the rest of the route judging by the packed sites around the Lorne area. We drove over the Otway Ranges & I saw another koala asleep in a tree branch above the road. Eventually the National Park ran out & we came to hills with fields & farms. We tried at Winchelsea to find a campsite but no luck – we were advised to go along the Princes Highway 1 towards Geelong & stay at a service station area for the night. It was free & had some toilets. Keef & I did tuna & salad wraps & papaya for dinner. Tomorrow we head into Melbourne. Monday 13 March (Bank Holiday Monday) Mount Macedon & Hanging Rock to Melbourne Another hot & sunny day. Set off north of Geelong to Mount Macedon on the Great Dividing Range. Lots of open bush as it was a national park & therefore very susceptible to bushfires. Drove through the town & on to Hanging Rock. Now you have to pay for car parking so we had to get a day ticket $10 as there was a barrier across the entrance. Keef & I went to the visitor centre again (we last climbed the Rock in 2008) & read about the book & film ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’. It was the remains of a volcanic caldera that once erupted a long time ago. Chris & Allyson followed the path to the top & they said it was busy as it was the Bank Holiday. We said we would do the picnic when they returned. Keef & I read our Kindles in the field where our vans & other cars were parked. We got quite a surprise when a large grey kangaroo suddenly bounced between the two motorhomes. It saw us sitting in our picnic chairs, skidded on the gravel edge of the car park road right next to us & then did a U-turn & hurriedly jumped back past our van when I exclaimed Oh! The roo had obviously panicked when he saw us. We knew there were kangaroos in the park as there were notices but we certainly didn’t expect to see one so close in a field with lots of vehicles parked round the edge. It’s strange how you come across wildlife when you least expect it, like the koala walking across the road. After Hanging Rock we headed south to the Big 4 campsite at Coburg, North Melbourne. We booked two nights at this campsite so we could visit Melbourne tomorrow. We could not get two pitches next to one another though. I did two loads of washing & hung it between the van & a tree & some of it was dry by the evening. Tuesday 14 March Melbourne Walked through Coburg residential area to get the tram into the city centre. A very hot day 32-33c especially as we were doing a lot of walking. Did not like the graffiti on walls, houses, shops, flats & anything that was stationary – looked tacky & unkempt. We saw Federation Square, then walked along the River Yarra to the 1950s Olympic Park, entertainment stadiums, tennis centre where the Australian Open is held, & the cricket ground. Next week-end is the Oz Grand Prix motor racing round Melbourne. Had a rest & drink to cool off in the café at the cricket ground. Allyson & Keef, who were ardent cricket fans, took lots of photos of statues of famous cricketers including one of Shane Warne complete with mullet hairstyle. A security lady was doing bag searches on everyone who went inside the building. We caught the tram from the cricket ground back to the city centre & then took the old style tram which is free around the central route. We got off at the Greek Quarter expecting to have a late lunch there. Unfortunately it had virtually disappeared as there were only two restaurants left and they were closed. The tram commentary said that Melbourne had the highest concentration of Greeks in the world after Athens. Instead we went into a Greek cake shop & had drinks, savoury filo pastries & baklava, which were tasty. Then we decided that as it was after 4pm it was not worth tramping the streets in the heat until the restaurants opened in the evening, so walked back towards Collins Street & the tram back to Coburg. On route we stopped at a pub for some cold drinks. I had pear cider and the others had beer. The pub was called James Squire who was a convict sent to Sydney with the first fleet for robbery. He set up a brewery with some hops & became a successful brewer in Parramatta. We returned on the tram in rush hour but Keef was offered a seat because he had a walking stick with him. Then a long walk back to the campsite – in all we walked 6½ miles today in the heat !! We were very tired. Did a snack supper of tea & cheese & biscuits & apple in our van as it was too dark to sit outside. Had a lovely cool shower- bliss! 9-10 Mar 2017 11-12 Mar 2017 13-14 Mar 2017 15-16 Mar 2017 Wednesday 15 March Melbourne to Gippsland & Traralgon Left Big 4 campsite & got fuel then the sat nav took us through the outskirts of Melbourne which took about an hour- a big city. Headed down the Mornington Peninsula from St Kilda (lots of tall palm tree, a funfair, beach & beautiful homes) which had a bit of a Miami vibe. We did some food shopping at Woolies in Frankston & Chris bought some more toilet blue liquid stuff at Bunnings $17.50 as our supply had run out. We ate lunch at Mornington on a picnic table & the seagulls were pestering us as we ate our roast chicken rolls. Looked at the map & decided that if we wanted to spend 2 days at Lakes Entrance then we needed to get a move on as it was 3 o’clock & we were still on the Mornington Peninsula. Decided to cut across country inland to a Big 4 campsite just off the Princes Highway at Traralgon. This was a brand new campsite $32.40 with a swim pool & excellent camp kitchen. Had burgers, potato salad, Greek salad & strawberries & nectarines. By now it was dark. I chatted to a woman from Scotland who had lived 37 years in perth & never been to Rottnest Island or Monkey Mia! Played cards. Thursday 16 March Traralgon to Lakes Entrance Keef did a bacon & egg cob for breakfast in the new camp kitchen. Drove along the Princes Highway to Sale, which used to be a busy Victorian inland port. Cargo & people used to arrive by boat through Lakes Entrance & there was also a railway line which went all the way to Melbourne. My ancestor Edwin Masters was a ship’s captain on the Emeo which carried wood & coal from Lakes Entrance to Sale in Victorian times. He lived at Lakes Entrance & died in1921. I only discovered this in my family tree research after Keef & I had already visited Sale & L/E in 2008. Saw some sulphur crested cockatoos in a tree at Sale harbour. Drove to Lakes Entrance & went to the lookout to see the sea lakes & isthmus & further down the hill we saw the entrance channel to the three lakes. We were hoping to stay at the 4* Big 4 in Lakes Entrance for two nights. It had 3 swimming pools but unfortunately it was full. We ended up in a Tops Park in the town which was small & cramped but at least they had two pitches next to each other. We decided to stay 1 night rather than 2. We walked along the foreshore & across a pedestrian bridge & saw some black swans. We crossed over the narrow sandy isthmus to the beach which was called 90 Mile Beach. Another ancestor of mine, Capt Alfred Masters who was a brother of Edwin, & had been a master mariner in the Merchant Navy in England, drowned off this beach in 1892 when his schooner carrying cargo sprang a leak & he couldn’t swim to shore. Captain Masters was only 33 & engaged to be married. The bush along the coast was not a good place to walk through due to venomous snakes & paralysis ticks. The weather was turning very windy & cool so Keef & I walked back to the motorhome whilst Chris & Allyson walked 6kms along the isthmus track. They said that there were signs warning people about snakes so good job I didn’t go. Keef & I used the camp kitchen (which was very good) & did chicken, jacket potatoes, carrots, beans & onions. 17-19 Mar 2017 Friday 17 March Lakes Entrance to Mallacoota Another day of warm weather but not as hot as previous days. We stopped four times on the journey mainly travelling along the Princes Highway. We stopped briefly in Orbost to see the tiny pioneer wood house which was original. The house once had a family with 10 children. It’s now the tourist info & the lady there recommended we go on a loop road to Marlo and Cape Conran which we decided to do. We followed the road by the bank of the mighty Snowy River (made famous by the Oz poet Banjo Patterson in ‘The Man From Snowy River’ which I read at school in Sydney). The river starts in the Snowy Mountains in NSW & empties into the Bass Strait, Victoria. Marlo was a tiny place with a little pier and we were surprised to hear a huffing noise from under the jetty. It was a large seal who was looking for fish. We saw him at very close range & he was looking at us. Liked his big eyes & long whiskers & we took some photos. The sun came out & the sea looked blue with the breakers crashing on the shore. Right near the mouth of the Snowy River we saw an old man panning for gold by using a suction tube to get the sediment from the river bed and putting it through a sieve. We went to Cape Conran but did not see any koalas. Did a short walk onto a beach which stretched for miles along the coastline. This area of coastline in Victoria is called the Wilderness Coast & mainly national park. Saw a dead seal on the beach. We rejoined the Princes Highway & stopped after Bell Bird Creek to do a rainforest walk. This was in an area called the Benum River Rainforest which was a tiny pocket of temperate rainforest with tree ferns, creepers and trees with a small stream. The walk was about a mile and some of it was boardwalk & the rest was forest track & dirt road. Luckily didn’t see any snakes. We were looking out for a duck billed platypus in the small stream and though we saw some holes in the bank we did not see any. I saw a small lizard on top of a mossy fallen tree trunk and Allyson took a photo of it. We continued along the Princes Highway & drove through virgin bush where the eucalyptus trees stretched for miles. This was called Alfred National Park & Croajingolong National Park. We drove down a side road to Gipsy Point which K & I had visited before – a quiet little sea inlet with a few homes, holiday cottages & boat jetty. The tourist brochure said that lyre birds & sea eagles could be seen here. We did see 3 large kangaroos lazing on a lawn in front of someone’s house. We carried on the route to Mallacoota & on the outskirts of the small town I saw a whole group of kangaroos in a field. We just got booked in at the Foreshore Camping Ground ($32 a night per pitch site) before they closed at 5pm. Nice views across the inlet to virgin bush, some tiny islands and the Howe Range hills in the distance. Had sausages for dinner. We are staying two nights here. Saturday 18 March At Mallacoota, Victoria all day After breakfast Chris & Allyson walked to the shops in Mallacoota and Keef & I went for a long walk (about 2 hours) around the campsite. This was a big site with 769 pitches but the facilities were very old fashioned but adequate. It was popular with fishing people who even brought their boats with their caravans. At one of the many boat jetties we saw a very large stingray come up to the surface looking for fish & crustaceans. It had orange spots/splodges on its brown back, orange under its wings & was about 3 feet across. Unfortunately Keef was not quick enough to get a photo before it swam down from the surface & away. We then walked out of one end of the campsite towards Shady Gully looking for koalas in the trees. We returned to the jetty on the way back but the ray had moved on. Then we called in at the camp reception office to ask about koalas & other wildlife. The man there was very chatty (he was a retired volunteer) but he did not know the type of stingray that we’d seen. Then he said that a koala had been spotted high up in a tree on the other side of the campsite so we walked along looking at the trees in the area specified. We saw it asleep & Keef took some pictures. We could hear the surf loudly crashing on the beach part-way across the inlet. By 1pm it started drizzling so we returned to the motorhome. Chris & Allyson returned and said they had found a good café to have breakfast tomorrow morning & they had seen a nice eco driftwood sculpture that they wanted to buy in a local art gallery. For lunch we had tuna wraps & salad. It was drizzly all afternoon so I did some cross-stitch embroidery (a Christmas sampler). Wi-fi was difficult to get into & was very erratic. We’ve had this problem in nearly all campsites where the free wi-fi is very restricted or it does not work unless you’re seated on the top of the nearest telecoms mast! Just as dusk I went back to look for the koala but he had moved away from the tree. On the way back to the motorhome I saw 11 kangaroos (including a rare albino one) feeding on a grassy plot across the road from the campsite & I took some photos. Chris & Allyson cooked fish on their campervan pull-out BBQ, with veggies & wine. Shame that the weather had turned overcast & showery later in the afternoon. We had some heavy rain during the night. Sunday 19 March Mallacoota to Pambula Beach, NSW Weather brighter & some hot sunshine later in the morning. We drove into the town & went to the café called Lucy’s for cooked breakfast which was tasty & coffee. We then drove through the residential area of Mallacoota where there was a sign by some woods which showed lyre birds were around, but we didn’t see any. Keef thought he saw a snake by someone’s front garden so we turned round the block to have another look but it had gone. Stopped at a car park at Double Creek where there were some very noisy bellbirds but no koalas Trailer

This is the Distances responsive page from our holiday travel website which is used to show both kilometer and mileage information including that which we drove ourselves plus slideshows and photos and links to all our holiday you tube playlists DISTANCES To recap we travelled in our hired motorhomes in both Australia and New Zealand on our 2017 Big Trip 9337 Miles or 15026 Kilometres, WOW! Distances travelled by Keef & Annie. NOTE Here are the distances we drove ourselves whilst on THE BIG TRIP, HOLIDAY 2017 which by implication as Chris & Allyson didn't go to Tasmania and did far more walking than us and drove the west coast of North island, New Zealand whilst we did the east coast means their total distance is likely to be some what less , but in reality probably not by that much. gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/5 Slideshow Gallery Trailer

A long weekend away in Desaru, Johor travelling by ferry from Changi ferry port by the MV Falcon 3 to Tanjung Belungkor ferry terminal in malaysia & then transported by people mover provided by hotel 35km to the beach resort. Nice facilities,2 pools MALAYSIA - Desaru Resort , Bandar Panewar,Johor Coastline 3 Day Weekend Break - 9-11 June 2017 "Family Time with Doug, Phoenix & Charlie" The Big Pool, Desaru Holiday Resort Map Diary It was a long weekend break away with family to MALAYSIA at the Desaru Resort in Bandar Panewar on the Johor Coastline. The 3 day weekend break lasted from 9th to the 11th of June. It was wonderful to spend quality time with Doug, Phoenix, and Charlie, as it was the weekend Doug didn’t have to work. We loved the big pool, there were quite a few of them with water amusements and wave machines but the Olympic size pool was my fave, as during most of the day until the cooler evening it was empty. It had good changing room facilities as well. By way of an introduction, no full Diary was written for both Singapore nor Malaysia as we were just too busy doing stuff, anyhow here are some words KeefH Web Designs put together retrospectively in 2022. It was a long weekend away in Desaru, Johor travelling by ferry from Changi ferry port by the MV Falcon 3 to Tanjung Belungkor ferry terminal in Malaysia and then transported by people mover provided by our hotel some 35km from the ferry terminal to the beach resort. It certainly had very nice facilities, 2 pools and a waterpark plus really good food provided by a variety of restaurants and a colonial feel to the lawn and buildings plus charlie loved the old fire engine and bird house. All in all a fab family weekend away. At Lotus Desaru we took some 113 images covering amongst others tangjung belangkor, ferry from changi, the reach, buffet restaurants, paw patrol, early swimming to keep cool, amusements, tigers, block e, last rivers, meals, seafood, mexican, boats, rickshaws, fire engines, parascending, seabass, seaside fun, holiday in the sun, 3 day long weekend, mv falcon 3, fireworks, waterfall, relaxation, palm trees, taxi rides, seaview restaurant, steep down to beach, teratai coffee house, hibiscus, limbongan maju, marina island, love prata, block e room 407, I’m sure there was a whole lot more but you can see those via both the slideshows and the image galleries, enjoy and thanks for looking. Diary gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/6 Slideshows Gallery The Talkies Audio Diary Trailer

The TASMANIA page of our BIG TRIP holiday 2017 website gives an introduction to where we went in Tasmania via our diaries, photo slideshows & audible videos. Some highlights were Powranna, Epping Forest, Cleveland, Campbelltown, Convicts, Nice egg and bacon pies, Wood carvings, Sunshine, Elizabeth river, Loggers, Conara, Avoca, Fingal, St Marys, Volcanic Mount, Purple possum cafe, Break O'Day municipality, Cornwall, Gray, Chain of Lagoons, Seymour, Douglas River, Tasman Highway, Bicheno TASMANIA Slideshows & Diary Early morning flight from Sydney to Launceston, Car hire, Evandale, Midland Highway, Powranna, Epping Forest, Cleveland, Campbell Town , Convicts, Nice egg and bacon pies, Wood carvings, Sunshine, Elizabeth river, Loggers, Conara, A4 Esk main road, Avoca, Fingal, St Mary's, Volcanic Mount, Purple possum café, Break O'Day municipality, Cornwall, Gray, Chain of Lagoons, Seymour, Douglas River, Tasman Highway, Bicheno, Picnics, Views, Scuba Divers, whales (if only!), Apslawn, Cranbrook, Swansea, John & Diana - so nice to see them again, wonderful hospitality, 9 mile beach, Mayfield, Rocky hill beach, Spiky bridge & beach, Swansea pier and beach, Freycinet national park, visitors centre, Wine glass bay, Cape Tourville lighthouse, the Road rage guide, Gravel roads, Friendly beaches, sunshine, fun, walks, Surfing, pristine empty beaches, Oyster bay, The Hazards, Coles bay, Triabunna , Maria island, Ferry, Tassie devils, Orford, Prosser estuary, Café, Cricket, Raspins Spit & beach & dunes, Petanque, History, East coast heritage museum @ Swansea, Tarleton , Thylacine , Family, Up early, Say goodbye, Back to Launceston Airport, John and Diana had moved to Swansea from Huonville , which is why we came into Launceston airport SEE THE FULL TASSIE EXPERIENCE, 10 Mins gallery images created by KeefH Web Designs for this Travel Photography site with care and love 1/13 Slideshows Summary Gallery The Talkies Map Audio Diary Trailer

This is the South Island New Zealand slideshow and diary page of our Big Trip holiday 2017 website that gives an introduction to where we went on South Island via our diaries, photo slideshows, galleries, talkies videos & pictures. The diaries run from 11 may to 30th when we went off to Singapore. In each segment of diary there is a slideshow which will translate pictorially what is said in the words, do hope it helps. Highlight for us were definitely a return to the magnificent Milford Sound SOUTH ISLAND, NZ Slideshows & Diary Thursday 11 May Wellington via ferry to Nelson, South Island We didn’t board until 8.30 (could have spent longer asleep) & the ferry left dead on time at 9am. Noticed several lorries carrying sheep & cows boarding the ferry. At the end of the 3½ hour voyage the car decks smelt awful! Had breakfast on the ferry & as it was still raining & windy outside we stayed in the lounge area. The sea was slightly choppy but not enough to cause people to be seasick. We were told that the winds were northerly today so it would be a good crossing across the Cook Strait. However, if the wind had been southerly then this would be a bad crossing. We relaxed & chatted for most of the journey & then chatted with a Kiwi couple from Wellington who were going to South Island for a long weekend. The 3½ hours went very quickly & the scenery coming into Queen Charlotte Sound was great. The captain had to reverse into the dock at Picton. Not a big town & the high hills were covered in dense rainforest as it was still sub-tropical vegetation – tree ferns, palm trees & creepers. We drove along the scenic Queen Charlotte Drive along all the inlets towards Havelock but it was a shame that the rain & low clouds spoilt the magnificent views along the winding road. We stopped in Havelock to have lunch at ‘The Mussel Pot’ restaurant in the main street. Apart from being the world capital of green lipped mussel farming in the bays, the town was very small. The restaurant also did other items on the menu apart from mussels. Keef & Chris both had a giant saucepan of mussels cooked in wine, garlic & herbs with chips which they really enjoyed. I had a toasted chicken, salad & mango salsa sandwich & Allyson had fish, chips & side salad. Lunch was very enjoyable & the lady serving us was very friendly & knew all about mussels & farming them. We carried on our journey through hilly forests, autumn coloured trees & pouring rain. The road was rather scary as we climbed up a mountain range with a sheer drop of hundreds of feet on the side of the road. Finally got to Nelson & the Top 10 campsite. Felt it had been quite a drive & the rain had been so heavy in places that the windscreen wipers could hardly cope. Had a well-earned cup of tea & rest. I caught up with writing this diary as I was 3 days behind & Keef saved his photos from the camera memory stick on to his laptop. Friday 12 May Nelson to Kaiteriteri We visited the WOW museum in Nelson (World of Wearable Art, classic cars & a few motorbikes). K & I had been before but it was so good that we were looking forward to going again with Chris & Allyson. It was even better this time with the displays of imaginative clothing/ costumes/hats/headgear & shoes – thought it was simply stunning. Impressed with the creativity & effort put into the costumes which were entered into various categories of a competition open to anyone across the world. The WOW idea had originated in Nelson with a woman starting a competition of ‘wearable art’ in 1987 & the museum opened in 2001. We saw the entries for 2016 –winners & runners-up in each category plus a few other entries. A guy from Derbyshire won 2nd place under the Film & Costume section with an amazing outfit for both a man & woman. Some of the selected entries & winners were really unusual – e.g a costume featuring paint brush bristles dipped in many paint colours & another had black plastic cable ties secured on black plastic tubing to create a 3D dress. All the exhibits were brilliant & there was also a film showing in a mini theatre of the 2016 awards show held in Wellington. It wasn’t just a fashion parade but had dancers, music & an animatronic tiger which sang Major Tom by David Bowie & a Frank Sinatra song. We then walked through to a large exhibition area which displayed vintage & classic cars from around the world. The cars were fab, especially the 1950s USA ones & the lovely vintage cars – all in immaculate condition. There was an additional large exhibition area which had more modern 20thc cars which the museum had acquired. Some were purchased in good condition & others needed renovation. We watched some people renovating an old Mini & another car. We were in the museum well over 2 hours & all of us enjoyed it as it was so different from the usual museum The NZ people certainly like quirky, humorous & imaginative things. Even their letter boxes & homes are quirky i.e the house by Wellington harbour which looked like two brown glass beer bottles. After the museum we drove to Countdown to do some food shopping. Had lunch in the motorhome next to Nelson’s local beach & then went for a short walk on the beach which was a long sandy crescent overlooking Tasman Bay. Nelson has a small airport & the planes were taking off & flying over the beach & out to sea. We all drove to Kaiteriteri which is at the south end of the Abel Tasman National Park. The area has a lot of apple & other fruit orchards. We booked in for 2 nights at the campsite right next by the sandy beach & it had changed a lot since we were last there (we camped in our tent). Keef & I had a stroll along the beach & read the information boards about the New Zealand Company wanting to set up a colony in Kaiteriteri after Wellington & Nelson. It also described the first meeting between the Maoris & English settlers. Again land was bought from the Maoris for next to nothing - token goods such as 1 gun, 1 axe, tobacco & a pipe were given as gifts to the local chief. After dinner Keef tried to book a boat excursion to the Abel Tasman National Park on the laptop but the wi-fi cut out twice so we decided to buy our tickets the next morning as soon as the kiosk opened. Quite a cold night – we all went off to the bar next to the campsite. They had a log burning stove which was cosy. Had some drinks but the bar closed at 10pm. Saturday 13 May Kaiteriteri & Abel Tasman National Park Got up at 7am. After breakfast Keef went & got our boat trip tickets from the operators Wilsons, who do a day trip along the coast of the Abel Tasman National Park. K & I had done the same trip before but thought it well worth seeing again. The Wilson family have been running this trip since 1841 & our trip cost $72 or £36 each for the whole day. Chris & Allyson wanted to do a boat trip + hike so they wanted to get their tickets separately when they could find out the options available that day – this was because some of the coastal walks were not passable due to tidal timetables. Allyson took ages getting their tickets & they were last on the boat- luckily the captain delayed 10 minutes. The trip was sunny but windy up on the top deck of the cruiser & the sea was calm. Because of the speed of the boat it felt cold – good job we wore our waterproof jackets. Lovely scenery along the coast & the boat crew let people off on some stops on route so they could do walking or kayaking. Saw Split Apple Rock in a small bay – a large granite boulder, 135 million years old, which had split in half down a natural fault line. The coastline had lots of islands, coves & sandy beaches. We saw some NZ fur seals on some rocks on an island. At Totaranui the boat turned round & headed back. All the coastline was granite rock with trees & hills in the distance. Chris & Allyson, plus some other people, were dropped off at a halfway point called Tonga Quarry & they walked 4.1 kms towards the boat pick up point at Medlands Beach. We saw a small cave by the shore & then Keef & I landed at Medlands Beach. Took lots of photos & then we walked 1.2 kms to Bark Bay, the next beach. The path above the rocky shore had partly collapsed at one point so we edged carefully close to the steep wooded bank. There was a Department of Conservation campsite with camp kitchen, a picnic area & flushing toilets at Bark Bay, which had a lovely sandy beach. Keef & I had lunch here on a picnic bench with a view of the bay & noticed that the tide was rapidly going out. This coastline has one of the highest tidal fluctuations in the world (according to the Wilson’s tourist leaflet). At high tide some of the beaches cannot be crossed. Some walkers who had tents & rucsacs passed us heading north & they were obviously doing the 4-6 day Abel Tasman trek. One girl with a rucsac was walking on her own. We walked along the sea inlet & saw a kingfisher catch a small fish. It was very peaceful & relaxing here & the air was so pure that mosses hung from the trees. Three hours after the boat dropped us off we re-boarded it back at Medlands Beach. Chris & Allyson had enjoyed their walk & we returned to Kaiteriteri. The whole trip lasted 6½ hours including the lunch break. On the return journey Keef & I sat downstairs under cover to keep out of the chilly wind. We noticed that most people sitting downstairs were engrossed with their phones rather than looking at the scenery & even when the boat went close up to the seals basking on the rocks. Saw a pale pink sunset over the bay from the campsite. After dinner we all thought we would return to the bar for a drink but there was a wedding reception & the outside area had a TV with rugby on & a packed out audience. We walked to another bar next door which was part of a nice looking restaurant. Unfortunately the lady behind the bar told us that they couldn’t serve alcohol without food due to their licence & the kitchen had just closed. So we went back to our motorhomes & had an early night as we were going to drive to Murchison the next day via St Arnaud (a ski resort). A cold night again but we kept the electric fan heater on low all night. Sunday 14 May Kaiteriteri to Murchison A sunny day today. We left at 9.30 after doing water refilling, & dumping waste. We drove along minor roads heading south through Woodstock (had one farm only), apple orchards & hop growing areas. Beautiful autumn colours on the trees & very low cloud in the valley – took some photos. I thought that it seemed that the clouds had fallen out of the blue sky! We drove parallel to the Arthur Range mountains & stopped to take photos. We took the small road through Golden Downs to St Arnaud. Lots of alpine houses & motels in this village. Keef & I remembered we stayed in a log cabin here when we were travelling around South Island with our tent. We stopped for a lunch break at Lake Rotoiti just outside the village & saw a mass of very large black eels from the jetty. People were feeding them bread. Also saw two swans & lots of ducks. The lake was very clear so you could see the bottom & the mountains surrounding it reminded me of a lake in Canada. Last time we were troubled by sandflies biting our legs but the local council had covered up the sandy shoreline with large gravel so much better now. We had a sandwich & cup of tea in the motorhome. Went to Lake Rotoroa & we all did a nature walk & had to cross two streams. The tree trunks had black moss & one had tiny white mushrooms (took photos) & the branches were dripping with green moss hanging down. After that we drove along the mighty Buller River to Murchison, where we stayed at the Kiwi Park campsite on the edge of town. Saw a helicopter landing & taking off nearby – probably doing scenic tours of the river gorge. Very cold at night. We played cards after dinner. Monday 15 May Murchison to Kaikoura After breakfast I fed the small rock wallaby through the paddock fence. Very cute wallaby – gave it some lettuce & cabbage. Keef took a photo. We picked up more fuel in Murchison & then followed the Buller River along to a swing bridge which crossed the deep river gorge. Cost $10 each & once we had crossed the bridge we did a circular walk through trees & shrubs. There was a waterfall & we went past old gold mining machinery. Saw a marker high on a tree which showed the level where the floodwaters rose to above the rocky sides of the gorge. Also saw a marker where the earth had been pushed up 15 ft by the earthquake in Murchison in 1929. The quake was 7.4 on the Richter scale & 17 people died. We took the road past the Victoria Range on the right to Springs Junction. We stopped at a petrol station & bought some steak & cheese pies before continuing our journey to Waiau & then on towards Kaikoura on the scenic Alpine Pacific Highway. The road still had a lot of damage from the Kaikoura earthquake last year but the damage but was slowly being repaired. A lot of bridges had been affected too & we saw landslides & even hillsides had completely collapsed. We booked into the Top 10 campsite which looked brand new – probably refurbished as the buildings were all wooden. We all walked into town to get some fish & chips. Found out that our plan to travel south from Kaikoura on Highway 1 was thwarted as this road was closed for 12 days. Unfortunately this meant that we had to return on the same road the next day. We had picked up a notification leaflet on the Interislander ferry which said that Highway 1 was now open, so contradictory advice for travellers. Walking through town we noticed some earthquake damage to some shops, some of which were propped up with scaffolding & the old hotel was roped off. The night was quite cold & I was glad of my gloves that I’d bought on North Island. Tuesday 16 May Kaikoura to Christchurch Went along the beach road out to the seal colony. There were lots of big waves pounding the rocks & we noticed the smell of sewage which was coming from rock pools near the car park. The sewage pipes from the nearby public toilets must have been cracked from the earthquake. Because of the sewage leakage from the sea the Council had imposed a total ban on any fishing from the date of the earthquake until further notice. The fish (with chips) we ate last night must have been transported to the town from elsewhere. It showed how a major earthquake not only affects buildings above ground but gas, water & sewage pipes under ground too. The views of the bay were lovely as it was sunny & we saw some seals on the rocks & a few basking in the sun on the boardwalk next to the other end of the car park. We left Kaikoura on the same road we arrived on (it was 88kms long) but were held up by a very large herd of Friesian cows which were being moved alongside the road on the grass verge for several miles to another field. The cows sometimes crossed the road in front of us & some even stood in the middle of the road! Eventually we got to Wairu & turned towards Parnassus. Highway 1 from this point southwards was practically deserted. We were on a temporary bridge & next to it was the original bridge which was very badly damaged by the quake. It had a huge crack, the side had fallen away & the crash barrier was broken & buckled. We soon came to a wine growing area. The traffic increased as we reached the outer regions of Christchurch. We were trying to hurry to get to the Britz office to get some repairs done on our motorhomes & exchange our bedlinen & towels. Chris & Allyson’s van needed a new headlight bulb & brake shoe plus a tyre jack as the other one had broken. Our van needed the sat nav replacing as the one screw remaining meant it kept wobbling around on its bracket & twisting upside down. Also we asked for a replacement light bulb for inside our van plus a manual for the Mercedes Sprinter. Britz staff took both our motorhomes away into their workshop for the repairs whilst we sat & had coffee & hot chocolate (free). We were told we couldn’t have the instruction manual as there wasn’t one (for previous hires with Britz we always had a manual in the glove box). Keef & I also decided to ditch our two folding chairs & outside table & pedal bin as we found they took up too much space & we weren’t eating & sitting around outside anymore. Once we had sorted out our vans we drove to the Top 10 campsite in Papanui, Christchurch. It was quite a busy site & had an indoor swimming pool (which we didn’t use). A coach load of noisy school kids arrived the same time as us to check in at reception. They were screaming & shouting until it suddenly went quiet – someone must have told them to shut up. Wednesday 17 May Christchurch Keef did a full English cooked breakfast in our van & then we all got the bus near the campsite into Christchurch. The bus station looked brand new & very modern. I asked a man for directions to Cathedral Square & when we got there Keef & I were shocked at how the 2011 earthquake had changed the city compared to our visit nearly 10 years ago. The cathedral was a ruin & fenced off as unsafe to walk near. Tall weeds were growing in the paving & all the lovely bedding plants & flowers were no more it looked very sad. Lots of buildings were still being knocked down as they were beyond repair after the 6.9 quake. There had been a previous quake in 2010 in the area which was 7.8 but it was the 2011 that had caused so much devastation to the city & suburbs & 185 people died. The large loss of life occurred because the quake hit at lunchtime on a weekday. One building collapsed to dust & two buses were completely crushed by falling masonry. The epicentre was in Lyttelton harbour near the SE suburbs & there were thousands of aftershocks up to a year later. This was the port for Christchurch & after 2011 no more cruise ships visited. There was another minor quake in 2016. We remember the road to the harbour being very steep downhill & a lot of homes were severely damaged there & had to be demolished. There were a lot of vacant spaces in the city centre where buildings had collapsed. However, there was a lot of re-building going on with a new library, bank & conference centre started & work ongoing. There were signs of Christchurchs re-emergence from the disaster but after 6 years things seemed very slow. We walked to see the Avon River where before the quakes tourists could get a punt ride but now this area looked so neglected – the grassy banks used to have manicured lawns with flower beds but not any more. Christchurch was proud of its floral displays in the past but other things are more important now. We all took a vintage tram ride round the city & the commentary from the tram driver was very good. The trams only started running again a couple of years ago. The city centre by the cathedral looked deserted apart from a couple of other tourists, when K & I saw it before the quake it was so vibrant & bustling. We went round the whole tram route once (it took about 40 minutes because it was going slow) & then we got off at the shopping area where shipping containers had been pressed into service as temporary shops. After the 2011 quake the council brought in the containers to act as temporary shops & cafes. They were painted bright colours & had glass sides & looked very god. There was lots of art work painted on city walls & sculptures too. The most evocative "sculpture" was 185 white chairs to represent every adult & child who had died awful to see a white baby car seat, a toddler's high chair plus old style white wingback armchairs for elderly people. Some tourists from around the world had died too as the cathedral partly collapsing probably caused a lot of deaths & injuries. Chris & Allyson went off round the shops & we arranged to meet them later in the Quake City museum which covered the 2011 earthquake. Keef & I found that apart from the factua details about the event & its aftermath, the most poignant part was the section on people's first hand accounts & of the search & rescue afterwards. The specialist rescue teams came from Australia, the UK, Japan & Singapore. Although New Zealanders were used to tremors & quakes they were shocked at the devastation caused & loss of life. Chris & Allyson arrived at the museum some time after us & they had to hurry through as the museum was about to close. We all walked to the new church built entirely out of cardboard & then went for a meal at a Mexican restaurant. Apart from the rain the previous evening & this morning it was dry all day in Christchurch although it was overcast. We had some light rain from 5pm . We got the bus from the bus station back to the campsite. We did a lovely Skype with Craig & family (it was Bill's 70th birthday today) & Phoenix & Charlie joined in too. Thursday 18 May Christchurch, via Arthurs Pass to Hokitika We departed Christchurch & got more fuel. Headed west towards Arthur's Pass but at the airport roundabout Chris & Allyson who were following us missed us turning off. We thought they must have seen where we turned & we carried on but further round the airfield we realised they weren't behind us. There was no response from them when we called them on the walkie talkie. Got worried after waiting a few minutes, then we turned back & returned to the roundabout but couldn't see them anywhere. Eventually managed to contact them & they had got lost but were OK. We met up with them again when they turned up at a bakery a few kms further along the road which was famous for pies! We drove from the east side of NZ to the west coast across Arthurs' Pass, the highest pass over the Southern Alps. In the past Keef & I had done the road journey before in rain & mist & had also taken the return train trip from Christchurch to Greymouth as well. Arthur Dobson had surveyed the Pass in 1864 & the road was built the following year which was quite a feat. The road linked Christchurch with the goldfields on the west coast & it took 1,000 men to build it. As we drove through the National Park we stopped & took lots of photos as the scenery was spectacular & the weather was sunny with blue sky. The mountains were about 2,000 m high & some had snow on the top. At Arthur's pass village/railway station we met up with Chris & Allyson again & did a short walk to a waterfall just outside the village called Devil's punchbowl. Prior to that Keef & I had gone into the tourist info centre & saw a display about the Cobb & Co stagecoaches that did the same journey from coast to coast in 3 days. The coach with 5 horses held 9 people inside & 8 rode up top. In the old days the journey on rough stone tracks must have been arduous & hair-raising, especially going through gorges & steep inclines. Nowadays the road trip takes 3hours 50 mins from Christchurch to Hokitika, although it took Keef & I longer because we kept stopping to admire the scenery & take lots of photos. After Arthur's Pass (2,275m above sea level) we went through Otira Gorge where a modern bridge/ viaduct snaked through on huge concrete support legs. We were lucky that the journey on this occasion was such good weather. At the end of the highway we turned left to Hokitika & Chris & Allyson had decided when we were at Otira Gorge to visit Greymouth. We arranged to meet up with them at the campsite. Hokitika was a small town with lots of crafts people doing glass blowing, art & carving greenstone. K & I drove to the beach as the wind was extremely strong & we watched the waves of the Tasman Sea crash onto the shore. We drove to the campsite just out of town called Hokitika Holiday Park & met up with C & A at the check-in desk. After a cup of tea, Allyson, Keef & I went off to see the glow worm dell when it got dark. It was outside the town & we parked & walked up the path & saw lots of glowing tiny white lights in the darkness amongst the vegetation. The glow worms are the larvae of the gnat fly & produce a tiny white pinprick of light. Massed together it looked magical. I nearly bumped into 2 other people who were watching them by the fence as it was pitch black. Luckily we took a torch & Allyson had the flashlight on her phone to find our way. The campsite had a well-equipped kitchen & lounge area with sofas & a gas fire. As it was very windy & rainy we cooked & ate our dinner there as it was so cosy. After dinner we discussed the route for the remainder of our holiday. Very windy night & heavy rain. Friday 19 May Hokitika to Franz Josef Glacier After breakfast we went back to see the town again & the rough seas & gales had died down. Drove along the highway to Ross, a heritage gold mining town which had some old wooden Victorian buildings. We wanted to go into the museum & look around & Chris & Allyson decided to go straight to the glacier to do a long walk. Keef & I saw a replica of a huge gold nugget that had been found in the hillside by the town , it weighed over 2 kg. The museum was small but interesting & there were lots of old photographs of the miners & information about the goldrush which brought prospectors from all over the world, including Australia, UK & China. We watched a video about the town & gold mining. A coach load of tourists from China came through the museum to have a try at gold panning in the sluice at the back. The museum lady told us that as gold retrieval techniques improved & better & more mechanised equipment was used, open cast mining methods were used. There was a massive hole in the ground (it looked like a quarry) behind the museum & a residential street where gold was extracted. Keef & I walked along the heritage trail & saw the open cast mine had been filled in with water. There was still gold mining going on outside the town (another huge hole being slowly excavated). The local newspaper article in the museum stated that the mining experts estimated that Ross was sitting on $700 million worth of gold!!! It could end up like Kalgoorlie in W Australia with a huge super pit next to the little town. We stopped again on the highway at Harihari to read some history boards about a 21 year old Aussie called Guy Menzies who decided to fly solo across the Tasman Sea from Sydney to New Zealand without telling anyone, not even his parents. He had told everyone he was going from Sydney to Perth! He wanted to be the first person to attempt the flight in 1931 & nearly had a disaster with storms, running out of fuel & poor visibility. He was aiming for Blenheim on the east coast of South Island but instead survived a crash into a swamp at Harihari on the west coast. The plane was recovered & was displayed under cover in a small building. it looked not much bigger than our motorhome! He joined the NZ airforce & his plane was shot down in Sicily during WWII. We stopped to have lunch by a river where the glacial water was an unbelievable turquoise colour! It was raining but occasionally the sun came out. Saw three separate rainbows today. Caught a brief glimpse of Mt Cook's peak, covered in snow, but then it was covered by cloud. Drove on to the Franz Josef Glacier which was not far from the coast. Nice route through ferns, tree ferns & some palm trees. We parked our van & followed the path to the lookout but we were astounded to see that after 10 years the glacier had retreated so far back up the valley that it was small & high up on a cliff. Big disappointment. When we had last seen it there was a huge mass of ice that covered both sides of the valley floor & there was a wooden viewing platform at the base. Now the path had extended to along the valley floor so it took 1½ hours to get to the base of the cliff & return. Good job we saw it when we did years ago because global warming has obviously had a big effect on the glacier melt & retreat, with less snow to keep the glacier moving forward. We decided to look at our own old photos of the glacier when we got to the next campsite. The rain was constant & we decided to go to the Top 10 campsite just outside the village. Chris & Allyson arrived at the site reception the same time as us. Still raining, although not that cold. Still autumn colour on the trees. Winter doesn't officially start until 1 June! Saturday 20 May Franz Josef Glacier to Haast Quite cold during the night – weather forecast said it was 0c in the village overnight. After breakfast we went into the village to buy a few supplies such as milk & cereal whilst C & A went off to the Fox Glacier for a walk. We also picked up more diesel. Very sunny this morning with blue sky. We drove to Fox Glacier & saw several waterfalls down a sheer rock face by the river. There was a small lake by the car park which was an azure blue & so clear you could see stones on the bottom. We saw from the photo on the information board that the Fox Glacier had receded enormously from 2008 to 2014.We visited it in 2008 & the glacier reached down to the valley floor but now it was high up & miles away. Keef’s knees were very painful yesterday on the downhill bit of the path to Franz Josef Glacier, so the steep path down from the car park area to the valley floor he couldn’t manage. They should install a zip wire for pensioners. As we had seen it before (when it actually looked like a glacier flowing into the valley) we decided to move on to Lake Matheson. Did the same walk as last time round the lake which was beautiful with the dripping mosses & ferns on the trees. A young couple from Melbourne took our photo with Mt Cook & other mountains in the background which had snow on the peaks. We took their photo too. Had coffee in the café/restaurant by the lake. We continued our journey with temperate rainforest on either side of the road – green ferns, tree ferns & the odd small palm tree. Strange to see such lush vegetation & tropical palms with huge mountains over 2,000 m high with snow. We stopped at Bruce bay for lunch in the motorhome & watched the waves. Lots of driftwood washed up on the beach with Rimu trees behind. This beach was voted one of the top 10 beaches in New Zealand. The road went through the valley with huge mountains on our left & the sea on our right. We paused at a viewpoint called Knights Point & saw a whale & calf out to sea. First we thought it was waves crashing over rocks but realised that the object was moving. The whales were moving near the surface & I saw them through our binoculars when they came up to breathe. The smaller of the two whales kept very close to the other one. We later learned that they were humpback whales. Stopped at 4.45pm at the Top 10 campsite at Haast, which was a new site added to an existing motel in 2011. Tried to do some laundry but both washing machines were being used. C & A had arrived as we were off to the laundry so that was good timing. They had enjoyed their day walking to the glacier & the Lake Matheson walk. The sunshine has been lovely today & only a light breeze. The electric hook-up for our van did not work so we had to move pitches as the staff on reception couldn’t fix the problem. After a cup of tea & chat about our respective day, Keef cooked the dinner tonight. Laura & Ben’s wedding was in Brighton Pavillion today. We sent them an e-card with love & best wishes. Sunday 21 May Haast to Wanaka When I went to have my shower I had to switch the heating on in the Ladies as it was very cold overnight. The facilities at the Top 10, incl kitchen & lounge area, were all within a metal aircraft hangar with very high ceilings. The resident cat (which was so huge it looked like a dog) was purring & rubbing against our legs obviously looking to hitch a ride in our van. Chris & Allyson said they were going along the highway to Wanaka & we agreed we would meet up at Wanaka Top 10 campsite. K & I decided to drive along the coast to Jackson Bay which we’d not been to before. The small road took us over bridges where there were metal gantries suspended over the rivers. The fishermen suspended fine nets into the river to catch whitebait. There was a house selling whitebait along the route. The road was virtually deserted & we went through a few very small communities with one school, a few holiday homes & a farm. Very sunny weather today & glorious views of some snow capped mountains. The sea was calm & Haast beach had an estuary too big to cross. Lots of driftwood cast up on other bays. Just before we reached Jackson Bay at the end of the road I looked out to sea with our binoculars & saw a whale. It was splashing on the surface & I saw its fluke. Keef saw it as well. We drove the last few kms into Jackson Bay township where there was a café, a few houses, public toilet & lots of lobster pots & sheds. The place was deserted & peaceful with lovely views of the bay & mountains. We walked to the end of the long jetty to see if we could get a better view of the whale but we were at the wrong angle. Jackson Bay had a Maori settlement there for 700 years & the people caught seals for meat & used the bones for fishing hooks. Then the whalers arrived & also killed seals for their skins. The seals had disappeared but we were pleased to see the humpback whale at least. A fantail bird landed on Keef’s arm & then kept flying around & over us – they are such friendly little birds with no fear of humans. I read somewhere that they are drawn to humans walking because insects are disturbed which they can eat. We left Jackson Bay & drove through Haast Pass which had amazing scenery & majestic mountains. We had our lunch in a picnic rest spot & then carried on to Lake Wanaka, which we’d visited before. This massive lake is the biggest on South Island & had a twisting road along one side. Some of the rock face had been blasted out in order to build the road, which was finished in 1995 to Wanaka town. Picture postcard stuff & the mountains on either side of the lake made a perfect backdrop. Then the road skirted along one side of Lake Hawea towards Wanaka. We stopped several times to take photos as it was so sunny. In the shade of the mountains the temperature dropped & it felt chilly. We went into Lake Hawea township & I remembered we had called in at the general store/ café for an icecream about 10 years ago. We carried on to the Top 10 campsite on the outskirts of Wanaka & arrived at 4.45pm. It turned very cold & it was going to be -2c overnight according to the lady in reception. We were now in the mountains & about an hour from Queenstown & The Remarkables (ski area). The ski season does not start until June & there are still some lovely autumn tints on the trees. Yet at Jackson Bay on the west coast we saw hydrangea shrubs in full bloom & huge tree ferns, but now the vegetation has turned to alpine within 194 kms. Monday 22 May Wanaka to Queenstown When I got up this morning there was a thin layer of frost on the picnic tables but not on the grass. Very sunny though. After breakfast we all drove into Wanaka & did some food shopping in New World supermarket for the next few days. Chris & Allyson then went off to Queenstown while we had a quick look around Wanaka which had expanded since we were last there. We agreed to meet up with C & A at Queenstown Top 10. K & I then took the scenic route on Highway 6 towards Cromwell & then Queenstown as we had spent 3 days camping in Queenstown Top 10 & had a good look round the town & did the Lord of the Rings tour round the whole area including Arrowtown. We passed vineyards, cherry, apple & pear trees in the valley with huge mountain ranges either side of us (some of them had snow on top). We crossed the 45th Parallel which is the half-way latitude meridian between the Equator & the South Pole. Took some photos of the sign at the side of the road. In Cromwell, a former gold mining town, we stopped at a bakery & then had lunch. We drove to the historic part of Cromwell which was established around 1860 as a Cobb & Co stagecoach stopover from Dunedin to Queenstown, a journey of 2 days. There were many stone walled houses with tin roofs & chimneys & were open to the public (free). There was a general store, livery stable, a newspaper office & printing press, plus some small shops & cottages. Also we saw some old wagons, bicycles & an original Cobb & Co stagecoach. Cromwell is situated on Lake Dunstan & is very scenic with the mountain backdrop & autumn colours on the trees. Blue sky, fluffy white clouds & warm in the sunshine. We drove on towards Queenstown along Highway 6 & followed the Kawarau Gorge & river. We could see some of the old gold workings along the upper regions of the gorge (called the Otago gold rush in the old days) & then stopped at Roaring Meg rapids. Further up the river a hydro-electric plant had been built but wasn’t visible from the viewpoint at Roaring Meg. The gorge got steeper & the road snaked along the edge – good job Keef couldn’t look down as he was concentrating on driving. We stopped at AJ Hackett’s original bungy jumping bridge by the same gorge. We watched from a viewing balcony at AJ Hackett’s a young couple doing a tandem bungy & then another man bungy jumped & actually dipped in the river 43 metres below. The jumpers were then lowered into a rubber dinghy & taken to the steps at the bottom of the gorge. A new zip wire experience had been introduced in 2010 which went across the canyon quite a long way. We chatted to a female employee on the viewing deck & she offered to take our photo. From the gorge the road went past more wineries & cheese factories & we went straight to the Top 10 campsite near the Shotover River. We noticed that after 10 years the whole region had expanded with housing estates & vineyards (there were none in 2008). Also the campsite had become much smaller because the land had been sold off for housing. The wonderful camp kitchen/lounge was still the same though. Also there were new shower areas. I did some laundry but there was no wind & the sun had disappeared so I took it off the line later & left most of it in a bag in the motorhome & pinned some up inside the van. Chris & Allyson arrived after dark & Keef cooked butter chicken & rice in the camp kitchen. Then we all sat round the cosy wood burner fire on the sofas. As we were planning to leave early the next day we went to bed early. Tuesday 23 May Queenstown to Milford Sound It’s Craig’s 35th birthday today (we sent him an e-card & a money transfer towards a new bike). Overcast skies. I woke up at 6.15am so decided to get up anyway. We arranged to meet up at the campsite at Milford Sound in the evening. Keef & I left the campsite at 8.15am heading to Milford Sound which was 291 kms away. We knew this would be a 5 hour journey at least & more with rest stops & lunch break. We found that rush hour work traffic was coming into Queenstown at that time but luckily we were going in the opposite direction. Queenstown counts as a city now with its own domestic airport & sprawling residential areas. Once we had passed through Queenstown, the views of The Remarkables & Lake Wakatipu were amazing. Queenstown itself, though not attractive, is surrounded by spectacular scenery. Adrenalin sports lure mainly young people to this area & there are lots of ski areas. The lake is massive – narrow but very long with a dog-leg halfway along. The road hugged the lake all the way to Kingston & then we went through a valley with small townships & sheep farms. We saw the remains of snowfall near an old railway bridge which now forms part of a cycle route. Highway 6 ended when we turned off towards Mossburn. We had a delay with cows on the road being moved to a new field (they were beef cattle) & the people moving them had a job to keep them together. At Mossburn we took Highway 94 to Te Anau, which was still the same as we remembered it – we had camped 2 nights there before. We had a coffee & then walked past the shops to the huge lake called Lake Te Anau. There was a jetty with a tourist boat which did excursions & a float plane. Te Anau town is at the southern end of the lake & water taxis ferry hikers to the Kepler Track & at the northern end the Milford Track ended by the lake. We spent about an hour in Te Anau which broke the journey up. The road followed the massive lake for miles & then headed through grasslands with high mountain ranges all around. The route map showed the distance between Te Anau & Milford Sound was 121 kms, but the travelling time was 2 hours. We entered the Fiordland National Park & there was no habitation anywhere. A true wilderness region & still unspoilt, apart from the road to Milford Sound which half a million tourists travel to view the Sound which ends in the Tasman Sea. The valley floor where the road went had yellow grasses & red tullock grasses & small lakes. The mountains were covered in a light dusting of snow almost like someone had sprinkled icing sugar on them. There were rest areas & short walks to small lakes & waterfalls. At one rest area there were some Keas, small alpine parrots, who were entertaining the tourists with their antics. They were hopping around & occasionally flew on top of a car. Their wings are red underneath & their backs have green/brown feathers. They have very sharp beaks & eat plants & nectar. They have become used to humans & vehicles & cheekily perch on mirrors looking inside. They are looking for humans to feed them & it’s unfortunate that they hang around tourist rest stops. The Dept of Conservation notices advise tourists not to feed the parrots & today we saw no one feeding them which was good. Food such as bread is very bad for their digestive system. The Keas are rather cheeky birds & can be quite destructive by ripping rubber trim from car roofs. Luckily our hired motorhome does not have rubber trim on the roof! We decided to do some of the short walks on our return journey to Te Anau the next day after seeing Milford Sound. Keef & I had lunch organised in the van in a rest area when the Keas became so pesty that we had to put the stuff in the sink & quickly drink our squash in order to drive away to escape them. We stopped just before the Homer Tunnel (dug out of the mountain by pickaxe from 1936 to 1954). We watched the Keas again & then on the other side of the tunnel the road zig-zagged down the steep mountain to the valley below. The waterfalls cascading down the sheer granite rock were impressive & bridges crossed gushing streams strewn with huge boulders. When we arrived at Milford Sound we decided to check out the cruise terminal before we went to our campsite for the night. Apart from a member of staff in the booking hall there was no one there at all. We took a look at the cruisers moored at the dock & as Keef had already booked & paid for our tickets (+ C & A’s as well) online in Wanaka we wanted to find out what the boarding time was for the next morning. We were told to arrive by 10.10am for the 10.30 trip. We had booked a nature cruise with Real Journeys, a local family run company who had been operating the cruises since 1954. We were told to collect our tickets at the desk the next morning. Keef & I walked along the wooden boardwalk which had wonderful views of the Sound & Mitre Peak, which is one mile high. The tide was out & there were no other tourists around. However, seeing 27 coach bays at the cruise terminal led us to think that the 10.30am trip was going to be packed, although we were out of the main tourist season. We drove back along the road & saw where the staff that work at Milford Sound lived. They lived in little houses right next to the airport strip. We went to the campsite to check in. Keef had already booked & paid for both van pitches in Wanaka in case it was busy. It was called Milford Sound Lodge – a motel in the trees with a restaurant & bar & also pitches set amongst the trees with electric hook-up for motorhomes. There were unisex toilets cubicles & showers, with a good kitchen & dining/lounge area for campers. There was nowhere for tents to be pitched. The cost of each pitch was $54 for 2 people+ motorhome. We arrived about 5.20pm & made a cup of tea. C & A arrived when it was dark. They had done two of the very short walks on the Milford Road – Mirror lakes & The Chasm. We all had a good day driving to Milford. As the camp kitchen was busy with other people cooking their meals we ate in Chris & Allyson’s van & then we had a game of cards. The campsite was full up so good job we had booked ahead & this was the only campsite there as well. We had some light rain overnight but it wasn’t cold. Wednesday 24 May Milford Sound to Te Anau Drove down to the car park near the cruise boat jetty & then walked along the boardwalk. Keef collected our tickets from the cruise desk in the terminal. Our cruise boat was called ‘Milford mariner’ & it had masts but the sails were tightly furled. The boat was quite large & had several decks with an indoor lounge area & some bench seating on the upper deck. The boat left at 10.30am & the trip lasted 2 hours. It was a nature cruise & there was an excellent commentary by a guy who knew about the sea life, geology, plants etc. The day was sunny with not much wind, but as there had not been much rain there weren’t so many waterfalls. When Keef & I did the same trip previously the waterfalls were amazing because of the torrential rain on the journey from Te Anau but we were lucky as the cruise then was in bright sunshine. One of the waterfalls called Sterling Falls, was as tall as a 50 storey building but it was dwarfed by the huge sheer rock walls of the fiord. The magnificent scenery was awe inspiring & jaw dropping – no wonder it’s considered to be one of the natural wonders of the world. We spotted a dolphin jumping in front of the boat’s prow. The boat steered us very close to one of the tall thin waterfalls. We were told that the fiord was 16kms long & Milford Sound received 9.2 metres of rain last year. The average rainfall was 7 metres per annum & it rains 200 days of the year on average. So it’s one of the wettest places on earth & we were lucky to visit today in the sunshine. The Aussie guy doing the commentary told me that humpback whales go past the fiord as part of their migration route but on one occasion one whale got lost & ended up close to the boat jetty. Luckily it managed to steer back out to sea. He said that on another occasion a pod of killer whales came into the fiord. The boat headed out to the head of the fiord & we saw another dolphin (although it may have been the same one we saw before) & two albatross (a smaller variety). We did not see any seals on the journey out to sea because of the sheer rock face but on our return we did see four NZ fur seals close-up which were basking on a flat rock. Despite the fact that the sides of the fiord were solid granite rock it was surprising that there was a lot of greenery with mosses & plants clinging on. On the return journey back to the cruise terminal, Keef & I had a coffee in the saloon lounge & then went back on deck to see the Bowen Falls. The guy doing the commentary told us that a woman had para-glided off the rock cliff into the water & survived. He didn’t explain hoe she got to the top of the sheer cliff!! We all thoroughly enjoyed the cruise & scenery & were pleased we went with Real Journeys which was well worth the price – we felt so small compared to the towering cliffs of the fiord. When we were walking back to our vans we saw a white heron in the water at the edge of the fiord. Keef & I wanted to do some of the short walks on the way back to Te Anau & Chris & Allyson had already done these yesterday so we agreed to meet up at the campsite at Te Anau. Keef & I stopped at The Chasm & did the 20minute circular walk to a narrow channel between rock walls and boulders where water was gushing through. A small bridge went over the stream & it was so wet that the trees had moss growing on the trunks & dangling from the branches. We returned to our motorhome for lunch & a Kea hopped over to see us. Luckily this parrot wasn’t quite so pesty & we watched him whilst eating our sandwiches. We stopped again on the other side of the Homer Tunnel to watch the Keas. Two of the parrots were attacking a plastic sack on a workman’s truck which they were oblivious to & then the birds flew to our mirrors & were looking in & trying to peck at the rubber trim (I checked later & there was no damage). Then they flew to the roof of our motorhome & we could hear them scampering along. Some other people in a car next to us had their rubber trim on their roof peeled halfway off by one naughty parrot. We stopped to take photos on route & then did the 5 minute Mirror Lakes walk further on. This boardwalk was next to some small ponds which had fallen logs & leaf debris in the bottom. This created a dark background for the mirrored image of the snow capped mountains. We arrived at Te Anau Top 10 campsite at 4.45pm having stopped at the local supermarket to buy some provisions. We had camped there in the past & some of the roses on the trellis dividing some of the pitches were still in flower. The main kitchen, TV room & shower block were still the same but a small two shower/ two toilet block & kitchen had been added near to our pitch. We all had our meal in the kitchen & then had a cup of tea & played cards. Quite a busy day & very enjoyable. 11-12 May 2017 13 May 2017 14-15 May 2017 16-17 May 2017 18 May 2017 19-20 May 2017 21 May 2017 22 May 2017 23 May 2017 24 May 2017 25-26 May 2017 Thursday 25 May Te Anau to Dunedin (Portobello) Chris & Allyson decided to backtrack & head north to Queenstown as they had not seen everything the other day. This was a 168km journey & they were planning to spend the night at Queenstown again. They were going to meet up with us again at the Portobello campsite on the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin on Friday evening. Keef & I went from Te Anau to Gore through farmland, with mountains in the distance. We stopped briefly at Gore. Then we stopped for lunch at Balclutha & had fish & chips. The fish was Blue Cod which was delicious & the batter was nice & crispy. We then headed north through Milton to Dunedin. We went to the Kiwi Parks campsite at Portobello on the winding road round the famous Otago Peninsula which created a massive harbour & port. The port was called Port Chalmers which was on the other side of the peninsula & halfway along from the city. We checked into the campsite at 4.20pm & then drove on to the furthest part of the peninsula called Taiaroa. We wanted to book tickets to see the Little Blue Penguins, which are the world’s smallest penguin. We had seen them here on our previous holiday in South Island but wanted to visit again. Penguin viewing took place at 5.30pm (dusk) at Pilots Beach. We parked & bought our tickets from the Royal Albatross Colony shop. It cost $30 (£15) each to see the penguins & we had to wait for about 25 minutes before the guides/ wardens took us down lots of wooden steps & gravel paths to the wooden viewing platform. There were three female guides who gave us lots of information about the penguins. These little penguins can travel up to 25 kms out to sea to feed all day & then return to their burrows once it got dark. There were only about six people with us so we all got a good viewpoint. Saw a large seal on the rocks by the little beach (Pilots Beach) but he slid into the sea before the penguins arrived. The main threat to the little penguins is sealions which eat them. About 5.45pm the first penguin appeared followed by several others. They waddled right past us from the sand & rocks on the beach & then jumped up a shelf on the sand. Then they disappeared into the grassy sand dunes to the safety of their burrows for the night. They were so adorable & cute as they were very small & they squeaked & shrilled to one another. Eventually more penguins arrived – altogether we saw 24 Little Blue penguins come out of the waves & come up the beach past us to their burrows. We could see them very clearly as there was soft lighting under the wooden platform where we stood, which the wardens said was the equivalent to moonlight so did not worry the penguins. Each penguin knew where it was going for the night. They rest in the sand dunes & then go out again from 2am onwards to fish but sometimes they stay in their burrows. We drove back to the campsite & felt happy that we’d seen the penguins in their natural habitat – a lovely experience. Friday 26 May Portobello, Otago Peninsula Weather sunny today with blue sky. After breakfast Keef & I drove along the peninsula road & we stopped at Taiaroa head again but this time walked down to the viewing platform on the ocean side. Couldn’t see any whales or seals but saw a Royal Albatross wheeling high in the sky. We returned to Harwood (residential area) by the sea & looked around. Saw a small glass fronted cupboard on a pole printed in tiger stripes – very intriguing & quirky - inside were books for people to exchange. We drove along Weir Road, a gravel road, to Papanui Inlet where there were herons in the shallow water as the tide was out. We then headed around the inlet on the narrow gravel road & took another road to Hoopers Inlet, another tidal area & parked at Allans Beach. Some farmers were doing sheep shearing & their sheep dogs were very well trained. Signs on the beach warned of sealions being dangerous if you got too near as they could charge & bite you. Unfortunately there weren’t any sealions but the beach was lovely with fine sand. Spoke to another tourist who said that a tourist information lady had advised him that there were sealions in Sandfly Bay. We drove up Highcliff Road which we had remembered was very twisty, narrow, with sheer drops to fields below. There had been some ‘wash-outs’ where rain had washed the edge of the road away. We parked at the end of Seal point Road & looked out from the cliffs to the sea. The beach was a very long way down & the path was too steep for Keef’s bad knees to cope with. Also there was a shallow river to wade across in order to get to the beach. It was too far away to even see properly through the binoculars. We decided to go into Dunedin at 4.20pm & saw Chris & Allyson driving towards us but they didn’t notice us waving. They had driven from Queenstown today, a distance of 237kms. We drove around the city centre & then through the Botanical Gardens & up to Signal Hill to get superb views of Dunedin & the whole peninsula. We had forgotten how steep the road was up Signal Hill (last time we were in a car). Dunedin is surrounded by steep hills & some houses were perched rather dangerously on the edge of the roadside with a sheer drop down to the bottom of the valley. Dunedin is in an earthquake zone being on the Pacific Rim. The streetlights were just beginning to come on & Dunedin looked very pretty by the harbour. We drove down Blacks Road in the city suburbs which was very steep but the steepest street in the world officially is Baldwin Street which was two streets away. We sensibly parked at the bottom of Baldwin Street which is 1:2 gradient (or 1:2.86 to be precise) according to the city council & Guiness Book of Records. This certainly was a steep residential street!! We saw the famous Dunedin railway station again from the outside. Apparently this Victorian building is the most photographed in all of New Zealand according to the city tourist brochure. We returned along the Otago Peninsula road to the campsite & were surprised to see that C & A were in the campsite as we thought they were going to see the Little Blue penguins at 5.30pm as Allyson had asked us about it. Chris cooked Thai chicken curry with rice. A cold night. Saturday 27 May Portobello to Oamaru Bright & sunny today. After breakfast we headed back into Dunedin & looked at some of the art work painted on the sides of city buildings. C & A had only arrived at 4.30pm so they had not had a chance to see the peninsula. They wanted to do a walk & we told them the beaches to visit where sealions could be found. We warned them about the scary Highcliff Road, which was unsuitable for large vehicles like lorries. Dunedin has had some earthquakes – in April 1974 they had a quake that was 5.0 & in June 2015 a moderate quake of 4.7 did some minor structural damage. The epicentre was 30 kms west of the city. Local people get used to these occurrences & are blasé. Keef & I drove along the other side of the Otago Peninsula looking back at Portobello & then we veered left on route 88 (missing Port Chalmers, a container ship terminal), climbing to get a fantastic view of the massive Otago Harbour. At a viewpoint at the top there was a stone column monument commemorating Robert Scott of the famous Antarctic expedition who died on the return from the South Pole but was beaten in the race by the Norwegian Roald Amundsen who famously got to the pole first. Scott & his crew left Dunedin harbour in 1910 headed for the South Pole. A statue of Scott was in Christchurch but it fell in the recent big earthquake & was taken away to be repaired. Strangely, lots of hens & cockerels were wandering around the lookout car park area. We took a narrow road to Long beach, which we walked along. No sealions there but still a beautiful bay. Didn’t see any whales today – apparently humpbacks head north from Dunedin having travelled down the west coasts of North & South Island. Also Southern Right Whales & Sperm Whales can be found off the Dunedin coast. Drove on to Oamaru via a scenic loop road by the sea. We decided to go out to the coast at Oamaru to see the Yellow Eyed penguins at 4.30pm. They can come ashore to their burrows in the steep shrubby cliffs any time after 3pm. We parked our van & walked along the cliff path to the hide where we waited patiently until we saw one just at dusk around 5.15pm. There was a cold wind coming off the sea & we were glad of our coats & warm clothing. There were several people viewing the penguins from the hide. There were five breeding pairs plus two other penguins, when years ago there had been 400. The Yellow Eyed penguins are becoming rarer. The penguin we saw came ashore on the sandy beach, then paused before turning & returning to the water. The penguin did this twice so obviously felt nervous about leaving the ocean. There were some seals asleep on the beach which may have made it cautious. The beach is closed to the public between 9am & 3pm so as not to disturb the penguins. The hide we were in was made of wood with little wind protection but it did have a roof & it had great views of the beach. As we walked back along the cliff path I saw another penguin waddling ashore (although it could have been the same penguin again!) My feet were getting cold & I was glad I had my gloves on. We went to Oamaru Top 10 campsite to check in. Allyson joined us in reception as we had just arrived together at the site. They said they had done a long walk on the Otago peninsula. We knew that the road journey tomorrow was going to be about 4½ hours to Akaroa, on the Banks Peninsula, southeast of Christchurch, so we turned in early. Sunday 28 May Oamaru to Akaroa Another bright sunny autumn day & it wasn’t that cold overnight. We looked around the town which had some heritage Victorian limestone grand buildings with very detailed stone carvings. Nowadays no one can afford to have this sort of craftsmanship done on a building. Saw the vintage train running through the town from the harbour depot. It only operates on a Sunday & lots of families with kids were riding on the two carriages. Keef saw a man dressed as the fat Controller on the station platform. There were a lot of steampunk sculptures around the harbour area & in the children’s playground. Oamaru was once a thriving town with its harbour, grain stores, customs house, opera house & banks all in very grand stone buildings. We left Oamaru & took Highway 1 through Timaru & stopped for a sandwich at the salmon fishing town of Raikaia. Then we drove on to Akaroa, on the Banks Peninsula, which was a small township with French street names & a French influence. We walked around the town & on the jetty – it seemed very quiet as the shops were closing. In fact several shops had been shut up for the winter. Some of the cottages were very pretty with roses around porches & white picket fences. We went to the campsite & Chris & Allyson arrived later. The pitch was sloped with muddy grass & the kitchen & shower block were exactly the same as when we camped there in our tent years ago. The campsite needed refurbishing. We ate dinner in the kitchen to use up the remaining food but it was cold in there. The ladies showers/toilets were cold as someone had left the window open. After dinner we played cards in C & A’s van. Monday 29 May Akaroa to Christchurch Chris & Allyson had not had a chance to look at the Banks Peninsula as it was getting dark when they arrived in Akaroa so they wanted to see it in the morning. We all had to hand back our motorhomes to Britz in the afternoon. Keef & I drove towards Lyttleton, but went over the hills rather than to the harbour, and then on to Christchurch. The sea mist & low cloud meant that visibility was poor. Some of the passes over the hills, such as Dyers pass, were very high with winding roads & steep drops at the side. The summit was called the Sugarloaf, which was 496 m high. We went to Pak n save supermarket in Riccarton to get some croissants for breakfast in the motel. We had booked the Apollo Motel, 288 Riccarton Road, Christchurch. We had a quick sandwich lunch & then did our packing in the van by the motel. Chris & Allyson did their packing at the campsite but we decided to wait until Christchurch because our large heavy bags would have fallen off the motorhome seats. We dropped our bags off at the motel & then delivered the motorhome to the Britz depot/office near the airport at 3pm. The staff there gave us $38 back as we had complained in the Auckland office that the gas cylinder was too small (compared with what we had in the Aussie Britz motorhomes). We had filled it up in North Island even though it wasn’t empty. Keef & I got a shuttle bus back to the motel from Britz. The driver told us that after the damaging quake in Christchurch there had been a year of small aftershocks continuously every 20 minutes. They could have another big earthquake again at any time. Had tea & a chocolate muffin when we returned to our room in the motel & put the heating on. Met up with C & A & had a nice meal at the Lone Star restaurant. Went to bed at 9.30pm as the next day we were getting up very early to go to the airport. We saw on the TV that an amazing display of the Australis Borealis was seen all over NZ south of Christchurch last night with the most beautiful colour waves. Apparently Dunedin & Signal Hill was one of the best places to see it. Went to bed at 9.30pm as the next day we were getting up very early to go to the airport. Tuesday 30 May Christchurch to Sydney & on to Singapore Got up early, had our showers & all crammed in the taxi with all our luggage at 3.45am to go to the airport. It was still dark outside & chilly. The family who ran the motel provided the car which was driven by their son. Our Qantas QF138 plane was supposed to depart for Sydney at 6.05am but was late leaving. At Sydney airport we all had a coffee & said our sad farewells to Chris & Allyson after an amazing four month trip. They were catching a plane to Hong Kong to spend a few days there before returning home. We were flying to Singapore to spend two weeks with Doug, Phoenix & our lovely 2 year old granddaughter Charlie, before we too headed for home. Really looking forward to seeing our family again 27-29 May 2017 30 May 2017 to Singapore Trailer