Dave & Margs' Travels

Four seasons in one day ... just happens to be the opening line of a song by Crowded House, a Kiwi band, (and the first song the band played on New Years Eve but more on that later). I don't think we would mind if we got four seasons in one day but despite the time of year at the moment we are definitely lacking summer. If I survive my stay in NZ with out buying a fleece or coat it will be a miracle. I worried when I came out that all the photos of our holiday would have just 6 different tops. That has been reduced to three - the number of jumpers I have with me. In fact I am using the layer system quite well grey is my fleece, red sweatshirt on top of that if needed and navy windstopper on top when even colder. Of course if it is really bad I can add purple rain coat, woolly hat and sheep skin gloves. It is apparently the worst start to a NZ summer for 40 years and I think we noticed it most en route from Stewart Island to Dunedin.

We left clear skies in Stewart Island and after the ferry journey to trhe main land we hit rain. It was supposed to be a scenic day watching wildlife by the cold temperatures and gusty winds didn't help. We did see sea lions and one large male in particular did come quite high up the beach and onto the grassy area. No sign of the dolphins but we did see the best example in the world of a petrified forest - a very ancient forest covered by volcanic lava and then the trees absorb the minerals and become rock (or something like that!).

Possible highlight on route was teaching Jana, the lovely girl from the Czech Republic how to play Pooh Sticks and we taught her well as she won!. We arrived in Dunedin, a Scottish city to be told Nemo had managed to wangle a honeymoon suite for us complete with whirl pool bath. That brought a smile to my otherwise cold and miserable face. It was bitterly cold and definitely a 4 layers place. They said it was 10degrees but I think they were lieing. A good night out with the guys (our last with Jana and a few others) and a brewery trip in the morning made up for the bleak conditions.