Sunday, 7th January, 2018
This morning the alarm clock went off at 7.30 am but I was ever so tired still, I just could not get out of bed – I’m blaming the cider I was drinking last night – but it could be of course that we have been getting on with so many activities and also so many impressions to take in! I keep on saying, New Zealand is such a beautiful country with so many different and unspoiled sceneries.
Just before 9 am, Eve and ralph came to say their goodbyes – they were getting a head start back to Dunedin as they expected quite some heavy traffic due to most people returning home after their Christmas (summer) holidays. As we keep saying, it’s not actually goodbye that we say to each other but rather “tot ziens” or see you later……..
We continued packing our stuff and just before 10 am we were ready to vacate our suite. We packed our rental car but left it in the hotel parking garage as we were off to the harbour for a nice stroll and coffee at one of the lakeside café’s – PIER – Yesterday we had made a good deal with the Jet boat company and we were to leave on a trip at 13.00 as the price for that time slot was discounted
Well we arrived on time to get fitted with a raincoat and a life vest. The same girl who had sold us the tickets yesterday quickly spotted us and we were taken on board as first passengers and hence got a very good seating in the front row. Our jet boat driver, Ethan, explained what we were about to experience and actually from that moment it was one big fun experience. Initially I thought I would be sea sick – but no such chance…….. pictures were taken and even a video film – anyway an hour was soon over but at least we saw beautiful scenery both at the lake as well as the two rivers: Kawarau and Shotover. The Shotover River was panned for gold back in the 1860’s. Actually the gold rush started off when two farmhands discovered gold in the river. By 1863, around 12.000 miners worked at the banks of Shotover River.
Back at lakeside, we had a quick lunch as we both were ravenous – this time at the Pub, Pog Mahones, and of course we both chose fish and chips! Once we had eaten we walked up the hill to fetch our car ffrom the garage and around 15.30 we were well on our way to our next destination: Te Anau.
I was the designated driver because I had more experience with driving on the left hand side, however my experience with an automatic car is less so! No problem – Gerry was my co-pilot and with Eve’s GPS we made it to our next address in Te Anau so that we could go to Milford Sound the following day!
After a two hour drive, she arrived at Te Anau and we have the cutest little Gypsy Vanner for the next two nights – The cat Victor comes often to visit but the dog, Oscar remains mainly with the hosts – John and Karilyn. After settling down we took a drive in the neighbourhood but we also had to have something to eat before it was too late and everything started closing… And then finally it was time for bed!!
