Lower levels:
Bad weather
Adrenalin City
Mount Cook
Dolphins
Kayaking

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Kia Ora once more. A doggy doggy doggy doggy - adora - woof woo woof woof woof.

It seems fitting that the trip to the South Island is made from the North, from the capital of Gods Own Country, Wellington. Fitting since this was as far south as we reached during the previous tour of the North Island.

Arriving bleary eyed at Wellington international (having had no sleep due to festivities the night before) we amble through customs. As we exit, we spot a chap we know... Its Evan - last seen partying in Sydney over new year, and he's unexpectedly turned up to greet us (so unexpected that I ask him if he's waiting for someone...)

Evan escorts us to our Hotel - The Hotel de Wheels, so named as it was moved a hundred metres on wheels to make space for the Te Papa museum.  That evening we are taken to a fine wine bar by Fiona and Evan. A round of Fush and Chups and five bottles of red later, we head off on a midnight tour of the town - finally getting some well overdue sleep at our hotel. Respect to Fi and Evan - we love you guys!

In the morning we struggle out to the Lynx ferry terminal. The journey to the South Island takes some three hours by high speed ferry but takes in some stunning scenery as we cruise out of Wellington harbour, across to the Marlborough Sounds and then through one of its river carved fingers to the town of Picton.

From here, after much thought and debate on the best way to use our limited time, we clamber aboard the Trans-Scenic train to Christchurch. This in turn is a five hour trip which winds along the coastline past seal colonies and distant dolphin pods arriving early evening in the capital of the South Island. Its late spring, early summer here so and, unlike Australia, the evenings are long - sunset is around ten thirty.

However, the weather is still winter like when we arrive - indeed, its the wettest summer in years with whole townships cut off as roads are washed out.

We pray to the Maori sun gods for good weather... They reply, though only after a few days of grim skies.

New Zealand south island is totally different to the north in terms of scenery. Here jagged mountains rise from the Tasman sea and glacial lakes take precedence over perfectly rounded hills laden with sheep and boiling pools of brimstone.

City wise, its not that exciting - we have a rather boring night in the capital of the south, Christchurch, perhaps due to an unrealistic expectation that it would be a fantastic bustling city (it ain't).

However, thanks to The Lord of the Rings having recently been shot here, we find solace in mercilessly taking the rise out of our diminutive and rather scraggy looking waitress who unfortunately gains the nickname 'The Orc'. Its a weird restaurant we choose here - a Japanese Teppan Yaki diner with a bar at the front populated by shaved haired yobs with tattoos applauding a large chap in a Val Donican jumper singing Opera. Weird!

Next morning, we hightail it out of Christchurch - heading West over the Southern Alps - a ridge of mountains and glaciers which bisects the whole South Island. Once we are on a scenic train - this time the 'World Famous' (and probably award winning) TranzAlpine.

The journey is slow but deliberate, the train crammed with Japanese who jump out at each stop to take pictures of each other standing in front of a toilet or parked car.

Arriving mid afternoon at Greymouth, we hire a beast of a car - a V6 monster with lots of buttons on the automatic transmission to push, this is going to be a lot more fun than the crappy Fiat cigarettebutti we'd hired on the North Island... 

We blast North East a hundred clicks to take a look at the remarkable 'Pancake Rocks' - an odd looking outcrop which features multiple neatly arranged layers of limestone formed by eons of sea, rain and wind erosion.

Next, we turn back and head South West, for the Glaciers and the home of Bungy Jumping - Queenstown.

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