EYE CANDY

So much has happened since our last update! Continuing South down the west coast from Greymouth, we headed up Arthur Pass. It had snowed the night before, and the roads had been closed, with the roads now open, we ventured up the pass. It was an amazing sight to see! Snow covered mountains jetting out of the sky with ferns and palms growing on the hillsides, Waterfalls tumbling down the hillsides and parrots hanging out hoping for a small donation. What a weird thing to see, parrots sitting in snow, surrounded by ferns and a ski area just around the corner. Our next destination was back to the west coast to Hokitika. We crossed a long one lane bridge over the river that had rail road tracks running right down the center of the bridge! We were happy that the train was not running , as we were already on the bridge when we noticed it. We spent two nights in Hokitika where we took a day off from vacation. Katie and I took a 2 hour beach run/walk and went into town to see a movie. Johnny took a bike ride and then settled in to watch T.V. in the community room. Once again, the weather was rainy and cold. A gentleman we met referred to the weather as "GHASTLY!" and that summed it up pretty well. I think Mother nature must have been listening, and decided to give us a break. As we headed down the coast from Hokitika, the rain eased up and the sun was peeking through the clouds. We reached Franz Josef in the afternoon and took a hike up to see the Glacier. It was something to see! A massive hunk of blue ice lay on the mountain side drooping down into the valley. We were able to walk right up to the base of it and feel the cold hard ice in our hands. That evening we had dinner at a pub called "The Alice May" After dinner while walking back to camp, I shared with our friends, "The Cremation of Sam McGee" A long poem about a gold miner in the cold and snow of the Arctic who cremated his friend in an old ship called the Alice May. The next day Rick took a guided hike up the glacier, and said he thought about the poem all day. The next day the sun was shining and the sky was blue! Taking advantage of the fine weather, we got started early and drove down to Fox Glacier. In the morning we hiked up to see the glacier and then headed out to lake Matheson. The beautiful calm lake held a mirror image of the snow covered Southern alps in the background. After a walk around the lake, I jumped on the bike and headed toward the coast to Gillespies Beach. It was a wonderful ride along a quiet country road lined with pasture, that eventually turned to dirt, and wound it's way up and up through a Forest of trees and eventually dropping down to the coast where the Tasman Sea was shining under the blue sky, and framed on three sides by a towering snow covered mountain range. While Johnny took his turn on the bike, I took a nice walk down the beach and soaked in the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the day. Our next destination took us south and then inland to Mount Aspiring National Park. The drive along the coast and then over Haast pass was gorgeous. The Haast river has clawed out a deep valley with lush rain Forest and enormous moss covered boulders blanketing the river bank. A large slab of rock the size of our campervan had broken loose from the steep canyon wall, and lay on the side of the road. Every turn along the road was like candy for the eyes. We took a nice hike trough the Forest across a swinging bridge and down to the river where we gazed into beautiful blue pools of water tucked in a sheltered cove along the river bank. There were many picturesque scenes that looked like something out of a glossy travel brochure. We followed the Hasst river to its final destination into the beautiful Lake Wanaka. Wanaka is a resort town that sits at the southern end of the lake and has the feeling of Frisco Colorado. Such a lovely place that we spent 2 nights enjoying the atmosphere. Johnny and I played golf at the Wanaka Golf club. Every tee box offered a splendid view of the lake and snow covered peaks. The next day, Katie and I enjoyed a round of golf while Johnny rode the bike around the lake. Much to my surprise, when I returned from my golf outing, Johnny whisked me off to a winery along the lake. He laid out fine New Zealand Cheese and apples and a nice bottle of chardonnay on a picnic table and we spent the afternoon enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and incredible view. Reluctantly, we left Wanaka, heading south to QueensTown, where we did a "Drive Through" Stopping briefly at an art gallery. From there our destination was Te Anau and the gateway to Fiordland. Katie and I had been planning a surprise for the boys. Saturday morning we told them to pack an overnight bag, we were boarding the Navigator for an overnight cruise through Doubtful Sound. Our incredible journey started with a boat ride across the deep and lovely lake Manapouri. Sunshine and blue skies prevailed and we were carried across the lake with a backdrop of snow covered peaks. At the west end of the lake we boarded a bus that took us over Wilmont Pass and to a small harbor where we embarked on the Navigator. The ship was beautiful!. As the captain started the engine, and eased into the sound, we knew this was going to be fantastic! I am at a loss of words to describe the experience. If Mother Nature is your God, then the Doubtful Sound is heaven on earth! The scenery and silence was so pure, you felt guilty uttering a word. The awesome scale of the landscape and the unspoiled wilderness left us speechless. The captain guided us through hidden coves and waterways. Clouds hung low in the sky and the air was thick with humidity the mood was so calm and quiet it was almost Eire. Being the only boat in the sound, made us feel like Captain Cook and the original explorers who first discovered fiordland back in the 1700's. We cruised gently through the sound and out to the Tasman sea where I heard our nature guide, "Dolphin Dave" say the magic word...PENGUIN! Totally unprepared, I ran, grabbed the cabin key from Johnny and dashed down the stairs to our cabin to get the telephoto lens for the camera. Tripping on the threshold, I went flying into the cabin head first. Picking myself up off the bed, I grabbed the lens, and ran up to the bow of the boat at lightning speed. Johnny scrambled to get the bulky lens attached to the camera and at Last! Our eyes were fixed on a beautiful and rare crested Penguin nesting on a small rocky island at the mouth of the sound. We were even able to capture the moment on film. I am sure that Johnny and I were almost as entertaining as the wildlife. Imagine Jane Hathaway on the Beverly Hillbillys, loaded down with gear, straps strangling her neck, moving around the boat with the anxious anticipation of a wildlife sighting. After an afternoon of cruising the sound, watching dolphin jumping and playing along the gentle wake of the boat, and absorbing the commentary of our nature guide, we were served some hot soup and prepared for a kayak paddle. Sliding into our plastic vessel's, we gripped our paddles, and began quietly slipping through the water with the Forest and waterfalls looming over our heads. For the next hour we enjoyed the peace, and the feel of the calm still waters of the sound under our bodies. The chef prepared a beautiful dinner and we slept like babies in the deafening silence of the night. The sky was inky black and the darkness was unreal until the full moon rose above the Forrest and lit up the night sky. In the morning we were served a beautiful breakfast and Captain Dave,( who was a spitting image of Humphrey Bogart in the African Queen) treated us to a up close and personal view of a thundering waterfall. That afternoon as the trip was coming to a close, a feeling of sadness came over us. The experience was so incredible it seemed like we were waking up from a wonderful dream when all you want to do is go back to sleep and hope it will last forever. Like a fine wine, we are trying to sip slowly and enjoy every taste of it's bouquet. We have become intoxicated with the stunning beauty of New Zealand.