Christchurch and beyond!

This is a slightly abbreviated version of the end of the South Island because I want to catch up to the present time!! ( I'm only a year behind!!) The journey from Queenstown to Christchurch was phenomenal with Mt Cook as a backdrop how could it not be?! We really enjoyed our last few days in the South Island. We stayed at this luxury B and B as it was Rosie's birthday and enjoyed the very English feeling Christchurch (even the B and B was owned by an English chap)
Rich and myself took the long route home to bring back the cars while Rosie and Kath enjoyed a flight back to Auckland with the children.

All I can say is...the South Island is completely AMAZING...I hope we come back some time!

Nelson and surrounding area

It's been a while since I last entered into blogdom. I am writing this in my parents' sitting room now back in the UK. I am missing New Zealand and so writing this helps me to remember what a wonderful time we had in such a brilliant country. Nelson was one of our favourite places to stay. We loved Rabbit Island (unusually named because we didn't actually see any rabbits!) and spent time messing around on the beach aswell as surfing in the sea.
Other fun stuff in Nelson included the Saturday market where we bought some gifts to take home (we found Harry a toy plane made out of old Coke cans and Matilda a lovely princess mirror). We also loved going to Seifried vineyard and a fun dairy (Neudorf) where they sold delicious sheep cheese.

The Journey from Wellington to Nelson

New Zealand never fails to amaze me. I think of the Dover- Calais ferry crossing, especially the white cliffs of Dover, and remember really enjoying the whole experience when I first went with my family as a child. You then get to New Zealand and "ferry crossing" moves into a whole new dimension!! We got on the "InterIslander" at 10:30am from Wellington and proceeded to be amazed as we entered the Marlborough Sounds for the final hour towards Picton. Stunning was the only word to describe it. I took some video and pictures but it does not really do it justice. At the end of the day you'll just have to come over and experience it for yourselves!
The amazing journey didn't end at Picton though. We took the "Queen Charlotte scenic drive" from Picton to Nelson. It was a little bit windy in parts but the coast line views were spectacular. This is one journey I will never forget and for all the right reasons!