L & P!!
It’s another drink you don’t get in the states. I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t drink soda on trips, so I end up drinking a glass of water at each restaurant.
To be social, I decided I would start drinking L&P. It wasn’t always available, but once I found it, it was a hassle to drink it. It’s very fizzy and I don’t drink fizzy, so I would need not only the can, but a glass and a utensil. I’d stir it until it became flat. I decided it wasn’t THAT good and that was the end of my L&P sojourn.
Hokitika!! The city was hosting a contest the upcoming week of who could design the best artwork out of driftwood. The piles of driftwood were already on the beach. I would have liked to see what they did with it.
My artsy beach photo.
More artsy stuff in the town. Love the book bench and the people chairs.
More boysenberry ice cream!! I was buying ice cream while Jane and Janice were buying green local jewelry.
More hairpin turns! AAUUGGHH!! And it was my turn in the front seat!
We all suited up in 2 piece wet suits, boots, and helmets with head lamps.
We all hiked up more than 100 steps with innertubes in tow to get to the mouth of the cave. Then lots of steps, under, over and around stalagmites and stalactites inside the cave.
There was a spot in the cave that was so narrow, it was hard to get the innertube through. They called it a vagina and said those that went through it were rebirthed. I don’t now about that, but it was fun squeezing.
After trekking thru the cave for an hour, we reached the river and hooked ourselves feet to shoulders and floated thru the pitch dark cave to be able to see the glow worms. These worms are not like fireflies — they produce cold light.
It was amazing. It looked like the universe on a clear, cloudless night!!
Once out of the cave, we needed to float down to the exit point, over the rapids and in shallow waters. Shallow waters meant that if you weren’t doing a plank on your tube, your butt was hitting a lot of rocks!! It wasn’t my favorite trip.
This is the helicopter we WOULD HAVE USED IF THE FOG HAD LIFTED. We found out that 9 out of 10 helicopter trips are canceled/delayed. We had to promise Jane a helicopter ride to a different glacier at another time to stave off her disappointment.
Here’s the fog!
Here’s the glacier we were supposed to walk on. It is impressive.
There were so many things to see along our drive to Milford Sound.
Beautiful scenery.
I love green and water!
So we arrive in this town and Constance drops us off and says to walk down to this tree. It’s the most photographed tree in the world (? in New Zealand?) We meet up with a guy who is taking a picture ALSO asking why this would be the most photographed. We have no idea; but we get lots of photos. Is it because it’s in the water? Because it looks like it’s on its last legs? WHO KNOWS. But I think the first photo should be the winner of the National Geographic photo contest. It’s got the tree, some kayakers, a silhouette and mountains.
This third photo is iconic too since it’s us in silhouette with Jane and I taking a selfie.
More waterfalls. Not sure where. That was the lacier.
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A very brave woman fighting the balance problems of old age trying to get closer to the falls.
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