Saving some money as well as getting back to nature, and our first Department of Conservation (DoC) campsite night was a success, but with the luxury of flushing loos and a shower in the van, it wasn’t really roughing it. Driving through the Southern Alps on the Haast pass was a treat for the eyes when they weren’t on the road, with huge mountains on each side and ice (or possibly glacier!) topped to boot.
The Kiwis proved a match for the Aussies naming skills with the Blue Pools, ice cold, clear and blue, and a wobbly swing bridge on the way too. The scenery continued to amaze for the rest of the drive to Queenstown, and it’s easy to see why the area is home to loads of the Lord of the Rings film sets. Queenstown is also activity central, so as a warm up we booked on to a paraflight, a parachute towed behind a boat, but alas the wind again put the stops on us, so there’s only one thing to do – wait until tomorrow…