Day 12 – Lake McGregor to Rakaia Gorge

That was a cold night, the van is reporting -7° in the morning and there is an icicle forming on the van where the gas vent is.   We watch the other campers, whose kitchens are in the tailgate, so they need to outside at the open back door of their vans to boil the kettle while we’re nice and warm.  It does feel a bit unfair, but I can live with that!

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Day 10 – Omaru to Mt Cook Village

Omaru’s an interesting town, lots of large old Victorian buildings.  They’ve also got this “steampunk” museum/exhibition and have really taken it to theme the town.  Next to the caravan park is this foreshore playground with some absolutely amazing play equipment, the kids have a ball playing while I empty the dunny and top up the water tanks.  

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Day 8 – Te Anau to Purakaunui Bay

We’re on the road not long after sun up, which this far south in winter is not that early!  We take the back road due south of Te Anau directly to the south coast

There is heaps of frost and ice on the road so driving is a bit interesting.  Everyone goes on about the Black Ice, apparently you can’t see it.  So, as you can’t see it, I’m not sure we came across any of it.   They say try not to drive until about an hour after sunrise so most of the ice will have melted.   The frost is also bizarre, today it covers parts of the road where the trees or other shadows cross, but is gone in areas of direct sunlight.

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