NZ TIMES...CONTINUED...

4.8.08....DAY SIX.
7.40AM...SLEPT WELL...COULD SLEEP SOME MORE.
7.55AM...NU GONE FOR CUPS OF TEA.
8.15AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
8.40AM...BUTTERED TOASR...ANOTHER CUPPA.
9.30AM...PUT OUR BELONGINGS IN STORE ROOM.
9.40AM...WALKING TO TOWN CENTRE.
10.05AM...BUDGET RENTA CAR...ABOUT 10 QUID A DAY.
10.40AM...ALL FORMS COMPLETED...GOT A GOOD DEAL BECAUSE WE ARE HIRING FOR A MONTH.
11.00AM...SUPERMARKET...NEED LOADS.
12.15PM...IF WE'VE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING...IT'LL HAVE TO STAY FORGOTTEN.
12.30PM...OFF WE SET...MILFORD SOUND OUR DESTINATION...ABOUT 290K...ITS COLD.
1.00PM...MANY WINDING ROADS ALONG THE LAKE.
2.20PM...TE ANAU...SMALL TOWN...COFFEE SHOP...POST OFFICE.
2.55PM...BACK IN OUR RENTED CAR...120K STILL TO GO.
4.50PM...MILFORD SOUND...ITS COLD...VERY COLD.
5.05PM...BOOKED INTO HOTEL...NOT MUCH CHOICE...THERES ONLY ONE HERE!
5.30PM...SORTING BAGS...WE'VE GOT TO MUCH STUFF...HEAD BANGING!
6.10PM...PATE ON TOAST...GLASS OF WINE.
6.50PM...BOOKED CRUISE FOR TOMORROW...I\LL BE AN ICE-CUBE AFTER THAT!


5.8.08....DAY SEVEN...
7.10AM...NEEDA CUPPA.
7.30AM...WE HAVE TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.00AM...SHOWER.
8.25AM...WEETABIX...ANOTHER CUPPA.
9.05AM...FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TYRE SEMI-FLAT ON RENTED CAR...OUCH...START CAR ANYWAY...I'LL TAKE IT SLOW...ONLY A COUPLE OF KILOMETRES TO GO TO OUR DEPARTURE POINT FOR FERRY CRUISE.
9.20AM...WAITING OUTSIDE CAFE FOR SHUTTLE BUS TO FIORDLAND CRUISE.
9.30AM...ON SHUTTLE BUS.
9.30AM...CRUISE DEPARTURE LOUNGE.
9.55AM...OFF WE SET...GOSH ITS COLD!
10.15AM...CRUISING DOWN THE FIORD...AN IMMENSE PATCH OF WATER WITH CLIFFS HIGHER THAN THE CLOUDS EITHER SIDE.
10.30AM...FREE PUMPKIN SOUP...WELCOMED.
10.45AM...NU HAPPY...CAMERA IN HAND.
11.10AM...A RARE PENGUIN IS SPOTTED...A SOUTHERN FURRY ONE...WOW!
11.40AM...SEALS ARE SPOTTED...THEY LIKE TO POSE.
12.05PM...UNDERWATER OBSERVATORY...AFTER SO MANY COUNTRIES...I'VE SEEN SO MANY OBSERVATORIES...THIS IS NOT A GOOD ONE.
1.00PM...BACK ON LAND.
1.15PM...PETROL STATION...BLOWN TYRE UP.
1.35PM...BACK AT MILFORD LODGE...THIS PLACE AS NO ATMOSPHERE.
2.00PM...PREPARING CURRY BOG...NU WRITING CARDS.
2.45PM...CURRY BOG SORTED...IT TASTES OK...I'VE MADE BETTER.
3.20PM...READING IN LODGE LOUNGE.
4.00PM...STILL READING[GOSH...I BET I SOUND LIKE AN INTELLECT?...NOT!]...THINK I'M GETTING A COLD...FEEL WEAK...LIVING OUTA SUITCASES IS GETTING TO US...THIS IS OUR 14TH COUNTRY...WE HAVE BEEN IN ZEALAND 7 DAYS NOW AND WHAT I'VE SEEN...I'VE ENJOYED...PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY...BUT ITS NOT...ITS A STRUGGLE AT TIMES...AND ITS EVEN MORE OF A STRUGGLE WHEN YOU MIGHT HAVE A COLD COMING!...I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SYMPATHY...BUT YOU KNOW I DESERVE SOME!
5.00PM...BACK IN OUR ROOM...ME AND MY GIRLIE.
5.35PM...SHOWER.
6.00PM...PICKED UP A MAGAZINE...READING ABOUT CROP SPRAYING IN COLUMBIA...WHISKEY/PEANUTS.


6.8.08....DAY EIGHT...
7.25AM...IT LOOKS COLD OUT THERE!
7.45AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA...YOU DON'T HAVE TO BOIL A KETTLE...THEY HAVE BOILING HOT WATER URNS.
8.20AM...TIME GOING FAST...AND WE ARE GOING SLOW.
8.30AM...SHOWER...NEEDA SHAVE...CAN'T BE BOTHERED.
9.10AM...BACON IN A BUN...NICE CUPPA TEA.
9.40AM...EVERYTHING IN THE CAR.
10.05AM...OFF WE SET.
11.00AM...MIRROR AKES...NU WITH CAMERA IN HAND...SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAINS ALL AROUND.
11.20AM...DRIVING ON.
12.20PM...BACK IN TE ANAU...SUPERMARKET...BOUGHT LAMB/SPUDS/CAULI/CARROTS...AND SNAKES...THE BEST SWEET EVER...WELL MAYBE NOT EVER!...BUT FOR NOW THEY'RE THE BEST!
1.05PM...LAKEFRONT LODGE...RECEPTION CLOSED TILL 2.00PM...OUCH!
1.30PM...PUB...SPEAKING WITH A BOTANIST CALLED MIKE...NU HAPPY CHATTING ABOUT PLANTS.
3.30PM...DEPART PUB.
4.00PM...BOOKED IN AT LODGE.
4.30PM...DECIDED NOT TO HAVE THE LAMB TONIGHT...CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO COOK...IT CAN WAIT TILL TOMORROW...HAPPY NIBBLING ON NIBBLES...CUPPA TEA...HAPPY READING.
7.00PM...ATTEMPTING TO MAKE PHONE CALLS TO ENGLAND...WELL FRUSTRATED...IT JUST WON'T HAPPEN!
7.30PM...THERES A POOL KNOCKOUT COMPETION AT THE PUB...OFF I SET...NU NOT INTERESTED.
8.00PM...SIGNED UP...THERES A 100 DOLLAR 1ST PRIZE...2ND PRIZE 50 DOLLARS.
9.00PM...PLAYING IVAN.
9.20PM...IVAN DISMISSED.
9.35PM...ANOTHER BEER...PLAYING GRANT.
9.55PM...A GAME OF MISSED CHANCES BY BOTH.
10.00PM...GUESS I GOT LUCKY...GRANT DISMISSED.
10.10PM...ANOTHER BEER...NEXT OPPONENT REEDY.
10.15PM...ITS A GOOD GAME...HE'S A GOOD PLAYER.
10.25PM...BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH...BYE BYE REEDY!
10.40PM...THE FINAL...PLAYING WHATTO.
10.55PM...ONLY GOT THE BLACK TO POT...THE BLACK DROPS INTO THE POCKET...BUT OUCH...THE WHITE BALL ROLLS INTO ANOTHER POCKET...THE UNTHINKABLE AS HAPPENED...I'VE LOST...LIFES SO UNFAIR!
11.05PM...HANDSHAKES ALL ROUND...I DEPART WITH MY 50 DOLLARS...2ND PRIZE MONEY...OH WELL.
11.25PM...BACK WITH NU...APPALLED WITH MYSELF...2ND IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
11.55PM...HEAD ON PILLOW.


STILL COLD.

BYE FOR NOWZ.