After a scenic 2.5 hour crossing through the Cook Straight, we arrived in Picton for the start of the south island drive. Here are the highlights:

Kaikoura:

Whale watching center - the only place on our travels where we have been able to get out and actually see 4 sperm whales in action (so to speak!). The Kaikoura Whale Watch company are very professional and the boats are state of the art, using hydrophone technology to listen and track the whales as they surface (for just a few mins) once every 30-60 mins. You only get to see them raise their tail once - just before they dive...

The boats also have a plasma screen mulimedia presentations throughout the trip to give you all the information regarding these amazing creatures.

Christchurch
Spent a couple of nights here, climbed the cathedral tower..

Also took the gondala from Heathcote valley to the top of mount cavendish for some amazing views of the peninsula and Lyttleton harbour.

We also went to the very disapointing antartic centre... good for comedy value!

Spent one night in dunedin which is the place with all the scottish names . Dunedin being celtic for edinburgh...apparanty. They even have a statue of rabbie burns gaurding the city centre.....

Also visited Cadbury world...not a sniff of willies wonka or an umpalumpa.....

Fiordland
We based ouselves at Lake Te Anau as we decided that we wanted to see both Milford and Doubtful sounds.
First was a full day trip to doubtful which entailed an early start via a bus to Manapouri then a boat accross lake Manapouri to the west arm hydroelectric power station for an underground tour. Then another bus trip accross wilmot pass to deep cove and then onto doubtful sound.
As we entered the fiord it was very angry skies

Weather improved sligtly and we had a couple of sunny periods to break the grey skies.

We also had an amazing encounter with the local dolphin population about 30 or so very playful bottlenose dolphine having a great time with the boat.

Our next stop was onto Milford sound via the scenic Milford road. We stopped at the stunning Gunn Lake...

before heading onwards. Once again the weather was to dictate our experience and unfortunatley we got to see Milford Sound on one of it's angry days...

One of the benefits of the heavy rain (they get 6 meters a year!) is that there are plenty of waterfalls into the sound...

On comparision, we would say that Doubtful Sound is more stunning in it's varied islands and wildlife, plus it is much greener with tree's on the mountains and islands. Milford sound however is totally geared for bus tourists, so it's much easier to get to etc and has a more bleak/barren feel to it.

After the fjords it was off to the glaciers.....
Fox and FranzJoseph Glaciers
Unfortunately the west coast weather wasnt too kind to us here and our walk on the franzjoseph glacier was very cold and rainy but still an awsome experience, seeing close up the massive river of ice coming down the mountain. Here's a pic of me lookig miserable in the rain...

We would have likedto do a scenic helicopter flight in this area but the weather didnot allow it.
Wanaka
This is a beautiful lakeside town in the shadows of Mt Aspiring.

Mount Cook
The weather was kinder to us here, so we took our chance and hopped on our helicopter for an amazing scenic flight over the Ben Ohau Mountain Range , the zodiac and richardson glaciers, mount brown and the base of the tasman glacier and mount cook.. We also got to do a high altitude snow landing in deep fresh powder snow.

The views from the top of the mountains were superb as the sky was so blue and the snow so fresh

It was strange to be in a very cold snowy environment but very spectacular
This pic is of the view from mount cook village

Queenstown
After the coldest night yet in the van (sub zero) we headed back down to Queenstown. Just outside the town, is the site of the world's first bungy site. Kris being Kris wanted to do something special for his 30th birthday - and jumping of a bridge with just some knicker elastic tied to his ankles seemed just what he wanted...

and then...

with David happily taking pictures from the viewing platform (bottom left of pic)....

After the excitement courtesy of Mr AJ Hackett, we carried onto Queenstown. Although it has undergone major development, it is still a stunning small town located on the shore of lake Wakatipu and surronded by the alpine ski resorts of the Remarkables and Coronet Peak. We took the gondola up to the Skyline restuarant and viewing platform, for the best views of the area.

There is also a downhill gokart type track called the Luge, which you can ride down through a special hillside circuit...obviously Kris had to do this too...

We also took one of the jet boat rides, which take you up the Shotover rapids as the boats can travel in just under 4 inches of water at high speed...

and in the boat...

We also took a pleasant walk through the city center gardens (left side of pic)...