Written by Ros on 11 May 2013 - No Comments
Richard & Ros hired a camper van to explore New Zealand. While there they sent a number of electronic postcards showing some of the pictures they'd taken. We've shown just a small sample of them to show what it is like freedom camping over there.
Postcard 1
Been here since Tuesday 25th September– amazing country – everything is huge, tree ferns, heather etc.
Postcard 2
The scenery is spectacular, the roads empty and diesel costs around 80p/litre, which is just as well given that we have already covered over 2,000kms. Food is quite expensive, but very pleased to report that quality NZ and Aussie wines can be had for about £3 a bottle!
Postcard 3
New Zealand is amazing – if you get the opportunity to visit – take it. It is now Sat 13th Oct here, and the first time we have had any serious rain – more of a tropical downpour with gale force winds
Postcard 4
Our last week on North Island. Apart from the weather last weekend, driving rain and gale force winds, it has been a fine week, sunny, but windy. It is spring over here and the blossom and springs flowers are lovely. South Island took the worst of the rain and in consequence the road to Milford Sound is closed due to landslip, 200 ton rocks, mud and trees. New Zealand is a very unstable country and we see evidence of land slips every day, but so far, luckily, none have completely closed the road we were using, and we are hoping the road to Milford will be open again before we get there mid November
Postcard 5
OMG – not often I’m lost for words. To those of you who have been here before me – you were right, South Island is stunning. We crossed the Cook Strait (one of the roughest bits of sea in the world due to due tidal differences between the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean) on Tues. 23rd Oct, the first totally calm day for over a week
Postcard 6
Last week I was blown away by the views – well how wrong I was – it just gets better! This week is definitely an S for super - surf, sea, sun, snow and stupendous – I can only wonder what weeks 7 & 8 will bring as we head down to Ffiordland land and the deep south. I have to say Richard’s driving is quite stupendous as well; he is managing around 250 kms a day through some quite interesting mountainous roads!! and so far has totalled over 8000 kms. He wants to put a sign on the back of the campervan saying “ caution – frequent stopping due to wife’s photo opportunities”– I keep saying stop – I want to take a photo of this, so far I’ve only taken about 2,500 photos – don’t worry I will edit them before I bore you to death with them!! But I just need a reminder of how fantastic it all is, but I fear this is going to be a long postcard.
Final Postcard
Well, it’s nearly time to pack our bags. We’ve had another stunning week of impossibly coloured lakes, snow capped mountains, glaciers, rainforest and pounding surf and we have freedom camped all week in some very special places.
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