South Island

March 8 - Turned out to be an exciting drive to Aukland on back roads through miles & miles of farmland with enormous herds of dairy cows.

The car's low gas indicator blinked "red". Sweat circles increased under James' arms and his life-years lessened with each gas-guzzling mile of open land and no sign of gas on the undulating horizon.

The one and only station on our chosen path appeared not a moment too soon. We vow to never depart a NZ town without a full tank of petro from here.

March 9 - South Island

The South Island has 33% more land than the North Island and 75% fewer people.

We're gonna like it here!

 

If you come to ChristChurch (South Island - East Coast) and plan to eventually go to the West Coast, by all means book the 3-hr Kiwi Rail train across the mountains and through numerous tunnels to Greymouth. Fabulous.

Complete with complimentary audio along the entire journey.

A nifty side trip on way south along the coast is to small coastal village of Okarito (no stores or shops). there's a dandy 1.5 hr hike across a tidal march boardwalk then up into a native forest with a high overlook in both directions.