As we near the end of our time in NZ, a quick list of impressions (from Andy):

• There is birdsong everywhere and all the time - in the campsites, at the playgrounds, in the towns.
• The playgrounds are much better than ones in the UK! (we should know -we've seen a few in both countries).
• People are friendly and laid back on the whole, with a really good, dry sense of humour. We particularly liked Shawn the Prawn's farm and accompanying text.
• There are very few two-storey buildings outside the cities, and all the houses are built to completely different plans and (seemingly) by different architects.
• All the rivers, streams, burns, creeks and rills have names, which must tax the imaginations of the planners to the limit

This post may be added to!

Friday - Dunedin. Seriously cold evening - coldest so far - so Pippa is using William's hot water bottle present (are you reading Rachel?).

Yesterday we drove to Milford Sound - got stuck behind thousands of sheep trekking down the road on the way, which the girls loved (literally thousands, by the way - we reckon about 1,500). On the way back it was cows. Lovely drive, with highlight being the keas in the car parks (the only temperate zone parrots in the world, apparently), which sit on your wing mirrors and try to get their beaks into the car.

Stayed overnight in Milford and went on Milford Sound cruise in morning - touristy, cliched but still utterly beautiful, unspoilt fjord. If only the rest of the world was as unspoilt as New Zealnad. Saw dolphins in water and seals on rocks, which made everyone's day. Bit tired now after 6 hour drive over (although girls happy with small heated indoor swimming pool at campsite).

Kingston, Tuesday (I think)

Last entry was Joanna - this one is Andy. 4 and a half minutes left on this internet connection, so won't be long!

Went to Queenstown today - went on "gondola" up mountain, then on chair lift to do luge (you sit on a trolley going down a slope, with - in my case - Pippa shouting at me to slow down, and steering all over the place). Before that went to have a look at bungy jumping. Should daddy do it? Two votes no, one yes - so he wimped out.

Before that 2 nights in Wanaka - rented bicycles this morning and had lovely time cycling round lake.

Now staying in dodgy campsite south of Queenstown (Kingston, it's called) - looks like last investment was in 1965. Tomorrow to Te Anau, then Milford Sound.

Hi to anyone who's taking the time to read this!

Long drive down to wellington today. Crossed swing bridge and tried the Flying Fox across Bullers Gorge. We had to make Pippa go on it she was that terrified, though as soon as she got off she said she wanted to go again! Saw humungous male seals and smallish females, along with baby pups, swimming females and fighting males. Watched beautiful sun set at the Punakaiki campsite.

Sunday 30th November '08

What a lovely city and thankyou Dominic for recommending the Te Papa Museum.

Saturday 29th Nov '08

Drive on and burn those miles! Decided to try and make it all the way down to Wellington in one day so that we could get longer in South Island. Weren't absolutely that the girls would be able to bear all the driving - but we shouldn't have worried. Worked out that the DVD would play whilst driving and they could all watch it (although not hear it terribly well).

Got held up by this massive cycle race going around Lake Taupo. Never seen anything on such a huge scale - there were 1000's of competitors. Stopped at Huka Falls (and the Prawn Farm for a coffee; hmmm...) which are amazing by the sheer volume of water that flows through. Made it to the campsite in Wellington in one piece.

Friday 28th November

Katy here.
On Friday we went to the Maori village.First we saw a kiwi bird; it was in a dark room where you had to be quiet there.
Pippa now.
Then we saw a giant mud pool,it went splop,plop and spish,spash.