Well we have done it!! We are now home after a long 42 hour trip via Sydney and LA. Fay and Rich were at the airport to meet us, and as we came through the door we ran to each other, huged and cried. Never again will I leave my family for 4 months. (I will just have to take them with me next time!)
We kept it a surprise for jack and Amber. When they walked in after school thier faces were a picture. And of course we see such big changes, they have both grown and JAack voice has broken so we have come back to a MAN!!! Where has the time gone!!!!
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my blog. It felt like you were all on this trip with us.
For people who are inspired, go for it ! But be warned, it is hard work!!! We have had our ups and downs. We have laughed and cried and we have also been amazed. It's a big world out there just waiting to be seen, and we have loved the small part that we have visited.
Thank you all again.

Views thermals and a visit to Hobbiton was the order of today. The views of lake Taupo with the sun high in the sky was gloriouse. The thermals were a gamble, but worth the detour to see them. And Hobbiton was cute cute cute. All the little houses and the gardens. The little mill and the pub! The only thing missing was Frodo and Bilbo! Still the new movie will be out in December, can't wait. So yes today has been really good!

Well I will say it again, this country is fabulously amazing!!! We have now driven up the west coast and again we have not been disappointed. The west is known for its rugged coast line, which makes for som fantastic photos. The weather was windy and wet, but that did not stop me from taking photos. The dark sky's just mad it more dramatic. We stopped to view the famouse pancake rocks which "blew Bev away", not literally of course, but he was so surprised and delighted at the spectacular display, made even more fantastic by the weather.
As we continued to travel up to the ferry in Picton, the views were awesome againg, but this time the rain had stopped and the sus was shinning. This made the lakes brilliant blues and greens. I wanted to stop on every corner to take photos but as we had to be at the dock for 12, Bev firmly said no more stops!!! But the drive down into Picton was beautiful. The harbour in all it's glory with the colours and the boats!!! Just breathtaking.
Driving up the west coast of the north island became a little tedious when all we saw was farm land, then as we climed to cross the mountains, again!, we were treated to the delights of an alpin desert with snow capped mountains in the back ground. We drove for miles but not once did we take our eyes from the views. Just mind boggleing!!!
We only have four more days left in NZ. We are sad to be leaving what has got to be the best country yet. I just hope that the next four days will be just as memorable.

Found out that the route we took in the last blog is the highest pass in New Zealand. Also that this route should not be attempted with out the back up of snow chains!! Nobody told us!!!! At least knowing this, any future mountain will be a brezzzz!!!! Hopefully!!!!!

We are heading north now on the west coast. We set out from Te Anua at about 10am in proofing rain, which did not stop allllllll day. We headed for Queenstown which took a little over 2 hours.  Part of the road was along the huge lake that the town is built next to. The views as normal were fantastic.the town itself was vert commercial and geared mainly around skiing. We drove around had a look but didn't stop. We had thought to ride the cable car, but the wind was so strong that I didn't fancy it. So we headed out to Arrowtown which is old gold mining town, lovely, quaint and very interesting. Had a good mooch round, went to the museum and had a late lunch. We then set out for Wanaka which is where my biggest nightmare of the trip started!!! I thought the road to Milford sound was bad but OMG, my nerves were in tatters!!!! This was a snake pass to end all passes. If there is a barrier I don't mind,  if there are trees I don't mind, if it's not to big a drop of the side I dont mind! But this road has none of this. It was steep, hairpin bends, no barriers, shear drop out to open space, OMG it went up and up and up. My ears were popping! Poor Bev knew how nervouse I was and did his utmost to keep me calm and not to show how nervouse he was. I didn't dare look to my right, what I could see made me feel sick, I don't like heights at the best of times, but can cope when all the safty nets are in place! But this road!!!!! How they don't loose tourists over the side daily I don't know, and the thought of driving one of those high vans , makes my blood run cold!!! We climed and climed, and as we got to the top we turned the corner to find we had to still climb!!! One of the thoughts I had was, OMG I have to go down the other side!!! We started to hit snow, not much but enough to worry about the Ice on the road. When the chain laybys counted down to one, we new we were at the top!!!phew!!!! Well as you see we are still here so we made it safe and sound!!!!! And the road down was not bad. it was a gentle slop but still a snakey and very windy. I am sure when the maps say 30 km, that is how the crow flys. This road was far more than 30 km!!!!!! Bev said well done and "you can dine out on that one for years to come," to be honest I don't want to ever think about it ever again!!

This blog has been written so that all friends and family could keep up with what we were doing. Today one persons ears must have been burning all day. Every corner we turned, we both agreed that Dave would love this place! You have to make this trip Dave, and Marg of course. We have never seen such awesome mountains, not even in Norway. The height is staggering. Some mountains with snow, some without. Some with the evidence of avalanche damage, but every one amazing! We choose to take a bus tour, becouse of the distance, thank god we did, I would not have been happy driving this route!!
The pass across the mountains is only one road, bearly wide enough for two cars to pass. It is as if traffic goes into the mountain in the morning and out in the afternoon! And it had been closed for 4 days after an avalanche, so quite busy.
We climed up, went through a tunnel 75 meters long, going down hill in complete darkness! Coming out the other side I did not dare to look down. It was a snake pass to end all passes!! (Coming back the driver had his foot floored. I think he was keeping his fingers crossed that the bus would make it up!!! )
The trip on the boat through the Fijords was breath taking. My camera would not do justice to the views, even tho I tried!!!! Nothing like the postcard tho as the weather was overcast and the water a bit rough, not the millpond I expected! We saw seals on the rocks and just one penguin, one was enough for me to be thrilled!
And that was our day today, another in the long list of awesome days!!!,

Well this country really has lived up to its reputation, we have seen so much we have run out of adjectives and we are only half way into our trip round NZ.
Since the seals we have headed in land and up the snowy mountains I mentioned before.  We headed for a lake called Lake Tekapo. We had heard that is was worth the drive, and boy oh boy it was. As good as my photos have been, I'm not sure they will do this place justice, or even to the surrounding area. At one stage we could turn 360deg, in the middle of full mountain ranges with snow caped tops. How could I ever capture that! We stood at the look out. and as I snapped away we were both in awe. I turned to Bev to ask what he thought, but he was so taken back, that he was having a few tears. He is so surprised that we have even got this far! 6months ago we hadn't even thought about doing half of what we have achieved! The view we were looking at could not be improved on. Mother nature has done her best. And even then as we moved on there were Still jaw dropping views. New Zealand has been great for Bev he is calm and coping so well with his medication. I have even had 3 nights unbroken sleep!!  

Well what an awesome day. We set out from Picton to Christchurch along the coast road. First we went down this long gorge, the road was fantastic but only wide enough for one up and one down!! As we hit the coast the colours of the sea changed from blues to greens and deeper blues. No real sand just black sand that was left over from a volcanic eruption 1000s of years ago. We continued down when suddenly on the right hand side a mountain covered in snow appeared! Wow was all we could say, and try to find a place to stop to take pictures! Blue seas on the left, white mountains on the right. Life can't get much better!! But it does!!!!
On this side of the coast there are brown seals, only in NZ. We searched for them as best we could with no luck, until we came across a layby that was quite busy! Not wanting to miss anything we pulled in. Looking across the rocks we spotted the seals and as we walked towards them, more and more appeared. They are the same colour as the rocks so really hard to spot. There were 100s, 1000s. They didn't seem a bit bothered that we were there, however we kept our distance. I took loads of photos and really didn't want to leave, but Bev said that there was a water fall across the road that must be good because that's where everyone was going. So we set out to see this water fall!! We walked about 10 minuets through forests, when we found it. It was small but beautiful! But the most amazing site was dozens of baby seals swimming, diving, playing in the pool beneath the waterfall. The babys were born Oct/Dec. This apparently is the same every year, but not something they promote so's not to scare them off. It was like one of those sites that you only see on the discovery channel, or with David Attenborough whispering his cometary!!! Really, truly amazing. How could the day get better, so we have parked up in a hotel for an early night. I can wait to see what tomorrow brings!!

I know the English love new Zealand lamb and today I could understand why, the fields are lush green and filled with Little lambs running around!! When I say filled, there are thousands!!!! One area we drove through called itself "Lambing County".
It has been an interesting drive! Up mountains,  down mountains. Through forests and across fields, Miles of nothing, no houses, no coffee shops,  nothing except sheep!! Petrol was a bit of a worry!!! But we made it to the south island. We thought the views on the north were fantastic but from what I can see we are in for a few shocks this side, real "lord of the rings" country. We have a plan, down the east side and up the west. We had some advice from a real south island chap who said do this but don't bother with that!! So we have taken his advice and planed it out, we only have the two weeks so don't want to miss a thing!!
I miss the wild animals! There are none!!!!! When man arrived there was only birds and bats. All animals are domestic and "imported"! Or seals and penguins. On our way in we saw dolphins but they are not on land!!! So seals and penguins hunting it is!

2am just got up for a call of nature and can't get back to sleep!!!
I feel as if I have been here for ever!!! You could be forgiven for thinking we were driving through English/Scottish countryside. Everyone has said that New Zealand was stunning, so does that mean Britian is also stunning? I have always thought so, and as much as we love to travel, you just can't beat being home!!
Much more relaxed driving a car as a-posed to the van, (which I always felt was top heavy !) the roads are goooooood, so Bev also more relaxed.
Auckland was a strange city. Didn't feel that it had a heart!if you know what I mean. It revolved around 2 long streets that were steep hills. No good for wheelchair users! There was old buildings doted between new, which I always like to see, but nothing of major interest. Maybe I didn't give it enough time to explore. The weather wasn't great and as I said steep hills, not much fun, but we are glad that we went.
Picked up the car and set out. Easy to leave the city, turn left, turn right and we were out!!!!! The weather was awfull, raining cats and dogs!! Had to stop a twice to adjust mirrors and heaters as couldn't get the right settings!! Any way driving through the countryside with hills and fields and cows and the occasional forest, was pleasant except the rain was blowing across in sheets!! just like home!!!
The changes of sceanary came when we hit small towns. Mostly bungled styles, mostly of white washed wood, quite pretty. The business and industrial areas are kept out of the town so sometimes it felt like America. A nice drive but they need more stopping bays to take pictures!!
Rotorua is a nice clean smart town. Loads of money here!! Beautiful old buildings are used for the museums etc, there is a Large lake which when we went to looked at it, it almost seemed tidal as the bad weather was coursing the water to lap over the paths. We will visit again tomorrow if the weather is better.
Having settled into our motel, we both jumped into our private hot tub to warm up! Big thing here, but a bit of a cheat. You would think that they are filled from the natural springs but they not, oh well
can't have it all!! There is also electric blankets on the beds which tell you how cold it can get, but its not as bad as we thought it would be, (yet!) if it wasnt for the rain, fleeses would do!!!
Not wanting to waist the afternoon we set out to find our way around, everything so close and the 
rain had stopped so we headed out to the geysers. the town is surrounded in trees and inbetween hot 
steam rises. It's quite erie. The town has been built to promote the geysers, hence there are restricted areas to see them and of course it's become very commercial !! All the photos taken to promote, of 
people walking on the rocks are obviously staged. It would be far to dangerouse to allow the public to wander! 
Our first sighting was as we turned a corner and the geyser they call "the prince of wells" was just 
going up. It took your breath away. And as we walked closer the steam became thicker. We were very thankful it had rained all day because it made them more active, also the mud pools were at their
 best, popping and bubbling away. (as much as I would like to get ride of a few wrinkles, there is no 
way you would get me to wallow in there!!)  I could have stayed for hours just watching. The whole 
area was covered in geysers, with a warm stream running through the middle, steam rising into the 
sky and the smell  strong but not overly strong. If we get the chance we will go back, but this is the 
"Thermal trail" so I am sure we will see a lot more!!!!

I spoke to soon!!! Bev was in a "frozen state" for most of the day, which makes life tough when traveling, however all over the world airports cater for wheelchair uses and we have had some wonderful helpers! Untill that is when we get to Sydney international airport!!!! Getting off the shuttle bus a nice chap helped push the bags through the terminal doors and pointed me in the direction of the "assisted"desk. Which is where the day went horribly wrong!! Some horrid woman told me that they don't have "wheel chair assistance to take us through to departures". Just leave him their and when you have booked in you can use one of our chairs! The queue was at least an hour long. I saw read. Told her that in all the country's we had been to this is the worse service! And a few other points as well!!! So I marched off to find some one that could help! First found a nice lady in a yellow jacket, (not really her colour!!) she got it with both barrels, but was very helpful and said she would help me find the right person to speak to! Found a nice chap who was calmness itself!! Pulled a face when I told him what the woman had said. He then said she will be spoken to later!!! He then helped me with Bev and the luggage, taking us to an empty desk and booked us in, he supplied us with an airport chair so that ours could be put in the hold. Then asked if I wanted help pushing Bev. I said no now that the luggage had gone we would be fine. And we were untill we got to Aukland! Where the staff helped us off the plane and into the awaiting wheelchair. We were then pushed to the top of the ramp and the abandoned!!!!! I had to cope with the hand luggage and Bev in the wheelchair while trying to get the suitcase of the conveyer belt, there were loads of staff around but know one came to help!! As we went through customs the guy asked if I wanted help, my answer was yes I would have liked that before I struggled through the airport alone, and stuggled with the bags and try to push trolley and wheel chair! my reward was being sent through an empty channel where they scanned every bag again, taking them off the trolly and loading them back on again!!! My next job is to write to the airport customer service and tell them how crap they are!!!!! Great welcome to New Zrealand!!!!!