This morning we left the “Shining Star Holiday Park” in Hokitika and headed south on route 6 to Frantz Josef Glacier. Our first stop in Frantz Josef Glacier Township was the “Department of Conservation Visitor Center”. The employee/guide grew up in Phoenix, AZ and attended Kenyon College in Gambier, OH. He was so excited to meet people from Ohio and especially someone who grew up so close to Kenyon and even closer to Denison University! After a lovely chat we headed to the recommended hike to the glacier which we could not see for the fog and the rain, but it was nice to do some walking after driving for a couple of hours on a narrow, winding, coastal mountain road. During our short hike in the rain in the rainforest we did see a “Tomtit” (bird). Our next short hike was to Thunder Creek Falls on the Haast Highway next to the Haast River in the Haast World Heritage area (now that was a mouth full!) followed by a short hike to Fantail Falls. After the Haast Pass in the New Zealand Alps we drove next to beautiful Lake Wanaka on our right side for nearly a half hour followed by a drive next to beautiful Lake Hawea on our left side for more than a half hour as we headed to our “holiday park” (aka a camp ground) at Mt. Aspiring in Wanaka. Maybe one of the highlights of the trip was my passing a breathalyzer at a traffic stop in downtown Wanaka!! ( the police were stopping all cars, both directions!). After setting up at the holiday park we sighted a European Goldfinch (a beauty!). We find that by the end of the day we are mentally fatigued by all the calculations/conversions – liters to gallons; grams to ounces; Km to miles; Centimeters to inches; NZ dollars to American dollars; etc. AND by concentrating on driving on the wrong side of the road! (I believe the driving is the easiest part!!!) As I prepare to sign off I am listening to the rain on our camper van and looking at a forecast with no rain and cooler temperatures tomorrow 😊. We’ll be exploring in and around Wanaka all day😎
New Zealand & Australia 
Wow! Jamie and I are so excited to know you made it to Wanaka, the most amazing town on the planet (to live and settle) that I’ve experienced so far for me, personally. We’ve been there twice, spent 3 weeks, met with realtors, looked at properties, and still aspire to live there one day. Enjoy it!!
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So lovely. Love your travelogue info. Thrilled to hear and see some of the birds you are seeing. The European Goldfinch is so cool. Can’t imagine trying to keep up with all the conversions. And the weather looks up and down which perhaps is to be expected. Thanks for allowing us to “come along” on your adventure.
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