Feb 17, 2012 Fri. Day 8 Queenstown

Skyped with my little Jeremy and Leah this morning.  Jeremy's actual birthday.  Hugs to all of you.  .
Kelly-Lynn called us a few times as well.  We are starting to count on her calls.  We miss you too Kelly-Lynn.  Great to see all their little faces and talk to them on skype. We left the campgrounds after our coffee. Whenever we pull on to a road, and have to make a right had turn, automatically Peter goes to the right side. We hear "left side Peter" on a regular basis.  They make a great team.

I wanted to see a real kiwi, therefore we went to the Wild life centre.  After paying

$87, we found out there was no picture taking allowed.    So....we used the stuffed animals for photos.  We went through the centre in 10 minutes and saw 2 kiwis, but it was sooo dark, we barely saw them.  Total waste of money and time.  I feel bad because it my idea.  

A picture of a picture to show the size of a kiwi.  
The largest kiwi stands 18"high and weighs 7.3 lbs.
Kiwi eggs are massive.  20% of their body size.   Laying one egg per year.      

             This centre is the home of the official breeding programme for the world's rarest kiwi

called "The Rowi".  Only about 400 left in the wild.  They are slightly smaller. 

Kiwis' #1 enemy are the stoats. (above) 12-14 inches long .  They are wanton killers, able

to prey on species four to five times heavier than themselves. Dogs are # 2.  A dog can kill

up to 65 kiwi in it's lifetime. Dogs find kiwi irresistible & easy to track with their strong

distinctive scent.  This must be why we see so few dogs.  The campgrounds do not allow

dogs.  The New Zealanders are very protective of their National Bird the Kiwi.

"Knight Lookout"  Today was the most beautiful drive yet.  The South Island is definitely more gorgeous.

Many lookout stops along the water. 

Our beach stop at the Tasman Sea.  We got brave and decided to walk in the water.  I gave

Immy my/her camera.  I was caught off guard by a huge wave.  I got soaked.  Peter got wet feet.

                                           He still had his shoes on.  Great fun.

Very, very, very, soaked. 

The little black flies and sand flies were having a feast on Marcel, until he put the sand flies spray on we bought earlier.  It worked great.  Black flies are half the size of the ones we have, but their bite is twice as big.  If an Australian fly wants to be up your nose or in your ear, there is no discouraging him. Flick at him as you will and each time he will jump out of range and come straight back.  He will go into parts of your ear that a Q-tip can only dream about. 

Immy enjoying the extreme winds. 

The last 20 k to Queenstown have about 20 or more hairline turns.  Steepest  mountain yet..
Gorgeous, gorgeous scenery.

                 Queenstown is like a picture postcard, snuggled between the mountains.

Arrived at Top 10 campground at 5 ish.  The only site they could give is was the car wash lot.  We took it.  Then gobbled down a sandwich and walked to the Skyline gondola.  (ski lift)

I DID IT Amanda.  I went up.  Eyes closed almost the whole time and holding on to Immy so

tight I cut off her circulation.  Immy almost tossed her cookies.  The swinging  of the gondola was

pretty bad going up.

At the top was a restaurant, gift shops, luge carts, bungee and paragliding, & mountain biking.  

Going up for the luge ride.  (not us) 

So glad I went up, the view over the town and mountains were spectacular.  Stayed

long enough to also see the setting sun on the mountains.        

Down didn't seem as scary. 

                                 Definitely our best day yet.  Love to you all....yesterday.