The last job to do in this visit to Queenstown was to get some snow chains as we were warned to carry them at all times throughout the South Island. This, we duly did, and headed north on what would prove to be a fantastic day. The first of two lakes soon came into view - Lake Hawea. It is a beuatiful azure blue and stands next to a number of snow-capped peaks. The views were stunning as we passed through and alongside Lake Wanaka. Before we stopped for lunch we stopped next to a couple of mottled horses and fed them grass, burger rings (crisps) and mints. They seemed to lap them all up, not fussy in the slightest. We carried on, over and through the Haast Pass, stopping only for Thunder Creek, a 100-foot waterfall. Our brakes were smelling of burning rubber, a fact brought home to us when a bus driver said he could smell us comiung from a km away!!! No hand-brake on this time though - just very very steep hills. Our destination for the day was Fox Glacier (why come all this way for a mint I hear you ask...?) where we found a campsite and then bombed down a 6 km track to Lake Matheson - where NZ's highest point - Mount Cook can be viewed in the reflection of the lake. Normally that is. Instead we got, Mounts Cook and Tasman, on a cloudy day, surrounded in cloud, with a cloudlike reflection. Were we deterred? No not really as we vowed to return at 6am (!!!!) for sunrise...these things always sound good at the time. On our return to the village we tried to find the Glow-worm forest which seems to have been cordoned of and turned into the Glow-worm Cafe with Glow-worm Experience. It was shut. We gamely decided to head down the road and, with my father in law as chief trespasser we hacked our way into nearby forest and managed to find a couple of vaguely glowing things. Almost satisfied we finished the day at a wonderful little cafe which served hot chocolate and citrus flavoured beer - now there's a winning combo.

The alarm went off at 5.30 and we decided to go back to bed - it was warm under the covers - in the minus degrees outside them. However Richard had other ideas as their van's lights were on so we felt almost compelled to join them in the trip to the lake. For once getting up early was the right decision...To get to the viewpoint you have to walk around the lake to the other side (about 40 minutes) so it was about 6.30am by the time we got there, but the views were worth it. The coud of the night before had cleared and gave way to wonderful views of both Mount Cook and the slightly smaller Mount Tasman. Best of all the water was as still as it could get so the reflection was almost perfect. We were also the only people there which made it even better. A few photos later we headed off, the mount once again shrouded by a dense mist by 7.15. Stopping only briefly at the cafe next to the lake (run by the grumpiest woman on the planet, although she did do a good breakfast to be fair) we headed off to have a look at the glacier. It has been receeding for the last few hundred years and the walk from the car park (an hour return) used to be glacier, but no more. It's something to do with the ice melting quicker than it forms apparently. The views were good, although you couldn't go on the glacier without a guide (none handy, or cubs for that matter) which was either for safety (as they claimed) or a ruse to use the expensive guiding companies...you decide...

Onwards and upwards to Franz Josef Glacier just up the road where we tried to book a heli-hike last night, unfortunately they were all either too expensive or fully booked, or both. So we climbed up to the viewpoint and took the obligatory photos. Richard's knees playing him up a bit so we didn't do the full walk. Since that time we have headed north through less spectacular scenery but with windier roads (Jen was driving thank God - I had a kip!) towards the Pancake Rocks where we hope to reach tonight. From there it's the Tranz-Alpine 'Athur's Pass' tomorrow and whale watching (which Lynn and Richard are paying for - YAY!!) on Sunday. Their ferry to the north island is Sunday afternoon. We've booked ourselves some diving in Pupu Springs on Monday - this is the worlds clearest (but also, seemingly coldest - 6-8 degrees C) freshwater lake - with 65m (!!!!!) visibility. The whole she-bang is costing about 30 quid each for all the kit as we're doing it ourselves with no giudes, it is only about 4m deep, and 45m wide (they proved the visibility thingy using mirrors) so even we should be able to navigate it.