Anne here catching up with the last few days … Weds 2nd April

I’ve loved Queenstown and am not really ready to leave this breathtaking scenery. Although I am slightly fed up of the comment “Why you haven’t done a bungee jump yet?” Queenstown is teeming with extreme sports fanatics, mostly under 30 years old! But everyone here has a fascinating background and I’ve loved chatting to strangers and people watching. Everyone is genuinely friendly and I love that. And we will be coming back briefly.

So off to Te Anau, about 2 hours drive from here. The roads are so quiet, and there are two men operating stop/go boards at the roadworks instead of temporary traffic lights. After half an hour, we are into farming country. I have never seen so many sheep in each field, about double the density compared to Wales. Also dairy and deer farming.

And Lake Te Anau is just as stunning as Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown. The weather is still gorgeous although some of the trees are just starting to get their autumn colours.

We are staying in cheapish motel style rooms but they are brilliant so far. Clean, ensuite, a small kitchenette and usually guest laundry facilities. And so far with outstandingly breathtaking views.

Lake Te Anau is genuinely stunning but has one downside . . . Sandflies! Which like mosquitos suck blood. I’ve been taking vitamin B1 tablets for a month (I don’t like marmite) which is meant to deter mosquitos but it has no effect on sandflies at all. I am still tastier than Paul, who does eat marmite!