This morning we didn’t leave Hokitika until later than usual. We went first to a kiwi centre and finally saw a kiwi. I also saw another tuatara so you get a photo this time. I also introduce you to the Tiger Oscar fish which tidies up its tank and sulks on the bottom with a sad look on its face if it doesn’t like something.

Down the west coast – more dramatic scenery and increasing mountains. These are the Southern Alps, apparently. On the way we stopped at Ross, an old gold mining town. They had a massive gold rush here in the 1860s and they are still mining it today. Apparently there is a load more under the town but they haven’t proposed moving everyone yet. The world’s biggest gold nugget was found here and presented to Edward VIII. It was made into a tea service which is now in the Tower of London.

Then off to the Franz Josef glacier – named after the Austrian emperor – which is very popular but unfortunately receding because of climate change. The board in the picture below tells you how much. We walked up to see the glacier down the path of the river that tore away swathes of the countryside and the bridge last March.