Well sorry there was no post yesterday but there was no Wi-fi on our boat. Yes, another boat.

Yesterday morning we went from Wanaka to Queenstown. This is the outdoor activities capital of NZ, where they invented the bungy jump. The place is full of backpackers throwing themselves off and into things with added rich retirees with golf courses at the end of the bungalow. It’s also full of tour groups which is why Explore sent us to Wanaka! On the way we went past this farm which collects bras on its fence. Also, the mountains in the background of the second picture are Mordor. I think. They were certainly in the film.

After that we drove to a place called Manapouri where we parked the bus and, clutching our backpacks with clean underwear and a toothbrush, got on a boat. That boat took us to the end of the lake. Then we got on a coach and drove (past an enormous underground hydroelectric plant built to provide power to an aluminium smelting plant) across a mountain. Then, finally, we got to our boat.

Doubtful Sound (so called because Captain Cook didn’t go into it because he doubted he’d be able to get out) is part of the Fjordland National Park. This takes up most of the bottom west corner of the South Island and is very very lonely. There are some hiking tracks and a few boats but mainly just forest and birds. Also traps for the inevitable mammal pests.

So we went on the boat – where I got a cabin to myself with double bed and en-suite bathroom with shower. This, according to their website, should have cost $1360 – around £680. I presume Explore got a discount but nonetheless….

We sailed up the sound , looking at the trees, the fur seals, the penguins – Fjordland Crested and Blue – and the dolphins! Sorry no photos again. There was a chance to go on a small boat trip or canoeing. As I have (at the last count) 42 sandfly bites, I was avoiding any contact with the shore. As well as not wanting to go canoeing. Despite the fact that the water temperature was 7 degrees, some hardy souls actually went swimming.

We had capacious dinner and then lovely breakfast this morning followed by sailing back to the start.

We are now in Dunedin – a very Scottish town on the south coast. The south of the South Island has very few people living in it and most of them are farmers of Scottish descent. Lots of sheep and an oat factory! More tomorrow.