10th February

10th February – Te Anau

Followed the Southern Scenic Route past windswept beaches and bays until we eventually turned northwards towards the mountains. Stopped to view the Clivden suspension bridge, somewhat less prepossessing than its quasi namesake, but a pleasant stroll. One abutment is underlain by a voluminous spring where water gushes up from the limestone beneath.

Then onto Clivden caves. As the only torch we had between us was the LEDs of my mobile phone, we didn't penetrate far inside the long horizontal passageways.

Lunch occurred at an idyllic lakeshore picnic spot at Lake Manapouri. Then on to Te Anau.

Stopped at the Dept of Conservation wildlife sanctuary where we found an essential guide to prevent us from confusing a Takahe with a Puketu, and an indigenous parrot who spent much time trying to unscrew the nuts that held his cage together, with his beak. As many New Zealand bird names are a mix of unusual consonants with a few vowels, I intend to use them advantageously in Scrabble when I return.

Found the rather basic Fiordland Motel with some difficulty as its position on Google maps differed from reality by about half a kilometre. Possibly due to transcurrent movement along the Alpine fault that runs along the lake in front of it.