KIA-ORA is everywhere in New Zealand so we expected to find over-sweet indifferent orange squash on every street corner. Instead we have found a warm welcome wherever we have stayed. It actually means 'welcome' in the Mauri language.
You are most welcome to their rain! In England, we get plenty of rain. On New Zealand's west coast it's heroic stuff. Apparently it rains here 270 days a year and up to 300 inches falls every year.
Last night saw a large percentage of that arrive. The rain was soft at first, but by midnight it sounded like an express train thundering through a station at full throttle. I am grateful that the building in which we are sleeping is made predominently of wood. At least it will float when the floods rip it from its foundations!
By morning the deluge had abated and apart from a slightly grey mist in the air, there is little sign of the night's rain. It will be interesting to see what effect the downpour has had on the myriad rivers and streams over which we will be driving as we make our way to Queenstown. The forecast is for a warm day with the weather improvingas we head south.
Westwood Lodge's breakfast was superb - freshly cooked to order and served with a smile. That just about makes up for last night's disaster at Blue Ice.
You are most welcome to their rain! In England, we get plenty of rain. On New Zealand's west coast it's heroic stuff. Apparently it rains here 270 days a year and up to 300 inches falls every year.
Last night saw a large percentage of that arrive. The rain was soft at first, but by midnight it sounded like an express train thundering through a station at full throttle. I am grateful that the building in which we are sleeping is made predominently of wood. At least it will float when the floods rip it from its foundations!
By morning the deluge had abated and apart from a slightly grey mist in the air, there is little sign of the night's rain. It will be interesting to see what effect the downpour has had on the myriad rivers and streams over which we will be driving as we make our way to Queenstown. The forecast is for a warm day with the weather improvingas we head south.
Westwood Lodge's breakfast was superb - freshly cooked to order and served with a smile. That just about makes up for last night's disaster at Blue Ice.
