South Island Fun

Hello friends of Tigger,

Thanks for waiting so patiently for the latest installment of TiggerTours. Rest assured we have been very busy in the South Island, and have lots of photos to show you.

Just before Christmas we spent a couple of nights in the Nelson Lakes National Park, being eaten alive by insects.

But returned to meet friends for a very happy New Year's Eve. Tigger showed everyone some new dance moves to a bit of Kylie.

A couple of days later Team Tiger hit the road again in proper. Some bizarre rock formations at the Pancake Rocks of Punakaiki, on the west coast.

A little further south we came across the Franz Joseph glacier, where we took an afternoon heli-hike.

Rich (sporting his new holiday beard) attempting some innovative ice-climbing techniques.

Some startlingly blue ice caves...

...which became rather claustrophobic on closer inspection.

Then onto the comfort of Lake Wanaka to defrost, beside the Mount Aspiring National Park.

Next stop Fiordland, for a scenic encounter cruise in Milford Sound.

And a short nature walk to Lake Gunn, on the way home.

Across to Dunedin on the east coast, where Tigger played barman in the Speight's brewery (yum yum.)

Inland to Mount Cook, where a momentary respite from the constant monsoon provided a glimpse of the mountain at sunrise.

Back en route to the east coast, we passed the startling light-blue waters of Lake Pukaki.

More on the travel side of things in the next update.

Now, however, we would like to introduce some of the new friends of Team Tiger.

Firstly, we caught up with Tigger's relatives Marion and Mike at their home in Ruby Bay.

Our friends Maria and Fritz from across the pond, who recently emigrated to NZ.

Jane (previously seen on a Napier wine tour), trying to get Tigger drunk for a New Year's Eve snog.

Sue, who so kindly took us into her home at Christmas.

Mags and Gav in Nelson (also from our Napier wine tour)...

...and their new travel mascot Mini-Rich, who in turn got on rather well with Tigs.

We've seen an abundance of exotic animals so far in the South Island, so there's a bumper wildlife section this time.

An endangered Tuatara, a kind of reptile found only in NZ.

We met a very friendly New Zealand robin near Lake Gunn.

Plenty of New Zealand Fur Seals in the Abel Tasman National Park, and in Milford Sound.

Some very inquisitive car-eating Kea (alpine parrots).

On the Otago Peninsula we met a young Yellow-Eyed Penguin (rather endangered too)...

...and also a fully grown adult with its very hungry (noisy) chick.

We also spied this Royal Albatross coming in to land.

Two pods of Bottlenose Dolphins swam alongside our boat on Milford Sound.

Finally, and possibly the rarest of all, a Pygmy Tiger Antelope.

Hope you've enjoyed the update, and more from us in a couple of weeks

Tigger, Neen, Rich and M. Lapin
xx