Photos are your window into the past, looking back at them can evoke memories or trigger feelings that perhaps you might have forgotten about and so it is with me and my blog. I knew that I wanted write to about what had happened during the year but didn’t quite know how to express this in words. so I looked back at some of the tens of thousands of photos I have taken and realised that these were triggering the brain cells and decided to do more of a photo essay rather than a blog to cover 2018 in two parts. South Island First and then the North to follow next.

Some of the more remote road signs in the back country really had us smiling and above are some of the ones that really captured me.

Of course to find some of these road signs you need to drive down some fairly remote roads like the one above leading to Lake Coleridge. Probably one of the worst roads I have ever driven but absolutely spectacular scenery around it.

The funny thing was picking up these hitchhikers at the end of the Lake Coleridge Rd and bringing them back to civilisation. The boy had fallen out of the upper bunk in one of the huts along the Te Aroha Trail, onto his knees and could barely walk We were probably the only vehicle on the road that day.

I don’t know how many photos I took of sunset and sunrise, although probably not that many sunrises due to sleep, but it’s one of those shots that you just have to keep taking.

We did lots of walking in both sun and rain, including parts of some of the great trails. With the Heaphy Track probably our favourite as it runs along the coast. Also the walk to Lake Daniels was a major milestone for both of us. It was the first time we had walked more than 2 hours each way before.

We did two tours one to Milford Sound and the other to Farewell Spit we thoroughly enjoyed both of these but would give the tour to Milford Sound an 11 out of 10 and rate it as an absolute must do, You see so much more than you would see if you tried to do it on your own.

Even though it was March we had a couple of days when it felt quite chilly.

Including snow on the ground at both Hamner Springs and through the Lewis Pass.

It wasn’t just snow we encountered with this early morning fog providing this great photo.

We did all the tourist things, Walking up Baldwin Street, visiting Oamaru and Nugget Point (two highlights) were amazed at Denniston and had to turn up at the sign in Bluff at 7.30am to find enough space to park the motorhome.

We found the best donuts in the world in Lumsden at the Bafe Cafe.

And the best value fish and chips in the world with chips only $1 per scoop and blue cod $4.50 a piece in Kaitangata.

Of course we tried to catch our own fish a couple of times including an experience down the side of a cliff in French Pass with Murray as our guide.

We managed to cook some marvelous meals in our little oven once we figured out how to use it.

We rode the Otago Rail Trail from start to finish, both ways as we had to ride forward and then back to the motorhome each night and then move it forward. Staying in some great places and meeting some great people.

Of course we used the bikes in loads of other places as well, such a great way of getting around. We even rode from the NZMCA Park in Franz Josef up to the glacier car park and then walked to the glacier. A great day!

Took some photos of a famous town sign and another not quite so well known beach.

We made some new friends some of whom I have written about many times this year and others whose paths we might only cross occasionally. We did of course do quite a bit of mileage and it wouldn’t be motorhoming if you didn’t get stuck at least once!

Of course all good things must come to an end and before we even realised four months had vanished it was time to head back north which will be the subject of the blog to come.

There are so many things I could have added here including some wonderful places to stay but I have a separate blog planned for this. Also things to do and see that I haven’t listed but feel free to look at my map of the places we have visited they all link to the blog about that area and all have tons more photos.

Since this will be the last post I make before Christmas 2018 I wish all who are reading this magical Christmas and I really hope that Santa has your gifts sorted! Including your own motorhome if you don’t currently have one, what a great way to see the country.

To view the places we have visited click here to see them on Google maps. You can click the links to read the blog about that area.

To view the ratings for other places and camps we have stayed click here 

If you liked this post how about buying me a cup of coffee to keep future posts coming ☕