March Madness

March Madness is certainly the phrase. We jetted off to the South Island of New Zealand for a woodchop competition. The over 60's (Veterans) Australian men vs New Zealand veterans. The first race was at the Invercargill Show. This was the playground beside the competition.  They were quite amusing to watch. We won the first race (best of 3)

Having a few days between the shows we drove out to Lake Te Anau on the west coast, where we did a few tourist events. We visited the Glow Worms up from Te Anau. Amazing to think they are merely eating sandflies which cause their glowing. ATP was mentioned, (adenosine tri phosphate) from the Krebs cycle in energy production in their tails. We followed that up by sailing on a 90 yr old boat on the lake. The owners are very passionate about their vessel and also took us for a hike through the fiordland forests.

This is actually a fungus turning the rotting timber the teal colour.

We also went on a helicopter flight up to the top of the mountains above Te Anau and then back to Lake Manapouri.

After the old boat sail, we hopped into a Jet Boat with some other woodchoppers and went down the river from Lake Te Anau. Drinking water straight from the lake is something you can't do here at home.

We hopped on a bus and went out to Milford Sound the next day, stopping at the Mirror Lakes and the Flat where everybody has to have their photo taken. The site was used in some movies. 

Milford Sound is very spectacular and we were lucky a small amount of misty rain fell, making small waterfalls appear.

We ended up at Wanaka where I managed to swim in the Clutha River. A very brief swim but I did submerge myself after taking this photo to show how clear the water is. A very beautiful spot.

Meanwhile back home, we had 350mms rain in a very short while, bringing back the floods like 2013 but not quite as high. Muddy brown water everywhere not like these scenes at all.

These photos are like postcards used to be. I would have liked to be there a few weeks later with the leaves changing colour in the deciduous trees. 

If life allows us, we would like to go back in winter time. As always, wait and see.