So out of sleepy Wanaka we set. (Well everyone else always seems to be in bed when we leave?……..) Long old trip up to Franz Josef. So probably a boring coach day…..Not if Ron’s got anything to do with it  😉  Quick Coffee at lake Hawea and on we trundle. Stopping for an early lunch I grab a ham sarni and a bag of crisps, then go get a bottle of cider at the bar (well it is 11.30 BLAH)  Just as we are about to leave a 1930 ish bugati turns up asking about petrol. Looks like there’s a rally somewhere as we see at least another 10 or 12 all traveling in the same direction. Boy do they look uncomfortable.

Stopping at various photo shoot spots along the way we continue our way up. Thundercreek falls is one of these. There are so many beautiful falls and streams its difficult to stop taking pictures lol. On to Ship creek. The small river here acquired another name – Ship Creek, after part of a ship was washed up on the beach. This was believed to be part of the Schomberg which was wrecked off Cape Otway, Victoria, in 1854. The Schomberg was a 2600-ton clipper on her maiden voyage – the largest wooden ship ever launched from a British yard. At least that’s what it said on the plaque. At this point I looked down and spotted the kamikaze flies. Run………..to late. Well I’m not going in that area again…..covered in bites after removing them all. Watch out for the sand flies on the beach too……why did we stop here lol. Lots of wood carvings on the beach or rather broken trees. Lets go…

Into Franz we fly just in time for Happy hour at the Alice May. Unload into the Punga Motel and into the bar. The rest is a blur…..