For those who talked of that rail/road bridge I found a picture of it, with a car stopped (thankfully) and quite a big train on what I,thought were very small rails.
We left Te Anau and said goodbye to Roger and Wendy at Dunluce B & B, and left in their safe hands a message for Malcolm & Denise who we knew were following on behind us. We really want to know if the rice and mobile phone combo worked. I have kept meaning to say how well equipped all the B & B’s have been and how splendid their lounges, which sadly we have hardly indulged ourselves in at all. Next time.
Before we left, we stopped at the cinema first at 10-00am and watched a short film called Ata Whenua – Shadowland, which was a documentary film mostly filmed from a helicopter showing the amazing scenery of Fiordland. It only runs about 30 minutes and was made over a period of years, many of the scenes shot whilst looking for locations for Lord of the Rings. Apparently the guy who put it together couldn’t get a distributor so he built his own cinema in Te Anau, where it is now shown on the hour from 0900 till 1900 every day.
We then hit the road back to Queenstown. The weather was not as kind as it had been on the way down but the lakes various looked even more dramatic.
So dear chums and all our followers we arrived at a hotel, not like a hotel as you know it Jim. (R.i.p Leonard Nimoy) Pictures of this tomorrow. At first I thought we were back on the ‘rock’…………you’ll see. But boy the bed looks inviting and the view is just once more the best!
I have concluded, especially with the scenery that as you round each corner and gasp and gape, that the New Zealand government must employ a huge staff of people to pick up all the dropped jaws that must litter every corner of this wonderful country.
Thank you for reading and tomorrow a day of leisure in Queenstown! M & M
Malcolm and Mary's ongoing blog 
That train’s scary! Yet more magnificent views. NZ sure is full of them. You’ll have trouble choosing your number one favourite!
And then my phone only posted half my comment grrrrr! Anyway it’s a truly beautiful spot. Loved the cable car up the mountain. Looking forward to seeing you fly down on the hangglider!!!!!!! Oh and the railways over there are a much narrower gauge than ours but the trains are almost the same size. Very strange!
Exactly what I don’t understand, tiny rails big trains. Sorry it’s damp in Florida. M & M.
Greetings from a somewhat damp Florida. And I see you’re in another of my favourite places, Queenstown
We remember the film – we even bought a copy of it on DVD.
You narrative continues to be illustrated with stunning photos.
Queenstown was as far as we got on our tour in 2008. We were on a coached tour, Gwyneth had become unwell, and we stayed behind in Queenstown while rest of them went on and did the railway bit. When stranded as far from blighty as it’s possible to be, you do feel a bit lonely I can tell you!!
So, where next? Looking forward to your next epistle.
Frank and Gwyneth
A day of leisure here, Queenstown and then Dunedin tomorrow for two nights. We bought the DVD as well! What a drama you had then? The New Zealand police out looking for us pales a bit compared to your saga!
That is definitely a red hot poker and not a lady’s folded hut hat.
Correct! But like everything here it was HUGE. M & M
Oh sod all the events to do…Buy a bottle of Merlot and put ya feet up right where you are!!!!
M&S….P.S….Just about to post our monthly tome!!
Which is exactly what we did! We ate in the hotel last night and it was truly lovely. Today we are up and at ’em. M & M