I would have to say if you come all the way to New Zealand and don't absolutely have to see the albatross colony, skip the southeastern part of the South island. It's a little bit depressing. We spent two nights in Dunedin nevertheless, which is a university town and of course, now it's summer! So, no students. Not much else really either - just my opinion of course. We travelled up through Oamaru, which was interesting because of it's limestone buildings, penguin colonies, and its "Janet Frame" trail. Frame is a novelist who spent much of her life there in Oamaru and whose autobiography became famous when Jane Campion made it into the film "An Angel At My Table" (thanks for that information, Annemarie!).

Then up through Timaru which was so much like New London, CT, it was scary... then on to Arthur's Pass National Park for one last brush with nature. We hiked up Avalanche Peak there and spent the night in a very nice cabin - with six other people of course but that's hostel life. Afterwards it was on to Christchurch - where we depart from on Saturday for Sydney! Here is a photo from Avalanche Peak:



I have come to the conclusion that someone in the U.S. government must have conducted a study to determine the precise number of days one of its citizens could be away from work before they are fully relaxed and are not thinking about work anymore - and it has to be two weeks and two days. Because that is exactly how much vacation time they give us. But just this week, about two weeks and four days in, is when Akhil and I have gotten into the travel groove and we're pretty relaxed and enjoying it all. You know, when you can't remember your boss' email address and have forgotten what day it is and don't even know the names of Madonna's children anymore. We're just about there... looking forward to the next leg of the journey!