Stop 4 Invercargill

We got here from Dunedin using the scenic coastal highway and we managed to stop loads along the way to get some really good photos of the scenery of Middle Earth. Dont know if I've mentioned it in any of of the others but we couldn't help but noticing that there are big lines of trees planted across the fields and next to the roads. when I asked one of the Kiwi lads about it he told me it was to stop the cattle and trucks from getting blown over. He told me that 140kph winds are not uncommon here? I don't know if he was winding me up or not?

We're planning on using Invercargill as a base while we explore some of South/Central South Island. We drove round here in a 400km loop and back to Invercargill. The van we used in Oz was a beat up, smelly, loud Wicked campervan. It never broke down once in over 6500km. This time we've decided to spend a bit more money on a Britz camper which is supposed to be even better. Inside it's definitely more cosy howevery between at a small town inbetween Milton and Alexandria it wouldn't start after we pulled in and stopped. It was just totally dead.

We're planning on using Invercargill as a base while we explore some of South/Central South Island.

We thought we were ok however as we both had taken out the roadside assistance cover. When we rang up Britz however they said that they couldn't get to us because it was a public holiday and there were no mechanics in the area. You'll have to find a garage or a farmhouse and see if they can help you! Here's me thinking that roadside assistance means that someone will come and give you assistance? I didn't realise that, with Britz, it means assist yourself at the roadside! Sorry Britz. My misunderstanding. Any way I went to a local garage (after I'd found the problem) bought some fuses and replaced all the burnt out ones and dried it all off so it couldn't short out again.

The journey around in the loop was really cool. We kept pointing out all the places we remembered from the movies along the way and getting out and having silly pictures taken. It was quite hard going toward the end and was pitch black by the time we got back to the camp site.

We were both a bit gutted that we hadn't left any time for site seeing in the town centre. What we did see of Invercargill town was cool though. I've noticed there's a big Northern British influence here. Not just in the naming of the towns but in the language and the people. They'll say words like we (little or small), aye (yes) and a few others. It makes me feel that I'm back at home here.