Invercargill
We chose the scenic route from Te Anau to Invercargill and it was definitely the right choice! We stopped for great walk on the Rakatu Wetland trail and saw the what has been accomplished by a dedicated group of volunteers to rejuvinate these wetlands that were significantly impacted by the construction of the power station on Lake Manapouri. They’ve done an amazing job and continue to work to preserve and enhance this beautiful natural resource.
Rakatu Wetlands
When we got to our AirBnB in Invercargill, we weren’t prepared to walk into an absolutely beautiful house, decorated in what we can only describe as a modern take on french farmhouse chic. Not quite sure how we ended up with this place at a price that was on the lower end of what we‘ve been paying. 3 full bedrooms, a formal living room, open plan kitchen - dining room - family room, sun porch, separate laundry room, and the list goes on. All modern applicances, very well equipped, and walkable to downtown.
Saturday was supposed to be a rain day, but after a few chores (I really needed a haircut) and a wander around downtown, we took a drive out to Riverton, about 20 minutes away. This is THE surf beach, and it was busy!
Riverton
We wandered around a bit, found a place to have a nice coffee and called it day.
The next day was planned for a hike to Lookout Point in Bluff. The weather actually matched the forecast, sunny, cool, and a light breeze, perfect for a nice 7.5 km hike up and over Bluff Hill, out to Lookout point and back along the edge of Foveaux Strait to Bluff. Lots exercise, and great views over the Foveaux Strait to Stewart Island.
Bluff
We’ve been so fortunate to see so much on this trip. The absolute beauty of the South Island is something to be experienced. We’ve literally turned the corner on our travels. We‘ve gone as far south as we were able and are now slowly heading north.
Our next stop is at a friends house (Tony and Helen) in Dunedin. Their son, daughter in-law, and grandbaby are currently living there while they look for a new house and we’re looking forward to catching up with them.
