We didn't actually sleep that well on our first night in the camper as it was really cold! We thought we'd keep the windows open so it didn't get stuffy - wrong move!

Despite not much sleep we were both still in good spirits and well ready for the next leg. We drove through the most breathtaking mountain ranges, past the driest rivers as well as the largest rivers we had ever seen! We travelled right across the South Island, through 'Lewis Pass' and a small town called Reefton until we got to Westport on the West Coast. This was a typical small mining town with not a huge amount to see so we headed south a little to find a spot to have lunch. Well I'm pretty sure we discovered paradise that day, maybe even a little slice of Heaven?! It was called Carters Beach and we managed to drive all the way to the edge of the sand and had some food whilst still pinching ourselves that this place was actually real. It was a really long, black sand beach, rich with the most amazing peices of driftwood - something I loved when I was in England, but if we lived here we're pretty sure our house would be full of furniture made from driftwood! Nina, you would love this place!! The waves here were awesome too, but a little too big to swim in and there wasn't really anyonw else around so we weren't sure how safe it was, plus sadly we had to leave this haven and head to Greymouth where we'd decided to spend our second night.

On the way to Greymouth we stopped at a place called Punakaiki to check out the famous pancake rocks and blow holes (rock formations in the sea). It was a refreshing stop, not only because of the spectacular views but the huge ice creams did a good job of cooling us down too! They were massive!! The drive was another two hours from here until we reached Greymouth, which is the largest town on the West Coast and the biggest place we'd seen since Christchurch. We grabbed some beers from a liquor store and filled the camper with juice then found a campsite, just in time for the rain! I'd love to make out the weather has been fantastic, but so far we've not been too lucky and have worn our jumpers a few times - doh! The rain didn't matter though and added to the adventure for us. We hooked up to the power and sat on our chairs under some nearby trees, cracked open a cold beer and watched the world go by, until we got cold and hungry then we ate and relaxed in the onsite spa for a while before heading for bed. Once in bed James had strategically placed the PSP above our heads so we could have an in-van movie! Yep, we've got all the mod cons you know!! ;-)