Met up with Claire (from the first Magic bus) in Christchurch and collected our rental car - which we nicknamed Tui- because it would take us from Christchurch TUI Queenstown. Spent the week travelling down the east coast along The Scenic Highway route for 1300Km through The Catlins and up to Queenstown. We stayed at Oamaru, Dunedin, Papatowai, Invercargill, Manapouri, Wanaka and finally Queenstown. Fantastic scenery off the normal roads - travelled along many gravel roads to places neither of us had visited before. Whilst staying at Manapouri we did a cruise on the Doubtful Sound. Both of us had visited Milford Sound and we both agreed that Doubtful Sound was more impressive and remote, certainly worth the effort to get there. An excellent week of travel ended in Queenstown with a Fergburger and a night out at the Buffalo Bar and The World Bar. Our hostel key allowed us to have 2 for 1 drinks in the bar which may have led to the hangover Claire had the next day! Whatever the night, Queenstown is always busy unlike the rest of NZ which doesn't seem to wake up until friday night.
