On the road: Week one round-up

Distance travelled: 2120km (29 hours, including 3.5 hours on the ferry).

Audiobook on deck: Starsight by Brandon Sanderson - the second book of a YA Sci-Fi trilogy.

Currently watching: Critical Role Season Two.

We were grateful for: The amazing free hot showers at the past four campgrounds we have stayed at. This is not standard. We are being spoiled.

We missed: Kratos! Although I’m sure he will be having fun at his second home, QPS, I can’t wait to see him again on 9th January.

We learned: To look out for, and catch, things that fall out of the cabinets after driving.

Funniest moment: When standing at the Tuatara enclosure in Zealandia, Dan stated with the certainty of a man in the know that “we won’t see a Tuatara, I guarantee it”. There was one 20cm away from his foot. Humble pie was served cold with a side of pointing and laughing.

Best activity: RealJourneys Doubtful Sound Cruise, hands down. The staff were super friendly, warm and knowledgable and all transport was comfortable. We took a bus, ferry then another bus to get to the boat, so this was kind of critical!

Best campsite: Te Anau Lakeside Kiwi Holiday Park. The facilities were recently refurbished and plush as, the showers were hot and had great pressure, we had a baller lake view from our generous-sized site, the people were friendly and helpful, it was walking distance to town, and there were loads of trees and gardens planted around the place. If that wasn’t good enough, it turns out that it is dog-friendly too - even in peak season. Could not recommend more highly. Will definitely return.

Most scenic location: Crooked Arm, Doubtful Sound where the boat pulled up and turned off its engines.

Most interesting fact we learned: That the Manapouri Underground Power Station produces enough power for the ENTIRE South Island, but the Australian-owned aluminium smelter at Tiwai Peninsula, near Bluff, takes 85% of the power produced at one-third of the market price.

We recommend: That you don’t fiddle with the button next to the red flashing LED on the dash as it might send your car alarm into hijack mode and take a couple of hours and the removal of a few panels of your vehicle to fix. Ahem.

Number of wrecked cars on the roadside: Nine.

Number of near-miss collisions we saw: Four.

Number of times Kath called *555: Two.

Number of times Dan turned on the windscreen wipers instead of indicating: Ten, and counting.