Invercargill to Te Anau

New Zealand consists of a small island and two major islands, the North Island and the South Island, separated by Cook Strait. The first five days were spent on the North Island where we visited Auckland and Rotorua. This morning we caught a flight from Rotorua to Invercargill by way of Christchurch to begin our tour of the South Island.

Lunch awaited us

According to our guide, Invercargill is a small town and New Zealand's most southerly city. All restaurants large enough to accommodate a group of our size are closed on Sunday. So we were having lunch at the Salvation Army. All I could think of was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So I braced myself

to graciously accept the sandwiches and try to remember to say thank you.

A nice Sunday spread

Was I in for a surprise. The spread laid out for us included baked chicken, lamb, fresh vegetables, pasta salad, coffee, tea, cheese and crackers. Delicious. Better than some of the restaurant meals I'd eaten since arriving.

Lunch at the Salvation Army

All of the food was prepared by local ladies who support the Salvation Army. We were told that the group loves having Road Scholars, in part because the tour company pays the Salvation Army the same rates they pay to hotel restaurants. Their generous profits are used to support the organization's programs. And they were such nice people.

After lunch we had a wonderful lecture  by Michael Deaker, a local communications and educational consultant. He talked for approximately an hour about the geology, climate, history, and economy of the South Island and particularly the three regions we'll visit during our tour.

Sheep used to be king of the South Island

At the conclusion of our tour, we boarded the bus for a 2 1/2 hour ride to Te Anau where we would spend the night.  

Along the way we saw pasture after pasture of sheep, a major but decreasing part of NZ's economy. We also saw pastures of cattle and deer, both 
growing as an income stream for local farmers. The distant mountains were just beautiful.

Clean and green rolling countryside

Upon arrival at the Invercargill airport, we had met our South Island site guide. Along the way to Te Anau, she provided continuing commentary as we drove through Southland, New Zealand's southernmost province.  The views were spectacular and the guide provided even more details about the farming culture and landscape than we'd gotten from our lecture.

We arrived at our hotel in Te Anau in time for dinner and a leisurely walk along the edge of Lake Te Anau, the South Island's largest lake and New Zealand's second largest lake (approximately 300 miles around).

A fishing boat on Lake Te Anau

Our destination for the walk was to visit a wildlife park where we saw two of the center's four flightless takahe birds. The takahe was thought to be extinct until discovered living high up on a mountain in Te Anau. Today 

The near extinct Takahe bird

wildlife authorities are diligently working to save the remaining species and trying increase their numbers.

It was a long day, but filled with new discovery. The adventure continues.