Westport- Lake Mahinapua

Well, we left Nelson and stopped at Nelson lakes on the way and had a short walk around there. Very beautiful views.
After the lakes we went onto Westport, I can safely say that Westport has less in it than Long Buckby! A lot less in fact and there was nothing to do. So we just spent the evening chilling. Ian went on a jet boat earlier in the day, but I'd previously done that in the bay of islands so I thought I'd save my pennies.
On the 7th we moved onto Lake Mahinapua, we passe through Greymouth on the way. We all had to write down a character or super star and they all got put in a hat and we had to dress up in the evening. I got Minnie Mouse and Ian got Bob the builder! So, we went around the 2 shops that were open in Greymouth for dressing up clothes. We went to the Warehouse (the advert says, where everyone gets a bargain!) Oh yes, I was there and I managed to find a few bargains! I created some ears out of a plastic folder, and that's all I could find! We carried on to Lake Mahinapua, now I thought Westport was quiet...this place really did take the biscuit! Nothing in sight for miles, now i know why we needed to dress up and have fun. We arrived and is was probably the worst accommodation so far, but the beach was one side and the lake the other side of the road, so it was pretty cool. We also got a massive dinner, steak, potatoes, salad and our bed for 10quid, so we did quite well.

The bus driver i have been with over the past few days has been a really laugh. He picked up a couple of random hitch hikers and made them sing to us as their fee to their destination. He nearly rolled the bus trying to make a 90 degree turn on a single lane track with a drop either side of it, he forgot his own luggage, has had luggage fall out of the lockers at the bottom of the bus 3 times! Very funny though and it is only his first trip as a driver, he's a really nice guy. On the way to Franz Josef we stopped at a random cafe and saw deer!
We left this morning and went to a few random places on the way to Franz Josef. The weather has been rubbish though, we should have got off the bus to do a few walks, but nobody fancied it because of the rain. Now in Franz Josef staying at the Rainforest retreat, it's like a big rainforest village, really cool. Heaps of people staying here though, so can't see me getting too much sleep! Tomorrow we are heading out for a 6hour hike up the Franz Josef Glacier, really looking forward to it. Shouldn't be too bad, some of the walk is rainforest until we reach the glacier edge. We wanted to do a sky dive here but the weather isn't good enough, too cloudy and rainy. It would have been such fabulous views as well. Nevermind, I'm sure Mum and Dad will be glad I'm not doing it!