The Malcolm and Helen Diet

In 1994 on the longest bike trip at that point we encountered a British couple outside a little general store in Eastern Washington. They were both wearing the recognizable spandex biking shorts.
"Where are you biking to?" the woman asked me.
"Oh, we're biking all the way to Glacier Park in Montana," I said, a bit proudly. "Where are you biking to?"
"Maine," Helen replied.
I gulped. "Where did you start?"
"Spain."
And that was the beginning of our long distance friendship. So here we are 13 years later in New Zealand. I don't know why the Gilbeys asked us to join them on this adventure. They had a chance to bike in Vietnam with their Perth, Australia friends. That's where they've lived for the last 10 years. Helen got her Ph.D. and runs a hip clinic and Malcolm is an outdoor education expert who teaches and writes curriculum for masters and ph.d programs. Yeah, we're a bit out of our league.
They meet us in the Christchurch airport and as we walk to the parking lot I see an orange and white painted mini-van with the words "Spaceships.com" painted on the side. I thought they were kidding when they said we would be traveling the south island of New Zealand in the spaceship. How were we all going to fit in? Where would we sleep? But when the sliding door opened I could see a stove, a bed, and on top of the van there was an attachment that looked like an extra luggage rack. At night that piece of equipment would pop open and Malcolm and Helen would run up the ladder and sleep in their "penthouse suite."
For the last twelve days we have been driving around the South Island and pulling off the road into one of the many FREE camping spots here. For example, last night we just drove down Queen's Reach road to a lovely spot next to a river, under some trees, and not far away from the toilet. We pulled out our little table, opened up our four comfy chairs, brought out the Jack Daniels and opened the fabulous Australia Shiraz, took out the cards and began our twentieth game of Cribbage. Dinner was mushroom omelet cooked by Helen with slaw fixed by Leo accompanied with fresh tomato and avacado slices.
If this sounds a little boring as far as adventures go I should add that we've already gone on numerous hikes. The first BIG one was to the top of Mount Arthur, 10 miles and 2000 ft. up. Then we did a backpack hike to Lake Angelus hut along Robert Ridge with a ten mile down Cascade trail of rock and two water falls ending in a Lord of the Rings forest hike, along a river with a water taxi to pick us up to bring us back to a campground. Unfortunately, Leo sprained his ankle on that hike but he managed to hike the 10 miles down to the taxi.
Today we are in Te Anau and will hike one and a half hours to a hut. We will camp their in our tents and then hike back. The weather is like Seattle's today, but I don't think we have to worry about rain. Friday the four of us will board a boat and travel to Doubtful Sound and then go Kayaking for the afternoon, returning the next day by boat.
We have loved staying in our spaceship, away from the crowds that congregate in the cities of Queenstown and Christchurch during summer vacation. We also love the Kiwi sense of humor and their attitude about the outdoors. What a wonderful gift these free campgrounds are...and the scenery is beautiful.
Malcolm and Helen will leave us on the 18th and then the two bumbling Americans will be on their own. We have a few plans but I don't think they include the spaceship. We'll probably head north and explore that Island. More later.