I stop overnight in the fronteer town of Murchison. My hotel was first built in 1878 when most residents were gold-diggers - these women get everywhere. It was quickly swept away by the river, re-built higher up and struck by lightening. Re-built, yet again it was destroyed at 0700 on 7th July 1927 by an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale and 17 people died. So much for 7 being a lucky number!  While I was celebrating my first birthday a policeman from Australia who was on holiday recognised the owner and had him arrested as leader of a gang which stole nearly 4,00 pounds a year before from a payroll train. My stay was thankfully uneventful.

Merve took me to the natural flames, methane and butane escaping through the ground. It took him three years to negotiate access rights with the local farmers and then he had to build the path. Fewer than 2,000 people have seen this natural phenomenon.

Then off to Hokitaki to meet a girl called Fox who owns a backpackers place...