I've managed to work out the whole PicasaWeb thing and now I've got all the holiday photies up on there. Here is the set of pics we took whilst travelling round the north part of the South Island for 5 days.
Showing posts with label NZ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NZ. Show all posts
1 May 2007
NZ Pictures - driving trip
I've managed to work out the whole PicasaWeb thing and now I've got all the holiday photies up on there. Here is the set of pics we took whilst travelling round the north part of the South Island for 5 days.
23 Apr 2007
Last few days in Christchurch
Well it's Monday afternoon and we've been back in Christchurch since Saturday lunchtime. Our last blog was from Arthur's Pass - half way between Greymouth and Christchurch. We drove for another couple of hours over the pass - there were *some* hairy bits but nothing too scary - in fact the main thing that was notable from the journey was just how much the scenery changed with every twist and turn of the road. As we were traveling from the wetter West back to the East coast, it changed from lush tropical jungle, to drier scrubby land. We have some great pictures - alot of them a blur because I was trying to snap them every time we turned a bend in the road. So many of them will have windscreen wipers and a tax disc in them - reminds me vaguely of an old Victoria Wood sketch. (I'll look up a link to that next time!!!)
On arrival back here to no 21 we spent a bit of time explaining our route and the details of the trip to the clan, and we had some gorgeous dinner again. (Note: the fabulous Thai meals we have had here will be the subject of another blog entry) then we got ready to go out to the quiz in the local community centre; it was in aid of the family play centre which is like a pre-school nursery but it's run and managed by the parents. Me, dan Leif & Rukmini were joined by their friends Dave and Lynda to make our top team 'Simple Minds'. We did OK on round 1, and rubbish on round 2 but by round 3 the wine was flowing freely! Needless to say, by round 10 we were completely loud and lairy!!! We weren't really paying that much attention to the quiz activity but after the 1st prize was given out, we were surprised to be asked for a representative of our team to go up to the front - shockingly we had come in joint 2nd place and were up for the tie-breaker! Dave (our hero) went up and answered the question "Which is the largest land-locked country?" - we were all so relieved he went up to the front as none of us would have known the answer was Mongolia. He did though, so we won the 2nd prize which included tickets to various attractions in the local area - brilliant - and we divvied them up between us! Needless to say with my super raffle luck, we also won a prize of a basket of toiletries. Leif managed to swap a bottle of lavender water for some more wine (well done that man) and so the night ended with aplomb!
Sunday was a more subdued day for all of us - some hangover cures were needed and lots of water was drunk. There was even some mid afternoon sleeping! Tut tut!
That brings us to today, Monday, we've been out in Christchurch city centre for a great Korean meal at Mama24's with Leif, Rukmini & Orissa who is off school with a kidney infection poor thing. The had to leg it home to get Cyrus from school, but we hung out in the town for another couple of hours; visiting the aquarium where they have a couple of rare North Island Kiwis. Very cute and a bit difficult to see in the dark, but worth it! They're a bit wierd looking and as big as a cat! After that we went for a stroll along the river bank (I understand the Oxford/Cambridge references now I've seen the river!!!) and we had a lovely cup of coffee in one of the bars lining the river bank.
Now we're all back home and having a chilled afternoon/evening with the kids back from school and Cyrus wanting to show off all his new books and his star for reading!
I can't believe we've had all of this time away and now tomorrow is our last full day! It's seemed like we've been away a long time but all of a sudden the end is nigh! Tomorrow we're planning a better tour of the city centre, and then Wednesday we have to be at the airport for 3pm for our flight to Sydney...Dubai...and then Manchester! Hmmm looking forward to that!!!!
On arrival back here to no 21 we spent a bit of time explaining our route and the details of the trip to the clan, and we had some gorgeous dinner again. (Note: the fabulous Thai meals we have had here will be the subject of another blog entry) then we got ready to go out to the quiz in the local community centre; it was in aid of the family play centre which is like a pre-school nursery but it's run and managed by the parents. Me, dan Leif & Rukmini were joined by their friends Dave and Lynda to make our top team 'Simple Minds'. We did OK on round 1, and rubbish on round 2 but by round 3 the wine was flowing freely! Needless to say, by round 10 we were completely loud and lairy!!! We weren't really paying that much attention to the quiz activity but after the 1st prize was given out, we were surprised to be asked for a representative of our team to go up to the front - shockingly we had come in joint 2nd place and were up for the tie-breaker! Dave (our hero) went up and answered the question "Which is the largest land-locked country?" - we were all so relieved he went up to the front as none of us would have known the answer was Mongolia. He did though, so we won the 2nd prize which included tickets to various attractions in the local area - brilliant - and we divvied them up between us! Needless to say with my super raffle luck, we also won a prize of a basket of toiletries. Leif managed to swap a bottle of lavender water for some more wine (well done that man) and so the night ended with aplomb!
Sunday was a more subdued day for all of us - some hangover cures were needed and lots of water was drunk. There was even some mid afternoon sleeping! Tut tut!
That brings us to today, Monday, we've been out in Christchurch city centre for a great Korean meal at Mama24's with Leif, Rukmini & Orissa who is off school with a kidney infection poor thing. The had to leg it home to get Cyrus from school, but we hung out in the town for another couple of hours; visiting the aquarium where they have a couple of rare North Island Kiwis. Very cute and a bit difficult to see in the dark, but worth it! They're a bit wierd looking and as big as a cat! After that we went for a stroll along the river bank (I understand the Oxford/Cambridge references now I've seen the river!!!) and we had a lovely cup of coffee in one of the bars lining the river bank.
Now we're all back home and having a chilled afternoon/evening with the kids back from school and Cyrus wanting to show off all his new books and his star for reading!
I can't believe we've had all of this time away and now tomorrow is our last full day! It's seemed like we've been away a long time but all of a sudden the end is nigh! Tomorrow we're planning a better tour of the city centre, and then Wednesday we have to be at the airport for 3pm for our flight to Sydney...Dubai...and then Manchester! Hmmm looking forward to that!!!!
20 Apr 2007
Goldmines and Glow-worms
Well we had a lovely day travelling around yesterday. After our last little stop, we were on the outskirts of Westport; we went in to the town but it was a bit like a 1940's holiday camp...a bit wierd!!! All we did was fill up with petrol and leave, heading down the coast to Greymouth, our ultimate destination for the day. On the way we saw signs for a seal colony at the delightfully named 'Cape Foulwind'...well we've never seen a seal not in a zoo, so off we went. Awwww, I'm so glad we did, there were HUNDREDS of little baby seals, flipping about in the water and on the rocks in a secluded cove that you got to by walking along a ledge high above the water. It was great as we were near enough to see them but far away enough that you didn't disturb them!
After the seals we were on a high, so we headed on down the coast and then stopped at the NEXT tourist attraction, Pancake Rocks and (apologies for the spelling again) Punakaki Blow Holes. This is a natural limestone formation which, at certain tides, causes water to blow up through the hols worn in the rocks. Again it was a spectatcular coastal walk, very well maintained path and viewing galleries. Unfortunately the holes weren't blowing!!! But we have some lovely picccies anyway!
Further down on the coast we hit Greymouth and armed with our MOTELs guide, we decided to try our luck at the Coleraine guesthouse. Unfortunately, every singel motel in Greymouth seemed to have no vacancies. As the next day we were planning to be driving over Arthur's Pass, a scary windy road thru the mountains back to Christchurch, we didn't really want to set off over the pass at a late stage in the day and risk losing the light, so we started up the pass road and then stopped at the 1st sign of civilisation we could find. This ended up being a small 'town' called KUMARA - population 450!
The Kumara Motel was run by Lionel, the man who also ran the post office, cafe, chippy and local store (actually all the one building!). We checked out the room and for $65 you couldn't really go wrong, so we took the room.
"Have you ever seen a glow worm?" Lionel said, apropos of nothing. "No" we replied. "Right then" he said "I'll pick you up when I've shut the shop, and we can go and look at them in the old gold mines"! Not an offer you get every day, we thought. So at 8pm, armed with my torch and a sharp knife in case he was going to rob and kill us, off we went to the gold mines.
We were concentrating on not slipping on the mossy track that he lead us down and so didn't really pay too much attention to the surroundings, until he switched off the torch.
WOW!
I wish we could have got a photograph. We were in a grotto, a bank of mossy ground under the roots of a huge tree, and all round us were little lights glinting brightly in the dark. Blue green twinkles like the milky way.
We then went into the gold mine (I gripped the knife tightly) but it was only to show us the 'cave wetter' spiders! In the cave Lionel said it was the glow-worms noses that glowed, but back in the pub afterwards the barmaid tols us it was their pooh! Good job I didn't find that out in the cave, as a couple landed in my hair, and then Lionel's torch gave out! Believe me I had my hand on the knife at that point!!!!
OK well we're in Arthur's Pass Village right now and it's Saturday 10am, half way home to Christchurch. Half an hour's internet access has bought a longer posting for today! More from back at Leif's when we get home!
L&D xxxxx
19 Apr 2007
A town of 750 people
Yes, when we said a 'one horse town' we weren't kidding!!! However with a bit of lovely Hunter's Miu Miu special reserve it all got a bit nicer towards the evening - and sitting outside our lovely Motel room at the 'Merchiston Motels' and chatting to our lovely neighbours Ian and Lynne the evening couldn't have been nicer...sun shining and everything!
Today, Friday, we are en route for Greymouth - currently stopped at a little cafe called "Berlins" just outside of Westport on the West coast (funnily enough!)
We've just had an interesting experience on the way over here - with the Buller Gorge Swingbridge needless to say I didn't make it across, and Dan did it twice!!!! (He's just showing off!)
We've now got less than a week left :-( and we're in 2 minds as whether to get back to Leif & Ruckmini et al, or to travel for another day or so and maybe cross the country coming over one of the wicked passes that cut through the mountains.
We're SOOOOOOO coming back to NZ - next time though, we're going to do it in one of these
OK well the 20 minute internet ticket thing gets used up quickly, we've just had a coffee, and there's a goat standing outside the door. Time to goat I think! <--apologies for really bad joke from Dan)
L&D xxxxx
Today, Friday, we are en route for Greymouth - currently stopped at a little cafe called "Berlins" just outside of Westport on the West coast (funnily enough!)
We've just had an interesting experience on the way over here - with the Buller Gorge Swingbridge needless to say I didn't make it across, and Dan did it twice!!!! (He's just showing off!)
We've now got less than a week left :-( and we're in 2 minds as whether to get back to Leif & Ruckmini et al, or to travel for another day or so and maybe cross the country coming over one of the wicked passes that cut through the mountains.
We're SOOOOOOO coming back to NZ - next time though, we're going to do it in one of these
OK well the 20 minute internet ticket thing gets used up quickly, we've just had a coffee, and there's a goat standing outside the door. Time to goat I think! <--apologies for really bad joke from Dan)
L&D xxxxx
Murchison
So here we are today (Thurs)in Murchison - it's a bit of a 1 horse town and looks like something from the wild west! Honestly! But it's alledgedly the white water rafting capital of NZ (if not the world!) we've driven today from Blenhim, up the Waipaui (i'm going to have spelled that wrong) valley, and past lakes Rotoui, and Rotoura. Unbelievably massive lakes completely in the mildle of nowhere. It's like something out of Lord of the Rings!!!!! Snow capped mountains and alpine views have combined to make today's drive particularly awe-inspiring.
We're just in the tourist information trying to sort out digs for the night! There are a couple of scary things to do here, including a swing-brige and 'cannoning' which sound just up Dan's street!
Will write again when next have access!
Love L&D xxxx
We're just in the tourist information trying to sort out digs for the night! There are a couple of scary things to do here, including a swing-brige and 'cannoning' which sound just up Dan's street!
Will write again when next have access!
Love L&D xxxx
Blenhim
Next day we shook off our hangovers and got straight on the road to Blenhim - another absolutely stunning drive along the coast. The hills are quite brown and the rivers don't seem to be that full. We drove over a few 'fords' but there was nothing to ford at all. Every river seems to be dry. I don't know if the area is undergoing a drout; all of Aus seems to be on drout alert, but here, I'm not sure. The mountains seem to pour down right to the coastline though, if it wasn't for the road, they'd meet the sea. Beautiful. So we pulled into Blenhim - Marlborough (Wine conutry) and got ourselves a nice little B&B. We went for a japanese meal at a lovely restaurant in the town, and then headed off to the wineries. There are HUNDREDS of them. We vistited, Hunters, Fromm, Cloudy Bay, Alan Scott and Nautilus - some of which you winies (or winos) might know. We were educated on the local wines and the different grapes, we ate chees, tasted olive oil, supped some nice wine - oh yeah and came back with a case of mixed bottles, a few from each of the places we visited. As you can imagine, it was hell!!!!! ;-)
Dinner last night consisted of a gourmet meal in a lovely local restaurant; and we wobbled happily back to the Motel!
Dinner last night consisted of a gourmet meal in a lovely local restaurant; and we wobbled happily back to the Motel!
Kaikoura
So we set off on our intrepid journey round the coast & up to the North - our 1st stop being Kaikoura - about 150ks north of Christchurch....
We bimbled along - great driving, easy roads and even managed to stop for a cuppa in Cheviot (very good toasties!) and finally we emerged onto the coast. Absolutely stunning scenery and coastline. Pity though that Kaikoura main town centre is like a backpacker's haven. Everyone had dreadlocks and all the cafes seemed to be full of people half our age!!! Howold and crusty are we? Not to worry, Dan had spotted an Irish guesthouse in one of the flyers we got with the hire car, so off we bombed to the 'Donegal Hotel' Gread little B&B just North of Kiakoura - unfortunately a bit *too* Irish themed for my liking, but a really nice bar & restaurant and lovely rooms for NZ$125. Bargain. Or so we thought- until the old geezer at the bar insisted on putting a dire DVD of dodgy Scottish music on the big video screen. I'm not kidding, it was like a cross between Val Doonecan and Ricky Tomlinson - yes he played the banjo too! We complained (we had quite liked the traditional Irish music tape which had previously been playing) but to no avail! The old guy kept ignoring me when I said anything about it! Needless to say, the only way to cope was by getting drunk! As we were close to the world's best Sauvignon Blanc producing region, it'd have been rude not to!
We bimbled along - great driving, easy roads and even managed to stop for a cuppa in Cheviot (very good toasties!) and finally we emerged onto the coast. Absolutely stunning scenery and coastline. Pity though that Kaikoura main town centre is like a backpacker's haven. Everyone had dreadlocks and all the cafes seemed to be full of people half our age!!! Howold and crusty are we? Not to worry, Dan had spotted an Irish guesthouse in one of the flyers we got with the hire car, so off we bombed to the 'Donegal Hotel' Gread little B&B just North of Kiakoura - unfortunately a bit *too* Irish themed for my liking, but a really nice bar & restaurant and lovely rooms for NZ$125. Bargain. Or so we thought- until the old geezer at the bar insisted on putting a dire DVD of dodgy Scottish music on the big video screen. I'm not kidding, it was like a cross between Val Doonecan and Ricky Tomlinson - yes he played the banjo too! We complained (we had quite liked the traditional Irish music tape which had previously been playing) but to no avail! The old guy kept ignoring me when I said anything about it! Needless to say, the only way to cope was by getting drunk! As we were close to the world's best Sauvignon Blanc producing region, it'd have been rude not to!
16 Apr 2007
Christchurch
So it’s Monday, 5pm in Christchurch - God only knows what time that makes it in the UK - I think 6am Monday - and we’ve just got back from an afternoon at the cinema - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (kowabunga)! We’ve spent the last 2 days with Leif & Ruckmini and their 3 delightful children, Lucas (14), Orissa (10) and Cyrus (5).
Arrival
We arrived at lunchtime on Saturday - Leif was at the airport to meet us. After a few insults shared between him and Dan (“specky tw*t“ was one) I was convinced they did know each other of old. They reckoned that they hadn’t seen each other for 8 1/2 years! A long long time! So to cut a long story short, we then followed Leif to a school where he was doing the AV support for a conference (yes all of Dan’s mates are geeks!) where we sat and chatted to him in-between his AV responsibilities. We then wandered a bit into the nearest part of Christchurch for some NZ $$$$s and some coffee to keep us going. NZ is 2 hours ahead of Sydney, so in theory, no jet lag at all, but given the previous 2 days of partying, with the wedding and Dan’s birthday, we were completely wasted!
Welcome
We got back to their place after the conference and met all the kids - the 2 littlies were going ack to the conference’s evening entertainments with Ruc lmini, and we hung out at home with Lucas and got a take-away. Lucas is going to be some form of IT engineer - at 14 years old he’s rewriting a games engine for a game which has goine out of copyright. Dan and I vaguely understood what he was going on about but basically he’s more intelligent than the 2 of us put together!
Our Pad
Leif showed us our new residence for the next 11 days - they have a ‘granny flat’ set up at the back of the garage - we have a little bedroom and a sitting room! Fresh fruit, tea and coffee, jazzy wall hangings and an iMac! A warmer welcome couldn’t possibly be imagined!
Sunday
After a mega lovely sleep (8:45pm to 11:20am!!!) we staggered out of bed and got ourselves washed and decent. The guys came home from the lat 1/2 day of the conference and we sat in the garden, chatting, drinking killer coffee (yes guys I’m hooked again!) and eating dips, some lovely rice & seaweed crackers, olives and some muffins & cake! Brilliant! Leif then took us for a swift tour up the nearest ‘hill’ (hill=big F.O. mountain) so look at the spectacular view down over the city. WOW!
The evening was spent then eating our dinner, chatting and drinking wine. Discussing such subects as ‘Joey Deacon’, movies we have seen, and house prices in the UK.
So that brings us up to Monday - some eating drinking and cinema activity!
More to come as and when it happens!
Arrival
We arrived at lunchtime on Saturday - Leif was at the airport to meet us. After a few insults shared between him and Dan (“specky tw*t“ was one) I was convinced they did know each other of old. They reckoned that they hadn’t seen each other for 8 1/2 years! A long long time! So to cut a long story short, we then followed Leif to a school where he was doing the AV support for a conference (yes all of Dan’s mates are geeks!) where we sat and chatted to him in-between his AV responsibilities. We then wandered a bit into the nearest part of Christchurch for some NZ $$$$s and some coffee to keep us going. NZ is 2 hours ahead of Sydney, so in theory, no jet lag at all, but given the previous 2 days of partying, with the wedding and Dan’s birthday, we were completely wasted!
Welcome
We got back to their place after the conference and met all the kids - the 2 littlies were going ack to the conference’s evening entertainments with Ruc lmini, and we hung out at home with Lucas and got a take-away. Lucas is going to be some form of IT engineer - at 14 years old he’s rewriting a games engine for a game which has goine out of copyright. Dan and I vaguely understood what he was going on about but basically he’s more intelligent than the 2 of us put together!
Our Pad
Leif showed us our new residence for the next 11 days - they have a ‘granny flat’ set up at the back of the garage - we have a little bedroom and a sitting room! Fresh fruit, tea and coffee, jazzy wall hangings and an iMac! A warmer welcome couldn’t possibly be imagined!
Sunday
After a mega lovely sleep (8:45pm to 11:20am!!!) we staggered out of bed and got ourselves washed and decent. The guys came home from the lat 1/2 day of the conference and we sat in the garden, chatting, drinking killer coffee (yes guys I’m hooked again!) and eating dips, some lovely rice & seaweed crackers, olives and some muffins & cake! Brilliant! Leif then took us for a swift tour up the nearest ‘hill’ (hill=big F.O. mountain) so look at the spectacular view down over the city. WOW!
The evening was spent then eating our dinner, chatting and drinking wine. Discussing such subects as ‘Joey Deacon’, movies we have seen, and house prices in the UK.
So that brings us up to Monday - some eating drinking and cinema activity!
More to come as and when it happens!
13 Apr 2007
Heading to Christchurch
Well, I can't believe the wedding activity is over - Dan likened it to cooking a roast dinner; lots of preparation and careful timing all coming together in your lovely roast dinner....which you then eat and it's all over!!! I have to say I think the wedding was EVEN better than a mega Sunday roast...!
Last night we went out to Wildfire in Sydney with Relfy & Louise to celebrate Dan's 38th birthday! I'd put a link to the restaurant but I daren't tab away from this screen - it's the world's slowest internet connection!
Currently we are at Sydney International Airport, it's 7am and we're waiting for our flight to Christchurch at 7:50. 3 hour flight and then we're on to the next leg of our journey!
L&D xxx
Last night we went out to Wildfire in Sydney with Relfy & Louise to celebrate Dan's 38th birthday! I'd put a link to the restaurant but I daren't tab away from this screen - it's the world's slowest internet connection!
Currently we are at Sydney International Airport, it's 7am and we're waiting for our flight to Christchurch at 7:50. 3 hour flight and then we're on to the next leg of our journey!
L&D xxx
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