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Thursday 30 December 2010
Wednesday 29 December 2010
Elvis the Azur Lodge guard dog
He is so cute, and especially loving when it comes to canapes and predinner drinks.
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Gold panner
A local gold panner in Arrowtown. For $10 you can have a go a panning yourself - no luck yet.
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30 Dec - Robert sidling up to a local mrs Santa
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sunset
Not only a fabulous view from Azur Lodge in daylight but also at night - viewed as we sipped NZ sparkly stuff.
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Intrepid sailors
Off in a tender boat to view the natural features of Milford Sound.
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Tuesday 28 December 2010
Sunday 26 December 2010
27 Dec - Kepler trail and glow work caves
First day of any exercise that could be described as strenuous. We did some of the Kepler trail to-day - 4 hour walk. Vegetation very different from home.
In the afternoon we went on a boat trip to glow worm caves - amazing to see the twinkling of 'stars' deep in the cave. Also saw cave waterfalls, and other interesting rock formations. Bad weather back this afternoon. It is pouring and Robert is really cold - 11 degrees only. Tomorrow off to Milford sound and really hoping the clouds will lift so we can see something.
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Pies
The food is so British. Jimmy's does a great steak pie! Thankfully it is not on Liz's list of local delicacies to try before we leave NZ. However we have sampled carrot cake, scones and cream, millionaires shortbread.......
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Robert's catch of the day
What a whopper, he is still talking about it.
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Saturday 25 December 2010
Bed with a view
I guess the view is better than the feet. It amazing to wake up to this scene when we pull the shutters back.
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Friday 24 December 2010
23 to 25 December
Drive to Wellington was pretty spectacular. Particulrly good as we left the wet weather behind. Wellington is known as the windy city and it really was. Robert had to hang on to me when we walked about. The wind meant that it was a bit of a roller coaster ride both up into the sky and landing at Queenstown - as the captain said prepare for a 'rocking and rolling' landing. Again Robert hung on to me tight!
Arrived in Queenstown on 24th and all I have been saying is "wow" everywhere we look. We are on lake Wakatipu surrounded by mountains/glaciers. The water is so blue. Matakauri lodge where we are staying is simply superb. It met all our expectations and more. It is one of the most wonderful places we have stayed in. Amazing food, staff, rooms, everything just perfect. The photos (all from the Blackberry) don't get anywhere near to what the view is really like. I simply can't stop staring at the scenery. If this is all I see in NZ the trip will be worth it!
And now it is Xmas day. The sun is shining and 18 degrees. There is a little bit of snow on the mountain tops. It definately does not feel like Christmas. We opened our cards and Robert brought me a present to open. Sadly Robert's are all at home so he had nothing. He has put on a brave face though. Started with breakfast and a special Xmas champagne cocktail. Lunch of baked ham salad and later a 6 course dinner. No turkeys worth eating in NZ so it is free range chicken.
Arrived in Queenstown on 24th and all I have been saying is "wow" everywhere we look. We are on lake Wakatipu surrounded by mountains/glaciers. The water is so blue. Matakauri lodge where we are staying is simply superb. It met all our expectations and more. It is one of the most wonderful places we have stayed in. Amazing food, staff, rooms, everything just perfect. The photos (all from the Blackberry) don't get anywhere near to what the view is really like. I simply can't stop staring at the scenery. If this is all I see in NZ the trip will be worth it!
And now it is Xmas day. The sun is shining and 18 degrees. There is a little bit of snow on the mountain tops. It definately does not feel like Christmas. We opened our cards and Robert brought me a present to open. Sadly Robert's are all at home so he had nothing. He has put on a brave face though. Started with breakfast and a special Xmas champagne cocktail. Lunch of baked ham salad and later a 6 course dinner. No turkeys worth eating in NZ so it is free range chicken.
Queenstown
It is the 24th. Our lodge is almost touching the water. Amazing location.
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Queenstown
It should read 24th. This is a view near our lodge.
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Roses
Ice and snow at home versus and sunny rose garden in Wellington - 23 Dec.
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Wednesday 22 December 2010
holly dessert
A sprig of holly in the lemon fritters is about as Xmasy as it gets. Sauvignon Blanc went down well with this dessert.
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Santa NZ style
Santa in shorts. One thing Robert does not want for Xmas is a lawn mower!
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Tuesday 21 December 2010
22 Dec - Martinborough
Having left the wet Tongariro National Park behind we headed on 21 for Martinborough for our first wine experience. It was a really scenic drive, so we had several stops along the way including Tui brewery for lunch. Tui is the most popular beer in NZ. A. Great accomodation - lodges set in countryside beside a lake with no midges so far.
We went on a food and wine tour with a company called Zest. First stop olive oil tasting (business man with aston martin set up business lovingly to tend in is retirement). Great oils and bought a porcini infused one. Coffee and cakes at a French patisserie was next. Lunch with some wines and then an amazing chocolate tastiing - chocolate with rose, earl grey, lemon and pepper. The main tasting was at Martinborough wines, one of the first and most well known for prestige wines locally. Very enjoyable day and it was warm and sunny.
Tomorrow we are off to Wellington.
We went on a food and wine tour with a company called Zest. First stop olive oil tasting (business man with aston martin set up business lovingly to tend in is retirement). Great oils and bought a porcini infused one. Coffee and cakes at a French patisserie was next. Lunch with some wines and then an amazing chocolate tastiing - chocolate with rose, earl grey, lemon and pepper. The main tasting was at Martinborough wines, one of the first and most well known for prestige wines locally. Very enjoyable day and it was warm and sunny.
Tomorrow we are off to Wellington.
Dec 21 - Waterfall
Pretty spectacular waterfall on the way to Martinborough.
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Dec 21 - Stormy the Schnauzer
Liz fell in love with Stormy. Is there any room in my suitcase? He was the pet at the B&B we were staying in carrot town.
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Monday 20 December 2010
Dec 20 - 380 ft waterfall
What no rain! Just for an hour or so the rain stopped. Pretty good waterfall. Tallest in North Island.
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Dry lake
According to the walk description this should be a 'dry' lake. Perhaps it was 5 days ago.
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Welcome to Ohakune
Yes it is true this town is the carrot capital. More carrots are grown here than anywher else in NZ. There is even a carrot at the entry to the town. This is accompanied by an interesting information board about how it was the chinese that brrought carrots here. There is even a picture of the trailer that delivered this carrot!
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Volcano
This is the ski area in the North Island. Nearly at the top of the volcano. Unfortunately no luck with the view.
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Sunday 19 December 2010
19 Dec Wai-o-Tapu and Waimangu volcanic area
Today we went to these amazing volcanic areas. Waimangu valley was formed in 1886 following an enormous volcanic eruption. So many features to see - mud pools, boiling pools, amazing colour water, silica white stone flats - see photos. Minor problem was rain. We got soaked. We had to abandon a lake trip as visibility was nil! Still the farmers love the rain after the 6 week drought.
We are now at a B&B in Tongariro National park. We apparently are surrounded by mountains, but none to be seen. Had a pizza - very different from R's normal American one. This one had potato, prosciutto, creme fraich, balsamic caramelised onion and weird named cheese. It was cooked in a proper wood fired oven and was delicious. He could of had one with venison!!
We are now at a B&B in Tongariro National park. We apparently are surrounded by mountains, but none to be seen. Had a pizza - very different from R's normal American one. This one had potato, prosciutto, creme fraich, balsamic caramelised onion and weird named cheese. It was cooked in a proper wood fired oven and was delicious. He could of had one with venison!!
Saturday 18 December 2010
update 17, 18 19 dec
17 Dec
We're now off to rotorua where there are some volcanoes to see (and smell!). Yes it is certainly smelly in town. There are puffs of steam popping up randomly around the place. We are staying in a great B&B owned by a Maori couple right on lake Rotorua. It is a stunning location. The view would be wonderful except the cloud is very low and yes it's raining. There are black swans floating by (no white ones in NZ). However they are considered a pest here and culled regularly. They are not even good to eat!
18 Dec
Went to Te Puia which is a Maori village set on a geothermal site. Great day, saw geysers, plopping mud pools, hot pools, and scalding quicksand and rocks. Learnt a lot about Maori culture. The guide as a child use to play in this area before it became an attraction. Apparently no one sufferd death, or injury unlike some tourists who insist on getting close to the bubbling mud for THAT photo.
To finish a great day we went to a maori culture experience. We had a traditional maori dinner geothermally cooked in the ground (although they did let slip if the rat and pigeon (alias chicken and lamb) did not look cooked enough it went into the microwave! It was a good evening set in the a typical maori village deep in the woods. They were great entertainers, especially Florence the Maori the bus driver who on the way home to the the song of 'wheels on the bus went round and round' she proceded to go round and round the roundabout 3 times.
19 Dec off to Tonagariro for 2 days.
Friday 17 December 2010
Xmas decorations
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Weightwatchers breakfast
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mud
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liz and locals
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