Monday, February 28, 2011
The weather
The weather has been mostly sunny and warm. Did I mention that it is February and that I am wearing shorts?
WoW & Wine
This trip is bringing out my my inner Willie Nelson and I hum "On the Road Again," in my head. Back to business!
The next stop on Moose and Mosquito go Kiwi is Nelson and the Marlborough wine country. However, Wow was the first stop -thankyou Carol Levin- and it is a must see for those traveling in the area. Wow is the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars Museum. Vintage autos from the early 1900's to one-of-a-kind models from the 2000's. Interspersed among the cars are pieces of art some made from old car parts.The car museum is a car museum and really needs no more explanation. The World of Wearable Art displays garments(?) created by artists representing many different countries. These inventions are are mind bending, amusing, beautiful,and awesome. Geeze I wish that I could borrow one just once and be the Belle of the ball at a costume party. Ok, it's a pipe dream not to mention the boat load of plastic surgery I would need to get the total look. The gallery itself is small but uses a rotating platform to maximize the number of featured pieces. Each "garment" emerges from backstage and then slowly moves across the stage while patrons sit in folding chairs on the floor below. There are works suspended from the ceiling and one room has glow in the dark items. It was a great adventure and worth a second visit in the event that I return. WoW is my kind of museum experience.
we were then off for a leisurely drive through the wine country. The experience was much like going to the Yakima Valley without the tumbleweeds. We sampled from four places and bought from two. The area is known for its white wines.Both Lovebird Laura and I enjoyed the Pinot Gris BUT we had a yummy Pinot Noir that I could not resist buying even with the hefty $40 price tag. We will have it one night with steak, baked spuds and a big salad. Something to look forward to eh?
After four wineries the old taste buds don't work as well, and we bid adeiu and headed to the east coast and Kaikoura. It was a good day to travel as it was clouding up. Once again, driving was California Hwy 1 on steroids with many one lane brideges (we figure that the hwy department here saves one ton of money with these one lane bridges). There is a system set up for yielding. If your side has the red arrow you stop or as they say hear,give way.. Once traffic on coming traffic clears you are free to go. On one occasion the big fella went a bit too far before he stopped -we needed to give way and several cars were headed toward us- he clipped a sign which did not do too much damage. This makes his second mulligan but we gave it to him. He did feel pretty bad. But the mood uplifted when I spied seals, we got out and looked, took pictures and enjoyed. A beachside holiday park (campground) was our lodging for the night. The crash of the waves hitting the beach lulled us to sleep and we awoke to a beautiful sunny day. We walked the beach and watched folks surf fishing.
Before leaving Kaikoura we found the seal colony and stopped for some up close and personal encounters with the local denizens. Seals are big and do have some nasty looking lower teeth. While we were there, a child got a bit too close to a resting brown blob and a growl and fangs were shown. The kid got the message as did the rest of us. I forgot to say these seals haul themselves up on curbs and bulkheads which are at street level. After about 30 minutes of seal gazing, one can never have enough seal gazing, we piled into Fuso our trusty RV and took off for Arthurs Pass and the west coast.
The next stop on Moose and Mosquito go Kiwi is Nelson and the Marlborough wine country. However, Wow was the first stop -thankyou Carol Levin- and it is a must see for those traveling in the area. Wow is the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars Museum. Vintage autos from the early 1900's to one-of-a-kind models from the 2000's. Interspersed among the cars are pieces of art some made from old car parts.The car museum is a car museum and really needs no more explanation. The World of Wearable Art displays garments(?) created by artists representing many different countries. These inventions are are mind bending, amusing, beautiful,and awesome. Geeze I wish that I could borrow one just once and be the Belle of the ball at a costume party. Ok, it's a pipe dream not to mention the boat load of plastic surgery I would need to get the total look. The gallery itself is small but uses a rotating platform to maximize the number of featured pieces. Each "garment" emerges from backstage and then slowly moves across the stage while patrons sit in folding chairs on the floor below. There are works suspended from the ceiling and one room has glow in the dark items. It was a great adventure and worth a second visit in the event that I return. WoW is my kind of museum experience.
we were then off for a leisurely drive through the wine country. The experience was much like going to the Yakima Valley without the tumbleweeds. We sampled from four places and bought from two. The area is known for its white wines.Both Lovebird Laura and I enjoyed the Pinot Gris BUT we had a yummy Pinot Noir that I could not resist buying even with the hefty $40 price tag. We will have it one night with steak, baked spuds and a big salad. Something to look forward to eh?
After four wineries the old taste buds don't work as well, and we bid adeiu and headed to the east coast and Kaikoura. It was a good day to travel as it was clouding up. Once again, driving was California Hwy 1 on steroids with many one lane brideges (we figure that the hwy department here saves one ton of money with these one lane bridges). There is a system set up for yielding. If your side has the red arrow you stop or as they say hear,give way.. Once traffic on coming traffic clears you are free to go. On one occasion the big fella went a bit too far before he stopped -we needed to give way and several cars were headed toward us- he clipped a sign which did not do too much damage. This makes his second mulligan but we gave it to him. He did feel pretty bad. But the mood uplifted when I spied seals, we got out and looked, took pictures and enjoyed. A beachside holiday park (campground) was our lodging for the night. The crash of the waves hitting the beach lulled us to sleep and we awoke to a beautiful sunny day. We walked the beach and watched folks surf fishing.
Before leaving Kaikoura we found the seal colony and stopped for some up close and personal encounters with the local denizens. Seals are big and do have some nasty looking lower teeth. While we were there, a child got a bit too close to a resting brown blob and a growl and fangs were shown. The kid got the message as did the rest of us. I forgot to say these seals haul themselves up on curbs and bulkheads which are at street level. After about 30 minutes of seal gazing, one can never have enough seal gazing, we piled into Fuso our trusty RV and took off for Arthurs Pass and the west coast.
Wild life update!
There is wild life in NZ and I don't mean sheep which are everywhere. Most of the wild life sitings have been sea life or birds but both count and I do love birds maybe not as much as moose but a close second.
On our drive from Auckland to Ngunguru(nung-oo--roo) we all noticed that cattle seemed more plentiful than sheep. That did not last long as I am pretty sure that sheep out number the people here.I have not yet bagged my self a picture of a sheep. I am waiting for just the right moment and many of you know that getting it is a tad bit problematic for Greg to pull over for a Kodak moment. One needs to anticipate these things far in advance of the actual event and then give a clue that there may be a view stop ahead and then holler STOP. He will probably slow down.
So where was I? The scuba and snorkeling day was full of beautiful fish. On our trip back to the dock,Gary and Greg spotted dolphins jumping just behind the boat. The skipper slowed down immediately and four or so dolphins began playing around the boat. They breached jumped and played in the bow wake. There are loads of raptors flying around which don't look big enough to be eagles , perhaps they are hawks. At our second B&B our hosts raised a breed of cattle related to yaks. They were big -real big- with long brown hair and horns with curled ends. They stayed on their side of the fence and I stayed on mine. I did get a couple of pix though.
The seal colony in Abel Tasman is reknown hence the swim with seals experience. We saw loads of them in various angles of repose. We spied quite a few of them on the drive from Nelson to Kaikoua, as well. These are not your garden variety harbor seal. Their fur is brown and from what I have read are unique to this part of the world.
Then there are Keas. These large green parrots hang out around the small cafe at the summit. They are noisy and can be quite aggressive, so much so, that the cafe will not refund the cost of a meal if a clever Kea happens to steal it. By the time we arrived the cafe had closed and the Keas were in the trees eating berries and making a racket. It often seemed as if they were posing while we aimed our cameras at them. Several wekas ( weeka) hung out at one of our campsites. The Weka is a flightless bird that bears a striking resemblance to the velociraptors in Jurrasic Park only smaller. They are very curious; several appeared as soon as we had successfully parked the motorhome in our campsite. One was ready to jump inside the RV and have a look around but our own Lovebirds saved the day. The critter was busted. They also look a bit like a wingless chicken but with a higher I.Q... ahem.
Besides cattle and sheep folks raise deer. We have observed herds of them behind barbed wire fences. Well, they look like deer. How farmers keep them from jumping over those fences is a mystery. Maybe I will ask someone about it.
New Zealanders request that if-while driving-you see a possum aim for it. Possum were brought to here to control the rabbit population and have no natural predators. Naturally they have taken over the place and laid waste to the vegetation and we also here that they enjoy kiwi eggs. Some resourceful New Zealander figured a way to make money from possum road kill. The fur can be used to make clothing. It is woven with merino wool and made into sweaters and jackets etc. Pretty cool really. Although, not for the possum who sacrificed himself, but still novel. Sorry about that animal lovers.
Almost last but not least the kiwi. It was not in the wild but still thrilling. Kiwis are much larger than I thought and are nocturnal. We went into a darkened pen set up to simulate a wild environment. We were asked to keep our voices to a whisper and not make sudden movements. Apparently the birds are easily stressed and when stressed drop feathers. The feathers do not grow back. Even though the birds were in captivity they appeared well cared for and it was a thrill to be able to see one because sitings in the wild are rare.
And now the final bit of wildlife,if you can call it wild life, the ubiquitous sand fly. Like sheep they are everywhere and bite unsuspecting tourists like me about the ankles and legs. The sand fly is the size of a fruit fly but doesn't go for fruit, it lives on blood. It doesn't care whose blood just blood. Tourists are prey to this small predator including moi. I must say that it hurts a bit when these pesky devils are extracting their pound of flesh.The resulting welt itches like crazy, and is slow to heal. Oh well, it could be worse. That's all folks. The wild life update has ended! I know yippee, right?
Stay tuned Nelson is next!
On our drive from Auckland to Ngunguru(nung-oo--roo) we all noticed that cattle seemed more plentiful than sheep. That did not last long as I am pretty sure that sheep out number the people here.I have not yet bagged my self a picture of a sheep. I am waiting for just the right moment and many of you know that getting it is a tad bit problematic for Greg to pull over for a Kodak moment. One needs to anticipate these things far in advance of the actual event and then give a clue that there may be a view stop ahead and then holler STOP. He will probably slow down.
So where was I? The scuba and snorkeling day was full of beautiful fish. On our trip back to the dock,Gary and Greg spotted dolphins jumping just behind the boat. The skipper slowed down immediately and four or so dolphins began playing around the boat. They breached jumped and played in the bow wake. There are loads of raptors flying around which don't look big enough to be eagles , perhaps they are hawks. At our second B&B our hosts raised a breed of cattle related to yaks. They were big -real big- with long brown hair and horns with curled ends. They stayed on their side of the fence and I stayed on mine. I did get a couple of pix though.
The seal colony in Abel Tasman is reknown hence the swim with seals experience. We saw loads of them in various angles of repose. We spied quite a few of them on the drive from Nelson to Kaikoua, as well. These are not your garden variety harbor seal. Their fur is brown and from what I have read are unique to this part of the world.
Then there are Keas. These large green parrots hang out around the small cafe at the summit. They are noisy and can be quite aggressive, so much so, that the cafe will not refund the cost of a meal if a clever Kea happens to steal it. By the time we arrived the cafe had closed and the Keas were in the trees eating berries and making a racket. It often seemed as if they were posing while we aimed our cameras at them. Several wekas ( weeka) hung out at one of our campsites. The Weka is a flightless bird that bears a striking resemblance to the velociraptors in Jurrasic Park only smaller. They are very curious; several appeared as soon as we had successfully parked the motorhome in our campsite. One was ready to jump inside the RV and have a look around but our own Lovebirds saved the day. The critter was busted. They also look a bit like a wingless chicken but with a higher I.Q... ahem.
Besides cattle and sheep folks raise deer. We have observed herds of them behind barbed wire fences. Well, they look like deer. How farmers keep them from jumping over those fences is a mystery. Maybe I will ask someone about it.
New Zealanders request that if-while driving-you see a possum aim for it. Possum were brought to here to control the rabbit population and have no natural predators. Naturally they have taken over the place and laid waste to the vegetation and we also here that they enjoy kiwi eggs. Some resourceful New Zealander figured a way to make money from possum road kill. The fur can be used to make clothing. It is woven with merino wool and made into sweaters and jackets etc. Pretty cool really. Although, not for the possum who sacrificed himself, but still novel. Sorry about that animal lovers.
Almost last but not least the kiwi. It was not in the wild but still thrilling. Kiwis are much larger than I thought and are nocturnal. We went into a darkened pen set up to simulate a wild environment. We were asked to keep our voices to a whisper and not make sudden movements. Apparently the birds are easily stressed and when stressed drop feathers. The feathers do not grow back. Even though the birds were in captivity they appeared well cared for and it was a thrill to be able to see one because sitings in the wild are rare.
And now the final bit of wildlife,if you can call it wild life, the ubiquitous sand fly. Like sheep they are everywhere and bite unsuspecting tourists like me about the ankles and legs. The sand fly is the size of a fruit fly but doesn't go for fruit, it lives on blood. It doesn't care whose blood just blood. Tourists are prey to this small predator including moi. I must say that it hurts a bit when these pesky devils are extracting their pound of flesh.The resulting welt itches like crazy, and is slow to heal. Oh well, it could be worse. That's all folks. The wild life update has ended! I know yippee, right?
Stay tuned Nelson is next!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Earthquake
No Fuel...
Folks here have panicked in the aftermath of the earthquake and there has been a run on gas. Most gas stations have run out of fuel and we find ourselves in the small town of Rangioria waiting in a gas line. The police are at the station keeping the peace as tempers have likely been flaring. It is reminiscent of the 1970's gas crisis. Remember those lines? Honestly it is a bit eerie that folks feel the need to hoard fuel. Thankfully, we made it to the pump before fuel ran out. I asked why folks have panicked and was told that because everthing comes through the port of Lyttleton and Lyttleton was one of the hardest hit areas. We are now back on the road and headed for Arthur's Pass and the west side of the South Island. We have had a couple of adventures since my last post, but thought this was interesting
Folks here have panicked in the aftermath of the earthquake and there has been a run on gas. Most gas stations have run out of fuel and we find ourselves in the small town of Rangioria waiting in a gas line. The police are at the station keeping the peace as tempers have likely been flaring. It is reminiscent of the 1970's gas crisis. Remember those lines? Honestly it is a bit eerie that folks feel the need to hoard fuel. Thankfully, we made it to the pump before fuel ran out. I asked why folks have panicked and was told that because everthing comes through the port of Lyttleton and Lyttleton was one of the hardest hit areas. We are now back on the road and headed for Arthur's Pass and the west side of the South Island. We have had a couple of adventures since my last post, but thought this was interesting
Trekking to Tasman
Abel Tasman National Park sits in the far Nw corner of NZ's S. Island. Known for its hiking, kayaking, and wild life viewing this was the next stop for Moose and Mosquito go Kiwi. Getting to the park was er a bit of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. We took Queen Charlotte Drive which is a scenic bypass. A steep narrow, winding road/trail with few guard rails and I am quite sure that there were some lovely views if I was able to open my eyes long enough to enjoy them. You see sometimes the Big Fella thinks that he is in a sports car, when in fact this thing is as big as a semi and doesn't round corners quite as tightly as say a BMW. Driving on the wrong side is also a challenge and there were a couple of encounters with low growing shrubs that I probably should not mention but just did so you now know about them. We chose the village of Kaiteriteri as our base for two nights, had an enjoyable Miller Time -the Fella really needed this one- BBQ'd burgers and retired. Our chamber was the upper berth requiring us to climb a ladder and hurl the body onto the mattress. No headroom but it is cozy. The Love Birds are not campers and renting an RV was the Fella's idea sooo they are happily tucked-in a floor level and bigger bed. Next time it is B&B's all the way folks! I am getting too old and cranky to be climbing into the top bunk. Speaking of cranky- the severely overpacked managed to stow all gear inside and successfully nest the bags AND we found a place to put them. Ahem so lash me with a wet noodle OK.
It is hard to find the words to describe Abel Tasman Nat'l Park. It is beautiful even in the rain and wind which we woke to on the 22 Februay 2011. Gary and Laura booked a seal swim with an 11:15 check-in. The Fella and I opted for a guided kayak trip which took us to the seal colony. We could view the seals from 20 meters without having to jump into the water. The Love Birds were on the jumping into the water - wet suits were provided- and hope that a seal wound slide from its perch and swim along side. They are cute but you know they also have rather large teeth and I was just fine viewing from the safety of my kayak. Our guide Josh looked to be about 22 or so but may have been a wee bit older as he was married with four daughters. Greg and I circumnavigated Tonga Island and the seals were too numerous to count. The pups were still quite young and too cute. We skirted the shorline and began our paddle back just as the weather worsened. The wind kicked up white caps and waves began to crash over the bow. The rain was pelting and the only was back to to paddle right into it. I was terrified but did my macho chick thing and we muscled through it following Josh. He treated us to a hot beverage and a "bisquit" once the kayaks and the rest of our stuff was safely stowed. The water taxi arrived and we headed back with muscles a bit sore but still functioning, a little wet, but happy. The Love Birds did not have much luck as the seals were not much interested in swimming with humans. Another day maybe.
We were aboard the water taxi when we got word of the earthquake in Christchurch.. The locals were understandably concerned as were we.
A word about the water taxis. They are ingenious. on shore we donned pfd's and boarded the boat which was on a trailer. A tractor hitched to the trailer and off we went to the boat launch. The tractor then backs down the ramp releases the boat and zoom zoom away we go. I must admit that it looks pretty darn silly to see a tractor towing a boat full of people in pfd's down the street. It's downright comical but hey it works. It is all done in reverse for the trip back. Water taxis not only provide kayakers transportation to destinations but hikers as well. Hikers are dropped off in several places and they make the trek back on foot which can take days depending on the drop spot.
Shaved, showered, and shampooed went had dinner at a lovely restaurant, slept and were off to our next adventure. Can you say Marlborough wine country and the most awesome museum ever? Stay tuned!
Mary
It is hard to find the words to describe Abel Tasman Nat'l Park. It is beautiful even in the rain and wind which we woke to on the 22 Februay 2011. Gary and Laura booked a seal swim with an 11:15 check-in. The Fella and I opted for a guided kayak trip which took us to the seal colony. We could view the seals from 20 meters without having to jump into the water. The Love Birds were on the jumping into the water - wet suits were provided- and hope that a seal wound slide from its perch and swim along side. They are cute but you know they also have rather large teeth and I was just fine viewing from the safety of my kayak. Our guide Josh looked to be about 22 or so but may have been a wee bit older as he was married with four daughters. Greg and I circumnavigated Tonga Island and the seals were too numerous to count. The pups were still quite young and too cute. We skirted the shorline and began our paddle back just as the weather worsened. The wind kicked up white caps and waves began to crash over the bow. The rain was pelting and the only was back to to paddle right into it. I was terrified but did my macho chick thing and we muscled through it following Josh. He treated us to a hot beverage and a "bisquit" once the kayaks and the rest of our stuff was safely stowed. The water taxi arrived and we headed back with muscles a bit sore but still functioning, a little wet, but happy. The Love Birds did not have much luck as the seals were not much interested in swimming with humans. Another day maybe.
We were aboard the water taxi when we got word of the earthquake in Christchurch.. The locals were understandably concerned as were we.
A word about the water taxis. They are ingenious. on shore we donned pfd's and boarded the boat which was on a trailer. A tractor hitched to the trailer and off we went to the boat launch. The tractor then backs down the ramp releases the boat and zoom zoom away we go. I must admit that it looks pretty darn silly to see a tractor towing a boat full of people in pfd's down the street. It's downright comical but hey it works. It is all done in reverse for the trip back. Water taxis not only provide kayakers transportation to destinations but hikers as well. Hikers are dropped off in several places and they make the trek back on foot which can take days depending on the drop spot.
Shaved, showered, and shampooed went had dinner at a lovely restaurant, slept and were off to our next adventure. Can you say Marlborough wine country and the most awesome museum ever? Stay tuned!
Mary
Lovely Ferry Rides
The car was returned and we boarded the ferry to Picton on the S. Island. It was a beautiful day and we found outside seating. This was great until the crew decided it was a good time to wash the windows on the other side of the ship. The prevailing wind sprayed water to those of us outside. Most people scurried inside to dry seats inside, but not us hearty north western types. We braved it and held onto those seats for the entire three hour crossing. The color of the water was a shade of aqua similar to the Caribbean. Once in the more protected waters of the S.Island the ferry winds its way through small islands, bays, and channels The scenery was stunning and made a mental note that these places may need further exploration at some future date.
Shortly after disembarking, we met Tony from Discover NZ motorhome rentals and learned that he upgraded our vehicle for no extra cost. YES! Problems with the gear box in our vehicle - a cheaper smaller one- and he gave us the only one available. A brief orientation and we were off to Abel Tasman National Park. Woo Hoo.
Shortly after disembarking, we met Tony from Discover NZ motorhome rentals and learned that he upgraded our vehicle for no extra cost. YES! Problems with the gear box in our vehicle - a cheaper smaller one- and he gave us the only one available. A brief orientation and we were off to Abel Tasman National Park. Woo Hoo.
Catching up
The recap continues as we left Kinloch Country Lodge, our fantastic hosts the Browns sent us on our way and advised that our next destination was a 6 hour drive. At 9 AM we were on our way but first a stop at Arakei Korako, a thermal area which is a good respresentation of the volcanic hot spots on the North Island. The most visited of these is Rotorua, an area we were unable to visit due to time restraints, so Arakei Korako was a good substitute. Down a winding narrow road with sheep grazing in the meadows lies a hidden valley and the a thermal wonderland called Arakei Korako. The steaming mud pools and geysers are on the opposite side of a small lake which is accessed by small boat. Visitors are dropped off and allowed to spend as much time as needed to fully experience this natural wonder. When a return trip across the lake is needed, simply press what looks to be a door bell and the boat is summoned.
for return to the mainland. Arakei Korako is a compact version of Rotorua. As one steps from the boat steaming hillsides create an otherworldly effect. Bubbling pools of mud, silica formations, geysers, colorful mineral pools that steam. are all around. The smell isn't nearly as noxious as Yellowtone. We spent about 2 hours and then set off for Wellington which took a full 6 hours. Our hillside B&B was built in 1906 and was beautiful. Our hosts could not have been nicer. Pam and Peter Churchman have four children with only one left in the nest. We had a room with a beautiful view of the harbor and the use of a kitchen. Exhausted we opted for an abbreviated Miller Time -no hors d'euvres. Then it was off for dinner. The Big Fella had a hankering for a steak and boy did we find the spot for him. Grands was the name of the restaurant and his steak was that and more. The rib eye that he ordered was one kilo in weight and was big enough to feed a large family and a few of the neighbors. Yes, there were left overs enough for a couple of sandwiches and Miller Time. Tastey. My small steak came on a hot stone which allowed me to grill it to my liking -which I did and I ate the whole thing. The Batie brothers never miss an opportunity to have ice cream and this time was no different. I know you are thinking where did they find the room in their tummies for ice cream after that enormous meal. There is always room for ice cream. Whoa this is a long paragraph.
for return to the mainland. Arakei Korako is a compact version of Rotorua. As one steps from the boat steaming hillsides create an otherworldly effect. Bubbling pools of mud, silica formations, geysers, colorful mineral pools that steam. are all around. The smell isn't nearly as noxious as Yellowtone. We spent about 2 hours and then set off for Wellington which took a full 6 hours. Our hillside B&B was built in 1906 and was beautiful. Our hosts could not have been nicer. Pam and Peter Churchman have four children with only one left in the nest. We had a room with a beautiful view of the harbor and the use of a kitchen. Exhausted we opted for an abbreviated Miller Time -no hors d'euvres. Then it was off for dinner. The Big Fella had a hankering for a steak and boy did we find the spot for him. Grands was the name of the restaurant and his steak was that and more. The rib eye that he ordered was one kilo in weight and was big enough to feed a large family and a few of the neighbors. Yes, there were left overs enough for a couple of sandwiches and Miller Time. Tastey. My small steak came on a hot stone which allowed me to grill it to my liking -which I did and I ate the whole thing. The Batie brothers never miss an opportunity to have ice cream and this time was no different. I know you are thinking where did they find the room in their tummies for ice cream after that enormous meal. There is always room for ice cream. Whoa this is a long paragraph.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Earthquake and recap
Sobering moments Earthquake in Christchurch
I am very disappointed that internet access has not been what was anticipated. Blogging has been a problem and I do hope that you have not given up on me. We are sitting here at a beach side campsite in Kaikoura which is just north of earthquake ravaged Christchurch. We heard the news of the quake when we were in Abel Tasman Nat'l Park. It was announced just prior to being dropped off to kayak near Tonga Island. At that time we were told that it was at least as bad as the September quake. We have learned that to date at least 100 have died and Christchurch is damaged beyond comprehension. Some seaside homes were demolished by boulders crashing down the hillsides due to the tremendous shaking. Fortunately, we are safe and the roads around Christchurch have reopened and we will be able to bypass the city. Send your prayers and love to the folks here. They are -understandably- in shock and hurting.
I will now proceed with an update of our travels. We have experienced so much so I need to do some serious catch up! My snarkiness is not up to standard but it is due to the length of time that I have been out of contact and the earthquake.
Ok I will skip over the plane trip and the fact that the Big Fella and me were stuck in coach while the Love Birds were nestled in business class...ahem. It was an uneventful flight and after landing and clearing customs etc. we got the rental car and were off to our first destination, Ngunguru -pronouced nunguru. We had a great bed and breakfast lined up called Bellmain House. Our hosts Graeme and Marian Bell were a great couple with good recommendations for restaurants and other activities. Needless to say we turned in early that night. Early to bed and early to rise, the early bird gets the worm, ok you get the idea. An early morning can only mean one thing, scuba diving and snorkeling. I went snorkeling and donned a wet suit for the first time. One can look at a wet suit two ways. Number one, it is the most unflattering and the most difficult piece of attire to put on. Number two, you are instantly made to look 10 pounds thinner. Although, one does look a bit bloated about the face but never mind It's the waist line that counts. The weather was wonderful, the water was crystal clear, and the fish were everywhere. We left Bellmain the following day and were off to Kinloch which is a mere six hour drive south but first a bit about driving on the "wrong" side of the road...it is terrifying especially when riding shotgun. There are not very many straight roads in New Zealand and the Big Fella drives them thinking that he is a native and when I tell him um you are a bit close to the trees here on my side and he says no I'm not and then there is a big thud...of course he says what was that and I say um that was a tree limb that I told you was pretty close and he says no it wasn't. Well, you get the picture. Riding shotgun is done at your own risk. Oh, and by the way he has only been in the wrong lane twice, so far which is lucky. So where was I? Oh yeah, we drove six hours to Kinloch and you will never believe what we ran into along the way. Ok, I will tell you. It was the New Zealand National Military Museum. The Big Fella made a bee line and before you can say hey look at those tanks on the side of the road, he is parked, out of the car, and on his way to pay the fee. He was joined by his brother-the females sat this one out- and with only two days in NZ he had already been to a museum. Sigh. I had lunch instead. I'd rather eat and gain 20 lbs than go to a military museum. Puhleeze! This was a planned long driving day and we arrived in Kinloch to the most beautiful B&B called Country Lodge Kinloch. It sits on a hillside overlooking beautiful Lake Taupo -pronounced Toepaw. Our hosts Gavin and Julia Brown were charming and explained much about the area to us, which includes the thermal areas of Rotorua which is much like Yellowstone. Their home was beautiful, quiet and just what we needed after the long drive through the hills and sheep filled valleys. We had a great dinner of fish and chips that we enjoyed by the lake. All had a very restful night and awoke to a sumptuous breakfast. Our hosts povided fresh fruit, yogurt, muesli, toast and then we feasted on pancakes with raspberries and whipped cream,and bacon. The Big Fella was in heaven. I was happily overfull and then we were off again our destination Wellington but first a stop at Arakei Karako. More about that tomorrow! It's late, and I need to get my beauty sleep, A bit of a preview... thermal area, swimming with seals, kayaking in Abel Tasman. It will get more interesting, I promise.
I am very disappointed that internet access has not been what was anticipated. Blogging has been a problem and I do hope that you have not given up on me. We are sitting here at a beach side campsite in Kaikoura which is just north of earthquake ravaged Christchurch. We heard the news of the quake when we were in Abel Tasman Nat'l Park. It was announced just prior to being dropped off to kayak near Tonga Island. At that time we were told that it was at least as bad as the September quake. We have learned that to date at least 100 have died and Christchurch is damaged beyond comprehension. Some seaside homes were demolished by boulders crashing down the hillsides due to the tremendous shaking. Fortunately, we are safe and the roads around Christchurch have reopened and we will be able to bypass the city. Send your prayers and love to the folks here. They are -understandably- in shock and hurting.
I will now proceed with an update of our travels. We have experienced so much so I need to do some serious catch up! My snarkiness is not up to standard but it is due to the length of time that I have been out of contact and the earthquake.
Ok I will skip over the plane trip and the fact that the Big Fella and me were stuck in coach while the Love Birds were nestled in business class...ahem. It was an uneventful flight and after landing and clearing customs etc. we got the rental car and were off to our first destination, Ngunguru -pronouced nunguru. We had a great bed and breakfast lined up called Bellmain House. Our hosts Graeme and Marian Bell were a great couple with good recommendations for restaurants and other activities. Needless to say we turned in early that night. Early to bed and early to rise, the early bird gets the worm, ok you get the idea. An early morning can only mean one thing, scuba diving and snorkeling. I went snorkeling and donned a wet suit for the first time. One can look at a wet suit two ways. Number one, it is the most unflattering and the most difficult piece of attire to put on. Number two, you are instantly made to look 10 pounds thinner. Although, one does look a bit bloated about the face but never mind It's the waist line that counts. The weather was wonderful, the water was crystal clear, and the fish were everywhere. We left Bellmain the following day and were off to Kinloch which is a mere six hour drive south but first a bit about driving on the "wrong" side of the road...it is terrifying especially when riding shotgun. There are not very many straight roads in New Zealand and the Big Fella drives them thinking that he is a native and when I tell him um you are a bit close to the trees here on my side and he says no I'm not and then there is a big thud...of course he says what was that and I say um that was a tree limb that I told you was pretty close and he says no it wasn't. Well, you get the picture. Riding shotgun is done at your own risk. Oh, and by the way he has only been in the wrong lane twice, so far which is lucky. So where was I? Oh yeah, we drove six hours to Kinloch and you will never believe what we ran into along the way. Ok, I will tell you. It was the New Zealand National Military Museum. The Big Fella made a bee line and before you can say hey look at those tanks on the side of the road, he is parked, out of the car, and on his way to pay the fee. He was joined by his brother-the females sat this one out- and with only two days in NZ he had already been to a museum. Sigh. I had lunch instead. I'd rather eat and gain 20 lbs than go to a military museum. Puhleeze! This was a planned long driving day and we arrived in Kinloch to the most beautiful B&B called Country Lodge Kinloch. It sits on a hillside overlooking beautiful Lake Taupo -pronounced Toepaw. Our hosts Gavin and Julia Brown were charming and explained much about the area to us, which includes the thermal areas of Rotorua which is much like Yellowstone. Their home was beautiful, quiet and just what we needed after the long drive through the hills and sheep filled valleys. We had a great dinner of fish and chips that we enjoyed by the lake. All had a very restful night and awoke to a sumptuous breakfast. Our hosts povided fresh fruit, yogurt, muesli, toast and then we feasted on pancakes with raspberries and whipped cream,and bacon. The Big Fella was in heaven. I was happily overfull and then we were off again our destination Wellington but first a stop at Arakei Karako. More about that tomorrow! It's late, and I need to get my beauty sleep, A bit of a preview... thermal area, swimming with seals, kayaking in Abel Tasman. It will get more interesting, I promise.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Yes, we really are in New Zealand
Greetings from New Zealand. Yes, I have been out of contact but hey it takes about 100 years to get from Seattle to Auckland. We arrived and I finally have a wireless internet connection and am able to proceed with this Kiwi saga. Just a little trivia here and a digression which I do frequently... the time difference between Seattle and New Zealand is 21 hours. You might be thinking, oh geeze that's gonna cause one heck of a jet lag with all those time zones. However, there is a silver lining here. Allow me to explain. Say it's noon here in NZ, well on the Pacific Coast of the U.S. it is 3PM yesterday. Really if you give it a bit of thought, it is only a 3 hour time difference. Pretty cool. That's right you can board the aluminum tube which then catapults you and more than 100 of your closest friends 6500+ miles and upon arrival will only need to reset the watch a mere three hours back. OK, so it is yesterday where you are and all of this travel involves crossing the international dateline AND the equator.On to the fun stuff.
As you know, we are traveling with Greg's brother Gary and his wife Laura -from here on out they are the Love Birds. Well, one thing about the Love Birds is that they do not travel light. I have one smallish bag and my backpack which acted as my carry-on. My bag has what I need and a bit more and what I could not fit into it, I crammed into my backpack. The Big Fella -Greg- has a big bag because he is well, big. He also has a backpack. The Love Birds brought six bags. Yup, that is three a piece. I have no idea what is in all those bags except I have pondered that they emptied their closets into them or maybe even the contents of their house. Our rental car, a mid sized Hyundai SUV, barely holds all of the luggage and the four of us. It has been interesting and I can't wait until we need to stow all the luggage when we are traveling in a motor home which is tomorrow.
We have been on the North Island since February 17 and leave tomorrow morning for the South Island. We have had a couple of adventures that I promise to get to later, but it is getting late and I do need my beauty sleep. Ciao.
As you know, we are traveling with Greg's brother Gary and his wife Laura -from here on out they are the Love Birds. Well, one thing about the Love Birds is that they do not travel light. I have one smallish bag and my backpack which acted as my carry-on. My bag has what I need and a bit more and what I could not fit into it, I crammed into my backpack. The Big Fella -Greg- has a big bag because he is well, big. He also has a backpack. The Love Birds brought six bags. Yup, that is three a piece. I have no idea what is in all those bags except I have pondered that they emptied their closets into them or maybe even the contents of their house. Our rental car, a mid sized Hyundai SUV, barely holds all of the luggage and the four of us. It has been interesting and I can't wait until we need to stow all the luggage when we are traveling in a motor home which is tomorrow.
We have been on the North Island since February 17 and leave tomorrow morning for the South Island. We have had a couple of adventures that I promise to get to later, but it is getting late and I do need my beauty sleep. Ciao.
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