Home at last!

So great to have Kendall and Alan home again after their 3 week jaunt around Cornwall and Ireland.  It has been so quiet around this place without them.

It was also great to see my little Panasonic Lumix p&s return!  At last now I will be able to get back to blogging (with photos) - missed you too!

They had an absolutely fabulous time and from the looks of the photos they took - the countryside around Cornwall and south west England looks absolutely stunning.  

How magnificent are these Clydesdale's?   

Alan couldn't understand the reason why Kendall would want to take photos of all the rooms of the B&B's they stayed in.......

"To show Mum, of course......"  

Ah yes, she knows me well!

Here they are all dressed up at the church (in Ireland) for Alan's brother's wedding.     Not sure where the rest of the guests are?

And here is Kendall getting a taste of farm life at Alan's family's farm in Co.Galway.  

Looks quite the farmer's wife....................
I hope they're not your good  Country Road boots there Kendall?



This Monday sees her swapping gum boots for stilettos (or at least a good pair of smart flats!) for her first day as a teacher.  Yah!  

I'm sure Class 2/3A are going to enjoy hearing all about Miss Jones' travels.

Holiday Dreaming

Five weeks to go to the end of the school term.  Yah!   I am soo looking forward to the Summer holidays  and have already started dreaming about places I would like to visit or things I would like to do.  

For many years, the idea of 6 LONG weeks of school holidays used to fill me with trepidation.  With 3 children it wasn't possible for us to go on holidays every year and so the dreaded "what to do in the holidays dilemma" used to kick in about this time every year.   The first couple of weeks weren't too bad - they would be so excited about all the Christmas hype.   However once Boxing Day came and went and the novelty of Christmas presents had well and truly worn off - well that's when things would start to go downhill fast.  This is when I would start to hear the dreaded "B" word.  I'm BORED!  If only I had a $ for every time I heard the "B" word - well we would have been able to go to Fiji (or some other exotic location) every year!.   My brain would go into overdrive trying to think of ways (that didn't cost a fortune) to entertain them and  keep them from being BORED (and inflicting nasty injuries on each other!)   It's amazing how resourceful you can become when faced with the prospect of 3 BORED children and 3 more weeks of school holidays.   Ah... the memories of it all!

So with school holidays (and bored children) now a dim, distant memory - I am able now able to look forward and make plans for our annual school holidays.  Never being one for lazing beside a Resort pool sipping away on cocktails......   these are some of the ideas I have come up with :

Holiday Idea #1

For as long as I can remember I have romanticised over the idea of riding across the Snowy Mountains and re-tracing the the footsteps of the Man from Snowy River.  Wind in my hair....breathtaking mountain views....trusty steed beneath my loins (not exactly sure if that is where the trusty steed would be?).... The thrill of re-living Australian fork lore.  Three FULL days in the saddle - miles from civilisation in the Australian high country.   Doesn't this just sound amazing?    OK - perhaps the fact that I haven't ridden (seriously) for 30 40 years and I might take a bit of time to regain my horse riding mojo  AND perhaps the fact that there is something in the fine print which states "experienced riders" - well that is hardly a deterrent is it?

And just look at this fabulous accommodation you get to stay in after a FULL day in the saddle.......

Hmm... not sure if the rooms come with en suite?   But Hey..... "roughing it" for 3 days is not going to kill me......is it?

What about this next little gem.....

Holiday Idea #2

Four (4) FULL days walking through the south Island of New Zealand!   Doesn't this look fabulous.  Four  LONG  full days traversing tussock covered plains and climbing majestic mountains (I hope it's not this one in the foreground!) using only the power of your 2 feet.   Blisters....... what blisters? Surely nothing that a couple of packets of Gel Pad Band aids couldn't fix!

And just look at this for accommodation :

Sure, it does look a little bit tiny but hey, we wouldn't need doonas would we?

And finally,

Holiday Idea # 3

Now,  for the life of me I can't understand why Alan baulked at this one?  I couldn't think of anything more perfect than a 2 week trip around Ireland in a gypsy caravan!   Just think - fabulous Irish countryside......miles and miles of quaint country roads.  Only me, him and the horse!   Gout?..... what about your gout?  Nothing that a couple of pints of Guinness wouldn't fix.  What's that I hear you say - "Who is that leading the horse?" ....... well that would be you of course Alan!!"

P.S.
(Holiday plans are now on hold.      Alan is checking out Resorts in Fiji......stay tuned for further details....)

Brisbane for the Weekend

Alan waiting for the City Cat to arrive

City Cat docking at Mowbray park

Flew to Brisbane for the weekend. Great opportunity to catch up with Matthew and watch one of his home Games on Saturday afternoon. Picked up the hire car from the Airport and was able to navigate our way (with the help of Mr Sat Nav!) to the Wellington Apartment Hotel at East Brisbane.  Caught up with Matthew later in the evening and he gave us a moonlight tour of inner suburban Brisbane before settling for coffee and macademia slice at a very cosmopolitan little suburban village, Bullimba (I think?)

Saturday morning we decided to check out the City Cat trip into the City. What a fantastic way to travel around the city. The sun was shining and the river looked beautiful.

Our trip on the City Cat ended up taking us from Mowbray Park (East Brisbane) down under the Story Bridge to Riverside Park. From there it was just a short stroll up Elizabeth street to the Queen Street Mall. Had a fabulous "big breakfast" for just $6.90 at one of the food courts in the Mall and then set off to check out the shops. Left Alan at the TAB - previous shopping expeditions with him had proven to be less than enjoyable. He finds the whole concept of "window shopping" extremely frustrating.  Only managed to have an hour or so to find Matthew a new shirt and jacket as well as a portable transistor radio for Alan.
Made our way back to the hotel just in time to see Jessica Watson sailing into Sydney Harbour. Didn't have time to see all the celebrations as we had to make our way to Mayne Tigers home ground somewhere in Enogera! Mr Sat Nav again to the rescue.

Very pretty grounds set in natural bushland. I was fascinated with all the crows which were hovering around in the trees and a pair of pink galahs which landed in a tree not far from where we were sitting.  Later on in the afternoon I had to "fight off" those pesky crows who were trying to eat my hot chips.  True story!

Although Mayne didn't win - Matthew played a really good game and was very strong in defence. Alan was most impressed!  We met up with some of his team mates after the game and they seem like a really good group of guys. 

Alan obviously tuned into the "last" at Flemington.  Transistor radio strategically placed 

Mayne $1000 draw on Saturday night.  Needless to say - we didn't win!  On Sunday morning we headed back down the Brisbane River again to the Riverside Markets and breakfast with Matthew.  The markets were a bit disappointing - too commercial and not at all what I expected.  The time went so quickly and as we had to have the car back at the Airport by 3 p.m. didn't get much of a chance to check out many of the other shopping sites around Brisbane.    Great weekend - Matthew looks fit and healthy and seems happy with his life in Brisbane. 
  

Christchurch to Cairns

Set the phone alarm for 3 a.m. but suffice to say we didn't manage to get any sleep! Caught the Sudima shuttle bus to the airport at 3.45 a.m. and therefore were third in line at the Pacific Blue check in line at 4 a.m. By the time we boarded at 6 a.m. and arrived in Sydney we were both pretty much in robot mode! Fortunately we didn't have to wait very long for our connecting flight and touched down in Cairns at 11.30 a.m. The humidity as we stepped out onto the tarmac hit us like a brick wall. It seemed hard to believe that 3 days earlier we had been freezing cold and shivering sitting on the deck of a catamaran on Milford Sound.
Loved New Zealand! I particularly loved the hospitality and friendliness of the people we met especially those in the small country towns. The scenery is spectacular - a postcard company's dream! Not surprisingly, Matthew's favourite part of the trip was race day at Waikouaiti.

For me, I would have to say that the trip from Geraldine into the Rangitata Gorge and Mesopatamia Station would have to be the highlight. Lunch in that tiny hut in the middle of a beautiful valley with snow capped mountains all around is something I will never forget. I kept looking over my shoulder expecting to see Gollam appear at any moment. Truly a magical experience........

Arthur's Pass

We awoke to a blustery and rainy morning in Hokitika. The wind was whistling across the Tasman and as I went to check out the receptionist told me that the road we had travelled up yesterday from Haast to Fox glacier had been closed due to flooding. Fortunately the highway to the east was open however I expected it was going to be a very wet and dismal trip across Arthur's Pass to Christchurch.
To be perfectly honest I had been both "dreading" and "looking forward" to this last leg of our trip for some time. "Dreading" because I am an extremely anxious passenger particularly when travelling up steep mountain ranges and "looking forward" because I had read so much about this journey and seen pictures of the viaduct and magnificent scenery. I knew it was going to be something special. As we headed east from Hokitika the rivers and waterways we crossed were all running a bunker and the rain was teeming down. All along the side of the road there were small waterfalls and riverlets coming down off the mountains. Although the visibility was very low we still managed to get a good look at the countryside. As we started climbing my nervousness started to escalate particularly when I saw signs like "Warning - extremely steep ascents" and "Road not suitable for towing vehicles". OMG - I'm sure we're not going to make it! To his credit Matthew did an excellent job in traversing this tricky road and we were rewarded with outstanding views. What an amazing engineering effort the construction of this road. After one final very steep ascent and drive across the viaduct (with waterfalls spraying out above one of the tunnels) we finally saw the sign for Arthur's Pass. Whew! We had made it. It was absolutely pouring by this stage as we pulled into the Arthur's Pass cafe for a late breakfast. I felt so sorry for a bedraggled and wet Kea which was taking shelter on the cafe railings. After a coffee and pannini we were ready to continue on with the journey. The trip through to Springfield was stunning as we traversed beautiful valleys and then climbed around magnificent mountains. Finally we were on the Canterbury Plains - flat ground thank goodness! We arrived in Christchurch around 12.30 p.m. and managed to find a parking spot close to Hertz. As the car wasn't due to be dropped off until 4 p.m. we decided to have a bit of a look around the Mall. We were both very impressed with what we saw of Christchurch and would have liked the opportunity to have spent a bit more time in this beautiful city.
Dropped the car back to Hertz and then got a taxi to the Sudima Hotel at the airport. We had to be up at 3 a.m. the next morning for our 6 a.m. flight so figured it would be best to have an early night.

Queenstown to Hokitika

The following is Matthew's contribution to our NZ Road Trip blog.

I realise that this may sound as if I’m a tad spoilt. For I could easily understand if tourists were to find the drive along the west coast from Queenstown to the seaside town of Hokitika to be truly one of the majestic drives to be seen on the planet. Yet while meandering our way through the natural beauty on display I couldn’t help but think that at what point are their just too many lakes!!! Sure they look beautiful the first time and even after the second, third and fourth they are still good. But after seeing our 63rd lake on our 6 hour drive today I couldn’t help but think that I had seen enough lakes to last a lifetime and I for one was just a little bit over them.
We left Queenstown this morning at around 9.00am. I was still a little bit crook as the previous day on our trip out to Milford Sound I suffered the worst case of motion sickness that I have suffered almost bringing my heart up in the Novotel bathroom.
I for one was happy to be leaving the tourist mecca of Queenstown. I found the place a very superficial town that has completely sold itself out to tourism. Whilst for some, particularly those who have an interest in extreme sports I could see that the town would be a drawcard yet for me personally, I would honestly rather spend 3 nights at the Great Northern Hotel in Gordonvale.
I tried to make the journey as quick as possible and that meant limited stops. As I looked in the rear view mirror I tried valiantly to escape the cavalcade of caravans and Camper Vans with their “I love New Zealand” stickers emblazoned on their bumpers. However we were unable to escape as a much needed fuel stop required a short stopover in the town of Wanaka. Upon stepping into the local cafe I was able to get a good indication of the type of town that it is. Tourists spilled into the cafe all demanding their mocha soy latte’s and gluten free lentil soups. All I wanted was a toasted ham and cheese sandwich yet in the entire town couldn’t find a place to service my needs. Instead, was confronted by cafe after cafe trying to outdo each other with bizarre organic menus to service the silver tails that frequent this lakeside town.
After settling on a packet of chips from the service station I escaped the town as quickly as I could. The drive was a picturesque one. The lakes are stunning and I did find it fascinating the contrast in terrain that exists in this country simply by travelling a couple of 100km’s. But after a day of being violently ill and 6 days surrounded by forest and lakes I probably couldn’t fully appreciate it as much as I should.

We got into the seaside town of Hokitika at around 3.00pm. The town was a lot quieter then the ones that we had become accustomed to and I for one was relieved to be in a town where I couldn’t see one novelty sheep souvenir, "I love New Zealand" shirt or silver fern bath towel. The so called beautiful beach however wasn’t what I would consider to be world class with the colour reminding me more of the champion Lloyd Williams stayer “Efficient” being a steely grey in appearance. I decided a quiet Indian curry was in order and I found the local curry shop. Being tired from the long drive I decided to get it to Take Away. Upon returning to the Hotel Room I was disappointed to discover that I wasn't provided with any cutlery. This then meant a walk to the local supermarket to purchase my own army of plastic knives and forks to last a lifetime. The meal eventually was very good.
A pleasant little town and a short stopover as we headed for the last leg on our journey through to Christchurch.

Milford Sound

We were collected bright and early at 7.15 a.m. by Keith and Mayumi from the Bar B Que bus for our full day trip to Te Anau and Milford Sound. Had no idea that Milford Sound was so far from Queenstown however at least it gave Matthew an opportunity to view the sights enroute without having to concentrate on driving. Matthew was completely oblivious to what Milford Sound actually was? In fact he thought we were off to some sort of music festival....(Obviously geography is not a strong point!) Anyway, as the bus made its way along the shores of Lake Wakatipu towards Kingston, Keith provided an excellent commentary on not only the history of Milford Sound but also detailed information on the local flora and fauna. As we had come to expect, the views in this part of the island were spectacular. After about 3 hours we drove into Te Anau on the banks of Lake Te Anau. This was to be our morning tea stop and we were directed to a fantastic little pie shop just around the corner from our bus stop. The pie shop was doing a roaring trade so we figured the pies must be pretty good - and they were! The weather in Te Anau was starting to look a little bit gloomy however we were optimistic that it would improve as we got closer to Milford. After our morning tea stop we were back on the bus again heading into the Fiordland National Park. What an amazing place! Stunningly beautiful - majestic snowcapped mountains, fast flowing rivers and fields of beautiful lupins. Fortunately there were plenty of "photo stops" along the way and I was so pleased that I had charged the camera batteries the night before. At around 12 noon the bus pulled into a picnic area and whilst Keith and Mayumi set up the bar b que we set off on a half hour bush walk on a very well marked loop bush track.
Magnificent moss covered trees, ferns and sounds of native birds - it was a great opportunity to stretch our legs and immerse ourselves well and truly in this natural paradise. By the time we arrived back at the picnic site - lunch was sizzling away on the bar b que and salads etc. were ready to be served up. It was a great experience - a bar b que picnic in the most beautiful surrounds.
After packing up we headed further into the National Park and as we did the scenery became more and more alpine looking and unfortunately, more and more drizzly. Snow drifts on the sides of the road and remnants of recent avalanche activity. By the time we reached the Homer Tunnel the rain was coming down quite heavily and whilst we waited for the green light to enter the tunnel we watched the antics of a couple of Kea perched on the roof of a small car near our bus. Most destructive!

By the time we arrived at Milford Sound at 2 p.m. the rain was pouring down and it was looking very miserable (and cold). However I figured this was the 8th Wonder of the World and we might never get an opportunity to see it again, so Matthew and I perched ourselves on the top open deck of the catamaran and (literally) weathered the elements. Waterfalls everywhere! Even in the rain and mist this was a truly magical place. We also managed to see a couple of fur seals perched on a rocky outcrop and on the way home were followed by 5 dolphins. Amazing!
At 4 p.m. we boarded the bus for the long trip back to Queenstown. The day would have been absolutely perfect if it weren't for Matthew experiencing the most dreadful travel sickness on the way home. He made good use of the brown paper bags placed strategically in the bus seat pockets - which we were to find out later were not exactly "water proof". Luckily my spray jacket carry bag was - so I was able to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation. "This is the reason you travel with your Mum" says Matthew.....

Exploring Queenstown and Surrounds

Left the Novotel early this morning (and let Matthew have a sleep in!) to explore the foreshore and Queenstown Gardens which are just a little bit along from Marine Parade. It was a brisk morning was hardly a tourist to be seen. So different to yesterday afternoon when Marine Parade was "wall to wall" tourists. Queenstown is set in a stunningly beautiful part of New Zealand however it is very commercialised. Perhaps this is what tourists are looking for however for me it has certainly detracted from the natural beauty of the city. The plants and trees in the gardens are just beautiful. Huge Himalayan oaks and row upon row of rose bushes. I feel embarrassed to even admit that I tried to grow roses in the tropics after seeing the proliferation of roses in New Zealand. Within the gardens there are a number of huge boulders with the names of mountain climbers (obviously from the area) who have lost their lives on Mount Everest. There are also memorials to Antarctica explorers. By the time I walked through the gardens and down to the foreshore there were a number of early morning joggers and walkers making their way around the various tracks around the lake.
Checked out an old boathouse on the edge of the lake which had been converted into a restaurant and this is where Matthew and I had breakfast. Matthew decided on the eggs Benedict and salmon and I had the best omelet I think I have ever tasted.
After breakfast I decided to take a wander up through the Queenstown shops before embarking on a 12 noon cruise on the vintage steamship TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm.
Fabulous trip on this lovely old steamship although it was very rough. Lucky I remembered to pack the ginger tablets! It was about an 2 hour round trip and on the way back there was a lady playing piano in the main saloon area on the upper deck. There were printed song sheets available however there were only a couple of people game enough to sing along. We definitely needed Matthew there - particularly when she started playing Loch Lomond. Arrived back in Queenstown about 2p.m. Matthew met the boat and we then went uptown for some lunch. Everything is extremely expensive and very much geared to the tourist market.
Decided to take a drive to have a look at the Queenstown Cricket Grounds - again, don't know how we would have been able to find it without Sat Nav. From there, we continued onto to Arrowtown which is a quaint little township just north of Queenstown. Arrowtown was a former gold mining town and the streetscape has retained the look of the 1880's. Very pretty place although, again very touristy! Dragged ourselves away from the Remarkable Sweet Shop and then headed back to the Novotel.
Early night tonight as we are being collected at 7.15 a.m. tomorrow for our trip to Milford Sound.

Middle Earth and More!

Experienced the most amazing day! This morning we were collected at 9 a.m. by Andre from 4x4 New Zealand (based in Geraldine) and enjoyed a full day tour of Mt Peel and Mesopotamia Stations as well at the stunningly beautiful Rangitate Gorge region. Words and pictures do not do justice to the views we saw today. It truly was a privilege to have been able to visit this awesome country. At Mt Peel station we visited the tiny Holy Innocents Church and walked among the gravestones of many former station employees and their families. So many graves of young babies and children as well as sons who lost their lives in the First World War in Gallipoli and France. Andre's knowledge of the early settlers in this region and his various stories about how land was acquired and the struggles endured by the early day pioneers was extremely informative. I got a real sense of the isolation experienced by these early settlers and learnt how they lived and survived.
We then headed onto Mesopotamia Station and enjoyed morning tea at the quaint (former) Mesopotamia School. The muffins and biscuits made by Andre's wife were delicious!
Along the way the scenery just seemed to get better and better as we traversed the many valleys that meander through the Canterbury Mountains. We crossed snow fed braided rivers, tussock covered hills and were dwarfed by towering mountains with amazing vistas all around.
Onward deeper into the Rangitata Gorge we visited the regions where "Edoras" stood and "Helms Deep" appeared in the Lord of the Rings. We saw where the "Fellowship" tried to cross the Misty Mountains and "Aragon" road his horse from Edoras to Helms Deep.
After traversing a track high up along the side of a mountain we finally arrived at tiny hut nestled in the most beautiful valley where we enjoyed the best salad rolls and caramel slices. Again, thanks to Andre's wife Kirsty!
This truly was a unique alpine wilderness safari totally devoid of tourists and souvenir shops. It must be one of the most amazing places on earth.
We arrived back at the Scenic Route Motel at about 6 p.m. still awestruck by what we had experienced.

Waikouaiti Race Day

Checked out of the Cable Court about 10.30 a.m. and then headed north to Waikouaiti for the annual New Year's Day Races. Wasn't too sure about where? Waikouaiti was however Sat Nav was able to take us there with no problems whatsoever. So far on this trip, Sat Nav has proved invaluable. The countryside enroute to Waikouaiti was very hilly and green with alpine vegetation including large pine trees and firs. The weather was perfect - hot and sunny. As it turned out it was only about a 45 minute trip and before we knew it were driving through the tiny hamlet of Waikouaiti. We found the sign post to the races and at the end of the street looked straight ahead and saw the picturesque Race Track. What an amazing setting for a country race meeting. Luckily we were early to arrive to we parked the Corolla on the top of the hill (after paying the $5 entry and receiving 2 free bottles of water - bargain!) and then walked down the hill onto the track. The day proved to be a real family affair with various rides and activities for children as well as racing for the adults. Before the races started we had a bit of a wander around looking at the various stalls and local produce which was available for sale in a country market type atmosphere. I purchased some of the best cherries I have ever tasted from the Otago "Big Fat Cherry Company". I don't think I will ever eat Australian cherries again. Aside from the cherries we also had some wonderful "Lamb burgers" with the most fantastic tomato relish!
We purchased our local Betting Guide and then settled back to see if we could pick a couple of local winners. It ended up being a wonderful day - I managed to back 4 winners and 4 placegetters from the 10 race card and Matthew backed a couple of winners in Auckland. However my memories of the day would have to be the way it was promoted as a real family day out. It was also amazing to see how people brought their dogs along to the meeting! There were dogs of all shapes and sizes - all well behaved and all enjoying the day at the races with their owners. I have also never seen so many sunburnt people in one place at the end of the day! I think there would be some extremely "sore" people come Saturday. I guess hot and sunny days like that would be pretty rare in this part of New Zealand.
After the races we headed north to Geraldine which turned out to be a 3 hour trip. Beautiful drive along the coast with the ocean on our right hand side most of the way. The car was buffeted with strong gales as we headed out of Timaru and at times Matthew found it difficult to keep it on the road - but he did an excellent job. We were very happy to finally arrive at the Scenic Drive Motel in Geraldine after another long day.

New Year's Eve Dunedin

Arrived back at the Cable Court after a traversing the Bay Road back into Dunedin. Can't seem to work out the fuel gauge on the car so decided to call in and fill up just to make sure. $13.26! Oh well, better to be sure than sorry. Having a bit of rest now before we head up town to the Octagon for the New Years Eve celebrations. It's been a BIG day - but really great. Not sure if we will manage to see the New Year in as we have another big day planned for tomorrow. See how we go.
What a great way to welcome in the New Year! The New Year's Eve celebrations at the Octagon started rather slowly but by 11.30 p.m. the place was packed. After a couple of drinks at a kerbside cafe overlooking the centre stage we decided to check out the various food stalls which lined the Octagon. Had the best Rogan Josh and Vegetable Samosas I have ever tasted whilst listening to some of Dunedin's best bands. New Years was welcomed in with an amazing fireworks display. The city put on a fantastic show! Not sure whether it was the fact that it was the first New Years I have actually "seen in" in 10 years (or not)but we both really enjoyed the night. The crowd quickly dispersed at midnight and we found ourselves in a large crowd of people walking home in the brisk hours of Friday morning. Called into a 24 hour corner store on the way home to pick up breakfast for tomorrow. I'm sure we will sleep well tonight.

Larnarch Castle

So glad that we decided to visit Larnarch Castle. William Larnarch was an Australian Banker who came to Dunedin lured by the tide of wealth which followed the gold rush. He found the site in 1870 whilst walking on the Peninsula and then built a magnificent Castle. He apparently lived in the Castle with three successive wives until 1898 when he took his own life in New Zealand's House of Parliament. Larnarch's children sold the property which changed hands several times and then was finally abandoned. Eventually the Barker family bought the property and have managed to restore it (and the magnificent) gardens back to their original glory. The garden is one of International significance. Matthew and I had a great time wandering up various pathways and finding magnificent vistas along the way. He was so impressed with the gardens and views. It truly is a gem of a place.

We then had late lunch in the grand ballroom. There was a roaring fire going and magnificent chandeliers overhead. You should have seen the amazing array of cakes and slices Alan! Reminiscent of Clarindas in Edinburgh! Matthew and I both said the same thing when we saw them - "Wouldn't Al love this!!"

Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula

Caught the shuttle bus from Dunedin Airport into the City - about a 25km trip. John, the shuttle bus driver was keen to find out where we were from and seemed to know a lot about Paronella Park. I think he may have visited there some years ago. We went via the scenic route and had a good opportunity to see the country side to the south of Dunedin (on the road to Invergargill). Horses and sheep everywhere! The countryside is green and rolling. Matthew said that it reminded him a lot of Scotland. The city of Dunedin itself certainly reminded me of Dunfermline - particularly the steep hills in the town and the confusing one way streets and roundabouts. John dropped us to the Hertz Rent a Car office and then I promptly walked off without paying! I actually thought it was a complementary shuttle - Wrong! I felt very comfortable with our Hertz Hire car - a Toyota Corolla! They upgraded it to automatic - which is brilliant given the number of hills/mountains in the South Island. We connected the Sat Nav and hey presto in 2 minutes we were at the Cable Court Motel. "Absolutely fantastic that Sat Nav" (says Matthew!) We dropped out bags at the Cable Court around 2 p.m. and then headed out to explore the Otago Peninsula. What a place! We went via the Highcliff Road towards Lanarch Castle and the views back towards the mountains and Dunedin and then the ocean on the other side of the road has to be seen to be believed.

Arrival in Christchurch

Well we touched down at Christchurch International Airport a little after 12.45 a.m. this morning after a 3 ½ hour flight from Brisbane, 6 hour wait in Brisbane and 2 hour flight from Cairns. So after 11 hours on the move since leaving Goldsborough on Thursday morning – we were happy to finally put our heads down at the Sudima Christchurch Airport Hotel.

Departure day would have to go down in our family travel blog history as the day of Matthew’s altercation with Anna, the supervisor at the Virgin Blue check in desk at the Cairns Airport! Suffice to say, it was not surprising that the issue of Matthew leaving his Passport in Brisbane was going to cause a bit of a problem...... However, Anna was determined to make the point that this was not a good situation and “in future” Matthew should make sure that he had his passport with him. Well of course, we knew that anyway. Anyway, after a bit of huffing and sighing, she managed to be able to over-ride the system and check me through to Christchurch and check him (and his luggage) through to Brisbane. The flight from Cairns to Brisbane was pretty uneventful. Matthew decided he wouldn’t mind checking out the in flight entertainment and at a cost of $9 for 2 hours thought it was pretty good value. One problem however, when he swiped my Visa he inadvertently selected the kid’s movie channel and was forced to endure 2 hours of the “Chipmunks in Hollywood”. Things were not going well for him. Firstly Anna and then the Chipmunks.

In the end, no big drama – only issue was that Matthew had to cart his bag through the back streets of the Valley whilst he went in search of his mate Prowsy who had managed to locate his Passport under a pile of newspapers in his Brisbane flat! Long story.... However, when we finally rendezvoused at the Queen Street Mall Matthew was grasping the Passport in one hand and his bag in the other. Another potential drama had been averted.

We caught the airport train back to the Brisbane International Airport and then boarded our Pacific Blue flight for New Zealand. As luck would have it - for some unknown reason? we had been upgraded to Business Class and enjoyed a very comfortable flight with heaps of leg room.

We were met by the Sudima shuttle bus and by the time we checked in/unpacked/had a shower etc. it was close to 2a.m. I tried to call Alan on my mobile following the instructions in the Hotel handbook however couldn't get through. At 3 a.m. this morning I realised the reason why.... I was trying to dial "1" to get a line out on my mobile... I must have been delirious!

Mobile phones must be the most impersonal form of communication! Try as I might, I cannot speak "softly" on a mobile phone. I'm sure I provided considerable entertainment to anyone within 50 metres whilst "phoning home"....

Back to the Airport at 10.30 a.m. for the connecting Air New Zealand flight to Dunedin. We flew in an ATR72-500. Excellent flight! The view of Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula as we approached from the north was amazing. Can't wait to explore this beautiful country.