So after a great nice in a super cute place, we did a "Black Water Rafting" trip in the Waitomo Caves.
They get you all suited up in wetsuits, rubber boots and helmets with headlamps. It was so funny the guide giving us instructions on how to get the wetsuits on and how they are supposed to fit - he gave us a little chat on not tee tee-ing in your wetsuit - hahaha, I don't know why that cracks me up - but the fact that 12 adults are being told not to pee in their pants is just hysterical to me - but it reminded me of a similar conversation the TNT triathletes have the day I hand out wetsuits :)
So then you get a tube and you're off! You start off by walking down into the cave and it is SO dark and FREEZING!! I kept bumping my head on the stalagmites (don't know how to spell that??) that hang down from the rock...good thing for helmets. Once we got to deeper water, you get in your tube and float through the cave. At one point, everyone turns off their headlight and you look up to the ceiling of the cave and there are TONS of glow worms!! They just light up the whole ceiling - it was so incredible!! I was just giggling in amazement - it was unreal! We also jumped off a few waterfalls and did all sorts of fun stuff in there. Poor Jessie was completely numb from head to toe so I think she was happy when we saw the light at the end of the tunnel - sunshine has never felt so good!
The glow worm caves are a definite must do!
From Waitomo we drove back to Wakapappa Village - we came here last week to try and do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing but it got snowed out :( So fingers crossed we will be able to go tomorrow!!!! The forecast is looking fine right now - but we are at a pretty high altitude so you never know with the weather!!
So tomorrow we will do the Tongariro Crossing and then we are driving back to Auckland to prepare to come home!!
We are having dinner with Robyn - remember her? She is the Kiwi who invited us in for tea our first day in NZ when we were wondering around like jet lagged zombies in the park! She is SOO sweet and we are really excited to have dinner with her family and tell her all about our travels.
We also have some major cleaning up of Queen Charlotte to do...we have driven her literally to every corner of New Zealand, used her as a suitcase, a dining room - lots of on the road lunches, ole Queenie has been good to us and now we have to give her a good wash and vacuum and turn her in - tear :(
And of course we want to have enough time to do one last day of shopping :) I have become a souvenir junkie and Jessie is the same as always just loves those clothes - so we have to get that done with before we board the plane on Friday night!
I will write again before we go - but I just want to say - that New Zealand exceeded all my expectations - it is an INCREDIBLE place! You all must come - and I will come back with you :)
Love,
Alley
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
We heart driving
Jessie and I are driving maniacs. I doubt that any other tourists are as ridiculous as we are as we continue to drive the length of the Island following the sunshine around the country :)
While we were in the very North of the North Island, we stopped to see 90 mile beach - it's not literally 90 miles - I think it's around 60 ish.. - but anywhoo it's part of the highway system here -so there are cars and buses just whizzing down it. Rental cars are not insured to drive on it, so we parked Queen Charlotte a safe distance from the beach and just walked up to see it :)
We also saw the famous Kauri trees; Kauris are one of the world's largest tree along with California's Sequoias. Kauri can only be found in NZ and nowadays only in a few places on the North Island. We stopped to see the biggest of them all - the "Lord of the Forest" - it was GIGANTIC!! It would take 12 people holding hands to get around the trunk! And they believe it is 2,000 years old. Very sweet as - as the Kiwis would say...
Then we DROVE and drove and drove south to Waitomo. All the hostels were booked when we got there so we had to splurge on a B&B and it was glorious :) The owners were SO sweet!! They live in this great house on a hill that overlooks the valley and you can see the mountains and volcanoes in the distance. They have two little cottages they rent out - so that is where we shacked up last night and it was fantastic! After 11 hours in the car, I crashed as soon as I hit the bed :)
While we were in the very North of the North Island, we stopped to see 90 mile beach - it's not literally 90 miles - I think it's around 60 ish.. - but anywhoo it's part of the highway system here -so there are cars and buses just whizzing down it. Rental cars are not insured to drive on it, so we parked Queen Charlotte a safe distance from the beach and just walked up to see it :)
We also saw the famous Kauri trees; Kauris are one of the world's largest tree along with California's Sequoias. Kauri can only be found in NZ and nowadays only in a few places on the North Island. We stopped to see the biggest of them all - the "Lord of the Forest" - it was GIGANTIC!! It would take 12 people holding hands to get around the trunk! And they believe it is 2,000 years old. Very sweet as - as the Kiwis would say...
Then we DROVE and drove and drove south to Waitomo. All the hostels were booked when we got there so we had to splurge on a B&B and it was glorious :) The owners were SO sweet!! They live in this great house on a hill that overlooks the valley and you can see the mountains and volcanoes in the distance. They have two little cottages they rent out - so that is where we shacked up last night and it was fantastic! After 11 hours in the car, I crashed as soon as I hit the bed :)
Easter
Hello!
We had a fabulous Easter Sunday! Hope the Easter bunny was good to you guys...we went to church in the oldest church in NZ - pretty neat! And then hit the road headed North to Cape Reinga. Like I said in the last post this is spot where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific - there is a whirlpool where they meet. And this is also the place the Maori believe they go to enter the spiritual world - so it is a very sacred spot.
From there, we drove a few kilometers to the "giant sand dunes" of Te Paki. These sand dunes are HUGE!!! You hike up them and then "sand board" down in a sled :) It was SO fun!! I BUSTED and flew out of my toboggan and Jessie got it all on her camera - I has sand in my teeth from having my mouth open from screaming and laughing.
So - not too shabby of an Easter Sunday, I'd say!
We had a fabulous Easter Sunday! Hope the Easter bunny was good to you guys...we went to church in the oldest church in NZ - pretty neat! And then hit the road headed North to Cape Reinga. Like I said in the last post this is spot where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific - there is a whirlpool where they meet. And this is also the place the Maori believe they go to enter the spiritual world - so it is a very sacred spot.
From there, we drove a few kilometers to the "giant sand dunes" of Te Paki. These sand dunes are HUGE!!! You hike up them and then "sand board" down in a sled :) It was SO fun!! I BUSTED and flew out of my toboggan and Jessie got it all on her camera - I has sand in my teeth from having my mouth open from screaming and laughing.
So - not too shabby of an Easter Sunday, I'd say!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
North Island
Howdy!
We are on the North Island and I am in a little depressive funk missing the South Island :) I didn't realize how much I had gotten used to hardly any people and all sheep!! Jessie and I got caught in traffic the other day and were like "where did all these people come from?!" We have been so spoiled! Atlanta is going to be a rude awakening!!
So mom and dad left on a puddle jumper from Picton and we left on the biggest ferry you've ever laid eyes on!! There were literally 18 wheeler trucks with cattle and horses in the car portion of the ferry - oh, yes Queen Charlotte made the trek across Cook Straight with us, we wouldn't dare leave her behind! It was hard to part with the South Island...I am ashamed to say I shed a tear or two :) Yep, I am that big of a nerd.
Wellington was our first stop on the North. It's the capital so all the govt buildings are there and there is a really awesome museum called "Te Papa." It's 5 stories high! You could spend days in there and not see everything! I learned about volcanoes, earthquakes, Maori culture - all kinds of stuff! Oh, and the have the world's largest squid on display and a skeleton of a whale that takes up the entire ceiling of one room - insane!! We visited the Botanic Gardens, rode the cable car, ate out :), and shopped!
The highlight from Wellington came on the morning we left. Jess and I were eating bfast in the NASTY NASTY kitchen area of our hostel...I am surprised we could eat :) and this girl was on the Internet in the sitting/dining area where we were. And she was belting out this song she was playing on repeat on the computer - I wish I knew what it was so I could include a link to it but it was seriously a rap/hip hop song being sung by The Chimpmunks and she was LOVIN it! Just singing with all her might...at 8 am...and each time the song ended, she just played it again! We were dying! She turns around and has a cigarette hangin off her lip and just a few teeth and introduces herself and starts chatting. She tells us she is having a 21st bday party for herself and invited us to come - it was in 2 days so we were going to be long gone from Wellington - but I tell you what, if that party had been in 30 minutes, Jessie and I wouldn't have missed that party for the world. Man. Lyda - where ever you are, you made my day. Julie Anne, Catherine and EColi - you guys would DIE :)
From Wellington we drove north to Wakapapa Village - where there is NOTHING to do other than the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which is a hike on a volcano! So after walking around the supermarket for fun -we went to sleep hoping to do the hike in the AM. We woke to find out that it snowed and the Crossing was closed to the public :( soo no hike. We are going to try again in a few days - the weather is really unpredictable so we have to keep our eyes peeled for the forecast...
We drove through Taupo - NZ's biggest lake is there, then on to Rotorua to see the geothermal craters and geysers. We saw a pool called "Devil's Bath" that was BRIGHT neon green!! And pools of bubbling, boiling mud and lakes that are yellow from the sulfur...it was really cool. It's like hell on Earth, literally!
From there we drove straight up the North Island to Paihia. Everyone else from NZ did the same thing that day too :) Easter is a HUGE traveling holiday for the Kiwis so the drive from Auckland to Paihia - in the Bay of Islands - was like the drive from NYC to the Hamptons! CRAZY crowded! Now that we are here, I can see why! It's beautiful here - lots of beaches and there are islands scattered throughout the bay.
Today, we did the "Cape Brett Track" - a ferry dropped us off at an old lighthouse and we hiked back to the mainland. The hike was lots of hills - up and down again and again - so some of the views from the top were incredible!!
We are pooped tonight so we are hitting the hay early and tomorrow is Easter!! We are going to a church service in the morning in the OLDEST church in NZ! Pretty cool, huh?! Afterwards, we are heading to the northernmost point of NZ - Cape Regina. It's where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. And the Maori's believe it is where their spirits go to leap into the afterlife and return to their homeland - neat, huh?! Will be sure to tell you how it goes!
Hope you all have a VERY Happy Easter!
Love you, alley
We are on the North Island and I am in a little depressive funk missing the South Island :) I didn't realize how much I had gotten used to hardly any people and all sheep!! Jessie and I got caught in traffic the other day and were like "where did all these people come from?!" We have been so spoiled! Atlanta is going to be a rude awakening!!
So mom and dad left on a puddle jumper from Picton and we left on the biggest ferry you've ever laid eyes on!! There were literally 18 wheeler trucks with cattle and horses in the car portion of the ferry - oh, yes Queen Charlotte made the trek across Cook Straight with us, we wouldn't dare leave her behind! It was hard to part with the South Island...I am ashamed to say I shed a tear or two :) Yep, I am that big of a nerd.
Wellington was our first stop on the North. It's the capital so all the govt buildings are there and there is a really awesome museum called "Te Papa." It's 5 stories high! You could spend days in there and not see everything! I learned about volcanoes, earthquakes, Maori culture - all kinds of stuff! Oh, and the have the world's largest squid on display and a skeleton of a whale that takes up the entire ceiling of one room - insane!! We visited the Botanic Gardens, rode the cable car, ate out :), and shopped!
The highlight from Wellington came on the morning we left. Jess and I were eating bfast in the NASTY NASTY kitchen area of our hostel...I am surprised we could eat :) and this girl was on the Internet in the sitting/dining area where we were. And she was belting out this song she was playing on repeat on the computer - I wish I knew what it was so I could include a link to it but it was seriously a rap/hip hop song being sung by The Chimpmunks and she was LOVIN it! Just singing with all her might...at 8 am...and each time the song ended, she just played it again! We were dying! She turns around and has a cigarette hangin off her lip and just a few teeth and introduces herself and starts chatting. She tells us she is having a 21st bday party for herself and invited us to come - it was in 2 days so we were going to be long gone from Wellington - but I tell you what, if that party had been in 30 minutes, Jessie and I wouldn't have missed that party for the world. Man. Lyda - where ever you are, you made my day. Julie Anne, Catherine and EColi - you guys would DIE :)
From Wellington we drove north to Wakapapa Village - where there is NOTHING to do other than the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which is a hike on a volcano! So after walking around the supermarket for fun -we went to sleep hoping to do the hike in the AM. We woke to find out that it snowed and the Crossing was closed to the public :( soo no hike. We are going to try again in a few days - the weather is really unpredictable so we have to keep our eyes peeled for the forecast...
We drove through Taupo - NZ's biggest lake is there, then on to Rotorua to see the geothermal craters and geysers. We saw a pool called "Devil's Bath" that was BRIGHT neon green!! And pools of bubbling, boiling mud and lakes that are yellow from the sulfur...it was really cool. It's like hell on Earth, literally!
From there we drove straight up the North Island to Paihia. Everyone else from NZ did the same thing that day too :) Easter is a HUGE traveling holiday for the Kiwis so the drive from Auckland to Paihia - in the Bay of Islands - was like the drive from NYC to the Hamptons! CRAZY crowded! Now that we are here, I can see why! It's beautiful here - lots of beaches and there are islands scattered throughout the bay.
Today, we did the "Cape Brett Track" - a ferry dropped us off at an old lighthouse and we hiked back to the mainland. The hike was lots of hills - up and down again and again - so some of the views from the top were incredible!!
We are pooped tonight so we are hitting the hay early and tomorrow is Easter!! We are going to a church service in the morning in the OLDEST church in NZ! Pretty cool, huh?! Afterwards, we are heading to the northernmost point of NZ - Cape Regina. It's where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. And the Maori's believe it is where their spirits go to leap into the afterlife and return to their homeland - neat, huh?! Will be sure to tell you how it goes!
Hope you all have a VERY Happy Easter!
Love you, alley
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
winding down :)
Wine
From Abel Tasman, we drove to Blenheim/Renwick in the Marlbrough Wine Region aka Mecca :)
Jessie and I had already biked around this area to all the wineries tasting Sav Blanc but sometimes you just have to take one for the team and do something twice :)
Need I say more about this...tasting wine, riding bikes, the scenery of NZ...life doesn't get much better.
Marlbrough Sounds
After drinking and purchasing 2 CASES of the nectar of the Gods - I mean Sav Blanc we went to Portage Bay in the Marlbrough Sounds (this is where we had done the Queen Charlotte Track 6 weeks ago) - it such a gorgeous section of NZ we had to show mom and dad!
After a hike and kayaking in the Sounds - it was time to take them back to Picton for their flight home :( They literally took the smallest plane known to mankind from Picton over the Cook Straigt to Wellington and then on to Auckland and then to LAX to Atl - LONG day for them!
We had a WONDERFUL time with them and hated to see them go - we miss you mom and dad!!
More to come soon.
We are on the North Island now - little teaser for ya :)
From Abel Tasman, we drove to Blenheim/Renwick in the Marlbrough Wine Region aka Mecca :)
Jessie and I had already biked around this area to all the wineries tasting Sav Blanc but sometimes you just have to take one for the team and do something twice :)
Need I say more about this...tasting wine, riding bikes, the scenery of NZ...life doesn't get much better.
Marlbrough Sounds
After drinking and purchasing 2 CASES of the nectar of the Gods - I mean Sav Blanc we went to Portage Bay in the Marlbrough Sounds (this is where we had done the Queen Charlotte Track 6 weeks ago) - it such a gorgeous section of NZ we had to show mom and dad!
After a hike and kayaking in the Sounds - it was time to take them back to Picton for their flight home :( They literally took the smallest plane known to mankind from Picton over the Cook Straigt to Wellington and then on to Auckland and then to LAX to Atl - LONG day for them!
We had a WONDERFUL time with them and hated to see them go - we miss you mom and dad!!
More to come soon.
We are on the North Island now - little teaser for ya :)
Mom and dad's visit continues...
West Coast
From Wanaka, we headed up the West Coast - which was exciting as Jessie and I hadn't ventured up that way yet. The West Coast is known for having LOTS of rain and kinda crazy weather - as a result, it was very lush and looked more like a rain forest than anything else we had seen so far.
Our first stop on the West Coast was Fox Glacier. We did a guided hike onto the glacier and it was AWESOME! Our guide, Rodger, was a genius and was so interesting to listen to - he knows EVERYTHING there is to know about glaciers! I think Jessie is in love. He is only 40 years older than her - age, smage.
We had to put crampons onto our boots before you get on the glacier and watching dad try to figure out how to put them on was classic and even better was him attempting to walk on the ice. Luckily, he lived to tell about it and I think he and mom really enjoyed it. I mean, how often do you get to walk around on a glacier?! One neat thing about this particular glacier is that it is only one of two glaciers in the world that is surrounded by rain forest. The other one is in Patagonia...guess I am just gonna have to go check that one out to say I have seen both...
After the hike, we drove farther up the coast almost to Westport. We stopped to see the "Pancake Rocks" - the pancake rocks are literally these huge rock formations that look like a bunch of thin rocks stacked on top of one another like a stack of pancakes! And the coolest part is - there are lots of scientific theories as to why that are that way - but for the most part it remains a mystery! There were also some really fabulous views of the beaches and Tasman Sea - soooooo pretty!! NZ is a wonderland.
Abel Tasman
Next stop on the agenda was Abel Tasman Natl Park - which is on the northwest coast of the Island. Abel Tasman is known for it's crystal clear water and golden beaches and it did not disappoint - it looks like a postcard!
We sea kayaked the first day. I thought dad might kill me for getting him to do it...he had the fear of God in his eyes when the lady showed us how to get out of the kayak in case we flipped :) Fortunately, none of us went for a swim that day! It was SO beautiful out on the water!! Mom really enjoyed it - think we need to buy that woman a kayak! Then you just park your kayak on the beach and the kayak company comes to get it and you hike on the track or take a water taxi to your next destination in the park. We took the taxi to Awaroa Beach where we stayed for two nights. It's on the far north of the park - which means it's more secluded than the more southern beaches and it was glorious!!! It was like a paradise!
The 2nd day, we hiked north from Awaroa. The most fun part was crossing Awaroa Inlet. You have to cross 2 hours either side of low tide and we were running a little behind schedule soo we had to ford a few "streams" - dad was an expert at this!! hahaha. Lawyers don't do too much fording of rivers evidently...:) Then we spent the rest of the afternoon - at Jess' request - sitting in the sun reading - it was fantastic!!
The 3rd and final day in Abel Tasman, we hiked south to Bark's Bay. It is such a cool experience to be hiking in the "bush" - in tree cover, in the mountains and look out and see the blue sea and golden sands!! Abel Tasman is one of the prettiest places I have EVER laid eyes on - a definite favorite!!
more....
From Wanaka, we headed up the West Coast - which was exciting as Jessie and I hadn't ventured up that way yet. The West Coast is known for having LOTS of rain and kinda crazy weather - as a result, it was very lush and looked more like a rain forest than anything else we had seen so far.
Our first stop on the West Coast was Fox Glacier. We did a guided hike onto the glacier and it was AWESOME! Our guide, Rodger, was a genius and was so interesting to listen to - he knows EVERYTHING there is to know about glaciers! I think Jessie is in love. He is only 40 years older than her - age, smage.
We had to put crampons onto our boots before you get on the glacier and watching dad try to figure out how to put them on was classic and even better was him attempting to walk on the ice. Luckily, he lived to tell about it and I think he and mom really enjoyed it. I mean, how often do you get to walk around on a glacier?! One neat thing about this particular glacier is that it is only one of two glaciers in the world that is surrounded by rain forest. The other one is in Patagonia...guess I am just gonna have to go check that one out to say I have seen both...
After the hike, we drove farther up the coast almost to Westport. We stopped to see the "Pancake Rocks" - the pancake rocks are literally these huge rock formations that look like a bunch of thin rocks stacked on top of one another like a stack of pancakes! And the coolest part is - there are lots of scientific theories as to why that are that way - but for the most part it remains a mystery! There were also some really fabulous views of the beaches and Tasman Sea - soooooo pretty!! NZ is a wonderland.
Abel Tasman
Next stop on the agenda was Abel Tasman Natl Park - which is on the northwest coast of the Island. Abel Tasman is known for it's crystal clear water and golden beaches and it did not disappoint - it looks like a postcard!
We sea kayaked the first day. I thought dad might kill me for getting him to do it...he had the fear of God in his eyes when the lady showed us how to get out of the kayak in case we flipped :) Fortunately, none of us went for a swim that day! It was SO beautiful out on the water!! Mom really enjoyed it - think we need to buy that woman a kayak! Then you just park your kayak on the beach and the kayak company comes to get it and you hike on the track or take a water taxi to your next destination in the park. We took the taxi to Awaroa Beach where we stayed for two nights. It's on the far north of the park - which means it's more secluded than the more southern beaches and it was glorious!!! It was like a paradise!
The 2nd day, we hiked north from Awaroa. The most fun part was crossing Awaroa Inlet. You have to cross 2 hours either side of low tide and we were running a little behind schedule soo we had to ford a few "streams" - dad was an expert at this!! hahaha. Lawyers don't do too much fording of rivers evidently...:) Then we spent the rest of the afternoon - at Jess' request - sitting in the sun reading - it was fantastic!!
The 3rd and final day in Abel Tasman, we hiked south to Bark's Bay. It is such a cool experience to be hiking in the "bush" - in tree cover, in the mountains and look out and see the blue sea and golden sands!! Abel Tasman is one of the prettiest places I have EVER laid eyes on - a definite favorite!!
more....
Mom and Dad's visit - week one
After the Rail Trail, we drove to Arrowtown - outside of Queenstown - to spend the night and wait for mom and dad's arrival! They flew into Qtown the next day - it was so fun to see them :)
We stayed in Arrowtown for the first few nights...Queenstown is a little too touristy/crowded for my liking and Arrowtown is just 15 minutes away is very quaint and cute. It used to be a gold mining town back in the day. The first day and half - we let mom and dad catch up on sleep, etc and laid low.
Milford Sound
Then we did Milford Sound. Milford is probably the most famous thing to see here in NZ - and it's easy to understand when you see it! It's part of the Fijordland National Park which is on the far western coast of the South Island. We took a bus to get there - 5 hours of car sickness and the driver talking NON STOP about all things NZ :) Informative but not helpful for my nausea hehe. Then you get on a boat and they take you out into the Sounds. The mountains are GIGANTIC! It's a spectacular sight to see such big mountains jutting out of the sea. Hard to describe - you'll have to come see for yourself!!
Wine and Flemings
The next day, it rained so it was the perfect excuse to go to a wine tasting! The region were where in - Central Otago - is known for Pinot Noir so we just couldn't resist checking in on that :) We then headed to Alexandra to visit the Flemings! The poor Flemings probably never want to see us again - we are their stalkers now! We had a wonderful time with them again - they are seriously the greatest people on Earth - so interesting and fun to be around. We did a bike ride with them and I think mom and dad really enjoyed it. It is really nice to have locals to stay with - then you feel like you're getting a more authentic experience, you know?! It was so sweet - Dr Fleming took my family and I for a walk around the neighborhood and nearby orchards. After we picked the most delicious apples I have ever tasted from a tree on the side of the road, he told us being in NZ is like going back in time to the 50s when he and Marilyn first met. He said it was like they were kids dating all over again. Awwww...so sweet :)
Wanaka & Mt Aspiring
From Alex we drove to Wanaka. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called "Mountain Range" and I want to make it my permanent home :) There are incredible views of the mountains, a big fireplaces with comfy chairs all around, FREE wine in the fridge :), local NZ artist's' work on the walls, and get this - heated bathroom floors. Yep. It was heaven!! The couple that manages the property can't be too much older than me - and they were amazing! The man is from England and his lady is American and they met each other here. She makes homemade goodies like muffins, brownies, etc for the guests everyday and he just chats and is so hospitable - it was my favorite place I've ever stayed!!
We did the "Rob Roy Glacier" hike the next day in Mt Aspiring Natl Park and it was FANTASTIC!! To get to the trail head, you have to walk through a pasture filled with dairy cows and I am pretty certain mom took 500 pictures of them. When we finally lured her away from the cows, we had to cross a swingbridge over a river. The look on mom and dad's faces as they inched across the bridge was priceless and yes, mom, I do have a picture of the pure fear radiating from your face. It was a highlight for Jessie and I teehee. At the top, the views of the glacier are incredible! It was the best day hike so far! Oh and Jessie locked me in the toilet on the trail.
continued in next post...
We stayed in Arrowtown for the first few nights...Queenstown is a little too touristy/crowded for my liking and Arrowtown is just 15 minutes away is very quaint and cute. It used to be a gold mining town back in the day. The first day and half - we let mom and dad catch up on sleep, etc and laid low.
Milford Sound
Then we did Milford Sound. Milford is probably the most famous thing to see here in NZ - and it's easy to understand when you see it! It's part of the Fijordland National Park which is on the far western coast of the South Island. We took a bus to get there - 5 hours of car sickness and the driver talking NON STOP about all things NZ :) Informative but not helpful for my nausea hehe. Then you get on a boat and they take you out into the Sounds. The mountains are GIGANTIC! It's a spectacular sight to see such big mountains jutting out of the sea. Hard to describe - you'll have to come see for yourself!!
Wine and Flemings
The next day, it rained so it was the perfect excuse to go to a wine tasting! The region were where in - Central Otago - is known for Pinot Noir so we just couldn't resist checking in on that :) We then headed to Alexandra to visit the Flemings! The poor Flemings probably never want to see us again - we are their stalkers now! We had a wonderful time with them again - they are seriously the greatest people on Earth - so interesting and fun to be around. We did a bike ride with them and I think mom and dad really enjoyed it. It is really nice to have locals to stay with - then you feel like you're getting a more authentic experience, you know?! It was so sweet - Dr Fleming took my family and I for a walk around the neighborhood and nearby orchards. After we picked the most delicious apples I have ever tasted from a tree on the side of the road, he told us being in NZ is like going back in time to the 50s when he and Marilyn first met. He said it was like they were kids dating all over again. Awwww...so sweet :)
Wanaka & Mt Aspiring
From Alex we drove to Wanaka. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called "Mountain Range" and I want to make it my permanent home :) There are incredible views of the mountains, a big fireplaces with comfy chairs all around, FREE wine in the fridge :), local NZ artist's' work on the walls, and get this - heated bathroom floors. Yep. It was heaven!! The couple that manages the property can't be too much older than me - and they were amazing! The man is from England and his lady is American and they met each other here. She makes homemade goodies like muffins, brownies, etc for the guests everyday and he just chats and is so hospitable - it was my favorite place I've ever stayed!!
We did the "Rob Roy Glacier" hike the next day in Mt Aspiring Natl Park and it was FANTASTIC!! To get to the trail head, you have to walk through a pasture filled with dairy cows and I am pretty certain mom took 500 pictures of them. When we finally lured her away from the cows, we had to cross a swingbridge over a river. The look on mom and dad's faces as they inched across the bridge was priceless and yes, mom, I do have a picture of the pure fear radiating from your face. It was a highlight for Jessie and I teehee. At the top, the views of the glacier are incredible! It was the best day hike so far! Oh and Jessie locked me in the toilet on the trail.
continued in next post...
Otago Rail Trail
Ok - last I wrote we were going to rest a bit - and rest days mean eat "lollies" - (well I do that EVERYday but even more on rest days), do laundry, and read - so we rested in Wanaka which is BEAUTIFUL! It's a great town on a gorgeous lake - I could stay there forever.
We left there and did the Otago Rail Trail which is a 150 km trail that you can bike, horse back ride or walk. We decided to bike - no horse :) and no way I was going to walk 90 miles! It's called the rail trail because a railroad used to be there way back in the 1800s; it had been laying there dormant for years and the Dept of Conservation decided to use it for recreation - really great idea!! the best part is that trains can't get up steep hills so it makes for nice, flat riding for us! It was AWESOME!!! It was so fun to do another sport - we had been hiking a ton so it was nice to do something different. And there is just something so fun about riding bikes - makes me feel like a little kid!
The first leg takes you from the little town of Clyde to Lauder. The only things in Lauder are sheep, an old town hall, a hotel, more sheep and an old schoolhouse that is now a B&B. There wasn't a hostel of backpackers as they say here so the lady at the bike rental place told us the hotel has a "bunkhouse" in the back we could stay in. We get there and the hotel owner walks us out to this tool shed that looked like it was about to fall over and there was junk all over the ground around it...and Jessie said - haha watch that be our hostel...and she was RIGHT :) But, it turned out to be SO cute on the inside! It was TEENEY just enough room for a bunk and a space heater. Oh, and the toilet was right outside in a joined shed and it had a lock - unlike our room - so we had to lock up our cameras and money in the potty :)
Our bunkhouse obviously didn't have a kitchen where we could cook dinner so we had to go into the hotel and order food there. Turns out, the entire town comes to the hotel bar to watch rugby! It was packed - we didn't eat until 10 pm bc they were so slammed...and slammed is relative :) they only have one employee so customers would just jump behind the bar and help the bartender when he had a few drink orders to fill! haha - it was cute.
Jessie and I were some reason the hit of the night at the bar :)! Don't ask me why - there were no showers so we smelled like goats and I was wearing my cycle pants...you know, the ones that makes it look like you pooped your pants. Yep - so I am fairly certain they were just bored and people seem to love to chat with Americans :) We had all kinds of Kiwis chatting with us - asking us questions, telling us where to go, etc - it was really fun. One older man, Jessie aptly named the "Silver Fox", bought us a round of drinks and another lady pulled up a stool and sat with us for over an hour telling us all about her life! When we were walking back to our shed for bed - Jessie said it's too bad we're not as big of a hit with people our own age :) Oh well!
The next leg was Lauder to Ranfurly. If you are ever in NZ - do not go to Ranfurly. It is the twilight zone...very weird. For example, our backpackers was in an old post office building that is a hostel, dvd rental store and laundromat. Yep. Weird trio, huh? Well the owners were even weirder..and the interior of the place was awful!! I literally slept with my pants, fleece over all my layers and socks and tried to sleep as lightly as possible on the grody sheets - so when our alarm went off all I had to do was put on my shoes and I was dressed to leave :) We biked the hell out of there first thing in the morn! It was below zero Celsius so it was a chilly few hours in the morning but it was really neat to see all the farmland covered with frost. When we felt we were a safe distance from Creeptown we stopped for a coffee and muffin a teeny town called Hyde. All the towns you pass through all are just small, sleepy little farm towns - it feels like stepping back in time. So neat! One town is home to NZ's oldest general store - I think it opened in 1891 - anyway - they have all kinds of memorabilia in there - it was so cool to see!
We rode on to Middlemarch which is the last town and a shuttle picks you and your bike up and drives you back to Clyde - pretty nice, ey?
The bike ride was one of my very favorite things so far - the scenery is amazing - golden mountains in the far distance,rolling hills, green grass, rivers and streams, and acres and acres of beautiful farmland as far as the eye can see and of course heaps of dairy cows and sheep - which are my favorite :) It's definitely an NZ MUST DO :)!
We left there and did the Otago Rail Trail which is a 150 km trail that you can bike, horse back ride or walk. We decided to bike - no horse :) and no way I was going to walk 90 miles! It's called the rail trail because a railroad used to be there way back in the 1800s; it had been laying there dormant for years and the Dept of Conservation decided to use it for recreation - really great idea!! the best part is that trains can't get up steep hills so it makes for nice, flat riding for us! It was AWESOME!!! It was so fun to do another sport - we had been hiking a ton so it was nice to do something different. And there is just something so fun about riding bikes - makes me feel like a little kid!
The first leg takes you from the little town of Clyde to Lauder. The only things in Lauder are sheep, an old town hall, a hotel, more sheep and an old schoolhouse that is now a B&B. There wasn't a hostel of backpackers as they say here so the lady at the bike rental place told us the hotel has a "bunkhouse" in the back we could stay in. We get there and the hotel owner walks us out to this tool shed that looked like it was about to fall over and there was junk all over the ground around it...and Jessie said - haha watch that be our hostel...and she was RIGHT :) But, it turned out to be SO cute on the inside! It was TEENEY just enough room for a bunk and a space heater. Oh, and the toilet was right outside in a joined shed and it had a lock - unlike our room - so we had to lock up our cameras and money in the potty :)
Our bunkhouse obviously didn't have a kitchen where we could cook dinner so we had to go into the hotel and order food there. Turns out, the entire town comes to the hotel bar to watch rugby! It was packed - we didn't eat until 10 pm bc they were so slammed...and slammed is relative :) they only have one employee so customers would just jump behind the bar and help the bartender when he had a few drink orders to fill! haha - it was cute.
Jessie and I were some reason the hit of the night at the bar :)! Don't ask me why - there were no showers so we smelled like goats and I was wearing my cycle pants...you know, the ones that makes it look like you pooped your pants. Yep - so I am fairly certain they were just bored and people seem to love to chat with Americans :) We had all kinds of Kiwis chatting with us - asking us questions, telling us where to go, etc - it was really fun. One older man, Jessie aptly named the "Silver Fox", bought us a round of drinks and another lady pulled up a stool and sat with us for over an hour telling us all about her life! When we were walking back to our shed for bed - Jessie said it's too bad we're not as big of a hit with people our own age :) Oh well!
The next leg was Lauder to Ranfurly. If you are ever in NZ - do not go to Ranfurly. It is the twilight zone...very weird. For example, our backpackers was in an old post office building that is a hostel, dvd rental store and laundromat. Yep. Weird trio, huh? Well the owners were even weirder..and the interior of the place was awful!! I literally slept with my pants, fleece over all my layers and socks and tried to sleep as lightly as possible on the grody sheets - so when our alarm went off all I had to do was put on my shoes and I was dressed to leave :) We biked the hell out of there first thing in the morn! It was below zero Celsius so it was a chilly few hours in the morning but it was really neat to see all the farmland covered with frost. When we felt we were a safe distance from Creeptown we stopped for a coffee and muffin a teeny town called Hyde. All the towns you pass through all are just small, sleepy little farm towns - it feels like stepping back in time. So neat! One town is home to NZ's oldest general store - I think it opened in 1891 - anyway - they have all kinds of memorabilia in there - it was so cool to see!
We rode on to Middlemarch which is the last town and a shuttle picks you and your bike up and drives you back to Clyde - pretty nice, ey?
The bike ride was one of my very favorite things so far - the scenery is amazing - golden mountains in the far distance,rolling hills, green grass, rivers and streams, and acres and acres of beautiful farmland as far as the eye can see and of course heaps of dairy cows and sheep - which are my favorite :) It's definitely an NZ MUST DO :)!
Yikes!
Hey folks! SORRY about the huge gap there....we have been BUSY :)! I will update all that we have been doing in smaller posts so you guys don't have to read another one of my 50 pagers - I'll break it up for ya :)
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