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...