Travel Tales....
 

Some of my photographs are not yet ready but some are, so I'll make a start. We had a brilliant time and I was so excited on the day we were going away that I couldn't keep off the loo. We arrived at Manchester and checked in for our flight to Bangkok via Heathrow. We were having a civilised drink at the bar in the airport when Sparky let me have a look at his passport photo. I have never laughed so much in my life. Good grief!!!!! I thought my photo was bad but this really gets the coconut. Taken in a photo booth he has a look of shocked surprise on his face like a little furry animal caught in your headlights. It's almost as if someone has mooned at him through the curtain as the piccy was being taken. I managed to compose myself in time for the long flight ahead.:D

Our first stopover was Bangkok and the beautiful Montien Hotel which is slap bang in the middle of the notorious Patpong area. We were upgraded to an executive room on our arrival and the little touches that make you feel special are common throughout hotels in this city(I'll explain those later).We had a meal before hitting Patpong market and off we went into the heat of the night. It was boiling hot and Patpong was heaving. The 2 streets which make up Patpong are a bustling market at night, as you make your way through the market you are approached by touts from the bars which line the streets of Patpong. "Ping-pong bar sir?" "You wan' ping-pong madam?" and various menus are then shown to you..

For the uninitiated, these are no ordinary menus. I wasn't exactly expecting bar food but I left Patpong laughing my head off. There are all types of 'live shows' on these menus, I'm telling you my eyes were nearly popping out of my head. We then accidentally wandered into a small cul-de-sac unofficially known as Patpong 3. This is a street containing the hippest bars and beautiful people, loud music blared from every bar and hoards of people were laughing, drinking and dancing. This is the unofficial gay area of Bangkok but it was obvious that everyone was welcome no matter their colour, creed or orientation. It looked like a fun place to be.

On returning to our hotel hot and giddy from a bottle of wine we had consumed earlier, we found that the hotel staff had turned down our bed and left little orchids on the pillows. The staff bow at you when you greet them, and I'm never really sure whether to bow back. I was up and down like a bride's nighty. The following morning, breakfasted and refreshed we had a liitle stroll around the traffic laden bustling streets of Bangkok. This city has modern tall buildings interspersed with tiny run down shacks. It can be dirty with heavy pollution from traffic fumes and it can be smelly due to the heat. Behind all of that though is a fascinating fun city with respectful people and plenty of sights to see. Where grand temples and small shrines mix with skyscrapers and spice markets.

We didn't get many photos here as we were here for less than 24 hours and our flight to New Zealand was beckoning. Here are some pics of our morning walk. A city photo showing the sky train (the quickest way to get around) our little shrine at the hotel and a shop sign that made me smile...:D

Re: Travel Tales....
 

thanks lettie, iv'e just been down the streets with you, what a lovely looking place, i like the shrine, oooooooooooo & that shop sign, ha ha ha. more please.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Very nice lettie, look forward to the next installment.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Re: Travel Tales....
 

I couldn't be cruel enough to show that photograph Willow. Passport photos are always awful and never bring out the best in people. My old photograph was so bad that I looked too ill to go on holiday. Luckily both of our passports expire in the next couple of years so at least there's a chance of getting a better photo next time.:D

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Ive seen his pic lettie!! its a belter hehe.. Sorry mate.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Lettie the pics are lovely.......just the thing to cheer you up after a nightmare shift!

Re: Travel Tales....
 

It was with great excitement that we took off from Bangkok and flew to Sydney in order to get our connecting flight to Auckland. We were both absolutely knackered when we arrived and after picking up our hire car from the airport we spent the rest of the day monging out at my step-brother's house. The day after feeling a little more refreshed, we took the train into the city to have a mooch around.

Auckland is by far the most populated area of New Zealand and a very cosmopolitan city. There's something to suit all tastes here. We headed for the shops, Sparky to buy shorts and me to buy sunglasses, as I'd left mine at home. We then had a walk to Auckland Domain to visit the museum. This is a fair old way from the city centre and you can go by bus, but it was a lovely day and well worth the walk. This museum has various sections. Natural history with all the different animal, bird, reptile and fish species native to the area. Great big replicas of the now extinct flightless bird the Moa, which is huge. It has a NZ at war area with memorabilia from the wars including uniforms, diaries, film footage, aeroplanes, memorials to the ANZAC and the names of the young men who perished in order to help us fight our causes. There is a floor devoted to Maori culture showing their homes, war canoes, how their clothes are made from flax and various photos and implements from family life and the lives of the south pacific islanders. This place is well worth a visit.

The day after we took the elevator up to the dizzying heights of Sky Tower, at 328 metres high this is the tallest tower in the southern hemisphere. What fantastic views from the top. People actually jump off this thing, it was knocking me sick just thinking about it. I decided there and then that I would definitely have to be drugged and pushed, although I'm sure that could be arranged. After visiting Sky Tower we took the ferry across the bay to Devonport, a small town in Auckland with only a couple of main streets it's a joy to visit. We found an excellent little restaurant where Sparky had the best pizza of his life. I'm sure he'll give you the details but needless to say he raved about it and I have to admit it did look good. We went back to my step-brother's that night in order to prepare for our forthcoming tour of the country.:D

Here are some photos of Auckland. There's a cityscape taken from the Devonport ferry and views of the city taken from Sky Tower showing the domain (big green hill in centre of piccy). The white building on the domain is the museum, views of the harbour and harbour bridge and a view across the water to Devonport.

Rotorua
 

We left Auckland on the 23rd March to start our tour, and after a quick brew with my friend in Thames we headed for Rotorua. Now any of you who have read the thread detailing my travels the last time I was here will know that I have been to Rotorua before. This is just the most amazing place and I had to come again. Despite the permanent smell of Hydrogen Sulphide gas this place is fascinating. The whole area is situated in the central region of North Island and is a highly active geothermal area. Hot water geysers, bubbling pools of water and mud, steaming fumeroles and the colours of various minerals which stain the earth and water. I love it here. We visited the Maori village of Whakarewarewa, I wanted a decent photo of the Pohutu (big splash) geyser as my last photo was taken in the rain and is a bit steamy. We had one night here and the day we were leaving we paid a visit to Wai-O-Tapu (sacred waters) Thermal Wonderland. This place is brilliant the sights smells and colours of the pools and fumeroles attack your senses, and the smell lingers on your clothes for days.:D

Wai-O-Tapu is the home of the Lady Knox geyser, named in 1904 after Governor-General Ranfurly's daughter it erupts at 10.15am every day and can reach a height of about 20 metres. There is the bubbling Champagne Pool, the Devil's Bath (a hot pool stained green by the minerals), various fumeroles, the Oyster Pool whose shape resembles the oyster shell and the Primrose Terraces. Those of you who have read the last NZ thread will know the story of the Pink and White Terraces. The Primrose Terrace has been formed by water running from the Champagne Pool. This water is rich in silica and as it cools the silica deposits and forms into sinter. These terraces have been forming for about 900 years and cover 1.2 hectares. The Primrose Terrace is the largest since the destruction of the Pink and White Terraces with the eruption of Mt Tarawera in 1886.

Here are some pics of the area. The Pohutu geyser in full flow, the dormant Lady Knox and the erupting Lady Knox, The Champagne Pool, The Devil's Bath, The Oyster Pool, the fumerole Devil's Home and the Primrose Terraces.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

One for Staggers. Lake Taupo
 

After leaving Wai-O-Tapu we headed south to Turangi at the southeastern end of Lake Taupo, where we had a one night stay. Originally a small fishing retreat, Turangi was developed into a town in the late 60's to provide accommodation for workers for the Tongariro Hydro-electricity scheme. Still an extremely popular place with anglers Turangi is a nice little town (with a brilliant fish and chip shop). By the time we arrived in Turangi the weather had turned somewhat moody. Big dark clouds were descending fast and the air was heavy with impending rain. The owners of our motel were quite relieved as they hadn't had rain for 3 months and said the area was starting to look dry. It looked green enough to me but I'm no expert on NZ flora.

We took a stroll around the southern shore of Lake Taupo, this lake is massive. Lake Taupo was formed by a volcanic explosion in AD 186. It is NZ's largest Lake and covers an area of about 239 sq miles. It has white beaches and rocky coves and on a clear day you can see the volcanic cones of Mts Ngauruhoe and Tongariro. Many Kiwis come here for their holidays as there are so many activities available in the area. A haven for anglers the line fishing season for trout runs from November to March and a fishing license can be purchased at sports shops and tourist information places (of which there are plenty). You should see the size of the fish here Staggers........ They're huge!!!!!:D

Here are a couple of pics of Lake Taupo (southern end) on a very dodgy day. Although there are multitudinous clouds it is not difficult to see the beauty of the area.

Good friday......
 

On Good Friday we set off from Turangi for our drive south to Wellington. New Zealand has some funny laws and the prohibition of the sale of alcohol on Good Friday is one of them. I was aghast...... How on earth would I cope without a glass of red wine before bed? Luckily we were forewarned and managed to save half a bottle which we carefully re-corked and propped up in the boot of the car and prayed it would survive the 4 hour drive to the capital city.

We set off south through the Rangipo Desert and had a leisurely drive to the city. As we approached Wellington we hit a rainstorm which was so torrential that the windscreen wipers couldn't clear the screen quickly enough for you to actually be able to see anything. Luckily on our arrival to our motel the rain had abated and we were free to explore the harbour and city for the afternoon. Being Good Friday there wasn't much open in the way of shops but it was quiet with little traffic which I consider to be ideal conditions for exploring on foot.

Situated in the southern part of the North Island, Wellington is a bustling harbour, cultural capital and home of the NZ parliament. The nickname 'Windy Wellington' is so well deserved. Never have I been anywhere so constantly breezy, but at least it was warm. My hairdresser takes 20 minutes to dry my hair with the best that Remmington can produce, sat outside in Wellington I swear my hair was dried in 10 minutes flat.

We went out for the afternoon and had a mooch around the harbour. There has been a lot of renovation to the harbourfront in recent years and there is evidence that this is still ongoing. It's a nice place for a walk around and home of NZ's largest museum Te Papa. I would have liked to have visited Te Papa but we had only limited time until closing and felt that we couldn't see all that we wanted to see in just a couple of hours.

Our walk led us from the harbourfront into the city where we strolled through the beautifully manicured grounds of the government buildings and had a look at the Beehive, so-called because of its distinctive shape. Lambton Quay, Wellington's principal shopping street was pretty much deserted because of the holiday but it was still great to look around without the crowds. A lovely tea of New Zealand Lamb followed and because the law states that you can buy alcohol in restaurants only if you are buying food we had a glass of wine and finished our bottle when we got back to the motel.:D

Here are some pics from Wellington. Sparky looking windswept at the harbourfront (just look at those clouds) A view of the houses in the hillsides of Wellington, the Beehive and a view of Wellington from the sea. We did visit Wellington again on our way back from South Island so there may be more pics to come.

Heading South
 

On Easter Saturday we turned up at Wellington Interisland Ferry Terminal for our sail to the South Island. The Interisland ferries are large, comfortable and a brilliant way to see the South Island's Marlborough Sounds. It took approximately 3 1/2 hours to sail from Wellington to Picton and was a very civilised way to get from a to b.

On entering the Sounds it's hard to believe how remote this place feels. There are some small houses dotted around in the Sounds which appear to be only accessible by boat. All the small boats on the Sounds wave to the ferry as it passes. We docked in Picton, collected our car and set off over Queen Charlotte's Drive on our journey to Nelson.

Queen Charlotte's Drive is the most scenic route from Picton to Havelock. Views of the Sounds are a feature of this journey. The road turns inland at Havelock (famous for its lovely green-lipped mussels) and the sea views are gone.

We stayed the night in Nelson which is reputed to be the sunniest place in New Zealand and it was cracking the flags when we got there. We checked in at the motel and set off for a walk on the beach. Sparky was dying for a paddle in the sea and I wanted to feel the sand between my toes. We had a lovely stroll and meal in Nelson, but it was merely a stopover on our way to Franz Josef.

The drive to Franz Josef from Nelson is nothing short of long........ Setting off on Easter Sunday at about 9am we headed south for our trip to the glaciers. We stopped for lunch in the town of Greymouth. Situated on the Grey River, Greymouth is a lovely town which has had the misfortune of being submerged by the flooded river on several occasions including twice in 1988. Since then a flood wall has been built popularly known as the Great Wall of Greymouth. Greymouth owes it's prosperity to the river, gold and coal mining. We stretched our legs by having a walk along the Great Wall and had a look at their town statue 'The Old Man of the Sea.' It was soon time to get back into the car for the remainder of our drive. It was going to be a long afternoon.

Here are some pics. A view of the Marlborough Sounds from Queen Charlotte's Drive. A view of the town of Havelock, Sparky and the sea in Nelson, Greymouth main Street and the Old Man of the Sea.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Lettie, your narrative is wonderful.......I feel like I have been with you. Your pictures are great too. What wonderful memories!

Franz Josef
 

At just after 4pm on Easter Sunday we arrived in the tiny village of Franz Josef. This part of the West Coast of New Zealand is unique in that the area is dominated by massive glaciers which terminate at only about 260m above sea level slap bang in the middle of tropical looking rainforest. It's a wonderful breathtaking sight which I will never forget.

Prior to our trip Sparky had mentioned seeing the glaciers by helicopter. I had smiled and nodded pleased at his enthusiasm for the trip but I had no intention of getting in a helicopter and hoped that he would forget about it. I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to heights and the thought of being in a tiny flying tin can was more than I could stand.

On our arrival at the motel in Franz Josef Sparky immediately asked for the weather outlook for Easter Monday and we were told that it would be cloudy with some drizzle. "Oh, what a shame," said I. "Maybe we'll have to do a walk instead." The sun was out and a beautiful clear afternoon when we arrived. Not to be deterred Sparks asked where the nearest helicopter flight station was, and finding that it was just around the corner........off we went.

The friendly fella at the heli station said "Ya wanna ride? Sweet mate! 5pm ok for ya?"
We had time for a quick coffee and we were off. With no time to panic I found myself in a small but surprisingly comfy helicopter flying over the summits of Mounts Cook and Tasman. The views were amazing and the glaciers superb. We landed high on the Franz Josef glacier and got out for photos. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I can't wait to do it again. My whole opinion of helicopter flying has completely changed (although I still wouldn't jump out of one).

There are lots of glaciers in this area but the most well known ones are the Franz Josef 10km long and the Fox at 13km long. The largest glacier is the Tasman at 27km long and a good view of this can be had from a helicopter window. We flew over the summits of Mt Cook (Aoraki) 3,754m and Mt Tasman 3,497m and could see as far away as Mt Aspiring in Southland.

Aoraki or Mt Cook (as we know it) gets its name from Maori legend. A boy named Aoraki and his 3 brothers came down from the heavens to visit the Earth Mother. The canoe in which they were travelling capsized and as the brothers moved to the back of the boat they were turned to stone and formed the mountain Aoraki. Lots of New Zealand's natural landmarks are reverting back to their original Maori names.

On easter Monday we had a drive over the very twisty mountain roads to Fox Glacier village. We had a lovely walk around Lake Matheson. Known for its reflective properties wonderful inverted views of the mountains can be seen in Lake Matheson on a clear day. Unfortunately it was cloudy with a bit of drizzle, but it was still a lovely walk..... Hey! We're northerners, we can put up with a bit of rain. We retired to bed early in preparation for our drive to Queenstown the following day.

You guessed it...... here are some pics and I apologise for the slight reflection on some of them but I don't know how to get rid of it. They were taken from the helicopter window.:D

Here is a view of the FJ glacier, the summit of Mt Cook, the summit of Mt Tasman, a close up of part of the Fox glacier taken from the Chancellor hut, pretty glacial patterns at the top of the glacier, me and Sparky and our helicopter high on the glacier and Lake Matheson on rather a grey day.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

great pictures & narration with them lettie, iv'e been there with you, hope you havn't finished yet.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

I've always wanted to visit New Zealand and Lettie's pics and narrative just reinforce that desire! Great job, Lettie!

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Lettie.....i have just looked at your latest pics and narrative.......I am more than just a bit envious. I would love to do the helicopter thing.
Anyway what's this about you and heights.........? thought you were going to be my buddy for the Sydney Coat hanger climb!

Re: Travel Tales....
 

You have some great photo's there Lettie.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Hehehe, I'd still do it. My knees would be knocking every step of the way but it would be too good an opportunity to miss.:D

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Yeah.......I think mine would be knocking too, but one day........one day!

Queenstown
 

On Tuesday we packed up our worldly goods into the car and set off down the west coast highway, destination Queenstown via Haast and the gorgeous Mt Aspiring National Park. It was a lovely drive and again, quite a long one. Mt Aspiring national park is the 3rd largest in NZ covering about 3,500 sq km. Scenery ranges from Alpine mountains to spectacular forested valleys and waterfalls.

We arrived in Queenstown mid afternoon and I was immediately blown away by the place. We had 4 days here and there was so much to do that we could've easily had a month. I've always wanted to visit Queenstown. Do you know that feeling of when you have a dream of something that you want to do or a place you want to visit, then when you actually get to do it it's not always how you pictured it would be. Queenstown was everything I had hoped for and more.

Situated on Lake Wakatipu NZ's 3rd largest lake and backed by the Remarkables mountain range the Queenstown area is extremely familiar looking. Many of the scenes in the Lord of the Rings trilogy were filmed in this district. I once had an aquaintance who swore that the scenery from this film was computer generated because nowhere on earth could be that beautiful. I have to say that my friend is completely and utterly wrong, there is nothing computer generated about this place at all.

Lake Wakatipu is unique in that it breathes. Honestly the water level rises and falls as much as 12cms every 5 minutes, this movement is caused by variations in atmospheric pressure, but of course the Maori have a different explanation. Their legend has it that the lake was formed by the burned imprint of a sleeping demon killed by the lover of a beautiful princess that he had kidnapped. Because his heart did not perish it still beats and causes the rise and fall of the water level of the lake. I kinda like this explanation.

The Remarkables (Kawarau) were formed by the folding and faulting of Schist rock to the point where many of the rock faces are vertical. They are gorgeous to look at and are remarkable for 2 reasons. They are lovely to look at especially in the sunset and they are only one of two mountain ranges in the world that run from due north to south (the other being the American Rockies).

Here are some pics of Queenstown and district. A view of the wharf on Lake Wakatipu, Sparky and the Remarkables, Thunder Creek Falls in Mount Aspiring National Park and Queenstown taken from Bob's Peak as the sun started to set.

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Love the photo's Lettie.

Doubtful Sound
 

Whilst staying in Queenstown we spent a day exploring Doubtful Sound in Fjordland National Park. A 14 hour day of pure pleasure. Travelling by coach through the rolling farmland of Southland to Manapouri where we were boarding our boat to take us across Lake Manapouri to the Wilmott Pass and on to the beautiful Doubtful Sound.

The most popular of the fjords to visit has to be Milford Sound. Fearing that Milford would be teeming with tourists we opted for Doubtful. Doubtful sound was named in 1770 by Captain James Cook. As he observed the narrow entrance to the Sound he thought it doubtful that he would be able to steer his vessel into it in order to make a safe landing.

This remote wilderness is a haven for marine life including fur seals, bottlenose dolphins and Fjordland crested penguins. The Fjord is about 25 miles long and 1380 feet deep. It is flanked by mountains and rainforest and is breathtakingly gorgeous.

What strikes you the most here is the absolute silence. Miles away from any kind of civilisation when the engines to the boat were cut you could hear nothing except the occasional splash of the dolphins leaping out of the water. The water is very dark in colour due to the high rainfall in the area washing down the colouring from the vegetation which surrounds the Sound. This makes the water so dark that some of the normally deep water marine species live relatively close to the surface. We caught a glimpse of a couple of the penguins swimming rapidly underneath our boat. They were gone in a flash and we were unable to photograph them. The stars of the day had to be the dolphins who came out to play.

It was a lovely sunny day and the views were amazing. It was the best weather they had had down there all year and we were very lucky to be there. I'll never forget the tranquility of Doubtful Sound watching the seals and the dolphins. It does your heart good to watch these creatures playing and living in their natural environment without a care in the world.

Here are some views from Wilmott Pass overlooking Doubtful Sound, Doubtful Sound from the boat and the little island where the seals hang out. I couldn't resist including a couple of pics of our playful dolphins saying hello to us.:D

Re: Travel Tales....
 

lettie how serene & peaceful it looks, thanks once again .

The Lady of the Lake
 

By far the best way to see Lake Wakatipu is to take a relaxing cruise on the TSS Earnslaw Vintage Steamship. Built in 1912 in Dunedin the TSS (Twin Screw Steamer) Earnslaw was dismantled, railed to Kingston on Lake Wakatipu, reassembled and put into service on the lake. The grandest ship to service the remote farming communities around the lake she was given the title The Lady of the Lake. She was originally a cargo ship and was capable of carrying 1,500 sheep and 30 cattle on her decks. Presently the TSS Earnslaw can carry around 350 passengers.

The TSS Earnslaw was one of many steamers which graced the lake from the 1860's onwards and she is now the only surviving vessel of this fleet of steamers. After a major re-fit in the late 60's/early 70's The Earnslaw was restored to her former glory and opened as a tourist venture. The engine room was exposed so that passengers can see the workings of a steamship. There is a charming little cafe and piano bar area on board where people have a sing-song on the way back from their tour of the lake. It was quite amusing to see hoards of Japanese tourists singing along to 'Daisy Daisy' and 'Roll Out the Barrel.'

While touring the Lake, the Earnslaw takes supplies to Walter Peak High Country Farm. Some of these farms are still only accessible by lake. Walter Peak has a restaurant where passengers can stop off, see the workings of the sheep station and grab a bite to eat. The Earnslaw runs several trips a day around the lake, so you can stay at Walter Peak for several hours and just wait for the Lady of the Lake to take you back to Queenstown on one of her journeys.

A couple of hours aboard the TSS Earnslaw is a very civilised way to spend an afternoon. The Lady of the Lake has the reputation of being one of the last remaining coal-fired passenger carrying steam ships in the Southern Hemisphere and this is a journey not to be missed.:)

Here are some pics. The Lady of the Lake, a view of Walter Peak from the Earnslaw, TSS Earnslaw engine room and deck, and Walter Peak High Country Farm.

Bungy!!!!!!!
 

There's loads to do in this district and while staying in Queenstown it would be rude not to visit the Kawarau Bridge which is the home of the first ever commercial bungy jump. The bungy was pioneered by Mr AJ Hackett, inspired by the natives of Vanuatu who had used vines to perform a type of 'land diving' since the 1500's. AJ Hackett and Chris Skigglekow performed the world's first bungy in New Zealand in 1986 after inventing the first latex bungy cord. In 1987 AJ shot to fame with a daring bungy from the Eiffel Tower and he opened the first commercial bungy centre at Kawarau in 1988. There are loads of bungy sites in NZ, the Kiwis are a lovely race of people but they will jump off just about anything. Around Queenstown thrillseekers from all over the world have no shortage of bungy sites to choose from. There's Kawarau Bridge 43m
The ledge bungy from Bob's Peak 47m
Skippers Outback Pipeline bungy 102m
Nevis Highwire Bungy 134m

You can even bungy jump over Lake Wakatipu from the paragliders......Yikes!!!!!:eek:

A visit to Arrowtown is also worthwhile. About 20km from Queenstown, Arrowtown is a picturesque little village which is the most well preserved gold mining town in the area. Not overrun by modern development Arrowtown has lots of old colonial style buildings and tiny little cottages. There's an old Chinese settlement which has been restored, as Chinese miners played a big part in filling the gaps when European miners had left for the West Coast goldrush. The whole town is just gorgeous and there is a very good little bakery, which made our trip even more enjoyable, great pies.:D

Another Queenstown highlight has to be the Shotover Jet. This is labelled 'Thrill Therapy' and is an unforgettable adrenaline rush and even terrified chickens like myself enjoy the whole package. The Shotover Jet takes you on a mad rush through the Shotover Canyon. With the canyon walls towering over you and rocky outcrops protruding into the river, the driver will skillfully steer the boat at breakneck speed, performing 360 degree turns and churning up loads of cold water spray in the process. Covered with waterproof ponchos, lifejackets and sunglasses, Sparky and I embarked on our thrilling package. With heated handrails and comfy seats it's one hell of a ride. I loved it and could have stayed on there all day.:D

Queenstown really does have something for everyone and I loved the place. I sometimes feel reluctant to tell people about Queenstown as I am afraid that everyone will flock there and make it too touristy, but I can't help myself, it's the best place I've ever been to.

Here are some pics. The Kawarau Bridge with one poor ****** flinging himself off it! A view of Arrowtown and Me and Sparky on the Shotover Jet (third row right side of the photo)

Re: Travel Tales....
 

sparky where was your fishing rod when them big buggers where surfacing , they would have put up a real scrap and you wouldnt have had to feed lettie for a month.
dolphin curry, dolphin kebab,dolphin soup,dolphin coq au vin,its endless!.....lol.

Dunedin
 

It was with deep regret that we said goodbye to Queenstown and made our way through miles and miles of fertile farmland to Dunedin. Dunedin has a very Scottish theme and some wonderful architecture. The home of the University of Otago it also has a very lively social scene.

On arrival, we headed for the town centre and made our way to Speight's Brewery to book a tour for the following day. These brewery tours are very popular but we were lucky enough to snaffle the last two places on the tour. Sparky being a real ale fan and me being a fan of any type of alcohol, this tour was right up our street. Probably one of the oldest working gravity breweries left in the world Speights really is the 'Pride of the South.' After our tour we had a quick beer tasting session (which explains my lack of photos of Speights) then we headed for the railway station to board the train to take us through the Taieri Gorge.

Dunedin railway station is one of the best examples of railway architecture in the world. Designed by George Troup, it was opened in 1906 and earned the designer the nickname of 'Gingerbread George.' It's a lovely building and with stained glass windows, mosaic tiled staircase and wrought iron balustrades it has a very grand feel about it.

We caught our train and travelled through the Taieri Gorge. This is the longest private railway in New Zealand and runs for about 60km. Lovingly restored and maintained by the Otago Excursion Train Trust after the public raised over $1 million to buy the line, the Taieri Gorge Railway is one of the areas leading tourist attractions. Work originally started on the railway in 1879 as a means of linking the Dunedin region in the East with Cromwell in the West. It was finally completed in 1921 and when you see the terrain that this railway covers it's an absolute miracle of engineering. The Taieri Gorge stretch of the railway crosses some very rugged areas and with the construction and restoration of the huge wooden bridges up to 47m above the Taieri River, it fair makes your stomach churn. The river is so inaccessible on foot that there is said to be massive trout in there which die of old age because nobody can get down there to fish it.:D I bet Staggers would try.

Here are some pics, Dunedin railway station, Taieri river, the surrounding terrain and one of the impressive bridges taken from the train.

En route to Christchurch.
 

After leaving Dunedin we drove North to Christchurch. We decided that we would pay a visit to the Moeraki Boulders whilst we were en route.

The Moeraki Boulders have long been a curiosity and a source of legend. Thought to have been formed by the accumulation of lime salts on the sea bed. These boulders are perfectly spherical, some of them have a circumference of up to 4m. In Maori legend the boulders used to be the food baskets from the Araiteuru Canoe which was one of the great ancestral canoes which brought the Maori to NZ from Hawaiki their ancestral home. The canoe was wrecked on a greenstone gathering trip. It is said that the kumara on board became rough rocks, the food baskets became the boulders and the canoe became a reef.

Thousands of tourists turn up per year to see the Moeraki Boulders, they are probably amongst the most photographed of NZ's sights. Therefore Sparky and I turned up to take some piccies and have a look at the boulders. It would've been rude not to.:D

Here are a couple of pics of the Moeraki Boulders. As you can see, Sparky is suffering for his art in order to get some decent piccies. I can confirm that the sea was freezing, even by our hard northerner's standards.......

Christchurch.
 

We arrived in Christchurch mid afternoon and dumped our belongings in our very comfy motel prior to a stroll into the centre. Christchurch is the largest city on the South Island and is affectionately known as the 'Garden City.'

We strolled into the centre and had a look around Cathedral Square which is dominated by the Anglican Christchurch Cathedral. Christchurch Cathedral was designed by English architect George Gilbert Scott and was completed in 1904. It was built as the focal point of the new Anglican settlement of Canterbury and is still the most important landmark.

In Cathedral Square there is also a more modern tribute to the 150th anniversary of the founding of Canterbury and Christchurch. This tribute also celebrated the new Millennium. It is an 18m high sculpture by Neil Dawson and is known as Chalice.

A stroll around Cathedral Square is a very pleasant way to spend an hour or two. With the old Post Office building, War Memorial and statue of John Robert Godley (the founding father of Canterbury) there is plenty to see. There are lots of places to sit and watch the world go by, coffee shops and food vans provide refreshment, while people watching and the resident speakers in the square provide the entertainment.

Oh yes, we were going to have a rest in Christchurch, put our feet up and recover from the never ending driving in the most civilised surroundings. Or were we.........:D

Here's a couple of pics of Cathedral Square including the Cathedral and the Chalice.

Christchurch
 

Feeling refreshed after an early night, we walked the short distance back into the City in order to explore. By far the best way to see the sights of Christchurch is by tram. The electric tram was introduced here in 1905. They were an integral part of the city transport system until 1954 when they disappeared. Due to the dedication of the Tramway Historical Society and the City Council, the tram was re-introduced in 1995.

These trams take you on a circuit of the city. They have been beautifully restored and the drivers and conductors are real characters. They will give you a running commentary of all the sights and poke fun at everybody and everything. Their favourite targets seem to be anyone wearing a rugby shirt from a team which they don't support, anyone from the North Island and anyone from Australia. These blokes are a scream and very informative about the area. You can buy a day ticket for the tram and hop on and off at any of the designated stops, thus enabling you to see most of the major sights.

After a quick ride on the tram we got on the Lyttleton bus to the gondola. The 945m Austrian Doppelmayer Gondola gently ascends you to the top of Port Hills for a panoramic view of the Christchurch area, Lyttleton and the Canterbury Plains. Lyttleton is one of NZ's busiest ports and was the original landing site for the Canterbury Pilgrims. It's quite a view.

Returning to the city, we once again hopped on the tram to the botanical gardens. Full of amazing plants and fountains, it's everyone's favourite walk in the park. The River Avon snakes it's way throught the gardens and punting down the Avon is a very civilised pastime. We grabbed a take out coffee and chilled out on the grass watching the world go by. What a sedate way to spend an afternoon. Christchurch has it all. Great cultural and theatre scene, lovely restaurants and bars, good choice in shopping, easy access to outdoor pursuits, beautiful parks and gardens and lively people. There are areas in the city where locals warn you not to go alone at night but the same could be said for any city in the world. I could quite happily live there.

Here are the pics. The Christchurch tram, view over Lyttleton and the Banks Peninsula, The Peacock fountain in the Botanical Gardens and punting on the Avon.

Back up North
 

After leaving Christchurch we headed back up to Picton for our return trip to the North Island on the Interislander. We were sad to leave the beautiful South Island behind and becoming very aware that we were nearing the end of our holiday. After another night in Wellington we drove North and arrived in New Plymouth.

We were just staying for the night here in order to break up the drive to Auckland. New Plymouth is a nice town. We took a stroll along the foreshore which has all been recently renovated and is a lovely coastal walk. The centrepiece of the foreshore is the 'Wind Wand.'

The Wind Wand is a 45m sculpture designed by NZ artist Len Lye (1901-1980). Len Lye spent his career in film making and was enamoured by the art of motion and design of kinetic sculptures. The Wind Wand is the first full sized realisation of one of his outdoor kinetic sculptures and was opened on 31/12/99 to celebrate the millennium. After some initial problems, the Wind Wand was removed and re-installed in July 2001.

A modern looking sculpture, it can bend and oscillate in the wind and it kinda fits in here. At night the top of the Wind Wand glows so that it is still visible. The collection of Len Lye's films and artworks can be viewed at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

After our walk, we found a bar and sat outside in the evening sun with a couple of beers before eating and retiring to bed.

Pics of an evening view of Wellington and the Wind Wand....:)

Re: Travel Tales....
 

oo how i envy both you & sparks, what a great holiday you had, thank you for allowing us to enjoy your trip with you its wonderful, i just wish i could face the long flight again, but im afraid i can't still i DID see australia 9 yrs ago.

Auckland again...
 

On 9th April we returned to Auckland to prepare for our departure. Not wanting to waste our last day moping around and bemoaning the fact that we were leaving we decided to go to Mission Bay.

It was a lovely day and ideal to visit the beach. Mission bay is only a 5 minute drive from downtown Auckland and is beautiful. There was a triathlon taking place that day so there were plenty of people around. I suppose it is Auckland's version of Venice Beach. Lots of sporty types here, people cycling and roller-blading everywhere. Everybody looks fit and tanned (except me and Sparks).

Just around the corner from Mission Bay is Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World. This is a must see. It is a huge aquarium built in a disused sewer underground. You could be forgiven for driving past it and not noticing the entrance.

Kelly Tarlton was a man with a vision. A keen diver, underwater photographer and inventor he wanted people to be able to see a diver's view of marine life. He was an expert in underwater salvage and reclamation and worked extensively with shipwrecks and such. In 1982 he and his wife travelled extensively, viewing different aquariums worldwide in order to design his own. The vision became reality in 1985 when he opened Underwater World. Within 2 months this aquarium had seen its 100,000th visitor. It became a benchmark for aquariums worldwide.

The special thing about Kelly's is the moving walkway through a 110m stretch of perspex tunnel where you can get a diver's view of the sharks, stingrays, Moray eels, crayfish and multitudes of different species of fish. Perspex tunnels are now common in aquariums throughout the world, but Kelly was the inventor... There is also an open topped stingray tank where the largest stingray Phoebe and her friends pop up and have a look and a playful splash at you. The Antarctic Encounter is the frozen underground home of the King and Gentoo Penguins, a special environment built specially for them recreates the frozen Antarctic. There is also a replica of the hut used by Captain Robert Falcon Scott on his Antarctic expedition. Plenty of different marine life in separate tanks including octopus, piranha, seahorses, eels and of course clown fish (Nemo).

I could have stayed in Kelly's all day, but we had last minute shopping to do in the city before our departure.

We could barely speak to each other at the airport the following day. We hadn't fallen out, we were just so bloody miserable to be leaving this wonderful place. We tried to cheer ourselves up with the thought that we weren't coming home yet. We were off to Singapore.....:)

Here are just a couple of pics of Mission Bay beach......

Singapore Sling....
 

After a relatively short flight to Sydney, a mad dash through Kingston Smith airport, (honestly, they don't give you much time to make your transfers) and a longish flight from Sydney, we finally arrived in Singapore.

This place is lovely. A vibrant, modern, spotlessly clean city, about 100km north of the equator. This city is very tropical, humidity here averages above 90%. It's dead easy to get around with its cheap, efficient transport systems. Colonial style buildings mix with ultra-modern skyscrapers. Appearances are very western here but if you dig a little deeper small pockets of Asian culture can be seen. Traditional Indian and Chinese areas with temples and markets are easy to find.

On our first morning we took a stroll down by the river for impressive views of the buisness district and the Merlion. The Merlion is a statue and fountain. With the head of a lion and the body of a fish it is said to protect the river from evil. A stroll around Little India followed, with its colourful market and beautiful temples. It is lovely to see but hell....It was hot!!!!

After a quick wash and change we headed to the hotel next door to ours for a drink. The most famous hotel in the world was on our doorstep and as touristy as it sounds we could not resist a Singapore Sling at Raffles.

Named after Thomas Stamford Raffles, the man who in 1819 landed in Singapore, realised its' potential as a seaport and secured the island as a free trade port for the British. The Raffles Hotel is the very epitome of colonial style and top quality service. Although renovated and the Long Bar re-positioned in order to accommodate the hoardes of visitors who flock here each year. The Raffles Hotel still has style. The Long Bar is a dark wooden room with polished bar and great service. There are nutshells all over the floor which seems to be a tradition here. I tried to keep all mine on the table as I thought it a shame to make a mess but dropping them on the floor here seems to be perfectly acceptable. It's a strange place is Singapore.

Here are a couple of views of Singapore buisness district, the Merlion, one of Little India's ornate temples, the front of the Raffles Hotel and me having a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar.:D

Re: Travel Tales....
 

Singapore to home...
 

On our last day in Singapore our priority was to try to pick up a few bargains so we decided to have a shopping day. It was hot and sunny in the morning so after a couple of hours around the pool off we went, to hit the shops for a bit of retail therapy.

There isn't anything you can't buy here. Sparky got a couple of great bargains on photographic equipment. The main shopping area Orchard Rd is a long, spotlessly clean, tree lined people watchers paradise. With wide pavements and plenty of food and drink establishments it's retail heaven. Huge department stores boast Cartier, Tiffany, Dior and lots of other big names. Designer clothes are not much cheaper than in the UK, I bought a handbag which worked out just a couple of quid cheaper than here. I think that the Far East's reputation for designer bargains is not all it's cracked up to be. I found prices in Singapore to be greater than those in Bangkok or Hong Kong, but it is a lovely place.

We also paid a visit to Clarke Quay and Riverside Point. This entire area is given over to eateries and shops and has been vastly renovated. It's a colourful array of buildings on the river bank which has a lively carnival atmosphere and dozens of good restaurants. In other words.......My kind of place.:D

All too soon it was time to leave Singapore and come home. I would say that we were p***ed off to be coming home, but that is a definite understatement. Here are my last pics of Singapore. The designer Ngee Ann Shopping Centre on Orchard Rd, with its lovely fountain look how clean it is, and the colourful Quays area...

Hope that you have enjoyed our travels...:)