Sunday, September 27, 2015
Shotover Jet Video -- Even Exhilarating to Watch!
Alas, the video is too big to download to the site. Go to my Facebook and check it out -- remarkable. Or, ask and I will be happy to Dropbox it to you -- very cool! The video made the decision to buy the video of our ride, plus the full photo package very easy.
Another Eighth Wonder of the World. Milford Sound is Gorge-ous!
Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound the Eighth Wonder of the World -- which got me wondering exactly many eighth wonders of the world there are. Quite a few -- one website lists eleven (none of which are Milford Sound). The Wikipedia entry does list Milford Sound first on its list of natural places.
Here's the Wikipedia list of natural places that have been called the Eighth Wonder of the World:
Here's the Wikipedia list of natural places that have been called the Eighth Wonder of the World:
- Milford Sound in New Zealand; called so by Rudyard Kipling[1]
- Natural Bridge in Virginia, so dubbed by William Jennings Bryan[2]
- Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland[3]
- Burney Falls in California; called so by Theodore Roosevelt[4]
- Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, Canada[5]
- The great wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, Kenya and Serengeti, Tanzania[6]
- Uluru in Australia.[citation needed]
- Pink and White Terraces in New Zealand, prior to their destruction in the 1886 eruption of Mount Tarawera.
I have only been to three (Milford Sound, Natural Bridge, and Uluru). Alas, I shan't make the last one on the list.
I had signed us up for the whole kit and caboodle -- the cruise, the Discovery Centre, and kayaking. The company called it the fly/cruise/kayak/fly trip. I call expensive -- but worth it.
They served lunch on the cruise at 11am -- which was early, but it was easiest to eat right away (the buffet was out for 30 minutes, so there wasn't much choice! After we ate, we headed out on the front of ship to glide through the sound.
The views were stunning, the air crisp (the air is so clean and refreshing in New Zealand -- it tastes so good!) and very cold.
We went out to the Tasman Sea, where the wind drove most people inside. But not the three hardy Iron Tourists! No, we stayed out (although we did pop in briefly so Maddy could add my coat in an attempt to get warmer). The scenes of the glacial-blue water mixed with snow capped mountains in the background were gorge-ous!
The mountains go straight up from the water -- so it's not like you could land and hike up. In fact, the bottom of the fjord is about 1,000 feet below sealevel -- and it is a straight drop carved by the glaciers.
We were afjorded beautiful views all around us. On the way back (we went out the south side of the Sound and came back along the North side) we made a couple of stops. The first was at Seal island, the second was at Stirling Falls, where the boat gets close enough that those of us outside got sprayed by the cold water. The falls are tremendous.
The next stop was the Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory. (I do so want to pronounce Centre as "Cen-truh"but have thus far refrained.) It is a floating building in Harrison Cove. (This may surprise you, but "Harrison Cove" like "Cecil Peak" and "Queenstown," is NOT a Maori word).
At the Discovery Centre we received a brief briefing (the best kind) on the history of the area, as well as a little bit on the nature aspect. Then, the group (of 15-20 or so) went down the sixty steps below the water level into the observatory, where we did some observing.
There were windows all around, and the water is so clear the natural sunlight allowed us great views of the black coral (which is actually white -- things are upside down in the Southern Hemisphere!), an 11 legged sea star (starfish), multiple fish of interesting varieties, and some other living creatures to numerous to mention.
Before building the observatory, garden boxes had been sunk ten years prior, and eventually coral and plants took root.
Ten of us then went up to kayak from the kayaking centre. They could fit six kayaks on a contraption, which they lowered into the water and those six pushed into the water, followed by the next group (us and a guide). We had two guides, (Kyle from Australia and Karl from Germany, both of whom loved their jobs -- and understandably so. (There is some dispute in the family with Karl is named Karl, but since he introduced himself to me that way, that's my story and I'm sticking with it!)
They had eight foot kayaks The paddles were feathered, which I'm not a big fan of. Thus, at the start, all of us veered in every direction, bumping into other kayaks and generally going any direction BUT straight. After a bit, I got it down. Carol and Maddy improved as well.
The water was so clear that Kyle spotted and pulled up an eleven legged starfish, which we passed around from boat to boat.
We paddled around for a bit, including to a spot on the Pembroke River as we looked up at
the massive Pembroke mountain and glacier. We drank some of the water from the glacier -- tasty stuff. It was also fun to paddle up to where the river was running fast into the cove -- and glide back down on the current.
Then, as Kyle and I were leading the group (look, we were well ahead of everyone else), a penguin popped up and was swimming along (see Penguin post below). Only he and I saw it, and then others popped up that the whole group saw swimming. It wasn't until we saw others -- Fjordland Crested New Zealand Penguins that I was able to take pictures. I rued not bringing the zoom lens along in the dry bag -- I figured it was best to save the lens in case of trouble. Poor choice. Still, the penguins were awesome.
They hopped along the rocks for a bit, then waddle strutted for the group (is "waddle strut" a thing? I believe so!), before disappearing into the water. Just before the water, their heads slumped as though they were worn out after a hard day at the office.
It was an amazingly beautiful, blue sky sunny day. As skiers call it, a bluebird sky day. Our intrepid guides kept saying it is more beautiful in the rain, because of all of the waterfalls that come cascading off the steep sides of the cove mountains. More than 200, we're told. I believe them, but I am skeptical about preferring to kayak in the rain. Neither Carol nor Maddy were disappointed in the weather either.
We paddled some more, then headed back to the kayak lift to change and hop on the incoming cruise boat for the remainder of the trip back to base. On the way, we went past scenic Lady Bowen Falls (also NOT a Maori name!). On the way out, we saw some beautiful long thin falls, but both Stirling and Bowen were visually stunning. Both reminded us of the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland.
Once we got back, we flew back (along with one other passenger) by swinging up over past Mitre Peak, then past the airport and back over a route to the south of the one we took. We saw the Milford Trek, and multiple mountains. We flew the length of the centre part of Lake Watapiku, over a controlled burn, and I could even spot our house well above the shoreline. We didn't take as many pictures on the way back, primarily because well, we already had a bunch of stunning snow capped mountains!
That night we grilled lamb steaks, capsicum (peppers), and french bread. We toasted our day with NZ Pinot Noir -- including a bottle of Mt. Difficulty, which figures in Monday's adventure.
The views were stunning, the air crisp (the air is so clean and refreshing in New Zealand -- it tastes so good!) and very cold.
We went out to the Tasman Sea, where the wind drove most people inside. But not the three hardy Iron Tourists! No, we stayed out (although we did pop in briefly so Maddy could add my coat in an attempt to get warmer). The scenes of the glacial-blue water mixed with snow capped mountains in the background were gorge-ous!
The mountains go straight up from the water -- so it's not like you could land and hike up. In fact, the bottom of the fjord is about 1,000 feet below sealevel -- and it is a straight drop carved by the glaciers.
We were afjorded beautiful views all around us. On the way back (we went out the south side of the Sound and came back along the North side) we made a couple of stops. The first was at Seal island, the second was at Stirling Falls, where the boat gets close enough that those of us outside got sprayed by the cold water. The falls are tremendous.
The next stop was the Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory. (I do so want to pronounce Centre as "Cen-truh"but have thus far refrained.) It is a floating building in Harrison Cove. (This may surprise you, but "Harrison Cove" like "Cecil Peak" and "Queenstown," is NOT a Maori word).
At the Discovery Centre we received a brief briefing (the best kind) on the history of the area, as well as a little bit on the nature aspect. Then, the group (of 15-20 or so) went down the sixty steps below the water level into the observatory, where we did some observing.
There were windows all around, and the water is so clear the natural sunlight allowed us great views of the black coral (which is actually white -- things are upside down in the Southern Hemisphere!), an 11 legged sea star (starfish), multiple fish of interesting varieties, and some other living creatures to numerous to mention.
Before building the observatory, garden boxes had been sunk ten years prior, and eventually coral and plants took root.
Ten of us then went up to kayak from the kayaking centre. They could fit six kayaks on a contraption, which they lowered into the water and those six pushed into the water, followed by the next group (us and a guide). We had two guides, (Kyle from Australia and Karl from Germany, both of whom loved their jobs -- and understandably so. (There is some dispute in the family with Karl is named Karl, but since he introduced himself to me that way, that's my story and I'm sticking with it!)
They had eight foot kayaks The paddles were feathered, which I'm not a big fan of. Thus, at the start, all of us veered in every direction, bumping into other kayaks and generally going any direction BUT straight. After a bit, I got it down. Carol and Maddy improved as well.
The water was so clear that Kyle spotted and pulled up an eleven legged starfish, which we passed around from boat to boat.
We paddled around for a bit, including to a spot on the Pembroke River as we looked up at
the massive Pembroke mountain and glacier. We drank some of the water from the glacier -- tasty stuff. It was also fun to paddle up to where the river was running fast into the cove -- and glide back down on the current.
Then, as Kyle and I were leading the group (look, we were well ahead of everyone else), a penguin popped up and was swimming along (see Penguin post below). Only he and I saw it, and then others popped up that the whole group saw swimming. It wasn't until we saw others -- Fjordland Crested New Zealand Penguins that I was able to take pictures. I rued not bringing the zoom lens along in the dry bag -- I figured it was best to save the lens in case of trouble. Poor choice. Still, the penguins were awesome.
They hopped along the rocks for a bit, then waddle strutted for the group (is "waddle strut" a thing? I believe so!), before disappearing into the water. Just before the water, their heads slumped as though they were worn out after a hard day at the office.
It was an amazingly beautiful, blue sky sunny day. As skiers call it, a bluebird sky day. Our intrepid guides kept saying it is more beautiful in the rain, because of all of the waterfalls that come cascading off the steep sides of the cove mountains. More than 200, we're told. I believe them, but I am skeptical about preferring to kayak in the rain. Neither Carol nor Maddy were disappointed in the weather either.
We paddled some more, then headed back to the kayak lift to change and hop on the incoming cruise boat for the remainder of the trip back to base. On the way, we went past scenic Lady Bowen Falls (also NOT a Maori name!). On the way out, we saw some beautiful long thin falls, but both Stirling and Bowen were visually stunning. Both reminded us of the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland.
Once we got back, we flew back (along with one other passenger) by swinging up over past Mitre Peak, then past the airport and back over a route to the south of the one we took. We saw the Milford Trek, and multiple mountains. We flew the length of the centre part of Lake Watapiku, over a controlled burn, and I could even spot our house well above the shoreline. We didn't take as many pictures on the way back, primarily because well, we already had a bunch of stunning snow capped mountains!
That night we grilled lamb steaks, capsicum (peppers), and french bread. We toasted our day with NZ Pinot Noir -- including a bottle of Mt. Difficulty, which figures in Monday's adventure.
Flight to a Flight
Saturday morning we woke up for the first full day of all three of us being in New Zealand. Just to recap, Carol and I got here Thursday late afternoon, and Maddy came in late Friday. So, Saturday was going to be our first active day.
We got off to a bad start, but the day got better after that. Carol tried to make breakfast, but the teflon was flaking off the frying pan, so breakfast was trashed. The house is nice, and the view is the amazing we've ever had. But the owners are cheap -- they have crappy pans, not enough glasses, no pot holders, etc. It's as though they believe that the beautiful setting makes up for the lack of amenities (well, I suppose it does, but how hard would it be to spent $200 to have more stuff that people need? I know the answer -- not hard at all!)
We had to be at the airport at 9:30, so at 8:30, we piled in the car and drove the 15 minutes in Qtown. We went back to the Vudu Cafe and Larder for breakfast (great food), but, since it was Saturday of a holiday weekend, service was very slow. Finally, at 8:09, Carol asked after our food. Delivered at 8:10, we ate quickly -- five minutes!
We rushed off to the airport, where we sat around and waited for a bit. Promptly at 10am, we got the safety briefing and walked out to the small plane. It was the pilot, the three of us, and a family of four from Melbourne.
We were flying on Glenorchy Air, which spells the first part of its name correctly. It's much better as "Glen" rather than "Glenn" because one less letter is both better for the environment and easier to pronounce. But, I digress.
The flight was amazing. Incredible. Row after row of snow capped mountains, with lakes (some frozen, some not) and valleys interspersed throughout. Upon take-off we could see the jet boats on the Shotover River, Moke Lake, and, of course, nearly all of Lake Wakatipu. The wind buffeted the plane a bit here and there, but for the most part, the flight was great.
Carol and I swapped the camera back and forth to take pictures along the whole flight.
Unfortunately, my headphones didn't work, so I missed all of the information the pilot was sharing about the flight and view, but it was so pretty it didn't matter. Apparently some of the mountains were backdrops for scenes in the Lord of the Rings, and all of them could have been. Or the Hobbit. Either way, you can see why those movies were set here in NZed.
For the landing (after a 35 minute flight), we came in over the Tasman Sea and in through the amazing Milford Sound. Which, as Maddy points out in her blog post on the day, is actually a Fjord, because it was carved by glaciers (pronounced "glay-she-airs" by the Kiwis). If you think about it, because of the "i" in glaciers, that's the phonetically correct way, instead of "glay-sures" like we Americans say it. We flew past the famous two big waterfalls (more in the next post).
The landing was a bit bumpy thanks to the wind, but we made it nonetheless. Then, we were quickly
hustled off the plane and into a shuttle bus to take us to the cruise departure section.
I'm glad it was LOR and not LOL
Between the shades and the headphones,
I probably could have flown the plane.
We got off to a bad start, but the day got better after that. Carol tried to make breakfast, but the teflon was flaking off the frying pan, so breakfast was trashed. The house is nice, and the view is the amazing we've ever had. But the owners are cheap -- they have crappy pans, not enough glasses, no pot holders, etc. It's as though they believe that the beautiful setting makes up for the lack of amenities (well, I suppose it does, but how hard would it be to spent $200 to have more stuff that people need? I know the answer -- not hard at all!)
The Frankton Arm, Lake Wakatipu, Cecil Peak,
and Walter Peak from the plane.
Moke Lake. If this picture had been taken
yesterday, you could see us hiking along the
west shore (reader's right). But, it wasn't,
so you can't see us hiking. Especially since I took the picture!
We had to be at the airport at 9:30, so at 8:30, we piled in the car and drove the 15 minutes in Qtown. We went back to the Vudu Cafe and Larder for breakfast (great food), but, since it was Saturday of a holiday weekend, service was very slow. Finally, at 8:09, Carol asked after our food. Delivered at 8:10, we ate quickly -- five minutes!
Carol's view to the north, as we flew west.
We rushed off to the airport, where we sat around and waited for a bit. Promptly at 10am, we got the safety briefing and walked out to the small plane. It was the pilot, the three of us, and a family of four from Melbourne.
Now imagine mile after mile of this,
and you get the view we had.
We were flying on Glenorchy Air, which spells the first part of its name correctly. It's much better as "Glen" rather than "Glenn" because one less letter is both better for the environment and easier to pronounce. But, I digress.
The northern arm of Lake Wakatipu --
the town of Glenorchy (nice spelling!)
is just to the right, out of the picture.
The flight was amazing. Incredible. Row after row of snow capped mountains, with lakes (some frozen, some not) and valleys interspersed throughout. Upon take-off we could see the jet boats on the Shotover River, Moke Lake, and, of course, nearly all of Lake Wakatipu. The wind buffeted the plane a bit here and there, but for the most part, the flight was great.
Not sure if you can see Frodo and the company
of Dwarves hiking along the mountain top.
They are there -- just keep looking!
Carol and I swapped the camera back and forth to take pictures along the whole flight.
Unfortunately, my headphones didn't work, so I missed all of the information the pilot was sharing about the flight and view, but it was so pretty it didn't matter. Apparently some of the mountains were backdrops for scenes in the Lord of the Rings, and all of them could have been. Or the Hobbit. Either way, you can see why those movies were set here in NZed.
While it looks like we were close to the mountain,
we actually were closer. Good news is, the
pilot took nothing for granite.
For the landing (after a 35 minute flight), we came in over the Tasman Sea and in through the amazing Milford Sound. Which, as Maddy points out in her blog post on the day, is actually a Fjord, because it was carved by glaciers (pronounced "glay-she-airs" by the Kiwis). If you think about it, because of the "i" in glaciers, that's the phonetically correct way, instead of "glay-sures" like we Americans say it. We flew past the famous two big waterfalls (more in the next post).
This is what it looks like when the plane flies
between the mountains -- and the mountains
are higher!
The landing was a bit bumpy thanks to the wind, but we made it nonetheless. Then, we were quickly
hustled off the plane and into a shuttle bus to take us to the cruise departure section.
Random glacial lake. It has a name,
but I don't know it (with apologies
to the late, great Jim Croce).
Flying on Water
Sunday morning we did the Shotover Jet Boat on, of course, the Shotover River through the canyons. It was a bit of a gamble -- the website made it look pretty interesting, but in actuality it far exceeded my hopes and expectations.
I had reserved seats on the 10am ride --figuring after the previous day's trip to Milford Sound (which I still owe a write up of -- but read Maddy's blog post for a full accounting of) -- we would be a bit groggy. Given that it was the NZed (pronounced N-Zed) switchover to Daylight Savings Time, the later schedule was fortuitous, especially for Maddy, who was getting up three hours earlier than she had been in Sydney.
After a successful breakfast at the house of eggs, toast, and, best of all, reheated grilled lamb from the night before, we headed out. Check-in was easy -- we had arrived early enough that they switched us to the 9:45am.
We were dressed in full winter gear -- it was 36 degrees, and since we'd be moving quickly on the water, we had hats, gloves, and they gave us bright red face scarves, which when put on, made us look like terrorists from a bad Die Hard sequel. Once underway, the face scarves failed to stay up (but at least our necks were warm). They then put us on the 9:30 boat, since they were running two, had space, and didn't see the need to keep us waiting.
Our driver, Ryan, was amazing. The jet boat was amazing. We were able to skim over rocks just barely below us -- and we were traveling at a high rate of speed -- over 90 kph at top speed. The great part was, after the obligatory slide past the docks to get photos to buy (which we did!), was traveling at a high rate of speed through the canyons. See pictures of the boat through the canyon on their website.
Three things in particular stand out. First, how close we get to the canyon walls, the riverbank, or huge branches in the middle of the river -- all at a high rate of speed. There is no question why they have the "keep your hands in the boat at all times" policy, because if you reached out to touch the canyon walls, your arms would likely be ripped off, and that, my friends, is a bad outcome.
Second, the boat could be turned to the right or left, but still go straight. Not sure how that works, but it felt like we were about to slam into the walls at any second, exploding in a big ball of flames like in a Hollywood movie. (Spoiler alert: we didn't slam into the walls. Sorry if you weren't sure -- you can now skip to the end.)
Third -- how is there not something like this in the States? It's tons of fun, exhilarating, and has been around since 1965. The company has it down to a science -- and seemed packed even on a cold day. They have an interesting set up -- they have about 7 kms of the river to go up and down (we went through the canyon section four times -- twice up, and twice back), and no other boats (even private) are allowed on that section of the river. But, they can't go out of their section.
The Shotover is the second richest gold river in the world, behind, of course, the Klondike in Canada. It is still being prospected today. At one point in the 1800s along the banks we sped past, 3,000 people lived, panning for gold.
If you come to Queenstown, make sure you do the Shotover Jet!
If we look cold, that's because it is!
I had reserved seats on the 10am ride --figuring after the previous day's trip to Milford Sound (which I still owe a write up of -- but read Maddy's blog post for a full accounting of) -- we would be a bit groggy. Given that it was the NZed (pronounced N-Zed) switchover to Daylight Savings Time, the later schedule was fortuitous, especially for Maddy, who was getting up three hours earlier than she had been in Sydney.
Maddy is back row, left.
Carol and I are middle row, left.
After a successful breakfast at the house of eggs, toast, and, best of all, reheated grilled lamb from the night before, we headed out. Check-in was easy -- we had arrived early enough that they switched us to the 9:45am.
The pictures don't do it justice. Hope to
upload the video in a couple of posts.
We were dressed in full winter gear -- it was 36 degrees, and since we'd be moving quickly on the water, we had hats, gloves, and they gave us bright red face scarves, which when put on, made us look like terrorists from a bad Die Hard sequel. Once underway, the face scarves failed to stay up (but at least our necks were warm). They then put us on the 9:30 boat, since they were running two, had space, and didn't see the need to keep us waiting.
Our driver, Ryan, was amazing. The jet boat was amazing. We were able to skim over rocks just barely below us -- and we were traveling at a high rate of speed -- over 90 kph at top speed. The great part was, after the obligatory slide past the docks to get photos to buy (which we did!), was traveling at a high rate of speed through the canyons. See pictures of the boat through the canyon on their website.
Three things in particular stand out. First, how close we get to the canyon walls, the riverbank, or huge branches in the middle of the river -- all at a high rate of speed. There is no question why they have the "keep your hands in the boat at all times" policy, because if you reached out to touch the canyon walls, your arms would likely be ripped off, and that, my friends, is a bad outcome.
Second, the boat could be turned to the right or left, but still go straight. Not sure how that works, but it felt like we were about to slam into the walls at any second, exploding in a big ball of flames like in a Hollywood movie. (Spoiler alert: we didn't slam into the walls. Sorry if you weren't sure -- you can now skip to the end.)
Third -- how is there not something like this in the States? It's tons of fun, exhilarating, and has been around since 1965. The company has it down to a science -- and seemed packed even on a cold day. They have an interesting set up -- they have about 7 kms of the river to go up and down (we went through the canyon section four times -- twice up, and twice back), and no other boats (even private) are allowed on that section of the river. But, they can't go out of their section.
The Shotover is the second richest gold river in the world, behind, of course, the Klondike in Canada. It is still being prospected today. At one point in the 1800s along the banks we sped past, 3,000 people lived, panning for gold.
If you come to Queenstown, make sure you do the Shotover Jet!
Saturday, September 26, 2015
A burger and a reunion
After the hike around Moke Lake, we came back to the house (it's a only a few miles away), and I got caught up on the texts from my brother Rod on the progress of the Giants-Redskins Thursday night game (despite it being Friday afternoon in NZ!). I tried to watch it on my NFL Network app, but I guess they block out the game on the app, or maybe overseas.
Anyhow, it was off to lunch at Fergburger -- a local institution. It's sort of the Five Guys or In-N-Out Burger of Queenstown. Since we were eating late, the line was not out the door, although moments later it was. A few of the TripAdvisor reviews were unhappy with the clientele -- apparently it is a place for hoons to hang out and be boisterous. We didn't get that feel at all, although that's probably a later in the evening thing.
We got a coveted seat at the counter after ordering. My Fergburger was delicious, while Carol had the pork belly sandwich -- which was good at the time, although perhaps not later. Fergburger is definitely worth a stop in Qtown, if only for the atmosphere and great vibe -- a blend of skiers, boarders, families, Asian tourists, and a couple of middle aged American tourists.
After our late lunch, we headed for the airport to pick up Maddy. Her flight was delayed longer than originally shown on the website, so we hung out in the airport and, like anyo ne else in 2015, fiddled with our smart phones.
Maddy finally made it through -- hugs all around. After I had a losing fight with the parking pay machine (US banks need to get with the program!), I went inside to pay. It was a much more aggravating experience than I care to write.
Our plans for a hike with Maddy were put on hold because of the lateness of her flight and the fact that the weather had turned windy and bitter cold. Instead we came back to the house for a bit and caught up with Maddy before heading to the Blue Kanu for dinner -- a chic Asian place in the heart of Qtown. It wasn't as good as Vknow the night before.
Tonight we're getting takeout from Pedro's House of Lamb. The name alone requires we go. It ranks second on TripAdvisor for Qtown restaurants.
They also only have one item on the menu -- a roasted shoulder of lamb served with scalloped potatoes. Wonder what we'll be having?
Anyhow, it was off to lunch at Fergburger -- a local institution. It's sort of the Five Guys or In-N-Out Burger of Queenstown. Since we were eating late, the line was not out the door, although moments later it was. A few of the TripAdvisor reviews were unhappy with the clientele -- apparently it is a place for hoons to hang out and be boisterous. We didn't get that feel at all, although that's probably a later in the evening thing.
We got a coveted seat at the counter after ordering. My Fergburger was delicious, while Carol had the pork belly sandwich -- which was good at the time, although perhaps not later. Fergburger is definitely worth a stop in Qtown, if only for the atmosphere and great vibe -- a blend of skiers, boarders, families, Asian tourists, and a couple of middle aged American tourists.
After our late lunch, we headed for the airport to pick up Maddy. Her flight was delayed longer than originally shown on the website, so we hung out in the airport and, like anyo ne else in 2015, fiddled with our smart phones.
Maddy finally made it through -- hugs all around. After I had a losing fight with the parking pay machine (US banks need to get with the program!), I went inside to pay. It was a much more aggravating experience than I care to write.
Our plans for a hike with Maddy were put on hold because of the lateness of her flight and the fact that the weather had turned windy and bitter cold. Instead we came back to the house for a bit and caught up with Maddy before heading to the Blue Kanu for dinner -- a chic Asian place in the heart of Qtown. It wasn't as good as Vknow the night before.
Tonight we're getting takeout from Pedro's House of Lamb. The name alone requires we go. It ranks second on TripAdvisor for Qtown restaurants.
This is me, being artistic
A couple of pictures of the rental house
Looking west
From the hillock above the house.
Walter Peak is in the background.
The lake is 52 miles long. . .this isn't
all of it.
Tramping Around Moke Lake
Tramping, known elsewhere as backpacking, rambling, hill walking or bushwalking, is a popular activity in New Zealand. Tramping is defined as a recreational activity involving walking over rough country.
So at Moke Lake Road, we turned right instead of left. Within a few meters, there was a sign warning us not to drive the road in winter or spring, unless we had four wheel drive. I don't handle road signs telling me what not to do very well, so we pressed over the rocky dirt road.
Given that I thought we would be out of it from jet lag, I picked a relatively easy hike from the great website showing lots of hikes (which, of course, I can't find right now). As we drove to Moke Lake, the valley revealed an area that is a cross between Scotland and the Alps -- idyllic farms full of sheep and cows, and towering mountains. The lake itself is beautiful, and the trail is not very difficult -- but there is some up and down.
From where we parked, to the north lay fields full of horses -- including a group of people about to go horse trekking, and then mountains. To the south lay Moke Lake, with mountains on either side. There were snow capped mountains in the distance, and the lake is pristine.
Just a few hundred yards into the hike, there was a man on edge of the lake and fields flying a drone with a camera. As I responded to his hello, he asked where we were from. We took that as an invitation to chat. He's a cameraman on New Zealand's longest running TV show, a programme called "Country Calendar." It's been on for 50 years -- not that he's worked there that long (35 years I believe is what he said).
We chatted for a while about his business, drones, their uses and misuses, and he was quite a pleasant chap. We never felt the conversation droned on. Finally we bid him farewell so we could get on with our hike and he with his work.
The hike really started with the crossing of a stream feeding out of the lake. A pair of ducks were fazed by us at all, as they swam daringly close. The trail had some climbs, flat, and downs, and every so often there was a stream coming down from the mountain, passing under the trail, and continuing into the lake.
We were the only ones on the trail save for a dad and young daughter. He appreciated our compliments for the beauty of their country.
It was probably a 1:45 out and back hike -- a good way to stretch the legs after the 38 hour trip the several days before.
So at Moke Lake Road, we turned right instead of left. Within a few meters, there was a sign warning us not to drive the road in winter or spring, unless we had four wheel drive. I don't handle road signs telling me what not to do very well, so we pressed over the rocky dirt road.
Given that I thought we would be out of it from jet lag, I picked a relatively easy hike from the great website showing lots of hikes (which, of course, I can't find right now). As we drove to Moke Lake, the valley revealed an area that is a cross between Scotland and the Alps -- idyllic farms full of sheep and cows, and towering mountains. The lake itself is beautiful, and the trail is not very difficult -- but there is some up and down.
From where we parked, to the north lay fields full of horses -- including a group of people about to go horse trekking, and then mountains. To the south lay Moke Lake, with mountains on either side. There were snow capped mountains in the distance, and the lake is pristine.
Just a few hundred yards into the hike, there was a man on edge of the lake and fields flying a drone with a camera. As I responded to his hello, he asked where we were from. We took that as an invitation to chat. He's a cameraman on New Zealand's longest running TV show, a programme called "Country Calendar." It's been on for 50 years -- not that he's worked there that long (35 years I believe is what he said).
We chatted for a while about his business, drones, their uses and misuses, and he was quite a pleasant chap. We never felt the conversation droned on. Finally we bid him farewell so we could get on with our hike and he with his work.
The hike really started with the crossing of a stream feeding out of the lake. A pair of ducks were fazed by us at all, as they swam daringly close. The trail had some climbs, flat, and downs, and every so often there was a stream coming down from the mountain, passing under the trail, and continuing into the lake.
We were the only ones on the trail save for a dad and young daughter. He appreciated our compliments for the beauty of their country.
It was probably a 1:45 out and back hike -- a good way to stretch the legs after the 38 hour trip the several days before.
The road to Moke Lake
Sheepish, he ran away
Our trusty vehicle -- the color hides the dirt.
Moke Lake
Moke, well, you know
The trail
New Zealand Riffs, volume 1
When you see the Southern Cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day
You understand now why you came this way
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day
Lying in bed, because there are no curtains, I can see the Southern Cross in the sky across the water and above Cecil (pronounced like Cecil Fielder) Peak. . .it's hard to get back to sleep when you can see the constellation of the southern hemisphere and a snow topped 6,500 foot mountain with one of my favorite French words. . .massifs. . .it is with a mixture of awe and wonderment when I wake up in the middle of the night. . .last time I saw the Southern Cross was in 1989 on my six weeks of work in Perth/two weeks traveling in Australia. . .in case you are wondering, it hasn't changed.
Tough choice this early morning -- stay barefoot to enjoy the under floor heating, or put on boots to brave the 36 degree temps and take pictures of the Remarkables with the glow of the sun rising behind them. . .photo time. . .also it's daylight savings time day here. . .so we lose an hour of sleep but gain one more hour of sunlight in the early evening.
New Zealanders are very friendly. . .hard to believe there are fewer than 4.5 million of them. . .they drive like maniacs (which, for a guy from Jersey, is the pot calling kettle thing.!). . .you also don't know which side of the sidewalk or path to walk on. . .it's a guess each time, because in the States, while we walk on the right on a sidewalk or trail, NZers are all over the place.
The Central Otago region (where Queenstown is) would be the playground for the world if it were more accessible. It's stunningly beautiful (if I haven't conveyed that), and there are many adventure sports to choose from. . .if you haven't been, you have to get here. . .every time I look out the windows of this place, I am in awe at the beauty of God's creation. . .New Zealand is 70 percent mountains. . .it appears the other 30 percent are beautiful lakes, hills, or sheep and cow pastures.
. . .I feel like this is a Larry King column. . .every time I write it. . .because of these. . .
Speaking of other writers, be sure to read Maddy's blog for her perspective on her time in New Zealand as well as her great adventures thus far in Australia. . .great fun. . .and, as my friends and family who have been reading it note, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
If you come to Qtown, it helps to like Pinot Noir. . .NZ is famous for its whites, but in Central Otago, Pinot Noir rules. . .it's handy that every bottle seems to be screwtops. . .not corks. . .if we don't finish the second bottle of the night. . .we recap it and wait for the next night. . .our wine tour is Monday. . .today is the Shotover Jet in the morning and sporting clays in the afternoon. . .with the extra hour of daylight. . .we'll cap off the day with one of two hikes.
Carol is sleeping well this morning. . .the night before, she was up at 3am with some distress from eating mutton bird, which is harvested by the Maori on Stewart Island (off the southern tip of the South Island). . .The birds are also called sooty shearwaters or titi. . .One 18th century commentator said they taste like sheep. . .uh, not even close. . .she thinks that food. . .plus the NZ pork belly sandwich from Fergburger for lunch. . .is what ruined her sleep. . .but she handled the Milford Sound trip like a trooper. . .before falling asleep by 9pm.
I've taken over 400 pictures so far. . .and that's less than 2.5 days on the ground. . .in the land of the Kiwi.
Tough choice this early morning -- stay barefoot to enjoy the under floor heating, or put on boots to brave the 36 degree temps and take pictures of the Remarkables with the glow of the sun rising behind them. . .photo time. . .also it's daylight savings time day here. . .so we lose an hour of sleep but gain one more hour of sunlight in the early evening.
New Zealanders are very friendly. . .hard to believe there are fewer than 4.5 million of them. . .they drive like maniacs (which, for a guy from Jersey, is the pot calling kettle thing.!). . .you also don't know which side of the sidewalk or path to walk on. . .it's a guess each time, because in the States, while we walk on the right on a sidewalk or trail, NZers are all over the place.
The Central Otago region (where Queenstown is) would be the playground for the world if it were more accessible. It's stunningly beautiful (if I haven't conveyed that), and there are many adventure sports to choose from. . .if you haven't been, you have to get here. . .every time I look out the windows of this place, I am in awe at the beauty of God's creation. . .New Zealand is 70 percent mountains. . .it appears the other 30 percent are beautiful lakes, hills, or sheep and cow pastures.
. . .I feel like this is a Larry King column. . .every time I write it. . .because of these. . .
Speaking of other writers, be sure to read Maddy's blog for her perspective on her time in New Zealand as well as her great adventures thus far in Australia. . .great fun. . .and, as my friends and family who have been reading it note, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
If you come to Qtown, it helps to like Pinot Noir. . .NZ is famous for its whites, but in Central Otago, Pinot Noir rules. . .it's handy that every bottle seems to be screwtops. . .not corks. . .if we don't finish the second bottle of the night. . .we recap it and wait for the next night. . .our wine tour is Monday. . .today is the Shotover Jet in the morning and sporting clays in the afternoon. . .with the extra hour of daylight. . .we'll cap off the day with one of two hikes.
Carol is sleeping well this morning. . .the night before, she was up at 3am with some distress from eating mutton bird, which is harvested by the Maori on Stewart Island (off the southern tip of the South Island). . .The birds are also called sooty shearwaters or titi. . .One 18th century commentator said they taste like sheep. . .uh, not even close. . .she thinks that food. . .plus the NZ pork belly sandwich from Fergburger for lunch. . .is what ruined her sleep. . .but she handled the Milford Sound trip like a trooper. . .before falling asleep by 9pm.
I've taken over 400 pictures so far. . .and that's less than 2.5 days on the ground. . .in the land of the Kiwi.
Friday, September 25, 2015
OMG -- PENGUINS, PENGUINS, PENGUINS! (Part Deux)
So, now we're at the point in the trip where I just jumping around and the blog doesn't stay in chronological order. That's because:
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER DOESN'T MATTER -- SEEING LIVE PENGUINS IN THE WILD DOES MATTER!
Faithful readers of this blog will recall the last time we saw penguins in the wild -- spring of 2014 in South Africa. I was just as calm about it back then as I was today.
Well, sit down, because if you haven't figured out from the title, the second paragraph, or the third paragraph of this post -- we saw penguins in the wild again today! We were kayaking in Milford Sound, and we spotted some swimming, and then some coming out of the forest and into Milford Sound.
Yes! We saw the famed Fiorland Crested Penguin. It was shortly after we saw the New Zealand fur seals from the boat. The fur seals were cute and I didn't have the slightest urge to club them, but they aren't penguins!
Click on the penguin photos to enlarge and get a better look.
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER DOESN'T MATTER -- SEEING LIVE PENGUINS IN THE WILD DOES MATTER!
Faithful readers of this blog will recall the last time we saw penguins in the wild -- spring of 2014 in South Africa. I was just as calm about it back then as I was today.
Well, sit down, because if you haven't figured out from the title, the second paragraph, or the third paragraph of this post -- we saw penguins in the wild again today! We were kayaking in Milford Sound, and we spotted some swimming, and then some coming out of the forest and into Milford Sound.
Yes! We saw the famed Fiorland Crested Penguin. It was shortly after we saw the New Zealand fur seals from the boat. The fur seals were cute and I didn't have the slightest urge to club them, but they aren't penguins!
Seal rock
Unfortunately, it was in the shadows
of the fjord cliffs at this time of day.
Not quite as interesting as a Republican
congressional leadership fight. . .
The Speaker slips away quietly.
Now, for something different,
the 11 legged sea star, part of
the starfish family.
So, I didn't bring the big lens
on the kayak. My bad.
What you've all been waiting for!
Penguins! Best pronounced "pen-gu-wins"
Tough day at the office.
Click on the penguin photos to enlarge and get a better look.
An Introduction to Queenstown
Have I mentioned that it is probable that Queenstown is the prettiest place we've ever been, and that's saying a lot (including the Swiss Alps, Capetown, Virgin Gorda, the California Coast, France, Italy, Israel, and Costa Rica among others)?
If New Zealand is on your bucket list, as many friends have emailed me, make sure Queenstown is the center (or centre) of that stay.
Worried about jet-lagged, I did not do the manic scheduling for Friday (yesterday) that I have for the rest of the trip. Today, we are headed to Milford Sound on a small plane, where we will kayak and take a boat cruise through the glaciers, fjords, etc.
We went into Queenstown to the Vudu Cafe and Larder for breakfast. The internet judges (the voice of the people. . .or at least the people who rate places) ranked it as best breakfast in the town. And, only having had one breakfast out, Carol and I have to agree. No pictures of the food for the blog, so I will spare you photos and descriptions of what we ate, but it was good, and we liked it, so that's a great recommendation for the next time you are in Queenstown. Two thumbs up.
Breakfast was easy and good. It was parking that was less easy and less good, although all is well that ends well. The sign on the street says P 15 8am-5pm. Our waitress told us that meant we had 15 minutes of free parking, and then they ticket, which they do ravenously. So we ordered, and I drove around a bit, finally finding a two hour parking area right in front of the police station, which is plenty of incentive not to overstay your parking welcome. The first pay machine didn't work (story of the day), but the second one did, and we had parking till 10:30.
After breakfast we walked around Queenstown, including walking around the Queenstown Gardens, which is a lovely park right on Lake Wakatipu on one side, and the Frankton Arm on the other side. (Is it "the Frankton Arm" or just "Frankton Arm"? I would google it, but don't care much).
If New Zealand is on your bucket list, as many friends have emailed me, make sure Queenstown is the center (or centre) of that stay.
Worried about jet-lagged, I did not do the manic scheduling for Friday (yesterday) that I have for the rest of the trip. Today, we are headed to Milford Sound on a small plane, where we will kayak and take a boat cruise through the glaciers, fjords, etc.
Looking west as the sun rises in the east
(even down under, the sun still comes up in the east!)
Sun through the tall pines. Try to restrain
your admiration for my artistic framing!
We went into Queenstown to the Vudu Cafe and Larder for breakfast. The internet judges (the voice of the people. . .or at least the people who rate places) ranked it as best breakfast in the town. And, only having had one breakfast out, Carol and I have to agree. No pictures of the food for the blog, so I will spare you photos and descriptions of what we ate, but it was good, and we liked it, so that's a great recommendation for the next time you are in Queenstown. Two thumbs up.
Breakfast was easy and good. It was parking that was less easy and less good, although all is well that ends well. The sign on the street says P 15 8am-5pm. Our waitress told us that meant we had 15 minutes of free parking, and then they ticket, which they do ravenously. So we ordered, and I drove around a bit, finally finding a two hour parking area right in front of the police station, which is plenty of incentive not to overstay your parking welcome. The first pay machine didn't work (story of the day), but the second one did, and we had parking till 10:30.
After breakfast we walked around Queenstown, including walking around the Queenstown Gardens, which is a lovely park right on Lake Wakatipu on one side, and the Frankton Arm on the other side. (Is it "the Frankton Arm" or just "Frankton Arm"? I would google it, but don't care much).
Ho-hum -- another snow capped mountain
viewed from Queenstown
The mountains in the background
are fairly remarkable.
Queenstown willow. No need
to weep at its beauty.
Boat, lake, mountain. Picture.
Red tree bark, snow on the mtn.
A view back at Qtown.
Looking east down the Frankton Arm
Cherry blossoms. It's early spring after all.
Qtown Gardens fountain and flowers.
One last pic from the Qtown Gardens
We then returned to the house. The house is well down the lake, and well outside of Queenstown. I would love to know how high up the house is -- it is well above the lake, up one of the windiest roads you can imagine. The house (Muna Moke if you wish to google it) is rather spartan -- no central heating (as I mentioned before), but the windows and decks have the most stunning views of the lake and mountains. We are around some bends on Ben Lomond, so we do not have a direct view of Queenstown, but I cannot imagine there is a house in Queenstown with better views.
We can only see a handful of other houses from the deck -- and that's mostly at night when they have a light on. We have two decks -- a big one on the main level, with a smaller one off the master bedroom (which is the only room upstairs). The living room/kitchen dining room is nice and open, and now that the floor heating is working, it's much more comfortable than the first night in.
There is only one bathroom for the three of us, although that's really not bad (if Julia and Torie were along, one bathroom would be too small). There are no curtains in the bathroom, so you get a beautiful view of the mountains to the west as you come out of the shower. On the other hand, if someone is looking in the window, given how in the wilderness we are, it's likely an axe murderer. In case you are worried, no axe murderers yet.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Landing in Queenstown
In my first post for the trip, I already showed the views from our rental house (here for six nights). It's perched high up on a hill that becomes Ben Lomond, with a commanding view of Lake Wakatipu.
Here are some sunrise shots to the East:
We landed in Sydney on time, and got through passport control prior to their two hour daily strike (I kid you not -- from 7-9am each day this week the Border Patrol is on strike. After that, we waited in the American Express lounge until it was time to head for our flight.
The flight over was delayed (albeit not much), and became jaw dropping as we passed over peak after snow-covered peak. And the, there was a point, as we headed for landing, where the mountain tops were above the plane. My advice; fly to New Zealand in the daylight hours. Not just for the views, but to ensure the pilot can see where he/she is going!
Walking off the plane was a stunning "welcome to New Zealand" momentum -- seeing the mountain ranges hard by the airport.
Once we made it through passport (easy) and the bio section (a little longer wait), it was out to the rental car. Ah yes, back to driving on the left side of the road. After one near miss for looking the wrong way, the hang of driving with the "bitch to the ditch" came back (yes, in Ireland, the rental car agent used that, um, colorful phrase with me as way to remember which side to drive on. It's been a husband-wife laugh line over the years, that we are now sharing with you, our beloved readers.)
We drove through Queenstown and out along the road to Glenorchy to Muna Moke, our rental house for six nights high on the hills overlooking Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, Walter Peak, and Cecil Peak. Of course, as everyone knows, the Maori name for Cecil and Walter Peaks are Kā Kamu-a-Hakitekura. Go ahead, walk around pronouncing that all day.
After finding out there is no central heat, I showered (good hot shower) in the cold air. First time in probably 42 hours or so! We went to dinner at Vknow, a nice restaurant/bar in nearby Fernhill. The food was delicious. I had the wild vension from the Fjordlands on excellent mushroom risotto and green beans, while Carol had the lamb shank with vegetables. The owner, Danny, spent quite a bit of time chatting with us -- he was quite proud we chose his restaurant for our first meal in NZ. He picked out a couple of great Otago Pinots for us to sample, and then sold us a bottle below his list price to take out. After a glass of that, we both went to bed.
This morning -- work, blogging, and a fire. . .
Here are some sunrise shots to the East:
These are mountains aptly named
"The Remarkables"
.
Probably named because people
can't help but remark about them.
We landed in Sydney on time, and got through passport control prior to their two hour daily strike (I kid you not -- from 7-9am each day this week the Border Patrol is on strike. After that, we waited in the American Express lounge until it was time to head for our flight.
The flight over was delayed (albeit not much), and became jaw dropping as we passed over peak after snow-covered peak. And the, there was a point, as we headed for landing, where the mountain tops were above the plane. My advice; fly to New Zealand in the daylight hours. Not just for the views, but to ensure the pilot can see where he/she is going!
Walking off the plane was a stunning "welcome to New Zealand" momentum -- seeing the mountain ranges hard by the airport.
Once we made it through passport (easy) and the bio section (a little longer wait), it was out to the rental car. Ah yes, back to driving on the left side of the road. After one near miss for looking the wrong way, the hang of driving with the "bitch to the ditch" came back (yes, in Ireland, the rental car agent used that, um, colorful phrase with me as way to remember which side to drive on. It's been a husband-wife laugh line over the years, that we are now sharing with you, our beloved readers.)
We drove through Queenstown and out along the road to Glenorchy to Muna Moke, our rental house for six nights high on the hills overlooking Lake Wakatipu, the Remarkables, Walter Peak, and Cecil Peak. Of course, as everyone knows, the Maori name for Cecil and Walter Peaks are Kā Kamu-a-Hakitekura. Go ahead, walk around pronouncing that all day.
After finding out there is no central heat, I showered (good hot shower) in the cold air. First time in probably 42 hours or so! We went to dinner at Vknow, a nice restaurant/bar in nearby Fernhill. The food was delicious. I had the wild vension from the Fjordlands on excellent mushroom risotto and green beans, while Carol had the lamb shank with vegetables. The owner, Danny, spent quite a bit of time chatting with us -- he was quite proud we chose his restaurant for our first meal in NZ. He picked out a couple of great Otago Pinots for us to sample, and then sold us a bottle below his list price to take out. After a glass of that, we both went to bed.
This morning -- work, blogging, and a fire. . .
Similar to a fire a hobbit might have.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
