On Top Of The World

Hi Folks,
Here we are almost on the top of Mt Cook, the highest point in NZ. As an early birthday gift Jim took me on a 45min helicopter flight up and over Mt Cook. We also landed on a glacier!. Fantastic stuff.
Later that day we drove back to Christchurch where we stayed overnight before flying on to Sydney for Mardi Gras.

The gorgeous Patrick met us at the airport as we were staying with him and the beautiful Brett at their Tamarama home. Let me tell you it is sheer luxury!. We spent the first few days having a wander through the city and doging the showers which thankfully cleared by Saturday, Mardi Gras day.
After getting 'all dolled up' Jim and I went off to watch the parade from the comfort of the Glamstand where we had the perfect spot to watch the passing parade..which took two and a half hours to do so. IT WAS FABULOUS!!!. Then it was a short wander down Moore Park to the Sydney Show Grounds for the after party.
And boy was that fun. Olivia Newton-John and Cyndi Lauper were two of the many shows throughout the night...although we missed both of them. We danced to the wee small hours (5am) then made our weary way home for a well deserved sleep. Sunday night I took myself off to HOMESEXUAL at 'Home' to hear the international superstar diva DJ Offer Nissim. He was fantastic and was still banging out the tunes when I had to throw in the towel at 7am!.

Today (Tuesday) we have been out for a wander down Oxford St for a bit of last minute shopping, ie. me buying records! plus the sun is shining and its 26 degrees. Bring on summer for Sydney.
We will be heading back home to Perth tomorrow after having a fantastic holiday.

Ivergargill to Timaru..whoo hoooooo

Hi folks,
Here we are at Jims sisters place in the beautiful coastal town of Timaru, which is approx 200 kms south of Christchurch.


After leaving Inverchargill we drove up through the stunning Catlin National Park to the very celtic city of Dunedin for a couple of days. Dunedin was full of university students on 'O Week' which is supposed to be for Orientation....more like - who can dress up the silliest, drink to excess and fall over!. We spent our time wandering the streets, checking out the architecture, having dinner (and whiskey) at the famous Railway Station and visting the Albatross Scantuary at Taiaroa Head.

The short journey up from Dunedin to Timaru was broken up by a stop off at Oamaru which is famous for its local white stone architecture. Lots of beautifully preserved 19th century buildings lining the streets and port area. Oamaru is also home to 2 penguin colonies, The blue penguins and their larger yellowed-eyed cousins. We unfortunately didnt get to see them as they dont come on land until dusk.

After a couple of days here in Tim (as the locals call it) we will be leaving in the morning to drive up to Twizel for a look at Mt Cook which is NZ's highest mountain and covered by snow all year round. Then its back to Christchurch for a night before flying on to Sydney.

If you would like to leave a msg/comment please feel free to below!

Riding The Otago Rail Trail

Hi Folks,
Here we are back in Queenstown after a magnificent 4 day adventure riding the Otago Rail Trail, 150kms from Clyde to Middlemarch. Amazing scenery, great company and very comfortable accommodation in Ranfurly. We got picked up each morning, deposited at the start of the days ride, picked up at the end of it and taken out to various old gold mining towns for dinner at the pubs. All in all a fabulous way to see the area. One of the many highlights was playing the ancient Scottish sport of 'Curling' (lawn bowls on ice..sort of) played in the only purpose built curling rink in the southern hemisphere. (The Australian Olympic team were there practicing too).It was such a hoot! Pic is of Jim after he knocked my stone out of the target and got his dead centre.. the bugger!.

We decidide to give Milford Sound a miss this time as it would have been a hurried trip down there and back (almost 600kms round trip). So we decided to stay an extra night in the beautiful town of Queenstown. Its a very laid back place with magnificent views, good food and coffee and very nice accommodation. I recommend that you all get down here for a visit as you will not be dissapointed.

Well, the follow picture says it all...I will let Jim fill you in!

Bungy Jumping 134mtrs from a pod suspended over the Nevis Gorge...Something I have always wanted to do and I thoroughly recommend it. You would not believe the sensation as you freefall for 8 seconds. So you all get down there now and give it a go........weeeeeeeeeeeeee

This morning, 20th Feb, we left Queenstown and are now in the town of Invercargill for a quick look around before leaving in the morning for Dunedin. The drive down through the Southern alps was fantastic.

BTW, please dont text us unless you REALLY need to as it costs you to send them AND us to recieve them!!

Greetings From Queenstown (Where Else?)

Hi Folks,
Arrived safely into Christchurch, NZ, avoided the kerfuffle of the previous days hi-jacking attempt by a crazy Somali woman. After a two night stay at the fabulous ‘Dorothys’ guest house we picked up the hire car and drove 450kms up the east coast to Nelson via Blenheim. Beautiful rugged coastline, as the road weaved inland and out over the ‘flat bit’. Not really, it felt like driving through the French Alps, one hairpin bend after another. Took a lot of concentration and much longer than we expected.

Nelson is a nice town, with the ugliest Cathedral in NZ, it has to be seen to be believed. Its saving grace is some very nice stained glass. All was going well until disaster struck not once but twice!

No.1 My flaming iPod died and it looks like it is terminal. What made it worse is that I didn’t bring a back-up of CD’s. Fortunately I managed to find some choice 1970’s compilations (not original artists) and a splendid Doris Day CD at a roadhouse..well they were $10 each..whaddya want!

No.2 We got bitten by mozzies (or so we thought) on our first sleep in Nelson to discover the culprits the following night not long after tucking in…BED BUGS. I must have 30-40 bites that are slowly swelling up and itching like hell, all over my body, Jim didn’t fair so badly although he hardly slept the second night. We didn’t have anywhere else to go so we had to suffer with them the second night too. Ewwwwwwwwww



Anyhoo, enough of that. Yesterday (Wed) we drove down to Hokitika on the West Coast to stay overnight with our friends CJ & Drew. They moved there last May to run one of the cafes in the little seaside town. It was fantastic to catch up with them again. Thanks boys for the hospitality.



Today, 14th February is a special day, Jim’s birthday and to celebrate we are now in Queenstown and will be going out to a nice posh place for dinner. First impressions of Queenstown are that it’s a very nice place…we will be using here as a base over the next 5 days and I will fill you in when we have had a proper look around.

Until then..Happy Valentines Day to all you hopeless romantics!

Look out New Zealand...

Phew no sooner has one around the world trip finished when its time to get going on another. This time the lucky people of New Zealand's South Island get the pleasure of our company for 3 whole weeks. Follow the blog for just where we are. Then its on to Sydney for Mardi Gra's 30th aniversary..Parade & Party.whoo hoooooo