Tramping

Well, Andrew did get his bond back, so we did a fantastic job of cleaning his place. And, the landlord likes him, so that helps. Wed evening we got stuff organized for our tramp!! Bought some groceries, picked up the appropiate camping gear for Jer and I from Andrew's good friend Dahlen, and organized stuff into 3 packpacks!! Thursday morning, the 3 of us left for Mt Richmond in the Marlborough Sounds. Duane and Owen took Kristin to a doctor, who gave her some penicillin and told her she had an abcess in her mouth. (Today she's feeling a lot better!) About an hour and a half drive through some mountain ranges, then through a valley of farmland and vineyards until we reached the carpark for the tramp. Here we are at the beginning of the tramp. Our destination was Mt Fell hut, which according to DOC should take 7 hours, at an elevation of 1300 feet, just below the alpine level!!! The first 1 hour was easy. Somewhat up and down, following the river, the scenery was spectacular!! It felt quite tropical, and smelled wonderful. We stopped for lunch, sitting on some rocks in the middle of a creek!!! Then began the steep climb! Here's a picture Andrew took of us, climbing up one of the steep areas -felt like we were almost crawling up. After about 3 hours of tramping, we had reached a height of almost 600 feet. At that point we decided to tramp another 1/2 hour, Jer and I to see how far WE could get, and Andrew would RUN ahead at his speed, to see how close to the leveling off place we were. We climbed another 100 feet in that 30 minutes!!! It felt quite vertical, and was extremely tough. We were sucking wind. When Andrew rejoined us, we decided there was no way us "old farts" would make it to the top in the DOC recommended 7 hours, so at about 3pm we began our descent. That was tough. Physically much easier than going up, but it was SCARY and slow going, because at times it seemed almost vertical, with slippery wet rocks and roots. It was a great relief when we made it back to the creek, and the vertical part was over. The tramp was tough, but the scenery and seeing the forest from the underside was amazing!! We got into Blenhem around 8:00 ish, found a cabin at a top 10 campground and made supper. We relaxed back in our cabin with a tim tam slam! Yummy!!! Friday morning after breakfast, we packed up, and drove the hour and a half back to Nelson. A tramping experience we would like to repeat, but next time when we are physically fit. So, we need to start training!!!! (And maybe an easier tramp next time)

Cleaning day!!!

Today is cleaning day! This afternoon, Andrew's landlord is coming to check his apt, and if it meets the conditions, he will get his bond back. So he's put us to work - Duane's in the kitchen, Jer's on the balcony, Andrew's in his bedroom and I'm in the bathroom. Kristin is still feeling very yucky, and is on the couch. Owen's helping whoever is using the most interesting tool! Or loudest!

Yesterday morning we drove to Havelock (the Green lipped mussel capital in the world), in the Marlborough Sounds, and had fresh green lipped mussels for lunch!!! Scrumptous! Delicious! Even yummy! Here is one of the pots of mussels. These were steamed, with garlic and butter. Duane says the orange ones are the males!!! We also had grilled mussels, along with fries and wedges - fresh ones!

In the evening we were invited to Megan and Adam's for a kiwi grill. We brought mince (Duane was in need of a BBQ burger), and also some steak. Adam and Megan provided crayfish and paua, which Adam had caught himself!!! The crayfish seems to be like our lobster, though they say it is not. Some of the crayfish had been cooked right on the boat after it was caught, then frozen and now grilled with garlic and butter. Another crayfish tail had been frozen, and now grilled whole on the barbie. The paua shell gets whacked about 3 times after it's caught (otherwise it's tough meat), then they had frozen it, and now he grilled it on the barbie. We ate it with some black sauce (which we call worchestershire sauce). Very tasty! Adam and Megan's house looks out onto the ocean. They have a very nice spot here in Nelson.

Yesterday evening we had some very interesting sky. Nelson is in a valley, and is said to be the sunniest spot in NZ. We had sun in Nelson, but the sky on either side of Nelson was wicked! We did get some rain in Nelson in the evening and during the night, but now it's gorgeous and sunny again. This is the view Andrew gets when he's at the back of his apt building - on the street. Alright, he's cracking the whip again - back to the bathroom for me!!!

We are back from our whirlwind trip around the S Island! The highlights for me were the hot air balloon ride which Jerry and I did at Methvan, and the hot springs in Hanmer Springs. I could have spent all day in the water. It was rainy/misty weather, and sitting in the hot - 40 C - water was fantastic with the mist keeping our heads cool!!! And no sun to worry about!

Last night we went to the Nelson stock car races which was a first for me!!! It was the national finals of the NZ midget champs. Though I have to say, the favorite part for me was the stock car races, where they bump or smash into each other on purpose!! Those guys are nuts!! The midget races were just too dusty for me. We even had dust in our underwear when we came home!! Everyone had a shower!

Today Jerry and I went on a hike that started from Andrew's apartment. We saw foxgloves blooming, as well as many other flowers. We thought we were going to hike to the top of Dun mountain, but at one point the trail looked too much like a logging road, so we turned right instead of left, and ended up hiking the Maitai trail. But it was gorgeous, nonetheless. Here we are, posing in our touristy garb (my hiking pants were drying on the line - no dryers here). With 25 C temps, and the sun shining part of the time, the walk was great. Especially after the last week of not much physical activity, and LOTS of pie!!! NZ pie! They have many types of individual pies, that one can buy at the local corner bakery!! Those were our lunches as we travelled. So now we need to work it off. Kristin has been flat on the couch for all of today, with a flue of some sort, Andrew went biking this morning, and is now at fire fighting training. Jer and Duane are making a pork stir fry for supper. Owen was playing in a tub of water on the balcony, and is now watching some TV. I'm planning my NZ quilt, and tomorrow I get to go and buy heaps and heaps of kiwiana fabric for it!!!

On the road!

Today is our 6th day on the road. We have come from Nelson, down the wild west coast, and now are in Dunedin, on the east coast. Today we have been driving on straight roads, and are seeing the agricultural side of NZ. Sheep, sheep, sheep and more sheep. We celebrated NZ lamb day today, and had lamb chops with fresh potatoes, fresh corn on the cob, salad and wine. We are camped in a small cabin in a campsite on the edge of Dunedin, with a 2 minute walk from the ocean. We had a bit of rain while we were making supper today, but that was no hardship, as these facilities in NZ are truly amazing. The "kitchen" for the campsites have stoves, microwaves, this one has a fridge and freezer, tables and chairs and everything is indoors. Everybody cooks and cleans up in the kitchen, and it's a neat place to meet people from around the world.
Yesterday we were at Milford Sounds on the east coast, and we did a boat tour. The scenery was spectacular!! We spent two nights in a most interesting campground. It had been the married living quarters for the men digging a tunnel from the rest of NZ to Milford Sound in the 1930's. Unfortunetly, they hit water, the tunnel digging ended, until the 1950's when it restarted, and was finished in the 1960's. The cabin we were in was old, had two bedrooms with bunkbeds, and a kitchen in the center. Though the cooking was done in a central kitchen, using a generator for electricity. Lights were turned out by 10:30. That was ok by us, as we were tired, and there were LOTS of black flies. None here in Dunedin!!!
Tomorrow we tour Dunedin and area, and as I am writing from an internet cafe, and my time is almost out, and this is expensive, I am going to end this post, and hopefully write more soon. At another expensive cafe!!!

Not a happy day

Today was a down day - in more ways than we had planned. It was to be a day in town, at Andrew's place, preparing for our ten day trip around the S Island. No sight seeing! It was that. But it is also the day that Jer's mom passed away. Marliese called early morning, around 9ish, to tell us that Grams had taken a turn for the worse. Then she called us just around 3 NZ time to tell us that Grams had passed away. So it is with sorrow that we pack and prepare for this trip. But, we know that mom is more comfortable now, and we are doing what she wanted us to do. It is better for her, but we feel sad that she won't be there when we get back to Winnipeg. But, that is purely selfish.

The picture above are kiwis growing in Andrew's back yard. Hopefully, we'll get to taste some, before we leave NZ. The picture to the right is Andrew, our tour guide, planning the route around the S Island. I just can't believe how he's planning and organizing and getting stuff done. And the best thing is....I am not in charge!!!!! Today, we have been doing laundry, renting a van, buying groceries and packing, all the while remembering mom. Jer and Duane are finishing packing stuff into the van. Andrew was just paged for another fire (two in one week - his lucky week), and Owen is sleeping. So now we have some time to relax and reflect, and then bed.

A Kiwi barbie!!!

Yesterday, Friday, the guys left at 6 AM to go blue cod fishing at Golden Bay, which is on the west coast of NZ. The ladies left for Golden Bay at 9 AM, to go salmon fishing. Everyone was successful, and for lunch we had hot fresh smoked salmon. Absolutely delicious! It was a two hour drive, one way, and over what they call The Takaka Hill, or the Marble Mountain. I have never seen such a windy, curvy, hilly, back & forth, up & down, NARROW road. And everyone drives 100 km/hour!!!! But, somehow, the traffic flows, and one never hits a stop sign. The scenery was spectacular - agricultural, with LOTS of sheep and cattle. Then at supper time, we went for a barbie at Bella's moms. A typical kiwi barbie. Lots of people and even more food. On my plate, I had paua, crab (which I think we call lobster), blue cod fish, smoked salmon, another white fish, and venison. I didn't try the steak or chicken or sausage or kabobs. The potato dishes, bean dish and red cabbage dish were all grown either in Bella's mom's or sister-in-law's gardens. Amazing! It was neat to meet Andrew's new family here and some of their friends. The picture below shows our troop salmon fishing.

Here's a photo of just one of the many blooming trees/shrubs/flowers that one sees in NZ. Yesterday we took a walk into downtown. It was a leisurely stroll, as there was sooooo much to see and take photos off. The shopping trip was a huge success. The women got quilting fabric and shoes! Whohooooo!! The drizzly rain was a welcome, as they haven't had rain since Christmas. We also hit two wineries and had some wine tasting. Very good wines made here in Nelson, and it's not expensive, and it's sold in the local grocery store. We are all amazed at Owen's stamina and his great mood. He seems to love the fact he can go outside anytime, and doesn't need any extra clothing. He has gotten quite used to his Uncle "Anu" and Auntie Bella. Time for breakfast. Jerry is making his yummy cinnamon buns in NZ, and the cicadas are getting very noisy. The promise of a sunny warm day!

Family or Fire

What a decision for Andrew to have to make. Our first day here, and there is a huge brush fire in Nelson!!! Andrew's been training for volunteer fire fighting here in Nelson for a year and a half - every Sunday evening, and has never had a chance to fight an actual fire. So just before supper, the call came, and Andrew didn't know what to do! Go to the fire hall, and have a chance to fight a fire before he leaves NZ, or have supper with his family whom he hasn't seen in 1 1/2 years!!!! With much encouragement from his family, he went. And he pulled rank, and was taken to the front, and actually got to hold the fire hose - something a volunteer fire fighter never gets to do!!! The fire was brought under control, with the help of 6-7 helicopters with monsoon buckets. This morning Andrew was sore and tired from all the work, but happy he got to go.

Today was drizzly - much needed moisture, as it hasn't rained here since Christmas. So we donned our rain jackets, put Owen into a stroller, and walked the scenic route along the creek into town. Lots of flowers everywhere, and it smells quite tropical. Late afternoon we enjoyed a couple of local wine tours. Windows are wide open, no screens and no bugs!! And it's February!!!

WE'RE HERE!!!!

We have arrived in Nelson, NZ!! A beautiful sunny warm day. As Kristin says, the pants are off. It's shorts or a skirt now. The picture is of Andrew and Bella's apt, with Jerry standing on the balcony. Their garden has huge trees with beautiful flowers - a huge jacaranda tree with purple flowers, huge hydragena bushes with purple/pink/blue flowers. You can smell all the flowers in the air! The windows are open (with no screens) and we can hear the very noisy cicadas. The ocean is only a five minute drive. Wonderful. So now we're just hanging around and catching up and enjoying each other's company.

WE ARE READY!!

It is 12:13 AM, and we are packed!! Finally!! In 4 1/2 hours we need to get up, to be at the airport by 5:30. I can't believe this day has finally arrived and we are actually going!! We drove out to Altona to see my mom again before we leave, and then we went to Jer's mom to see her one more time. That was bitter sweet sorrow, not knowing if she'll still be here when we come back. She insisted that we have a wonderful time, and she'll be here when we get back. For our sake, I hope so. But she is sooo weak and tired. So Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM NZ time, we arrive in Nelson. That will be a loooooonnnnnnggggg flight. Yesterday, Andrew said they had 30 C, and today was 27 C, so I hope you guys all enjoy the winter. May it be cold!!!