This was our last day at Hamilton and the start of our long trip home. After checking out, we had all morning around the resort before catching the Virgin Blue flight to Brisbane from where we'll be flying out tomorrow.
The morning was spent lapping up the last rays of sun around the pool and last minute shopping - Andrew bought a digiridoo which we may regret later!
The flight to Brisbane took off with beautiful blue skies over Hamilton Island and landed in grey and, seemingly, cold Brisbane. Although the weather has been a lot worse recently so we should be glad it's not pouring down.
The hotel is OK, but we're only here for one night so it's not too important. We went for a walk into the center - the Queen St. Mall is a pretty good city centre shopping/restaurant district and surprisingly busy for a city centre business district and it was only a short walk from the hotel.
Saturday 25 August 2007
Day 25 - 21st to 25th Aug 2007
The early flight from Cairns got us to the Hamilton Island resort mid-morning so we had virtually a whole day to explore this holiday resort. We knew it was going to be special as everyone we had mentioned it to over the last few weeks had said how lucky we were. In fact the accommodation (The Whitsunday Apartments) were a little dated, but clean and very functional. The rest of the resort though was extremely impressive. Basically the whole island is a single resort with its own airport and marina. It also has the lovely Catseye beach of clean sand which slopes very very slowly out on to coral reef.
These days were all about relaxing and doing very little after the hectic last few weeks. We did a few activities such as tennis and catamaran sailing but really most of the time was spent on the beach or in the pool. Although the forecast each day was for about 20 degree temperatures and partly cloudy, it always seemed much hotter and early clouds soon burned off.
We were lucky to have timed our visit to coincide with the annual Hamilton Island Race Week. This is a bit like the Cowes Week sailing regatta in the UK but slightly smaller. It did mean there were lots of people around, lots of boats out & about and they had live bands playing free concerts every night. This was a real bonus and made the stay even more special.
Sadly, we're starting to remember that the trip is coming to an end soon :-(
These days were all about relaxing and doing very little after the hectic last few weeks. We did a few activities such as tennis and catamaran sailing but really most of the time was spent on the beach or in the pool. Although the forecast each day was for about 20 degree temperatures and partly cloudy, it always seemed much hotter and early clouds soon burned off.
We were lucky to have timed our visit to coincide with the annual Hamilton Island Race Week. This is a bit like the Cowes Week sailing regatta in the UK but slightly smaller. It did mean there were lots of people around, lots of boats out & about and they had live bands playing free concerts every night. This was a real bonus and made the stay even more special.
Sadly, we're starting to remember that the trip is coming to an end soon :-(
Day 24 - 20th Aug 2007
This was going to be a highlight of the holiday - a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. On the recommendation of Helen at Cayman Villas we went on the locally owned boat Poseidon rather than the big operator, Quicksilver. This was definitely a good move as the boat was smaller, had fewer people on board and its own marine biologist, a well-built chap known as "Fluffy"! He provided a series of talks on the local marine wildlife & coral and guided the snorkel groups to find the best animals etc. underwater.
The weather wasn't great and the boat travelling at high speed over rough seas meant that a lot of passengers were suffering and the boat did a roaring trade in sea-sickness pills & paper bags. As Fluffy said "what were you people thinking of coming here in the winter!" The boat stopped at three different locations for snorkelling and, once in the water, the weather didn't see so bad and there was plenty of colourfull fish and coral to be seen. Giant sea-clams, turtles and even white-tipped & black-tipped sharks were seen. The boat also provided an excellent lunch and morning & afternoon teas so a good trip was had by all even if the weather had been a bit dodgy.
Back at Port Douglas we then drove down to Cairns where we were spending the night before catching an early morning flight the next day to Hamilton Island. We didn't see much of Cairns as the hotel was on the outskirts and it was late when we arrived but we couldn't see much of the fabled seaside resource life.
The weather wasn't great and the boat travelling at high speed over rough seas meant that a lot of passengers were suffering and the boat did a roaring trade in sea-sickness pills & paper bags. As Fluffy said "what were you people thinking of coming here in the winter!" The boat stopped at three different locations for snorkelling and, once in the water, the weather didn't see so bad and there was plenty of colourfull fish and coral to be seen. Giant sea-clams, turtles and even white-tipped & black-tipped sharks were seen. The boat also provided an excellent lunch and morning & afternoon teas so a good trip was had by all even if the weather had been a bit dodgy.
Back at Port Douglas we then drove down to Cairns where we were spending the night before catching an early morning flight the next day to Hamilton Island. We didn't see much of Cairns as the hotel was on the outskirts and it was late when we arrived but we couldn't see much of the fabled seaside resource life.
Day 23 - 19th Aug 2007
After the rest day, it was back to touring but we got off to a saw start when we down into the car park and found the car had a flat tyre. The tyre was changed and we popped into the local Avis office where they replaced the car (it didn't seem like a good idea travelling without a spare tyre).
We headed north to visit the rainforest and the first stop was a boat trip on the Daintree River. We were on a silent, electric powered boat and saw several crocodiles from babies up to a fully mature male. We also saw several kingfishers and snakes,
From there, we crossed the river on the little car ferry and continued north to visit the rain forest discovery centre. This had a good series of boarded walks around the base of the forest as well as a tower to allow you to get up the top of the canopy and see the different kinds of vegetation at the different levels.
Further north we went as far as it's possible to drive without a 4x4 - Cape Tribulation. This is a stunning bay with a 4 mile long beach although the weather wasn't great and didn't really encourage you to sit around too long.
We then started the trip back south and called into the Daintree Ice Cream factory (which is actually part of the Daintree Tea plantation) for some very exotically flavoured ice cream. Almost back in Port Douglas we walked part of the Mossman Gorge but by this time, it was pretty wet and the light was failing.
We headed north to visit the rainforest and the first stop was a boat trip on the Daintree River. We were on a silent, electric powered boat and saw several crocodiles from babies up to a fully mature male. We also saw several kingfishers and snakes,
From there, we crossed the river on the little car ferry and continued north to visit the rain forest discovery centre. This had a good series of boarded walks around the base of the forest as well as a tower to allow you to get up the top of the canopy and see the different kinds of vegetation at the different levels.
Further north we went as far as it's possible to drive without a 4x4 - Cape Tribulation. This is a stunning bay with a 4 mile long beach although the weather wasn't great and didn't really encourage you to sit around too long.
We then started the trip back south and called into the Daintree Ice Cream factory (which is actually part of the Daintree Tea plantation) for some very exotically flavoured ice cream. Almost back in Port Douglas we walked part of the Mossman Gorge but by this time, it was pretty wet and the light was failing.
Day 22 - 18th Aug 2007
Our first full day in Port Douglas and we could fully appreciate how nice our apartment at the Cayman Villas was - two good sized bedrooms both with ensuite (master bedroom even had a jacuzzi bath), looking out on to a very nice swimming pool. We had intended to do some trips to visit the rain forest but everyone was so tired, especially after the busy last couple of days, that we decided to take an unscheduled (and first) rest day. So a late wake-up and morning spent by the pool. The afternoon was spent on the beach until the wind and cloud got up and made it a little too chilly.
In the evening, we took the short walk to the marina and the "On The Inlet" restaurant which had been recommended. This was a very nice bar on the water and had a "Grouper Feeding" at 5.15 everyday. He was a little shy today but we did get one glimpse and he was huge. We stayed for dinner and had an excellent meal with equally good views of the sunset over the harbour.
In the evening, we took the short walk to the marina and the "On The Inlet" restaurant which had been recommended. This was a very nice bar on the water and had a "Grouper Feeding" at 5.15 everyday. He was a little shy today but we did get one glimpse and he was huge. We stayed for dinner and had an excellent meal with equally good views of the sunset over the harbour.
Day 21 - 17th Aug 2007
The alarm went off at 5am so that we could go out to watch sunrise at Uluru (Ayers Rock). Helen couldn't face the early start so she stayed in bed while we went out to grab a viewing point. We had a good spot even though the place soon got busy - especially with the tour groups setting up their champagne breakfasts. We just tried to keep warm and not think of food too much! In fact, it wasn't too hard with the constantly changing colours on the rock.
Once the sun was up we went back to the Outback for breakfast and check-out and then went back to Uluru again to visit the cultural center and take a Park Ranger tour around part of the base where the excellent guide explained a lot of the geological history of the rock, how it fits into the aboriginal history and significance to the local Anango people.
The flight out of Uluru to Cairns was just after lunch and our flying visit to the Northern Territories was over.
The flight was delayed a little (first time so far on the whole trip) and it was about 8pm by the time we got our car and drove to our accommodation in Port Douglas on the Northern Queensland coast. When we arrived we found the reception closed but the extremely friendly managers (Helen & Ian) were well prepared and left us keys & information ready for our arrival.
Once the sun was up we went back to the Outback for breakfast and check-out and then went back to Uluru again to visit the cultural center and take a Park Ranger tour around part of the base where the excellent guide explained a lot of the geological history of the rock, how it fits into the aboriginal history and significance to the local Anango people.
The flight out of Uluru to Cairns was just after lunch and our flying visit to the Northern Territories was over.
The flight was delayed a little (first time so far on the whole trip) and it was about 8pm by the time we got our car and drove to our accommodation in Port Douglas on the Northern Queensland coast. When we arrived we found the reception closed but the extremely friendly managers (Helen & Ian) were well prepared and left us keys & information ready for our arrival.
Day 20 - 16th Aug 2007
Our final free breakfast in the Marriott executive lounge and then we headed to the railway station to catch the train out to the airport - after the experience driving, this was definitely the safe choice for getting to the early flight on time. On top of that, it was cheap and easy.
We arrived at Uluru airport at lunch time (there was a half hour timezone change on the way), picked up a car and then headed to the hotel to check-in. Hotel is a bit grand - we were actually staying at the Outback Pioneer Lodge which is really a backpackers' place - very basic. We had 4 bunk beds, no carpet, no air con (thankfully this is winter time) and, shock horror, no TV! We did spring for the upgrade to have our own toilet & shower though. All the accommodation in the area is owned by a single company so that, plus the location, means that nothing is very cheap and in fact the room was more than adequate for 1 night. Just a bit of a change after Sydney.
Once settled we went out to Kata Tjuta which is a group of 35 rocks that emerge out of the desert not far from Uluru. In some ways, they are more impressive and you can get right into the rocks and gorges. We walked the Wolper Gorge and most of the Valley of the Winds before going out to a viewing point to watch the sunset. The whole area is stunning and the sunset very dramatic.
Back at the Outback, they had an outdoor (but under cover) BBQ area where you buy your meat and then cook it yourself on one of their BBQ grills. Long wooden tables & benches are shared by everyone and the place was full - probably a couple of hundred people in all. On top of that there was live music and a great atmosphere so a very good night was had by all even though we had an incredibly early start planned for the next day ...
We arrived at Uluru airport at lunch time (there was a half hour timezone change on the way), picked up a car and then headed to the hotel to check-in. Hotel is a bit grand - we were actually staying at the Outback Pioneer Lodge which is really a backpackers' place - very basic. We had 4 bunk beds, no carpet, no air con (thankfully this is winter time) and, shock horror, no TV! We did spring for the upgrade to have our own toilet & shower though. All the accommodation in the area is owned by a single company so that, plus the location, means that nothing is very cheap and in fact the room was more than adequate for 1 night. Just a bit of a change after Sydney.
Once settled we went out to Kata Tjuta which is a group of 35 rocks that emerge out of the desert not far from Uluru. In some ways, they are more impressive and you can get right into the rocks and gorges. We walked the Wolper Gorge and most of the Valley of the Winds before going out to a viewing point to watch the sunset. The whole area is stunning and the sunset very dramatic.
Back at the Outback, they had an outdoor (but under cover) BBQ area where you buy your meat and then cook it yourself on one of their BBQ grills. Long wooden tables & benches are shared by everyone and the place was full - probably a couple of hundred people in all. On top of that there was live music and a great atmosphere so a very good night was had by all even though we had an incredibly early start planned for the next day ...
Thursday 23 August 2007
Day 19 - 15th Aug 2007
Our last full day in Sydney and the highlight was to be the climb over the Harbour Bridge. The weather wasn't looking too good at first light so we were expecting showers and poor visibility but in fact, it opened up pretty well and we couldn't have asked for more.
Annette still wasn't sure but the staff on the climb were excellent and she decided to go ahead anyway. There was an extensive safety briefing and lots of special kit - all very impressive. Our guide, Matt, was excellent and kept the commentary up for the entire walk. Once the initial, horizontal section over the approach road (only about 55 metres high) was completed the worst was over and then it was on up to the top where the views were stunning. And, not really surprisingly, even Annette enjoyed it.
From there we went back up one of the decorative towers (they're not actually part of the bridge) for photos as no cameras are allowed on the climb) and the a take-away sandwich/pie lunch before catching the bus to Bondi Beach.
Bondi is clearly a beautiful beach but the town is very run down and everything closed up at 4 o'clock so it was a bus back to the city and we caught the ferry back to Darling Harbour for dinner again but this time a lot less tired.
Annette still wasn't sure but the staff on the climb were excellent and she decided to go ahead anyway. There was an extensive safety briefing and lots of special kit - all very impressive. Our guide, Matt, was excellent and kept the commentary up for the entire walk. Once the initial, horizontal section over the approach road (only about 55 metres high) was completed the worst was over and then it was on up to the top where the views were stunning. And, not really surprisingly, even Annette enjoyed it.
From there we went back up one of the decorative towers (they're not actually part of the bridge) for photos as no cameras are allowed on the climb) and the a take-away sandwich/pie lunch before catching the bus to Bondi Beach.
Bondi is clearly a beautiful beach but the town is very run down and everything closed up at 4 o'clock so it was a bus back to the city and we caught the ferry back to Darling Harbour for dinner again but this time a lot less tired.
Day 18 - 14th Aug 2007
Yesterday was the city, today was the countryside. We started by picking up a (very small!) hire car from the hotel and headed out of town. The Sydney traffic was pretty dire but thankfully things did get better.
First stop was a wildlife park where you can stroke Dingo Pups & Koalas, feed Wombats & Kangaroos and a multitude of birds fly around you. For a small zoo, the whole thing was well managed and you couldn't ask to get closer to the animals.
From there it was onto the Blue Mountains - bit of a misnomer this. They certainly are blue-ish (a haze caused by the many types of Eucalyptus trees), but it's really more of a huge gorge than a mountain range. When to get to the top, you're suddenly at a massive cliff dropping down into the valley which goes on for miles. Think of the Grand Canyon but covered by rain forest. All incredibly spectacular. One of the highlights was a group of three stone towers called the Three Sisters and you can walk down a precarious staircase and narrow bridge on to the first one - good training for the bridge walk and even Annette made it, although not entirely happily.
Lots of photo stops and the weather was good for most it with rain only while driving back to Sydney which again was a slow process due to traffic.
First stop was a wildlife park where you can stroke Dingo Pups & Koalas, feed Wombats & Kangaroos and a multitude of birds fly around you. For a small zoo, the whole thing was well managed and you couldn't ask to get closer to the animals.
From there it was onto the Blue Mountains - bit of a misnomer this. They certainly are blue-ish (a haze caused by the many types of Eucalyptus trees), but it's really more of a huge gorge than a mountain range. When to get to the top, you're suddenly at a massive cliff dropping down into the valley which goes on for miles. Think of the Grand Canyon but covered by rain forest. All incredibly spectacular. One of the highlights was a group of three stone towers called the Three Sisters and you can walk down a precarious staircase and narrow bridge on to the first one - good training for the bridge walk and even Annette made it, although not entirely happily.
Lots of photo stops and the weather was good for most it with rain only while driving back to Sydney which again was a slow process due to traffic.
Day 17 - 13th Aug 2007
This was the "do Sydney in a day" tour! First stop was the guided tour round the Opera House which was definitely a good idea - very good guide and got to see both the major theatres and a couple of the smaller rooms. Of course the star is the building itself which looks different from every angle (or even the same angle as the light changes)
Then onto a ferry to do a boat trip around the harbour - commentary wasn't great but at least the views were good and we got a good idea of where everything was.
One of the tasks for the afternoon was to book the Bridge Walk over the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge which we were all looking forward to apart from Annette. The staff at the reception couldn't have been more helpful and professional and did a lot to give her confidence but she was still looking pale as we left the office!
Then onto more walking - around the harbourside of the lovely Sydney Botanical Gardens and we almost got to Wooloomooloo Bay before the weather turned so we turned right headed into the city centere ("CBD") to see the cathedral, Town Hall and the impressive Queen Victoria Building ("QVB") - probably the world's poshest shopping mall.
We then caught the ferry to Darling Harbour which is the entertainment center of the city with an IMAX theatre and loads of bars & restaurants. It's also currently home to an impressive outdoor photographic display highlight global environment issues. By this time we were all shattered so settled for a simple pizza & pasta meal before getting the ferry back to the hotel.
Then onto a ferry to do a boat trip around the harbour - commentary wasn't great but at least the views were good and we got a good idea of where everything was.
One of the tasks for the afternoon was to book the Bridge Walk over the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge which we were all looking forward to apart from Annette. The staff at the reception couldn't have been more helpful and professional and did a lot to give her confidence but she was still looking pale as we left the office!
Then onto more walking - around the harbourside of the lovely Sydney Botanical Gardens and we almost got to Wooloomooloo Bay before the weather turned so we turned right headed into the city centere ("CBD") to see the cathedral, Town Hall and the impressive Queen Victoria Building ("QVB") - probably the world's poshest shopping mall.
We then caught the ferry to Darling Harbour which is the entertainment center of the city with an IMAX theatre and loads of bars & restaurants. It's also currently home to an impressive outdoor photographic display highlight global environment issues. By this time we were all shattered so settled for a simple pizza & pasta meal before getting the ferry back to the hotel.
Day 16 - 12th Aug 2007
We had the morning free to do a bit of speedy siteseeing in Christchurch before heading to the airport for the flight to Oz. Speedy was definitely the word! Annette was jogging between photo-ops!
At the airport, Avis couldn't have been more helpful with the ski-rack incident and even gave us a free day's hire to compensate for our inconvenience.
On arrival in Sydney we took the easy way of getting to the hotel - by taxi. Once there, we were more than pleasantly surprised to find we had complementary access to the executive lounge (free breakfasts, drinks & evening desserts!), which is probably due to the amount of time I've spent in their hotels when traveling on business. We were also surprised by the stunning view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the room.
We went out for a quick stoll to get our bearings as the hotel was so near the waterfront and the weather was pretty good. Lots of the usual tourist photos and we ended up at an outdoor restaurant on "The Rocks" overlooking the bridge & Opera House for dinner - probably one of the best meals of the trip.
Back in the hotel we even saw a firework display by the bridge before crashing out.
At the airport, Avis couldn't have been more helpful with the ski-rack incident and even gave us a free day's hire to compensate for our inconvenience.
On arrival in Sydney we took the easy way of getting to the hotel - by taxi. Once there, we were more than pleasantly surprised to find we had complementary access to the executive lounge (free breakfasts, drinks & evening desserts!), which is probably due to the amount of time I've spent in their hotels when traveling on business. We were also surprised by the stunning view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from the room.
We went out for a quick stoll to get our bearings as the hotel was so near the waterfront and the weather was pretty good. Lots of the usual tourist photos and we ended up at an outdoor restaurant on "The Rocks" overlooking the bridge & Opera House for dinner - probably one of the best meals of the trip.
Back in the hotel we even saw a firework display by the bridge before crashing out.
Day 15 - 11th Aug 2007
Second long travel day in a row to get back to Christchurch to fly to Australia tomorrow. The first part of the journey was up and over the mountains again and the weather wasn't too bad but pretty gusty. When we had the chance we took the road down to the east coast of the island and headed up on the coast road - although beautiful, we'd seen enough mountains and had enough pummeling by the wind!
At least the weather in Christchurch was better than when we were here last week but our hotel was a little outside town and it was quite late by the time we got there so no one felt like wandering around to find somewhere to eat so Helen & Andrew had a quick swim and we ate at the hotel.
Helen says-
more driving to Christchurch this time
wen we got there we cba to go out for dinner so me n andrew went for a swim then ate in the hotel
At least the weather in Christchurch was better than when we were here last week but our hotel was a little outside town and it was quite late by the time we got there so no one felt like wandering around to find somewhere to eat so Helen & Andrew had a quick swim and we ate at the hotel.
Helen says-
more driving to Christchurch this time
wen we got there we cba to go out for dinner so me n andrew went for a swim then ate in the hotel
Day 14 - 10th Aug 2007
This was going to be a long day - the plan was to travel down to Milford Sound to take a boat trip through the fijords. The weather forecast wasn't good and the road is tricky and often closed due to avalanches or landslides. It was hard to find out whether the road was going to stay open all day or not but we set off anyway with the view to check the status at the half way point in Te Anau.
The weather for the first part of the drive wasn't too bad although very windy (forecast had been for winds 100+ kph) which we discovered for real when the ski rack blew off the top of the car! Luckily there wasn't any one behind the car (again, the roads are empty) but the rack was broken and a nice dent left in the boot lid.
By the time we got to Te Anau the weather was definitely closing in and we decided to pick up an organized coach & boat ride from there as the drivers would know the road and conditions better. This was definitely a good move - the coach was excellent with good commentary from the driver, stops to enjoy the views and a safe journey. The clouds and rain were everywhere but they seemed to make the landscape even more dramatic. No one had ever seen as many waterfalls as on this journey.
The boat trip was almost as dramatic. The mountains of the fijords are staggering and look like they're straight out of Lord of the Rings. The 100 kph winds were combined with the speed of the boat and it was almost impossible to walk around outside - which made it even more fun! The wind was so hard that the waterfalls were actually "falling" vertically upwards!
We were very grateful to catch the bus back to Te Anau to get some zzz's in before picking up the car and heading back to Queenstown. Although the weather had been bad for us, it got a lot worse the next day and the roads did close so were lucky to have made the trip.
Helen says-
today we headed dwn 2 milford sound to catch a boat ride but one of the roads dwn there gets closed sometimes cos tehy get avalanches tehre so we thort it wud be betta to catch a bus from a place called te anau and let them do all the hard work.
wel we managed to get there and bk fine and the boatride was fun mum dad and andrew went all on top wen a waterfall came and got soaked but i didnt feel up to it because i think that the first busy week or sp is catchng up to me
The weather for the first part of the drive wasn't too bad although very windy (forecast had been for winds 100+ kph) which we discovered for real when the ski rack blew off the top of the car! Luckily there wasn't any one behind the car (again, the roads are empty) but the rack was broken and a nice dent left in the boot lid.
By the time we got to Te Anau the weather was definitely closing in and we decided to pick up an organized coach & boat ride from there as the drivers would know the road and conditions better. This was definitely a good move - the coach was excellent with good commentary from the driver, stops to enjoy the views and a safe journey. The clouds and rain were everywhere but they seemed to make the landscape even more dramatic. No one had ever seen as many waterfalls as on this journey.
The boat trip was almost as dramatic. The mountains of the fijords are staggering and look like they're straight out of Lord of the Rings. The 100 kph winds were combined with the speed of the boat and it was almost impossible to walk around outside - which made it even more fun! The wind was so hard that the waterfalls were actually "falling" vertically upwards!
We were very grateful to catch the bus back to Te Anau to get some zzz's in before picking up the car and heading back to Queenstown. Although the weather had been bad for us, it got a lot worse the next day and the roads did close so were lucky to have made the trip.
Helen says-
today we headed dwn 2 milford sound to catch a boat ride but one of the roads dwn there gets closed sometimes cos tehy get avalanches tehre so we thort it wud be betta to catch a bus from a place called te anau and let them do all the hard work.
wel we managed to get there and bk fine and the boatride was fun mum dad and andrew went all on top wen a waterfall came and got soaked but i didnt feel up to it because i think that the first busy week or sp is catchng up to me
Day 13 - 9th Aug 2007
Day 2 of skiing and we headed for the next nearest ski area - The Remarkables. The journey up was a bit more hair-raising than Coronet as the road was "unsealed" and not many crash barriers. Once at the top, we had a quick breakfast (but the food was pretty poor) before hitting the slopes. Remarkables is smaller than Coronet and we covered all the slopes pretty quickly. The weather was definitely on the turn so we skied hard until around 1pm before heading back down the mountain before it got too bad.
Once down we had a quick lunch and then headed for the Shotover Jet Boat ride. This was definitely a highlight of the trip so far - the boat travels at impossibly high speed up the Kamuara River gorge between very tight rocky cliffs. The drivers really know what they're doing. Everyone came off soaked but with big grins!
Helen says-
we went skking agen today but only for a half day bcos we had a very fun afternoon (im not bin sarcastic it was amazingly fun more bout that in a mo) neway we got ther and teh first run we had to dowas one of the hardest becasue there was a special lift which sed advanced skiiers and borders only and that was dawnting enough and wen we gt to the top mum didnt want to ski dwn a thin path so we went the other way and ended up on the top of a ridgre on the mountain on the one side you looked dwn u cud c queenstwn and then on the other side you could c the run we were about to do which looked almost straight dwn but with a little hill at the end we went dwn it fine but later on we did that run agen and bcos the lst time i went dwn i didnt get quite to the other side of the hill i throt i shud take a longer run up and go in a straight line for longer before the hill. So i did the top bit fine then , a little bit too early for me , i got into my tuck and went for it i was goin faster than i ever had before and the wind pushed me bkwards i throt i was going to fall over and that wud have hurt and then i wud have had to have climbed this hill but , i dnt no how, i sat on the bk of my skis and wen i got to the top of the hill i managed to stand bk up fine that was the best trick i had ever done and noone even saw it nicht so gut.
neway in the afternoon we went on the shotover jet which is a jetboat ride which goes along a river and thru a valley and goes really fast and gets really close to the rocks and you are expected to get wet so they give you these sexy fisherman overalls type things which i looked absolutely amazing in not lol yh but it was still really fun probably the best so far.
Once down we had a quick lunch and then headed for the Shotover Jet Boat ride. This was definitely a highlight of the trip so far - the boat travels at impossibly high speed up the Kamuara River gorge between very tight rocky cliffs. The drivers really know what they're doing. Everyone came off soaked but with big grins!
Helen says-
we went skking agen today but only for a half day bcos we had a very fun afternoon (im not bin sarcastic it was amazingly fun more bout that in a mo) neway we got ther and teh first run we had to dowas one of the hardest becasue there was a special lift which sed advanced skiiers and borders only and that was dawnting enough and wen we gt to the top mum didnt want to ski dwn a thin path so we went the other way and ended up on the top of a ridgre on the mountain on the one side you looked dwn u cud c queenstwn and then on the other side you could c the run we were about to do which looked almost straight dwn but with a little hill at the end we went dwn it fine but later on we did that run agen and bcos the lst time i went dwn i didnt get quite to the other side of the hill i throt i shud take a longer run up and go in a straight line for longer before the hill. So i did the top bit fine then , a little bit too early for me , i got into my tuck and went for it i was goin faster than i ever had before and the wind pushed me bkwards i throt i was going to fall over and that wud have hurt and then i wud have had to have climbed this hill but , i dnt no how, i sat on the bk of my skis and wen i got to the top of the hill i managed to stand bk up fine that was the best trick i had ever done and noone even saw it nicht so gut.
neway in the afternoon we went on the shotover jet which is a jetboat ride which goes along a river and thru a valley and goes really fast and gets really close to the rocks and you are expected to get wet so they give you these sexy fisherman overalls type things which i looked absolutely amazing in not lol yh but it was still really fun probably the best so far.
Day 12 - 8th Aug 2007
First day of skiing and we headed up to Coronet Peak which is the closest area to Queenstown and only takes about 30 mins in the car. The weather was good but they haven't had a huge amount of snow so far this season so most of the snow was man-made - but not bad though. We actually parked up and skied before getting the lift base station to get breakfast following which we skied pretty much non-stop (apart from lunch) until the lifts closed at 4pm (as Kevin & Maureen will appreciate - Annette& Andrew were in their element!)
None of the ski areas in NZ are of the same scale as Europe or the US but there's quite a lot of territory covered by 4 or 5 lifts and plenty of choices to make your own off-piste tracks between trails.
Overall a good day's skiing - and not bad for August!
Helen says -
went skiing and we had to ski from the car park to get breakfast first time ever lol. skiied the whole day apart from lunch. the area is tiny compared to places we normally go to we managed to ski every run by 4 pm(the lifts closed then)
gettin into our boots at first was horrible even tho they managd to fit in fine in the rental shop it felt like we were breaking our ankle to get in tem but wen we were in them they were fine.
None of the ski areas in NZ are of the same scale as Europe or the US but there's quite a lot of territory covered by 4 or 5 lifts and plenty of choices to make your own off-piste tracks between trails.
Overall a good day's skiing - and not bad for August!
Helen says -
went skiing and we had to ski from the car park to get breakfast first time ever lol. skiied the whole day apart from lunch. the area is tiny compared to places we normally go to we managed to ski every run by 4 pm(the lifts closed then)
gettin into our boots at first was horrible even tho they managd to fit in fine in the rental shop it felt like we were breaking our ankle to get in tem but wen we were in them they were fine.
Day 11 - 7th Aug 2007
This was the first long driving day - moving from Franz Joseph down to Queenstown in the heart of the Southern Alps.
The NZ roads have all been in great condition and VERY quiet. It's easy to drive for miles without seeing another car. You are also out of range of radio stations a lot of the time which gives an idea of how unpopulated the land the is. Of course, this is winter time and it may be very different in the summer when the roads are probably full of tourists in camper vans.
The scenery continues to be spectacular with the first part of the journey down the western coast which seems very much like the coasts of northern california or US pacific northwest. Lots of forests and views out to the ocean.
We passed through Wanaka which seems like an excellent place to return and spend a week or two. The lake is vast and on calm day like today reflects the surrounding mountains. There are loads of activities both on and off the water - besides anything else it's within easy reach of 4 or 5 ski areas. The lake front area has a nice collection of shops and the expected excellent cafes.
From Wanaka we headed up over the mountains and took the short route down to Queenstown. This was a very "interesting" drive down an incredibly steep mountain side - just as well the weather was good!
Queenstown is a pretty big town on the shore of Lake Wakatipu & surrounded by mountains. The town is full of skiers & boarders as it's close to 3 of the largest ski areas in NZ. It seems a lot like the US ski towns but not as organized or ruled by a single corporation which makes it much more interesting.
Our hotel is just outside town and after checking-in we headed into a ski rental shop to get kitted up for the next couple of days' skiing. Dinner was in the Lone Star restaurant which specializes in huge portions of american style food (steaks, BBQ etc.) One of the few times that Andrew has actually been full! (It seems like he's permanently hungry and eating as much as the rest of us put together on this trip).
Helen says -
driving most of the day, from franz joseph to Queenstown oh so very fun lol.
when we got to queenstwn we hired our skis and other necessities used in skiing (ooo big word lol ) the boots felt liek the best fitting boots i hav ever had becos they measured ur feet which doesnt normally happen, then we went out for a meal very american based and the portions were absolutely HUGE !!!!! wel thats bout it for today nm happened lol
The NZ roads have all been in great condition and VERY quiet. It's easy to drive for miles without seeing another car. You are also out of range of radio stations a lot of the time which gives an idea of how unpopulated the land the is. Of course, this is winter time and it may be very different in the summer when the roads are probably full of tourists in camper vans.
The scenery continues to be spectacular with the first part of the journey down the western coast which seems very much like the coasts of northern california or US pacific northwest. Lots of forests and views out to the ocean.
We passed through Wanaka which seems like an excellent place to return and spend a week or two. The lake is vast and on calm day like today reflects the surrounding mountains. There are loads of activities both on and off the water - besides anything else it's within easy reach of 4 or 5 ski areas. The lake front area has a nice collection of shops and the expected excellent cafes.
From Wanaka we headed up over the mountains and took the short route down to Queenstown. This was a very "interesting" drive down an incredibly steep mountain side - just as well the weather was good!
Queenstown is a pretty big town on the shore of Lake Wakatipu & surrounded by mountains. The town is full of skiers & boarders as it's close to 3 of the largest ski areas in NZ. It seems a lot like the US ski towns but not as organized or ruled by a single corporation which makes it much more interesting.
Our hotel is just outside town and after checking-in we headed into a ski rental shop to get kitted up for the next couple of days' skiing. Dinner was in the Lone Star restaurant which specializes in huge portions of american style food (steaks, BBQ etc.) One of the few times that Andrew has actually been full! (It seems like he's permanently hungry and eating as much as the rest of us put together on this trip).
Helen says -
driving most of the day, from franz joseph to Queenstown oh so very fun lol.
when we got to queenstwn we hired our skis and other necessities used in skiing (ooo big word lol ) the boots felt liek the best fitting boots i hav ever had becos they measured ur feet which doesnt normally happen, then we went out for a meal very american based and the portions were absolutely HUGE !!!!! wel thats bout it for today nm happened lol
Wednesday 15 August 2007
Day 10 - 6th Aug 2007
We had booked to fly up onto the Franz Joseph glacier this morning and the walk on the ice. Unfortunately the weather wasn't good and the morning flight had to be cancelled with a chance to try again in the afternoon.
So we drove through the small town then took the walk to the glacier face. Unfortunately the path was closed pretty far away but we went through the ropes and continued walking up the river bed to about 100m from the ice. To be honest, the ice wasn't that dramatic given the grey weather but the valley was still impressive with high mountains and long waterfalls.
We went back into town for a cafe lunch and try to get on the helicopter. Although the weather had improved it wasn't good enough so we drove about 20km to the Fox Glacier. This one is easier to get to and you can walk even closer to the face.
From there we headed down to Lake Mathieson which features in a lot of New Zealand marketing - a big lake that is very calm and has great reflections of the mountains, especially Mt Cook.
We then called in on the very stormy but exciting Gillespie Beach on the way back to the villa.
So we drove through the small town then took the walk to the glacier face. Unfortunately the path was closed pretty far away but we went through the ropes and continued walking up the river bed to about 100m from the ice. To be honest, the ice wasn't that dramatic given the grey weather but the valley was still impressive with high mountains and long waterfalls.
We went back into town for a cafe lunch and try to get on the helicopter. Although the weather had improved it wasn't good enough so we drove about 20km to the Fox Glacier. This one is easier to get to and you can walk even closer to the face.
From there we headed down to Lake Mathieson which features in a lot of New Zealand marketing - a big lake that is very calm and has great reflections of the mountains, especially Mt Cook.
We then called in on the very stormy but exciting Gillespie Beach on the way back to the villa.
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| New Zealand 2007 pt 6 |
Monday 13 August 2007
Day 9 - 5th Aug 2007
Early start in Christchurch which was a little drier to head to the station and catch the TranzAlpine Express train to Greymouth. This train takes you from the east coast (Christchurch) across the Southern Alps to the west coast at Greymouth.
The ride up the eastern side of the mountains is truly spectacular. The mountains are high, the train crosses desolate countryside and the running commentary is fun and informative. Something you don't see on UK trains is an open observation car so you can get outside to enjoy the fresh air and views.
At the mid-point (Arthur's Pass), there's a chance to get off the train to stretch your legs and enjoy a quick snow-ball fight (see photos). Going down the western side isn't as dramatic but this is definitely the best way to make the trip.
Greymouth is pretty much empty - it used to be a busy port but there's hardly any traffic now. We picked up a car and headed down to Franz Joseph where we'll be based for the next couple of days. Franz Joseph is a one-street town famous for the glacier of the same name which runs nearby. We're staying at the Glen Fern Villas which is a small holiday park where we have a very modern 2 bedroom villa. The park has a laundry so Annette takes the opportunity to do our first washing and we visit the local supermarket to make our own dinner for the first time also.
The ride up the eastern side of the mountains is truly spectacular. The mountains are high, the train crosses desolate countryside and the running commentary is fun and informative. Something you don't see on UK trains is an open observation car so you can get outside to enjoy the fresh air and views.
At the mid-point (Arthur's Pass), there's a chance to get off the train to stretch your legs and enjoy a quick snow-ball fight (see photos). Going down the western side isn't as dramatic but this is definitely the best way to make the trip.
Greymouth is pretty much empty - it used to be a busy port but there's hardly any traffic now. We picked up a car and headed down to Franz Joseph where we'll be based for the next couple of days. Franz Joseph is a one-street town famous for the glacier of the same name which runs nearby. We're staying at the Glen Fern Villas which is a small holiday park where we have a very modern 2 bedroom villa. The park has a laundry so Annette takes the opportunity to do our first washing and we visit the local supermarket to make our own dinner for the first time also.
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| New Zealand 2007 pt 5 |
Day 8 - 4th Aug 2007
The morning was spent having a very good breakfast in a Napier cafe (New Zealand cafes are a real highlight of the trip - everywhere we've been there have been a number of individual cafes all serving great tea & coffee with excellent home made cakes, scones, muffins etc. We're definitely going to miss them!) and then wandering around the town looking at the art deco architecture. Of course this was a bit high-brow for Helen & Andrew so they went and played mini-golf.
We then headed to the very small airport for the short flight down to Christchurch in an equally small plane.
Arrival at Christchurch was disappointing as the weather was definitely depressing - wet, windy and cold. So far we've been very lucky with mostly light-clouds, mild temperatures and only a few light showers. Now we've come further south it feels like we've got a lot closer to Antartica (and Christchurch calls itself "Gateway to Antartica").
A quick walk into the city centre in the rain and dinner at Sticky Fingers and no one very keen to do much exploring.
We then headed to the very small airport for the short flight down to Christchurch in an equally small plane.
Arrival at Christchurch was disappointing as the weather was definitely depressing - wet, windy and cold. So far we've been very lucky with mostly light-clouds, mild temperatures and only a few light showers. Now we've come further south it feels like we've got a lot closer to Antartica (and Christchurch calls itself "Gateway to Antartica").
A quick walk into the city centre in the rain and dinner at Sticky Fingers and no one very keen to do much exploring.
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| New Zealand 2007 pt 4 |
Thursday 9 August 2007
Day 7 - 3rd Aug 2007
Most of the day was spent enjoying the weird volcanic Rotorua countryside before heading over to Napier from where we'd be flying down to the south island tomorrow.
First stop was the local park which is full of volcanic steam springs and mud pools - surprisingly not smelly but very spooky to think they are in the middle of a public park.
Then on to Te Puia which is a Maori cultural centre but also a major geothermal park with plenty of mud pools and steam springs but the main feature is a couple of geysers which erupt about 15 times per day. We arrived just in time for the midday spout and it was dramatic - reaching up to 15 metres and continued erupting for more than 25 minutes.
From there it was on to Lake Taupo for a late lunch and then late arrival in Napier which is on Hawkes Bay - a famous wine making area on the east coast of the North Island. Napier was virtually flattened by an earthquake in 1931 and the city was rebuilt in the then trendy Art Deco style which still looks fantastic. We stayed in the very deco-style Fountain Court Motor Lodge. We'd had enough of eating out and had pizza delivered from "Hell Pizza".
Helen says:
if i c another mud pool it will b 2 soon. i saw so many today that smelt and were bubbling :-(. in the begining it was kl looking dwn bg holes 2 c mud that was bubbling rapidly by itself but as i saw more and more they got even worse and all the differnet smells made me feel sick.
we watched the geyser, that was amazing the water shot so far up in the air and there was soo much water that came out of the land i have no idea how much water is dwn there it jst kept cumin n cumin and with all the steam that was coming out of the ground aswel and agen ihav no idea where all te water was cumin from.
We drove dwn to Napier which was by the sea but still cld. there was some car thing going on so there were loadsa random rally cars round the place. We had a pizza in the motel which has 2 bedrooms and a kitchen living area and a bathroom whichlookd so scabby.
First stop was the local park which is full of volcanic steam springs and mud pools - surprisingly not smelly but very spooky to think they are in the middle of a public park.
Then on to Te Puia which is a Maori cultural centre but also a major geothermal park with plenty of mud pools and steam springs but the main feature is a couple of geysers which erupt about 15 times per day. We arrived just in time for the midday spout and it was dramatic - reaching up to 15 metres and continued erupting for more than 25 minutes.
From there it was on to Lake Taupo for a late lunch and then late arrival in Napier which is on Hawkes Bay - a famous wine making area on the east coast of the North Island. Napier was virtually flattened by an earthquake in 1931 and the city was rebuilt in the then trendy Art Deco style which still looks fantastic. We stayed in the very deco-style Fountain Court Motor Lodge. We'd had enough of eating out and had pizza delivered from "Hell Pizza".
Helen says:
if i c another mud pool it will b 2 soon. i saw so many today that smelt and were bubbling :-(. in the begining it was kl looking dwn bg holes 2 c mud that was bubbling rapidly by itself but as i saw more and more they got even worse and all the differnet smells made me feel sick.
we watched the geyser, that was amazing the water shot so far up in the air and there was soo much water that came out of the land i have no idea how much water is dwn there it jst kept cumin n cumin and with all the steam that was coming out of the ground aswel and agen ihav no idea where all te water was cumin from.
We drove dwn to Napier which was by the sea but still cld. there was some car thing going on so there were loadsa random rally cars round the place. We had a pizza in the motel which has 2 bedrooms and a kitchen living area and a bathroom whichlookd so scabby.
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| New Zealand 2007 pt 3 |
Day 6 - 2nd Aug 2007
Our first driving day. Picked up the car early and had a massive breakfast at Denny's before heading off.
Although Auckland seemed deadly quiet compared to Hong Kong - the roads were pretty chock-a-block until well outside the city. Once out though, you start to see the fantastic volcanic North Island scenery. All very green - in fact, more shades of green than you can imagine. Quite a few cows around and even a few deer but haven't seen any sheep yet!
Arrived in Rotorua late afternoon and Annette, Helen & Andrew hit the pool and Mark went for a walk around the lake shore. Rotorua is the name of the lake with the volcanic island. The whole area is active and steam escapes all over the town. Bizarrely hot steam leaks out through holes or man hole covers all around the streets. In theory it's all quite safe but it does give the impression that it could all blow up any time and people aren't really supposed to live here!
In the evening we went to the Matai Hangi dinner - this is a Maori village which hosts a re-enactment of Maori song, dance & stories, the traditional barbecue style meal (the Hangi) and a walk through the rain forest in the dark to see the eels and glow worms. There are a lot of these dinners around and it is pretty touristy but the whole evening was pretty good and better than some that are hosted in downtown halls.
Helen says -
spent most of the day driving- very borin. As we were drivin there was a huge smell of egs becuase the lake was sulphur water it smelt like a hundred sink bombs had be let off at once. There was steam cumin out from the man hole covers like the water was coming out of them on the last day of term.
wen we got to he hotel it looked really posh and it looked like me and andrew were the youngest people at the hotel because there was a convention for construction on. me andrew and mum wet for a swim and the pool was lurvely very warm just wot u want after a day of driving.
we then went out for a mouari meal and we went for a walk thru the wood and watched men in jst a littl grass skirt on some didnt have a bak 2 them and not all of them had a bk to them and not all of them were fit in fact the "chief" was fat and old and one of the guys looked jst a lil oler than me lol . we watched a show thing and learnt a bit of the haka but i cant remba ne of it now lol. then we ate a meal and ate loadsa meat cos tht was the only thing i liked lol.
Although Auckland seemed deadly quiet compared to Hong Kong - the roads were pretty chock-a-block until well outside the city. Once out though, you start to see the fantastic volcanic North Island scenery. All very green - in fact, more shades of green than you can imagine. Quite a few cows around and even a few deer but haven't seen any sheep yet!
Arrived in Rotorua late afternoon and Annette, Helen & Andrew hit the pool and Mark went for a walk around the lake shore. Rotorua is the name of the lake with the volcanic island. The whole area is active and steam escapes all over the town. Bizarrely hot steam leaks out through holes or man hole covers all around the streets. In theory it's all quite safe but it does give the impression that it could all blow up any time and people aren't really supposed to live here!
In the evening we went to the Matai Hangi dinner - this is a Maori village which hosts a re-enactment of Maori song, dance & stories, the traditional barbecue style meal (the Hangi) and a walk through the rain forest in the dark to see the eels and glow worms. There are a lot of these dinners around and it is pretty touristy but the whole evening was pretty good and better than some that are hosted in downtown halls.
Helen says -
spent most of the day driving- very borin. As we were drivin there was a huge smell of egs becuase the lake was sulphur water it smelt like a hundred sink bombs had be let off at once. There was steam cumin out from the man hole covers like the water was coming out of them on the last day of term.
wen we got to he hotel it looked really posh and it looked like me and andrew were the youngest people at the hotel because there was a convention for construction on. me andrew and mum wet for a swim and the pool was lurvely very warm just wot u want after a day of driving.
we then went out for a mouari meal and we went for a walk thru the wood and watched men in jst a littl grass skirt on some didnt have a bak 2 them and not all of them had a bk to them and not all of them were fit in fact the "chief" was fat and old and one of the guys looked jst a lil oler than me lol . we watched a show thing and learnt a bit of the haka but i cant remba ne of it now lol. then we ate a meal and ate loadsa meat cos tht was the only thing i liked lol.
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| New Zealand 2007 pt 2 |
Tuesday 7 August 2007
Day 5 - 1st Aug 2007
First full day in Auckland and our 20th wedding anniversary - pretty special place to celebrate.
Early showers gave way to a beautiful spring-like day. We caught the ferry across the harbour to Devonport - a lovely small town with victorian style wooden houses. We walked out to headland of North Shore which has a lot of history as a fort and gun emplacement protecting the harbour.
We had the best fish & chips sitting on the harbour wall at Devonport before catching the ferry back to the city. We headed for the Sky Tower (the tallest building in the southern hemisphere) and enjoyed the great views of the city including watching the mad people jumping off doing the bungy jump from the top!
Helen & Andrew decided we should celebrate our anniversary so they took a pizza from Pizza Hut back to the hotel to eat in their room and Annette & Mark had a nice quiet dinner at an Italian restaurant on the harbour before heading to a local Irish pub to have a couple of beers in front of a lovely fire and listen to some good live music.
helen says-
went to devonport which is off the coast of auckland but i is the complete opposite no high rise. we wlkd up the 2 small volcano hills at the top of which were forts which were used to protect auckland over the many years it has been there. on one of the hill there was a place that we watchd a video all about the history of auckland FUN!!!
then we went onto the skytower but b4 we went on we sat dwn 2 hav a rest where anuva video was bein playd bout the volcanoes of auckland. Dad was falling asleep it was really funny. then we finally went up the skytowr when we were up ther we were standin on the glass floors high above all the high rise buildings. we were leanin on the glass n everything.
it was myparents 20th anniversary so me n andrew got a pizza and ate them in the room while they went out for a meal. we watchd loadsa tv which was kl cos we wer gettin along as wel as we can do lol.
Early showers gave way to a beautiful spring-like day. We caught the ferry across the harbour to Devonport - a lovely small town with victorian style wooden houses. We walked out to headland of North Shore which has a lot of history as a fort and gun emplacement protecting the harbour.
We had the best fish & chips sitting on the harbour wall at Devonport before catching the ferry back to the city. We headed for the Sky Tower (the tallest building in the southern hemisphere) and enjoyed the great views of the city including watching the mad people jumping off doing the bungy jump from the top!
Helen & Andrew decided we should celebrate our anniversary so they took a pizza from Pizza Hut back to the hotel to eat in their room and Annette & Mark had a nice quiet dinner at an Italian restaurant on the harbour before heading to a local Irish pub to have a couple of beers in front of a lovely fire and listen to some good live music.
helen says-
went to devonport which is off the coast of auckland but i is the complete opposite no high rise. we wlkd up the 2 small volcano hills at the top of which were forts which were used to protect auckland over the many years it has been there. on one of the hill there was a place that we watchd a video all about the history of auckland FUN!!!
then we went onto the skytower but b4 we went on we sat dwn 2 hav a rest where anuva video was bein playd bout the volcanoes of auckland. Dad was falling asleep it was really funny. then we finally went up the skytowr when we were up ther we were standin on the glass floors high above all the high rise buildings. we were leanin on the glass n everything.
it was myparents 20th anniversary so me n andrew got a pizza and ate them in the room while they went out for a meal. we watchd loadsa tv which was kl cos we wer gettin along as wel as we can do lol.
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| New Zealand 2007 pt 1 |
Day 4 - 31st July 2007
Arrived in Sydney about 8 and then connecting flight to Auckland at 11. Overnight flight to Sydney wasn't special - Annette's video system didn't work but at least she got a duty voucher as compensation. Auckland flight was on a clean modern Airbus run by LAN that was continuing on to Santiago in Chile after Auckland.
Caught a taxi to the hotel (The Sebel Suites) on Viaduct Harbour. Traffic was awful so the journey took about an hour. Slight mix-up on the reservation but they quickly took care of it and we had two nice rooms next to each other.
Quick walk around the city centre to find somewhere to eat - ended up back at a restaurant on the harbour behind the hotel. First New Zealand lamb of the visit - good food but slow service.
Helen says -
Nm happened got to Sydney airport had breakfast got n another plane to get to auckland New Zealand.
We got a taxi from the airport and I was shattered and slept the whole way there (i hadnt slept much on the plane)
The hotel was lush me and andrew shared a room but it wasnt really a room more like a studio apartment with a open plan kitchen, living area and bedroom and we also had the biggest bathroom ever it was unbelievable!! it was bigger than my parents even tho they had seperate room thing(not all open plan) and it was a wet room it was really odd having a shower in the corner of the room straight onto the floor.
Caught a taxi to the hotel (The Sebel Suites) on Viaduct Harbour. Traffic was awful so the journey took about an hour. Slight mix-up on the reservation but they quickly took care of it and we had two nice rooms next to each other.
Quick walk around the city centre to find somewhere to eat - ended up back at a restaurant on the harbour behind the hotel. First New Zealand lamb of the visit - good food but slow service.
Helen says -
Nm happened got to Sydney airport had breakfast got n another plane to get to auckland New Zealand.
We got a taxi from the airport and I was shattered and slept the whole way there (i hadnt slept much on the plane)
The hotel was lush me and andrew shared a room but it wasnt really a room more like a studio apartment with a open plan kitchen, living area and bedroom and we also had the biggest bathroom ever it was unbelievable!! it was bigger than my parents even tho they had seperate room thing(not all open plan) and it was a wet room it was really odd having a shower in the corner of the room straight onto the floor.
Day 3 - 30th July 2007
Had breakfast in the hotel and read in the paper that we're now in the longest heatwave Hong Kong has known - they've had warnings out for a week now and heat shelters have been opened for the vulnerable.
We made use of the excellent in-town check-in to check in for our flights to Auckland which meant we could dump our bags and head out for more sightseeing before flying out in the evening.
Took the MTR train out to Tung Chung to catch the bus out to the Yin Ping monastery & giant buddha.
Normally there's a cable car to take you up the mountain, but it's under maintenance so we had to catch the bus - which was a fun ride on narrow roads with quite a lot of roadworks.
Passed through small seaside villages which gave the impression of mediterranean towns (small, white low-rise buildings which are quite a change from HK) ibut with a touch of china.
The Buddha was very impressive with 230+ steps to reach the top. Great views all around. Nice "Walk of Wisdom" out to view a Sutra carved into 26 wooden posts arranged in the shape of the infinity symbol.
The heat was overwhelming and we took the bus back down to Tung Chung where there's an outlet shopping mall and we had a quick tea before catching yet another bus to take us to the nearby airport. With the check-in already done, we went quickly through security, had dinner in the Champions Sports bar and caught the 21.15 Qantas flight to Sydney and then onto Auckland.
Helen says -
another busy day.
We were catching a plane to sydney then to new zealand later on today so we checked in our bags at the train station and there were no ques which never happens in england!
we then went off to a place with a huge buddha that you can c for miles because it is so big and sits on a mountain. we climbed all the steps up to the buddha there were about 230 of them it was very hard in the heatwave that HK is having at the moment . we then wlked a short wlk to loadsa tall stick stickin out the ground at this point i was hot and bothered and was gettin bitten to death all in the same place - the bottom of my right leg. apparently the tall sticks were called sutras they were in the figure of 8 and that was supposed to celbrate something to do with adultery i cant rember quite wot (yh i no i dnt get it either)
then we headed off to the airport all hot and sweaty no good, thank god we didnt have bags to check in cos we were all so tired and cba to worry about quing to check in bags.
We made use of the excellent in-town check-in to check in for our flights to Auckland which meant we could dump our bags and head out for more sightseeing before flying out in the evening.
Took the MTR train out to Tung Chung to catch the bus out to the Yin Ping monastery & giant buddha.
Normally there's a cable car to take you up the mountain, but it's under maintenance so we had to catch the bus - which was a fun ride on narrow roads with quite a lot of roadworks.
Passed through small seaside villages which gave the impression of mediterranean towns (small, white low-rise buildings which are quite a change from HK) ibut with a touch of china.
The Buddha was very impressive with 230+ steps to reach the top. Great views all around. Nice "Walk of Wisdom" out to view a Sutra carved into 26 wooden posts arranged in the shape of the infinity symbol.
The heat was overwhelming and we took the bus back down to Tung Chung where there's an outlet shopping mall and we had a quick tea before catching yet another bus to take us to the nearby airport. With the check-in already done, we went quickly through security, had dinner in the Champions Sports bar and caught the 21.15 Qantas flight to Sydney and then onto Auckland.
Helen says -
another busy day.
We were catching a plane to sydney then to new zealand later on today so we checked in our bags at the train station and there were no ques which never happens in england!
we then went off to a place with a huge buddha that you can c for miles because it is so big and sits on a mountain. we climbed all the steps up to the buddha there were about 230 of them it was very hard in the heatwave that HK is having at the moment . we then wlked a short wlk to loadsa tall stick stickin out the ground at this point i was hot and bothered and was gettin bitten to death all in the same place - the bottom of my right leg. apparently the tall sticks were called sutras they were in the figure of 8 and that was supposed to celbrate something to do with adultery i cant rember quite wot (yh i no i dnt get it either)
then we headed off to the airport all hot and sweaty no good, thank god we didnt have bags to check in cos we were all so tired and cba to worry about quing to check in bags.
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| Hong Kong pt 3 |
Day 2 - 29th July 2007
1st full day in Hong Kong. Started with a quick breakfast in the nearby Starbucks before getting the Star Ferry over to Hong Kong Island. It's already pretty hot & humid at 8 am.
Over on the island, we headed straight to the nearby bus stop to catch the bus to the bottom of the cable car to get up to the peak - didn't get quite the right one and got the bus to the top of the peak which was actually a better ride.
It was still incredibly hot at the top and we went for the circular walk around the peak. Fantastic views around the bay. Caught the tram down from the peak into the town and bus back into the centre. Then walked to the bottom of the escalator, apparently the longest in the world, to take us back up to the Mid-Levels. Another walk from there back down going through the botanical gardens and Government House.
Paul had told us about the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant in Aberdeen so we caught another bus over there - the buses and underground (MTR) are absolutely fantastic. All are clean & safe, buses run every 10 minutes, the Octopus card is easy to use. And most important - they're all beautifully air conditioned!
Caught the ferry back to Kowloon in time to see the start of the nightly light show again. Then walked to the Temple Street market which is full of stalls selling fake Gucci, Oakley etc.
From there caught a bus back to the hotel where we discussed some exceptional offers on a new camera we'd been offered on the way around the markets. Decided to go back and take up the offer - probably a big mistake. Best not to go into details, but we do have a couple of good cameras even if not the bargain we'd thought they were.
End of another long day and bed was very welcome.
Helen says -
Very busy day today!!
Went to starbucks for breakfast had a gorgeous blueberry muffin that was absolutely delightful lol and had a berry slush thing for drink because it was soooo hot and that was at like 10 in the morning (it was almost 30 degrees).
We got the ferry over to Hong Kong island (we are staying on the other side of the river in a place called Kowloon) then got a bus up to the top of the mountains and went on a walk and it was soooo hot i cudnt believe it. In england i was using an umbrella to keep the rain off but in HK I was using an umbrella for shelter from the sun - it was normal every1 was using umbrellas. There was a building on top of the mountain and we climbed to the top of it and went on the roof and it was too hot to stay up there! normally wen we go away it wud b this hot but i wud b in a bikini lying by a pool not wlkin around and climbing up mountain etc.
we went bk into the town and went on loadsa escalator type things bk to the top of HK island (it was bui;t on the mountain so is very steep hills tooo steep to climb) then we climbed dwn the hill again and wlkd thru the zoo, most of the animls had the rite idea and were lying in the shade having a siesta while we were wlkin thru the middle of the city with the boiling hot sun burning dwn on us :-(
we caught another bus to a side of the HK island called Aberdeen (they use a lot of english names out here it felt so weird saying that we were catching a bus to Aberdeen wen we were almost half way around the world lol.
we ate more chinese food but this time on a boat which was elaborately decorated in the middle of the river.
We caught the ferry back over to Kowloon and lookd thru a nite market wiv loadsa fake designer stuff (There are loadsa real designer stores here aswel i wish i had eough money jst to wlk thru the doors lol) i didnt buy nething there bt i did buy a new camera so andrew is gettin my old one.
One thing i hav to say is that the public transport here is amazing it is so reliable and because we had octopus cards kinda like bus passes we jst wlkd strait ona nd off the buses wen we wanted and we always manged to sit at the front on the second floor (all buses were double deckers) the transport in england shud b more like this
Over on the island, we headed straight to the nearby bus stop to catch the bus to the bottom of the cable car to get up to the peak - didn't get quite the right one and got the bus to the top of the peak which was actually a better ride.
It was still incredibly hot at the top and we went for the circular walk around the peak. Fantastic views around the bay. Caught the tram down from the peak into the town and bus back into the centre. Then walked to the bottom of the escalator, apparently the longest in the world, to take us back up to the Mid-Levels. Another walk from there back down going through the botanical gardens and Government House.
Paul had told us about the Jumbo Kingdom floating restaurant in Aberdeen so we caught another bus over there - the buses and underground (MTR) are absolutely fantastic. All are clean & safe, buses run every 10 minutes, the Octopus card is easy to use. And most important - they're all beautifully air conditioned!
Caught the ferry back to Kowloon in time to see the start of the nightly light show again. Then walked to the Temple Street market which is full of stalls selling fake Gucci, Oakley etc.
From there caught a bus back to the hotel where we discussed some exceptional offers on a new camera we'd been offered on the way around the markets. Decided to go back and take up the offer - probably a big mistake. Best not to go into details, but we do have a couple of good cameras even if not the bargain we'd thought they were.
End of another long day and bed was very welcome.
Helen says -
Very busy day today!!
Went to starbucks for breakfast had a gorgeous blueberry muffin that was absolutely delightful lol and had a berry slush thing for drink because it was soooo hot and that was at like 10 in the morning (it was almost 30 degrees).
We got the ferry over to Hong Kong island (we are staying on the other side of the river in a place called Kowloon) then got a bus up to the top of the mountains and went on a walk and it was soooo hot i cudnt believe it. In england i was using an umbrella to keep the rain off but in HK I was using an umbrella for shelter from the sun - it was normal every1 was using umbrellas. There was a building on top of the mountain and we climbed to the top of it and went on the roof and it was too hot to stay up there! normally wen we go away it wud b this hot but i wud b in a bikini lying by a pool not wlkin around and climbing up mountain etc.
we went bk into the town and went on loadsa escalator type things bk to the top of HK island (it was bui;t on the mountain so is very steep hills tooo steep to climb) then we climbed dwn the hill again and wlkd thru the zoo, most of the animls had the rite idea and were lying in the shade having a siesta while we were wlkin thru the middle of the city with the boiling hot sun burning dwn on us :-(
we caught another bus to a side of the HK island called Aberdeen (they use a lot of english names out here it felt so weird saying that we were catching a bus to Aberdeen wen we were almost half way around the world lol.
we ate more chinese food but this time on a boat which was elaborately decorated in the middle of the river.
We caught the ferry back over to Kowloon and lookd thru a nite market wiv loadsa fake designer stuff (There are loadsa real designer stores here aswel i wish i had eough money jst to wlk thru the doors lol) i didnt buy nething there bt i did buy a new camera so andrew is gettin my old one.
One thing i hav to say is that the public transport here is amazing it is so reliable and because we had octopus cards kinda like bus passes we jst wlkd strait ona nd off the buses wen we wanted and we always manged to sit at the front on the second floor (all buses were double deckers) the transport in england shud b more like this
 |
| Hong Kong pt 2 |
Saturday 4 August 2007
Day 1 - 28th July 2007
Arrived in HK on time at around 4pm. BA031 economy was better than expected - surprisingly good food and video-on-demand so plenty to help pass the time.
By the time we'd collected the bags, caught the train and shuttle bus to the hotel (the very nice Marco Polo), it was about 6pm. Dumped the bags and headed out for a walk to try to keep awake for as long as possible. Luckily we were in time to nab a good place to watch the nightly light & music show - and on Saturdays, they have fireworks as well. Great show - some photos on the Picasa site (follow the link below).
After the show - headed into town to find some food. Luckily found an excellent Shanghai restaurant down in a basement but the food was great and there was a reassuringly high ratio of locals vs. tourists. All coped well with chopsticks - in fact didn't have to ask for forks all weekend.
Back to the hotel for a well-needed sleep after the crucial stop at Haagen Daaz on the way back.
Helen says:
ola lol duno wot it is in chinese lol (thats wot they speak in HK)
the plane was wel kl we had like littl tvs n i watchd loadsa things -Hot fuzz - really funny, wild hogs - funny but i kept fallin asleep i was soooo tired, and the start of blades of glory bort bk memories lol dw my own littl ones.
well we watched the fireworks show- mazin the lights on all the bildings were all in time with the music and there were loadsa high rise buildings with lights flashing wot wud the martians hav thort lol ( im not weird its jst wot i was thinkin at the time lol)
the chinese restraunt made me feel wel out of place cos normally i dnt like chinese food and there wer loadsa little bowls and stuff which was really scary wen u dnt no nething bout chinese food and culture one rule i can remba was do not put the chopsticks dwn newhere but on the special rest things. 2 things i realisd bout myself 1- i do like chinese food and 2- i can use chopsticks!!
wel im jst a lil tired now so wel bye lol
il rite more later
xxx
Andrews says:
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! everyone. day 1 was the best day everrr!wwooooooooooooooowwwwwwww! it was amazing! the light and firework show was great. our hotel room was soooooo coooolll, very posh.there was a tree outside the window still in the pot.
fromn andrew the great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By the time we'd collected the bags, caught the train and shuttle bus to the hotel (the very nice Marco Polo), it was about 6pm. Dumped the bags and headed out for a walk to try to keep awake for as long as possible. Luckily we were in time to nab a good place to watch the nightly light & music show - and on Saturdays, they have fireworks as well. Great show - some photos on the Picasa site (follow the link below).
After the show - headed into town to find some food. Luckily found an excellent Shanghai restaurant down in a basement but the food was great and there was a reassuringly high ratio of locals vs. tourists. All coped well with chopsticks - in fact didn't have to ask for forks all weekend.
Back to the hotel for a well-needed sleep after the crucial stop at Haagen Daaz on the way back.
Helen says:
ola lol duno wot it is in chinese lol (thats wot they speak in HK)
the plane was wel kl we had like littl tvs n i watchd loadsa things -Hot fuzz - really funny, wild hogs - funny but i kept fallin asleep i was soooo tired, and the start of blades of glory bort bk memories lol dw my own littl ones.
well we watched the fireworks show- mazin the lights on all the bildings were all in time with the music and there were loadsa high rise buildings with lights flashing wot wud the martians hav thort lol ( im not weird its jst wot i was thinkin at the time lol)
the chinese restraunt made me feel wel out of place cos normally i dnt like chinese food and there wer loadsa little bowls and stuff which was really scary wen u dnt no nething bout chinese food and culture one rule i can remba was do not put the chopsticks dwn newhere but on the special rest things. 2 things i realisd bout myself 1- i do like chinese food and 2- i can use chopsticks!!
wel im jst a lil tired now so wel bye lol
il rite more later
xxx
Andrews says:
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! everyone. day 1 was the best day everrr!wwooooooooooooooowwwwwwww! it was amazing! the light and firework show was great. our hotel room was soooooo coooolll, very posh.there was a tree outside the window still in the pot.
fromn andrew the great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 |
| Hong Kong 2007 |
Friday 27 July 2007
Day 0
The day to leave has finally arrived. The packing is almost complete and it looks like it might fit in the bags. They look big enough to hold enough stuff for a month but in theory it's really only about 2 weeks' worth.
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