Destination: New Zealand

Pre-trip ramblings

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 | By torie | Views [296]

Hey everyone I thought that the easiest way to keep in touch with you all while I'm away is to create this journal thingy. So...for the month that I am away if you haven't had any emails from me, check this journal and there should be some updates on ... Read more >

Tags: Work

What do The Simpsons and haunted pubs have in common? A town called Springfield!

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 | By dirosa | Views [580]

The weather in the South Island was unbearably freezing with snow and ice everywhere.   It was so cold I had to sleep in thermals, woolly socks and hat. After spending the first few days in Christchurch we hired a car and headed to a small town ... Read more >

Petrol Prices

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [771] | Comments [1]

Strange - every single station we passed charged 153.9 cents for a litre of petrol. You'd think that if they were fixing the price they'd bump it up a bit - anyhow, we filled our Toyoto Camry with as much of the stuff we could fit and then set out on ... Read more >

Tags: planes trains & automobiles

Lady Norwood

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [668]

Not knowing who Lady Norwood is, was, or will be, we nonetheless took the time to visit the rose garden named in her honour, because Ruth's family home shares a name with that lady. Unlike the garden at no. 76, the rose garden on the hill overlooking ... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing

WOW to Windy Welly

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [670]

Nelson is the largest urban centre on the north coast of New Zealand's South Island, and as such serves as a meeting point for everyone within a 30 mile radius - particularly at the weekend when the Nelson Market takes over Montgomery Square. Unfortunately, ... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing

Witnessing Sodom

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 | By jonnygo | Views [1057]

Even from the small gravelly car park our souls were in peril. Whispy hands of white sulphorous gas ebbed at our feet like a scene from, "The Fog."   Ominous clouds of white rose around our bodies. The playwright James Bernard Shaw named ... Read more >

Tags: Adventures

Abel Tasman National Park

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [687]

On the advice of our hostess we took a drive today out to Kaiteriteri , a lovely little seaside village - though village may be an exaggeration. Above the village is Kaka Point , a viewing spot at the top of a steep incline, from where you can see ... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing

South Island

Thu, 9 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [551]

New Zealand is comprised of two main islands, understandably named the North Island and the South Island . Separated by the Cook Straits on the surface and the Pacific / Australian plate intersection at a deeper level, the two islands actually ... Read more >

Tags: planes trains & automobiles

Wellington

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [574]

A Carrolls type tourist shop that we wandered into in Auckland was selling upside down maps. Arguing that there's no nautral up or down in the planet -  they repainted the globe with New Zealand occupying a spot around where we'd normally find ... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing

I took the wild food challenge

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 | By jonnygo | Views [3105] | Comments [1]

Yes, I've crunched cobra in Cambodia and munched mouse in the Mekong but the wild food I refer to here is one of less extremes. I am a staunch advocate of game.  Full of real flavour, free range, organic, low in fat, it's the antithesis of all that ... Read more >

Tags: Food & eating

My Taupo Trout recipe

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 | By jonnygo | Views [1490] | Comments [1]

Amaze/frustrate your backpacker bretheren with my simple trout recipe. The rainbow trout I used were smoked but you could easily use poached trout or even salmon. Serves 1 hungry backpacker. Ingredients Portion of egg noodles - boiled for 2 minutes ... Read more >

Tags: Food & eating

Hay

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 | By dj | Views [419]

I can't belive we're moving again to Australia E-mail me at izzylovers@hotmail.com if you like this.

Tags: Relaxation

Gone Fishing....at last

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 | By jonnygo | Views [1052]

Tumbling white rapids bounced and spat as I cast my fly across the current.  Gusty winds made conditions difficult, but once sunk, my hare and copper lure danced along the stoney river bed enticingly.. Dressed in chest-high neoprene waders, the clarity ... Read more >

Tags: Adventures

Auckland from Above

Tue, 7 Aug 2007 | By ciaranandruth | Views [505] | Comments [1]

The tallest structure south of the equator is Auckland's Sky Tower - a distinctive feature on the cityscape peaking, as it does, at some 328m above the ground. Though we didn't eat there, the Orbit Restaurant at about 200m is a rotating eaterie - ... Read more >

Tags: Sightseeing

Our last day

Tue, 7 Aug 2007 | By karen-and-erik | Views [752] | Comments [3]

Our last day. We're in an internet cafe in Birkenhead. The plane leaves at 23.30 and them we have about 38 hours of travel before we arive home. Auckland - Hong Kong - London (26.5 hrs) 3 hrs wait, then London - Madrid. Another 3 hrs, then Madrid - Las ... Read more >

Tags: Philosophy of travel