Breakfasts and dinners are included witht his four day tour, so we took full advantage and loaded up with bacon, eggs, fruit, toast, etc. Most of the time we have just been having muffins and coffee in the hotel room, so this was a real treat. We walked off breakfast by exploring a bit of the neighbourhood arond the hotel, and went into a beautiful old Anglican church for a look around.
Our toour today took us to the gorge where we took a chairlift to the top - it was like an open ski chairlift - great view of the valley below us - and in summer you would be able to see huge rhodendron bushes in bloom - they were just in bud when we saw them though. There were 5 or 6 male peacocks on teh grounds at the top of the chairlift, and some of them raised their gorgeous tails for us to admire.
We stopped at platypus house, and were amazed at what unusual little creatures they are - I had thought they would be much larger. They are made form all God's spare parts - duck bill, webbed feet, egg laying mammals, ith a spur on the hind foot like a rooster, which contains poison like a snake, with a flat tail much like a beaver, and they swim like an otter. They swim so fast that we weren't able to get very good photos of them.
Back at the hotel we had complimentary wine and hot canapes before going into the dining room. We had made arrangements for Toni and her husband to meet us in the piano bar just off the front entrance of the hotel, but they were serving Pavlova for dessert and I just had to find out what that was all about. Yummy meringue with custard and fresh fruit and cream. Kept Toni waiting a bit while we had dessert, but she was kind enough to wait. It was her birthday and she was kind enought to share some of her special day with us. They brought is a lovely bottle of Launceston white whine, and we chatted and chatted until the staff started to make it very clear that they would like to close up. Both Toni and her husband had to work the following day, so we had to be hapy with just a brief visit. It was so nice to be able to put a face to yet another name that I've only known through the internet.
OUR ITINERARY **NEW, REVISED AND UP TO DATE**
- If we're going to be in your city and you want to get together for a cup of coffee, leave a message at our hotel, or send me an email ahead of time at shakos@sympatico.ca - we'll try to rendezvous with you. That would be great fun!
- Sat. Oct. 20 - Arrive in Christchurch, New Zealand and stay at the Copthorne Central Hotel, phone 03 379 5880.
- Mon. Oct. 22 - TranzAlpine Train ride to Franz Josef, staying at the Franz Josef Glacier Hotel, phone 03 752 0729.
- Tues. Oct. 23 - Queenstown, staying at the Novotel Gardens, phone 03 442 7750.
- Thurs. Oct. 25 - Te Anau, staying at the Village Inn, phone 03-249 7911.
- Fri. Oct. 26 - Dunedin, staying at the Dunedin City Hotel, phone 03 470 1470. Hope to meet Chris Davies for coffee while we're there.
- Sat. Oct. 27 - Mount Cook National Park, staying at The Hermitage Hotel, phone 03 435 1809.
- Sun. Oct. 28 - Back at the Copthorne Central Hotel in Christchurch, phone 03 379 5580 till Oct. 30th. We'll then take the ferry to the North Island and stay with Beulah from Oct. 30th, till November 5th.
- Mon. Nov. 5 - Pick up a car for a self-drive tour to Auckland. (Biting my nails as you guys drive on the wrong side of the road - giggle). Stay at the Lakeland Resort, Taupo, phone 07 378 3893 on the 5th, and at the Heritage Rotorua on the 6th and 7th, phone 07 348 1189.
- Thurs. Nov. 8 - Arrive in Auckland and stay with Lizzie and her husband John. I've promised to teach an ink and oil rouging design for Lizzie while I'm there.
- Mon. Nov. 12 - It's all over but the curtain calls. Fly from Auckland back to Los Angeles, where we will stay a week with my aunt. A good chance to shake off some of the jet lag.
- Sun. Nov. 18 - Back in Canada. All good things have to come to an end. The memories, however, will last a lifetime.
Friday, October 12, 2007
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