downundertraveller: Thurs. Sept. 13

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, September 21, 2007

Thurs. Sept. 13

Another beautiful day for an outing. Featherdale is literally about 5 minutes from Gwen and Bob's. It was fantastic to be able to walk among so many of the animals and birds. Of course there were lots of them in cages as well. There was a huge variety of species to look at. We saw a Joey sticking his head out his mother's pouch, a baby koala having a ride on his mother's back, heard a kookaburra laugh - yes they really do!

We saw a large bird displaying for his lady friend, and a peacock treated us to the most amazing display of his tail feathers as he showed off for his lady. We also saw several birds - can't remember their names at present - maybe some of my Aussie friends can help me out here - but the knees bent in the opposite direction to usual - they sure looked strange sitting down. We also saw an emu, and a cassowary - about the same size as the emu, but with a red and blue head, and a great horny projection from the top of it's head. Apparently that's not the part to be afraid of - but watch out for his big toe as it will slice you open.

We saw a cute little echidna - an ant eater that has quills all over, much like our porcupines. There was a large salt water crocodile giving us a good look down his mouth, and enough lizards and snakes to make even Steph happy! Hi Steph!

Oh, yes - Happy Birthday Madeline