Jane and Robin Learn the Kiwi Life

Deeper into Spring

More flowers/more sunshine/more activity -- we are assured that more heat will arrive eventually.  Still, it is great fun surrounded by fantastic beauty.

Spring Arriving

We are just through the equinox -- more light than dark here in the antipodes.  The weather is warming and we're getting more sun.  Lambing season has begun, so the Peninsula Tracks (day hikes) are closed.  Trout season opens on October 1st.  The school year ends in mid-October and we have several friends scheduled to come visit. We live just past the suburb, village really, of Macandrew Bay.  New Zealand 'dairies' take on the role of Korean markets in NY or 7/11s elsewhere.  Life in New Zealand is good, indeed.

It's winter -- deal.

Part of coping with winter is having enough of the right layers.  The stores did not have any Cardigans, so we went to Clifton Wool N Things on the Highcliff Road, just above us. Leave room in your suitcase for a new sweater when you come.  The yarn is not dyed.  Ian and Pat have bred sheep with different colors of wool.  No blue, yet.

Our days are getting longer.

The solstice has passed and it is now our winter.  This morning we got emphatic confirmation of that fact.  Maybe you should visit between October and April.  This could get chilly -- and, maybe, a little icy on the curvy road into town.

Auckland, the first time

We are just passing through Auckland as Jane heads to the US to see family and friends.  We dined in the Sky City Tower restaurant Orbit.  Having been told it was touristy, we were delighted at how good the food was.  The views are unbeatable.  The Orbit orbits every hour; we saw 540 degrees of Auckland.

We spent a little time in the Auckland Museum, which will require many more hours during our future visits.  We returned from the museum with a walk through the park.  The flowers were arresting, especially for so late in Autumn!  A flea market off the main retail street featured a Maori artist whose work we liked a lot.

Milford Sound

I                                                                                                                                                                                                            It rains 200 days a year at Milford Sound -- including the one when we were there. The winter crowds are smaller and we loved the town of Te Anau.  These pictures are mainly from the bus stops on the way to the Sound.  Only the large one is in the Sound.  More later.  We certainly can understand why Milford Sound is a 'must see' on the South Island.

Moeraki Boulders

With out-of-town Mark Griffiths here and with the end of lecturing for now, we have returned to exploring.  We went to Moeraki Boulders for a walk on the beach and Sunday lunch.  When you come, make sure we take you there.

 

Larnach Castle

Earlier, we made reference to Larnach Castle, which is "just up the hill' from us -- now we've been.  It is a 'tourist must see.'  Having said that, we agree.  It is well worth seeing.  The story of building it and the story of restoring it are both absorbing.  The the gardens are... and the views are nothing short of...you've heard this all before.  Take a look.

Going to Central

Central Otago is noted for its gorgeous scenery, its hiker/biker Rail Trail (later) and its vineyards.  We went to two, Carrick and Gibbston Valley.  Lunch on the veranda at Carrick was terrific -- check out the menu on their website.  In addition to wine, we bought cheese at Gibbston Valley.  It makes a nice combo with their wine.  We stayed at Iverson B&B in Alexandra.  The 'telephone poles' in the last picture are supports for bird nets when the cherries are ripe, just like the bird nets on the ripe, red grapes at Carrick.  Robyn and Roger treated us like a combination of royalty and old friends, which is very hard to beat.

The weekend weather was so good and the subsequent week so (otherwise) that we were reminded of the old expression, "Believe in miracles?  Shoot, we depend on them!"

Visitors

Our first visitors arrived on February 16th -- two sets.  Kristin's in-laws (our analogs), Sally and Sandy Smith, arrived for a few hours on a cruise ship. We had a terrific, if brief, visit before dashing to the airport to pick up Jane's parents, Margaret and Doug Chapin.  The party continues .