A shockingly early update from New Zealand

Well here's a real treat for all you fans of our blog; here are some photos of the country we are actually in - efficient or what?!
We flew into Christchurch on the south island - it's an excellent way to see the southern alps stretching across the country below:


We were driving out of the city when we spotted this street on the map - the sign would have made a good souvienir. Sadly it was too high on the post and we were lacking the proper equipment:


One of the first orders of business was to check out Cardrona, one of the local ski fields. Lee took the plunge and got involved with learning to ski, and made very good progress without any lessons:


Some local exploring took us up Mount Iron for some good views of Lake Wanaka - also a picture from lake level:



Sadly there has not been much in the way of snow during July. Apparently it either comes in July or August to give the best skiing at either the beginning or end of the season, so our timing was a bit unlucky. To combat the lack of snow we took ourselves off to Dunedin on the east coast - crossing some massive countryside in the process:


The Kiwi take on a Cash Converters:


About to drive down the hill into Dunedin:


When we got to Dunedin we discovered that there is Cadbury factory there - we thought we'd take a look. Inside there is a glistening golden pyramid of Chrunchies, although on closer inspection we discovered that they were just wooden blocks:

We got onto a tour of the factory, but Lee was a bit too hairy so he was made to wear a beard net as well, although that didn't dampen his enthusiasm for all things Cadbury:



While I was in Wanaka I was not expecting to (or had budgeted for) going flying; but the airfield was so convenient to get to, and the mountain scenery was absolutely stunning, it would have been too good to miss. In order to hire a plane to go anywhere out of sight of the airfield I would have to have an introductory course to mountain flying, this sounded like fun to me, so off we went.
Lake Wanaka from the air:


All the while it was threatening to snow, and there was a little bit occasionally, best seen from the top of Cardrona when the wind isn't so fresh:



On the second Monday of the school holidays everyone else went skiing while I flew to Milford sound. Superlatives do not really do the landscape any justice:


The airfield is right at the head of the inlet, packed tightly onto the only really suitable piece of land around. It serves as a major tourist drop-off point for people going on lunchtime cruises. The morning I went it was very icy - feet well clear of the brakes:



After landing we took-off and had an orbit or two around the sound to get enough height to cross the mountains for home:


Cardrona where everyone else was skiing that morning:


Flying done with for the day I headed to Cardrona to meet everyone else for lunch:

Lee and John having some fun at the end of the day:


Next was to head over to the Treble Cone resort on the other side if town. The day I went there were some really spectacular views to be had:


The guys I went with wanted to walk from the top of the highest lift to the peak to get a better run; and after 20 minutes of hard work we got to the top. You can just see the chairlift in the first photo; with me trying to look my coolest at the top - having just knackered myself out walking up, and getting buffeted by a howling wind in the second:



Another day and some more flying. I took Kay along to be the photographer, and she got some excellent shots of Lake Wanaka and the Wilkin river:




With the snow mostly being pretty poor in the downhill resorts we decided to give cross-country skiing a go. Kay took us up to the Snowfarm (where she is a volunteer 'friend') and showed us the ropes:

It's basically a basin filled with loads of terraced tracks for you to go around, and once you get in the track and start lunging, time goes surprisingly quickly:


More to come...stay tuned

-Tim

Photos of Australia...(finally)

Well here are the much promised photos of Australia. There are a lot of them (80 ish) so unless you have some good broadband it could take a while - especially if we run out of bandwidth from Photobucket.
First off are a couple of pictures of our fist explore of the peninsula; we took a drive down to Cape Schank on the bottom of the peninsula:



Melbourne is very easy to get to - being just an hour away on the train. There are some better photos of Melbourne further down this post. But for now be content with a picture of me and a car fish tank:


Savers was a bit of a curiosity for us. It is like a charity shop, but is part of a chain, has two floors, and even an escalator. Lee managed to come out with some "pre-owned" books:


Saturday; horse racing. Fergus had a horse of his, Francombe, entered in a race at Sandown. Sadly it wasn't as long as Frank needed to get going and he finished well down the field. Kieran with Frank just before the start:


On the way back from the races we took in a bit of culture at a sculpture park. Apparently people who live in Victoria are statistically the most cultured in Australia - it's amazing the useful things you pickup as you travel around. Lee is here getting interactive with the art:



The edge of the mangroves near Hastings:


I can't resist pancakes normally, but when they are lovely, you just have to:


In Melbourne again we took a trip to the gallery. One of the more interesting features is the wall of water; as Lee is demonstrating:


I get to grips with some pie-based internet:


On our way up to Alice Springs we had a stop in Adelaide where we met up with Tony, one of Mum and Dad's friends from when they were in Oz. He had a 30 year old Holden that luckily only overheated just once:


The unchanging view from the train window - it's basically all you see for hours on end:


The Olgas:


Everyone knows what Ayers Rock looks like - and photos can't really do it justice. Here are a couple of different angles and some rock paintings for you:




Pie mobile:


Sunset over Alice Springs:


On getting back to Melbourne we decided to immerse ourselves in Australian culture; we went to a footy match. Saint Kilda taught the Sydney Swans a lesson at the Telstra Dome. We completed the experience by having some pies at half-time:


Lee and Kieran tucking in:


While we were in Alice Springs the materials for the shed arrived. First order of business was getting the posts in; this required everyone getting involved for maximum leverage:


We took a trip with Fergus to a dairy farm to get some calves to rear. No sooner had we got there, and before we really knew what was going on, we had been issued with milking wear and sent down to the parlour:


More work on the shed:



Olivia even made me a cake for my birthday:


The handy thing about Tyabb is that there is an airstrip within walking distance, and the flying is cheap by UK standards. Once I had run the paperwork gauntlet of the Australian CAA I could do some flying. First thing was to take a plane away for the weekend to Goroke, about 3 hours away.
Fuelling up the mighty Cessna:

Olivia very happy about something; I can't appear to believe something completely different:

The intrepid back-seater looking supprisingly well:

The Grampians:

Australia is incredibly dry at the moment. According to the map, this is a lake:


In Goroke we stayed on a small (5000 acre) farm; although there wasn't much growing due to the lack of rain.
The classic dunny:


Some suitably big machinery - note the human for scale:


O'Connors get everywhere apparently:


Leaving Horsham we flew back along the south coast of Victoria. What better way to see the great ocean road than from the air:





After our flying weekend away we went for a day out with Deb and Kieran to Coal Creek; it's a recreation of a pioneer days settlement at Kurumburra.
According to the signs we passed through Asparagus country on the way there:

Kieran finding a good use for an olden-days hammer:


The shed progresses:


We decided to hire a car and go for a trip up the east coast for a couple of weeks.
Lee checks out the tent:


En-route we came across a submarine that the town of Holbrook had dragged up on land to make their number one tourist attraction:


We emerged from the crash zone unscathed:


Keep on trucking:


How could we resist the drive-thru pie shop:


A bit juvenile, but we couldn't resist this petrol station photo opportunity:


Getting further up the coast, and driving through the night, we got to Byron Bay at sunrise:


After a few days we got to Brisbane. It was just a quick stop on our way further north:


We travelled up the coast a bit more and ended up spending the night in the tent. We camped near Rainbow Beach - opposite Fraser Island.
Proud of our handy-work:


Lee stomping around in the sea with Fraser Island in the distance:

The mangrove on the opposite side to the estuary:


Another warning of potential death ahead:


What could be more Australian than wrestling with a Crocodile? Nothing. When we discovered that we were going to be in the area of Steve Irwin's zoo, we just had to go:

We carefully read the Crocodile checklist and were all set. Unfortunately the man himself wasn't there for the show, but the lackeys put on a good one.



The zoo isn't just about animals that will kill you, they also have some Koalas:


You can just make out Charles Darwin's tortoise under the red heater lamp. If I was that old I'd spend all day in bed as well:


There are two enclosures with probably the tamest Kangaroos in the world:


Back on the road for the drive down to Sydney:


What tourist attraction could this be...yep, a giant Banana:



About to drive over the Sydney harbour bridge:


Hustle and bustle in the city centre:


Our first night in Sydney and a chance to take in a couple of landmarks:



Sydney even sports a Monorail. Lee was very excited by this; sadly it is not an evil one leading to an underground volcano lair or anything exciting like that:


The Sydney Tower:

Although there were awesome views from the top the pics didn't turn out that amazingly; the only one that did was Lee's stalker-cam shot through the telescope:


An exhibition at the bottom of the tower invited 'tim to explore' - so I did:


Unfortunately the only Platypus we saw in Australia was in Sydney aquarium - and it wasn't very photogenic either:


It's not until you get up close to the Sydney Opera House that you realise it is bright and shiny because it's tiled. And to think some people think that grouting a bathroom is bad enough:



Lee having a gay ol' time:


We took a walk over to the bridge. We even thought about climbing it until we realised we'd have to sell a kidney to pay for it. The next best thing was to go up one of the towers; but it did give a good view of the Opera House and the bridge climbers - I just hope they got their money's worth:




I guess this only funny if you are not Australian (or American):


PacMan ghost on the Zebra Crossing outside the station:


Night view of our local station. It was on the line to Bankstown where the excellent Pizza is filmed:


After Sydney we went back to Melbourne. I took the opportunity to take Kieran for a flight over the city:

Kieran took some photos of his cricket club - South Melbourne:


Mud Island in Port Philip Bay:


Some pretty impressive tides are at work at the mouth of Port Phillip Bay. Because of the difference in levels it is only possible to transit between the heads once during each tide:


An aerial photo of Kieran's school at recess, the best part for him was the fact he was having a cheeky day-off, but didn't miss anything important:


Overflying the farm - note the impressive construction effort on the left of the house:


Apparently this is our great-great-grandfather who captained tea clippers from China to London. He also owned the Lord Nelson pub in Trafalgar Road, Greenwich. It's amazing what you find out when you visit the other side of the world:


Kieran and us two posing at O'Connor Street (the path to the front door):


Well that's a sample of our time in Australia; next...New Zealand

- Tim