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wooooo...I know it's been ages since I updated, and I apologize for that!! I'm sure everyone who reads this is desperate to know what I've been doing...and seriously, it's been a lot...whew! I finally have a minute to sit down and gather my thoughts - I finally made it to Queenstown, which is gorgeous - right on a lake with the mountains across from town..kind of like Pokhara in Nepal...at least that's what I can relate it to. I've been in Dunedin for the past week, visiting with Maureen and Lochie, who are friends of my cousin Martine and her husband Phil. They live in a beautiful house just outside of Dunedin since retiring off of their farm late last year (where they kept 2200 sheep!)They had me planned out something SERIOUS - it was fantastic, we got so much into just five days....
The first day I arrived, I was able to chat with Maureen and Lochie, and then have dinner with one of their daughters Paula, and her husband Nick, who was really very funny.. The next day we first went to an auction, because I'd never been to one before, and it was hilarious...mostly a bunch of cast off stuff not really worth much, but Lochie bought a bunch of old 78 records (and they were super heavy when we had to carry them all to the car!!) They were selling things down to $1...I mean, it almost makes you want to bid when they're selling a huge bookcase for a $1, but no worries, I restrained myself.Then we headed out to the Otago Peninsula because it was quite windy - good conditions to see the Royal Albatross Colony, ...OMG these are the most amazing birds - I had been waiting to see them the whole time I've been in NZ! They have a wingspan of over six feet, and it was fantastic! Because of the bad weather out to sea, they were flying all around, and there were quite a few nesting as well. I got to see one with its chick, and she/he regurgitating food for it! hahaha That same day we drove out to see yellow-eyed penguins coming into land from the sea, and watch them squawking at each other over their nests and their chicks.
The following day, I was super lucky and spoiled because I went out to pick up some plants at a nursery and then to Port Chalmers for lunch with Paula, who was lovely and friendly. THEN, I got to go to the CADBURY'S FACTORY which was super luxurious because there weren't many people on our tour, so we got tons of free samples of chocolate. There were lovely smells all over of sweetened milk and melted chocolate. There was even a chocolate waterfall (I said to Lochie - this is the part where we sneak away to find the secret room...). Delish. AND from there we went to a tour of the Speight's brewery, whose tagline is "The Pride of the South". It was a great tour, super informative, and then at the end, we got to try SIX beers...mmmmm. FAB! We then headed to the Speight's restaurant for a great dinner and another beer. yum...
It was Robbie Burns day - so here I am with him in the most Scottish city in NZ - pity I was too late for my "wee nip" of whiskey and haggis!
The first day I arrived, I was able to chat with Maureen and Lochie, and then have dinner with one of their daughters Paula, and her husband Nick, who was really very funny.. The next day we first went to an auction, because I'd never been to one before, and it was hilarious...mostly a bunch of cast off stuff not really worth much, but Lochie bought a bunch of old 78 records (and they were super heavy when we had to carry them all to the car!!) They were selling things down to $1...I mean, it almost makes you want to bid when they're selling a huge bookcase for a $1, but no worries, I restrained myself.Then we headed out to the Otago Peninsula because it was quite windy - good conditions to see the Royal Albatross Colony, ...OMG these are the most amazing birds - I had been waiting to see them the whole time I've been in NZ! They have a wingspan of over six feet, and it was fantastic! Because of the bad weather out to sea, they were flying all around, and there were quite a few nesting as well. I got to see one with its chick, and she/he regurgitating food for it! hahaha That same day we drove out to see yellow-eyed penguins coming into land from the sea, and watch them squawking at each other over their nests and their chicks.
The following day, I was super lucky and spoiled because I went out to pick up some plants at a nursery and then to Port Chalmers for lunch with Paula, who was lovely and friendly. THEN, I got to go to the CADBURY'S FACTORY which was super luxurious because there weren't many people on our tour, so we got tons of free samples of chocolate. There were lovely smells all over of sweetened milk and melted chocolate. There was even a chocolate waterfall (I said to Lochie - this is the part where we sneak away to find the secret room...). Delish. AND from there we went to a tour of the Speight's brewery, whose tagline is "The Pride of the South". It was a great tour, super informative, and then at the end, we got to try SIX beers...mmmmm. FAB! We then headed to the Speight's restaurant for a great dinner and another beer. yum...
It was Robbie Burns day - so here I am with him in the most Scottish city in NZ - pity I was too late for my "wee nip" of whiskey and haggis!