NZ rocks, as you can tell we are so glad to be back in the UK where the big bright warm ball in the sky is but a thing of fairy tales.
Oh well Mrs Fogg, better plan another trip fast!
Back to the UK here.
After a wobbly start; delayed in Christchurch for 40 minutes, rushed to Auckland and left in a passport control queue for an age with just 3 controllers and the gate closing for the LA flight, we eventually touched down at LA 11.12am NZ time (Sat 18 Feb), 2.12pm LA time (Fri 17 Feb), some 21 hours before we set off (gotta love time travelling).
So we will be back onboard the plane at 4pm LA time heading back to the COLD.
Have we missed the snow?
Taking my hat off to Mrs Fogg for planning and arranging a superb last 4 weeks 6231 miles from here.
Bags all checked in, Mrs Fogg much lighter on her itinery paperwork (I’m sure the wine and food may have replaced a little of that weight).
So the bags are off to Heathrow, are we?Chexk in 27 hours and see.
Will they won’t they be on a plane from here.
Now it’s a 2 hour drive to Christchurch Airport, dump the car and fly to Auckland, then LA, then Heathrow, then Manchester. See y’all in 27 hours. We set off at 8.30pm on Fri 17 Feb and land into London at 7.30am Saturday after going across the International Date Line. We is Time Travellers, We is! Well apart from the fact that the Christchurch to Auckland flight is showing as cancelled, uh oh trapped here we hope
Leaving Paradise here.
At midnight last night we watched our last NZ star show which was simply amazing, seeing the shooting stars, satellites and galaxies.
One more day left to get to Christchurch airport and enjoy the glorious clear skies with 20plus degrees of heat.
Our last NZ Breakfast was here.
These are the type of views in this world that make you simply stop and wonder for a few minutes and then the silence is broken as a coach turns up off loading a group of camera clicking Japanese who manage to drown out the cicadas or worse still our cousins across the pond complete with name badges stood there for a fraction of a second before proclaiming it’s ok but not as big or pretty as one back home.
Personally I enjoy the silence, no distractions and the chance to simply look, enjoy and not have to think about anything.
More wine anyone?
A little soul searching from here.
Even the geek there was quite good in a D-Reem type of fashion. They are even doing Southern Lights viewing tonight, but this is a two hour drive from our last night, so we missed the opportunity.
Worth visiting if you are ever down here.
Stranded in Geraldine we have been saved by Myron and Alycen in their local Bed and Breakfast that we found after following some local signs to their home on the hill.
Our Scenic motel had managed to miss our (paid for in advance!) booking but had one room left in a corner, behind the other rooms with a view of several walls and one large motorbike that the next door occupant parked in the rooms outdoor sitting area, no natural light and no privacy. Oh and the TV is broke (who cares, we don’t watch it anyway). So in a word, YUCK. Give the man his keys says Mr Fogg and we is outa here. No sooner had we handed the key back and said we were not staying and the owner had flicked the sign from No Vacancy to Vacancy (who says ruthless capitalism is dead). Hello Tripadvisor!
So now we are in a private home up the hill in sleepy Geraldine with a fridge of free drinks available (free wine!!!!!) and the loveliest hosts who will cook us breakfast in the morning too.
It is also our last night, boo!! Mr Fogg is already yearning to start another trip, or better still to keep on going.
On a more upbeat note we stopped on the way today at Mount Cook and then at Mount John, definitely the runt of the mountains but rather cool. On top ( accessed by a rather steep single track road) is an observatory and cafe. The observatory does night time courses and opens access to the six different telescopes for viewing the incredible skies. Unfortunately staying in Geraldine we would be far too far away to drive back – can you imagine how much Mr Fogg is kicking me over the motel issue? (we could have stayed at Lake Tekapo right next to the observatory, damn).
Never mind. Next time….
[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]
Onwards and east wards.
Ate a Cookie at the foot of Mt Cook here.