New Zealand – Mr & Mrs Fogg's One Big Adventure

NZ Out

MrFogg — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 16:19:19 +0000

And that is that, We got off our home for the last 27 hours and have no idea whether it’s Fri, Sat or Sun?

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.

A Distant Memory

MrFogg — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:11:52 +0000

Ah but a distant memory sat atop the Gondola ride from Queenstown with spectacular views in the distance.

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.

Boo Hoo

MrFogg — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:27:01 +0000

Its been a fantastic month and we have seen so much that makes us want to come back here again. Stood here at Christchurch Airport debating should we, shouldn’t we, or is that just me (think I know the answer there).

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.

There and Back Again a Foggy Tale

MrFogg — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:21:40 +0000

A final womble by the sea after a 3 hour drive from Geraldine to Akaroa on the East Cost of the South Island for Fish and Chips.

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.

A last NZ Breakfast

MrFogg — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:00:37 +0000

After promptly leaving the Scenic Route Motel in Geraldine last night (after hating the “last room available”), we skid addled and found the wonderful “The Downs” B&B on the edge of town where we spent a very comfortable evening.

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.

More Cookies

MrFogg — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:52:33 +0000

Simply an awesome sight of Mount Cook to the far left (taken from 40km away) looking over the clean reflective surface of lake Tekapo.

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.

Aliens Not Welcome

MrFogg — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:59:28 +0000

On the road from Mt Cook (which is breathtaking) to Geraldine which is small and deserted, sits the Mt John Observatory with a few 18inch refractory telescopes kicking around. After the drive up the 1,031m hill you can enjoy a drink and then for 2NZD have a look through their day telescopes at the sun and see the solar flares coming off, simply awesome. One other thing you get to see is Venus in the daylight, brrrilliant

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.

Scenic Motel My Glutemas Maximus

MrsFogg — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:58:25 +0000

Now this is a scenic view unlike the motel we just checked into and back out of before you could even utter the word checkout.

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]

At the Foot of Mount Cook

MrFogg — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:48:57 +0000

Here we are at the foot of Mt Cook with the clouds just starting to clear, but despite that it’s a balmy 20 degrees with a very powerful sun (where did I leave that Tilly Hat). Now I was tempted to hike it, but flip flops without crampons are not good.

Onwards and east wards.

Ate a Cookie at the foot of Mt Cook here.

A little Coffee in the am

MrFogg — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:26:47 +0000

Ask for a Latte in NZ and you have a choice of cup or bowl, bonza! A6 inch wide soup bowl of coffee in the morning is enough to make you jump for hours, oh god no I can hear Mrs Fogg scream!

So all fuelled up and it’s off to Geraldine via Twizle for our last evening (boo hoo). Tomorrow we drop the car back to Christchurch airport for our internal flight at 6pm NZ time, before the long haul. Still 48 hours to kill, Geraldine, Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo Sanctuary for the Stars here we come.

Latte Bowls at the Wrinkly Ram here.