Beemer takes a holiday to ..

where else but Thredbo?


And it's the Blues Festival.
Perfect weather and wonderful companions.
Doesn't the car look great from this angle.
Like all the shots recently, this one was taken by Tess on her new camera, a Canon EOS 1000 digital SLR. Lovely.

Quality costs ....

 

... more than forty bucks.

My new right hiking boot developed this tear/hole on its first outing. Cannot recall a specific incident so i assume it is just a manufacturing fault. Pity, as the left boot is fine and they are comfortable now I fitted innersoles. Perhaps I should have spent sixty bucks.

To Akaroa

Christchurch

 
 
 
 

About to leave ...

Second Week Report

I'm hurrying to write this before my internet time elapses.
Another great week. After Lakes Tepako and Wanaka, we ventured into the new year in Fiordland. We drove from Wanaka to Te Anau and with so much light decided on an unscheduled drive to Milford Sound and I'm glad we did.This slide show needs lots of editing so you may not see some of the places mentioned.
The tour of Doubtful sound crossed beautiful Lake Manapouri before crossing a hydro private road pass into the sound. The overcast weather was not conducive to great shots but seeing the ocean was exciting - I've spared you the seal colony shots but I have plenty if you want to see them. We returned to busy little Te Anau at 8pm.
We then stayed overnight in Queenstown. A sign outside Westport boasted, "Want Switzerland, see Queenstown. Want New Zealand, see Westport". Hmm. I did see Westport and ... the best thing was driving away from it up the Buller River gorge, headed for Blenheim and Marlborough on the northeastern tip of the South Island.

Fiordland New Zealand

Enjoy this slideshow of a few shots of our time touring the south of South Island, NZ. Queenstown was bustling but so small that it was manageable. Te Anau (will dig up a photo later)was a great base for visiting the sounds but we needed another day. So many German and Japanese voices here - the sound of German kids at play was quite a distraction. The road to Franz Josef Glacier via Wanaka and Haast was beautiful.

Pancakes anyone?

 
Last stop before Christchurch.
After a hectic few days of single night stops and plenty of miles along the west coast we are relaxing on an overcast day here in Blenheim in the heart of Marlboroough, the famous wine region of NZ's south island. Punakaiki was a half way point between here and Glacier country. The drive along the Buller river was spectacular - again - and we now look forward to the delights of the east coast. Will upload a little slide show soon with more shots and a little more commentary soon.