We are staying at the Rydges Lakefront resort at Queenstown (sounds posh doesn't it?)
On the lakefront is the lavish entry and hotel facade and all us guests enter into the large and well appointed foyer. However after check in we all go our separate ways.
Those of us staying in the 'sleep and go' rooms catch the posh lift to the 6th floor, walk past the restaurant, bar, swimming pool and spa, to the back of the building where we catch the not quite so posh lift to the 9th (or 8th or 10th) floor. The rooms here are utilitarian by Rydges standards. It's fairly obvious that there used to be a motel on the site and Rydges has kept the rooms on the back of the hillside for its cheaper rooms.
No matter.
We still get our newspaper hand delivered and have access to all the Rydges amenities and the location couldn't be faulted (we just don't have the view...)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Day 4. Dunedin to Queenstown
It was with heavy hearts that we waved tear stained hankies and, with many a backwards glance, shouldered our suitcases and headed for Dunedin railway station and our bus to Queenstown.
The railway station is architecturally gorgeous and there is a coffee shop/bar which had a very pleasing and acceptable range of McCallum memorabilia on display.
The bus was over 1/2 empty so we were able to spread out and enjoy the 4.5 hour journey (which included morning tea and lunch stops).
We arrived early afternoon to a Queenstown that was a little bit sunny and definitely warmer than Dunedin.
The stop where we were dropped off was about 1.5 kms from where we were staying but luckily it was all downhill so we made it to the hotel fairly easily. It was a glorious 1.5 km walk, mainly along the lakefront, which made the heaviness of our suitcases almost disappear.
After dumping our suitcases it was back along the lakefront and a gondola ride to the top of Bob's pass for a spectacular view of Queenstown and surrounds. There is an option of a luge ride down (instead of the gondola) but the gondola suited us just fine.
It was this luge option that started us making a list of adventure sports/activities we would not be trying in NZ!
The day came to an excellent end with Tapsister finding a copy of Rebel at the CS for $2 in Whitcoulls, and the even more pleasing discovery of the Patagonia Chocolate Shop with it's supremely excellent hot chocolate.
The railway station is architecturally gorgeous and there is a coffee shop/bar which had a very pleasing and acceptable range of McCallum memorabilia on display.
The bus was over 1/2 empty so we were able to spread out and enjoy the 4.5 hour journey (which included morning tea and lunch stops).
We arrived early afternoon to a Queenstown that was a little bit sunny and definitely warmer than Dunedin.
The stop where we were dropped off was about 1.5 kms from where we were staying but luckily it was all downhill so we made it to the hotel fairly easily. It was a glorious 1.5 km walk, mainly along the lakefront, which made the heaviness of our suitcases almost disappear.
After dumping our suitcases it was back along the lakefront and a gondola ride to the top of Bob's pass for a spectacular view of Queenstown and surrounds. There is an option of a luge ride down (instead of the gondola) but the gondola suited us just fine.
It was this luge option that started us making a list of adventure sports/activities we would not be trying in NZ!
The day came to an excellent end with Tapsister finding a copy of Rebel at the CS for $2 in Whitcoulls, and the even more pleasing discovery of the Patagonia Chocolate Shop with it's supremely excellent hot chocolate.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Edinburgh of the Southern Hemisphere
Day 3 - Dunedin continued.
Cadbury only took us until mid morning, so we headed for the architectural beauty that is Dunedin Railway Station. It's a stunning building and, from a distance, hard to imagine that it is what it is.
It also houses the Dunedin Sports Hall of fame/Museum, and a gallery with an artist-in-residence.
Then it was off to explore the Art Gallery, Museum, Octagon, quote at the Burns statue, and join a one hour highlights tour of Dunedin. The weather was cold, very,very cold.
We were looking for somewhere to have a late lunch when we stumbled across the Dunedin Public Library. They are celebrating their centenary so I popped in to see what else they were doing to publicise it.
We decided that a brisk 3 km walk to Baldwin Street (the steepest street in the world) would warm us up nicely and help us walk off our visit to (a) Cadbury, and (b) guilt by confection.
Whilst we were attempting Baldwin Street it started snowing, yes really snowing, - the flurry only lasted five minutes or so but that was long enough! By now the temperature was 4 degrees and the snow was followed by sunshine, heavy rain, more sunshine, gusty winds, rain.
We found another, more than acceptable, handmade chocolate shop and forced down (in the interests of research and warmth) a European milk hot chocolate accompanied by some home made fudge. A lovely end to a weatherly challenging day.
Next we're off to Queenstown and the forecast is for 0-9 degrees, with showers, hail, and snow down to 500 feet.
Cadbury only took us until mid morning, so we headed for the architectural beauty that is Dunedin Railway Station. It's a stunning building and, from a distance, hard to imagine that it is what it is.
It also houses the Dunedin Sports Hall of fame/Museum, and a gallery with an artist-in-residence.
Then it was off to explore the Art Gallery, Museum, Octagon, quote at the Burns statue, and join a one hour highlights tour of Dunedin. The weather was cold, very,very cold.
We were looking for somewhere to have a late lunch when we stumbled across the Dunedin Public Library. They are celebrating their centenary so I popped in to see what else they were doing to publicise it.
We decided that a brisk 3 km walk to Baldwin Street (the steepest street in the world) would warm us up nicely and help us walk off our visit to (a) Cadbury, and (b) guilt by confection.
Whilst we were attempting Baldwin Street it started snowing, yes really snowing, - the flurry only lasted five minutes or so but that was long enough! By now the temperature was 4 degrees and the snow was followed by sunshine, heavy rain, more sunshine, gusty winds, rain.
We found another, more than acceptable, handmade chocolate shop and forced down (in the interests of research and warmth) a European milk hot chocolate accompanied by some home made fudge. A lovely end to a weatherly challenging day.
Next we're off to Queenstown and the forecast is for 0-9 degrees, with showers, hail, and snow down to 500 feet.
When what to our wondrous eyes should appear...
Dunedin Rocks!
Away to the window we flew in a flash, tore open the curtains and threw up the sash...
When what to our wondrous eyes should appear... but the cadbury factory, directly opposite where we were staying. Talk about a brilliant view from our window...
We started the day with a tour of the cadbury factory - it was awesome. It reminded me of the tours they used to do at cadbury in Tasmania (v.different from the tours at Bourneville in England). You get to put on a paper hat (and a beard snood if you have a beard) and actually walk thru the factory. We saw them making easter eggs - this is the time of the year that the easter eggs are made for next easter - how scary is that?
You also get given quite a few chocolate samples to keep your strength up on the tour. The tour finishes in the gift shop where I may have bought one or two souvenirs of a very good tour.
* with due reverence and apologies to Clement Moore.
Away to the window we flew in a flash, tore open the curtains and threw up the sash...
When what to our wondrous eyes should appear... but the cadbury factory, directly opposite where we were staying. Talk about a brilliant view from our window...
We started the day with a tour of the cadbury factory - it was awesome. It reminded me of the tours they used to do at cadbury in Tasmania (v.different from the tours at Bourneville in England). You get to put on a paper hat (and a beard snood if you have a beard) and actually walk thru the factory. We saw them making easter eggs - this is the time of the year that the easter eggs are made for next easter - how scary is that?
You also get given quite a few chocolate samples to keep your strength up on the tour. The tour finishes in the gift shop where I may have bought one or two souvenirs of a very good tour.
* with due reverence and apologies to Clement Moore.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Day 2. A caving we will go
Due to my *stumble* yesterday afternoon (tripped over the footpath, and in trying to stop myself falling actually wrenched more bits of me than might otherwise have been the case) it was a stiff & sore fifi who 'limped bravely' out to the rental car for our drive to Waitomo and the glowworm caves.
We left Auckland at some ungodly hour (6.30 AM ! - I'm on holidays fgs!) for the drive to Waitomo and the caves.
The first cave we visited was Aranui. It was raining and we passed a party of older Australians who were on a 3 day walk through the area. We shared a shelter with them while we waited for our guide, and they waited for the rain to ease a little.
We had an excellent guide who explained the history of the cave to us, and told us about the efforts being made to preserve and conserve the caves and then totally flummoxed us by telling us she was going on ahead to open the door and turn on the lights.
Tres amusing.
The cave was awesome - stalactites & stalagmites, interesting rock and rock-coral formations. We were allowed to take photos but my shots do not capture the size and grandeur of the cave. I've had to rely on postcards for that.
Next up was the glowworm cave. This too was very intriguing and interesting. This tour finished with a boat ride thru the cave in pitch black lit only by the glowworms. There is one huge cave where they hold concerts - it would be awesome to see the Christmas Carols Concert there.
As I exited Waitomo with my usual grace and poise I stepped in a pothole on the side of the road and wrenched my other ankle. Am now limping bravely on both ankles! (note - i survived the caves without incidents but I apparently can't cope with footpaths and roads - go figure)
Back to Auckland Airport (via Hamilton and Waikato) as we were flying to Dunedin later in the evening.
Air NZ has just redone it's domestic terminal - it's practically all selfserve, you print your own boarding pass & luggage labels and put your suitcase on the conveyor belt yourself.
By the time we arrived in Dunedin it was 9pm and raining and cold so we threw ourselves and our suitcases into a cab (Driven by the Patricia Cornwell reading Jill) and headed to our hotel.
Arrived at the hotel, let ourselves in, had a cuppa and hit the sack - tomorrow would be another day...
We left Auckland at some ungodly hour (6.30 AM ! - I'm on holidays fgs!) for the drive to Waitomo and the caves.
The first cave we visited was Aranui. It was raining and we passed a party of older Australians who were on a 3 day walk through the area. We shared a shelter with them while we waited for our guide, and they waited for the rain to ease a little.
We had an excellent guide who explained the history of the cave to us, and told us about the efforts being made to preserve and conserve the caves and then totally flummoxed us by telling us she was going on ahead to open the door and turn on the lights.
Tres amusing.
The cave was awesome - stalactites & stalagmites, interesting rock and rock-coral formations. We were allowed to take photos but my shots do not capture the size and grandeur of the cave. I've had to rely on postcards for that.
Next up was the glowworm cave. This too was very intriguing and interesting. This tour finished with a boat ride thru the cave in pitch black lit only by the glowworms. There is one huge cave where they hold concerts - it would be awesome to see the Christmas Carols Concert there.
As I exited Waitomo with my usual grace and poise I stepped in a pothole on the side of the road and wrenched my other ankle. Am now limping bravely on both ankles! (note - i survived the caves without incidents but I apparently can't cope with footpaths and roads - go figure)
Back to Auckland Airport (via Hamilton and Waikato) as we were flying to Dunedin later in the evening.
Air NZ has just redone it's domestic terminal - it's practically all selfserve, you print your own boarding pass & luggage labels and put your suitcase on the conveyor belt yourself.
By the time we arrived in Dunedin it was 9pm and raining and cold so we threw ourselves and our suitcases into a cab (Driven by the Patricia Cornwell reading Jill) and headed to our hotel.
Arrived at the hotel, let ourselves in, had a cuppa and hit the sack - tomorrow would be another day...
Monday, November 3, 2008
Tapping NZ - Day 1
Melbourne - Auckland
Well day 1 we arrived at tullamarine airport bright and early for our trip to enzed.
At the security checkpoint TappingBetty was (as is usual for her at airports all round the world) taken off to one side and checked for explosive residue, wanded and patted down. I meanwhile was chortling madly as I've long since given up on TB getting thru an airport security checkpoint first try.
By the time we arrived in Auckland it was mid afternoon so we found our hotel, found our rental car, found a chocolate shop and explored Skytower.
We are staying at the Scenic Circle Airedale Hotel in Queen St. (we love RatesToGo) It is a block from the main shopping strip on Queen St and is opposite The Edge theatre/performing arts complex. (it is also just around the corner from the Auckland City Library!). It is also next door to a pub (great pub grub I am led to believe) and has a restaruant/cafe/bar on the ground floor - not to mention being across the road from the bookshop I dare not name - and a couple of doors along from a Gloria Jeans.
Skytower dominates the view from our window so we headed there and watched mad fools (bungy jumpers) throw themselves off the tower. They sort of let the jumpers 'hang' outside the viewing platform window for a few seconds so we got used to looking up from our coffee and seeing a human fly outside the window. There is also a target painted on the ground for the jumpers to aim at - looking down to see a bullseye on the landing deck - hmmm.
We've a couple of days in Auckland at the end where we'll see & do a lot more.
Didn't see any librarians tho'
Well day 1 we arrived at tullamarine airport bright and early for our trip to enzed.
At the security checkpoint TappingBetty was (as is usual for her at airports all round the world) taken off to one side and checked for explosive residue, wanded and patted down. I meanwhile was chortling madly as I've long since given up on TB getting thru an airport security checkpoint first try.
By the time we arrived in Auckland it was mid afternoon so we found our hotel, found our rental car, found a chocolate shop and explored Skytower.
We are staying at the Scenic Circle Airedale Hotel in Queen St. (we love RatesToGo) It is a block from the main shopping strip on Queen St and is opposite The Edge theatre/performing arts complex. (it is also just around the corner from the Auckland City Library!). It is also next door to a pub (great pub grub I am led to believe) and has a restaruant/cafe/bar on the ground floor - not to mention being across the road from the bookshop I dare not name - and a couple of doors along from a Gloria Jeans.
Skytower dominates the view from our window so we headed there and watched mad fools (bungy jumpers) throw themselves off the tower. They sort of let the jumpers 'hang' outside the viewing platform window for a few seconds so we got used to looking up from our coffee and seeing a human fly outside the window. There is also a target painted on the ground for the jumpers to aim at - looking down to see a bullseye on the landing deck - hmmm.
We've a couple of days in Auckland at the end where we'll see & do a lot more.
Didn't see any librarians tho'
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Bobbsey Twins go to B'Zealand
I have a suitcase
I have clothes
I need to unite the aforementioned.
The weather channel is predicting temperatures in the low to mid teens (and rain, lots of rain,) for NZ in the next week.
Remove shorts from pile of clothes on loungeroom floor, add another jacket. Re-think shoe choices.
Replace sunscreen with gloves and woolly hat? Do I have woolly hat?
Log onto web to avoid packing and travel decisions.
Procrastination thy name is fifi
btw - travel blogs sheepishly...
I have clothes
I need to unite the aforementioned.
The weather channel is predicting temperatures in the low to mid teens (and rain, lots of rain,) for NZ in the next week.
Remove shorts from pile of clothes on loungeroom floor, add another jacket. Re-think shoe choices.
Replace sunscreen with gloves and woolly hat? Do I have woolly hat?
Log onto web to avoid packing and travel decisions.
Procrastination thy name is fifi
btw - travel blogs sheepishly...
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