Hanmer Springs New Zealand

December 2010

The drive from Kaikoura was scenic, and we arrived in a busy Hanmer Springs. We spent about an hour enjoying the thermal pools, which as busy as it seemed getting in wasn't overly packed inside much to our relief.

We then had a nice lunch at the Springs Deli Cafe before heading back to Christchurch.

Kaikoura New Zealand

December 2010

It's a nice 2.5 hour drive from Christchurch to Kaikoura, even in the rain. It's a pretty coastal drive for the last part, reminding me of parts of Hwy 1 on the coast of California.

I'm usually a very organised traveller, but we hadn't booked a boat cruise for the time we were meant to be in Kaikoura and when we arrived they were booked out, so take the tip and book in advance if it's something you really want to do. If you miss out like we did, there is plenty to keep you busy.

We drove out to the seal colony, while the tide was in and were surprised how close some of the seals wanted to get!

We then enjoyed a nice lunch at the Kaikoura Seafood BBQ hut on the side of the road - crayfish, paua fritters, whitebait fritters and chowder - yum!

We drove back into town to check out the Kaikoura Historical Society Museum, small, but worth the visit if you have an hour to spare.

We then drove back to the seal colony to take the walk to the lookout (5 min up hill), we were planning on doing the full hour or so walk but the wind was extremely strong so we decided to give it a miss, the views from the lookout were definitely worth briefly braving the weather though!

We checked into our accommodation at The Fairways, which is just out of town but the golf course. We chose here based on Tripadvisor reviews and were not disappointed.

We then decided to have a drink and then a meal at The Pier. What did we have? If you guessed crayfish you'd be right! The view is stunning and the service was great.

In the morning we enjoyed breakfast at the Kaikoura Food Company before heading off to Hanmer Springs.

Christchurch New Zealand

December 2010 and January 2011

Ok, it was a little shaky in the beautiful town of Christchurch this Christmas, but don't let that deter you! It's a beautiful city that's just waiting for the next tourist.

Some of the highlights from this trip:

Christmas

It was my first ever Christmas with DHs family, and boy was I impressed! I know know his kitchen skills are hereditary...

Food

Twisted Hop for a drink

The Coffee House opposite the art gallery, nice little courtyard

Salt on the Pier at New Brighton

Sightseeing
We've been to Christchurch a number of times, so this is only what we did this trip, this is by no means an exclusive list.

Cathedral Square

Art Gallery for Ron Mueck exhibit

Governors Bay Hotel

Driver to Sumner

New Brighton Pier

Jogs
A new trend you might be seeing on my travel posts, DH and I have recently taken up jogging (not yet at the stage where you can call it running!). We went out three times this trip:
1. Chestnut Park
2. Bradford Park
3. Sydenham Park

Places I have been

So Australian's generally have a reputation for being travellers and therefore well travelled, and going through the list of countries I have visited (not counting transiting countries, that's just cheating), I'm not too sure that I belong in the same group. Never less, here is the list of countries that I have visited in my 30 odd years of existence:

1. Australia
2. Bosnia Herzegovina
3. Cambodia
4. Canada
5. (Mainland) China
6. Cook Islands
7. Croatia
8. England
9. Hong Kong
10. Hungary
11. Macau
12. Montenegro
13. New Zealand
14. Serbia
15. Singapore
16. Tahiti
17. Thailand
18. United States
19. Vietnam

With plans this year to visit between 4-5 new countries, I can safely say that I'm at least on my way to be world traveller. How many countries have you visited?

Las Vegas NYE 2010

January 2010

We visited Las Vegas in January as a very last minute trip to see family. This was my third visit to Las Vegas and DH's second, and as a non-gambler, non-drinker I still never tire of it.

We always try and see something off the strip, last time it was the beautiful Valley of Fire, this time is was Red Rock Canyon. http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/. This one's not as far off the strip, making it a popular spot. Another advantage, is that it's a driving circular route, allowing you to stop at various points and explore as much, or as little as you want.

It was also my Grandmothers birthday, so on recommendations we took her to the Eiffel Tower restaurant, where on the weekends you get a great view of the Bellagio fountains at lunch. http://www.parislasvegas.com/casinos/paris-las-vegas/restaurants-dining/eiffel-tower-restaurant-detail.html. My only complaint was we had pre-booked, were made to wait on the promise of a window view, and then someone gave the maitre d' cash and we got bumped back, I know it's Vegas and what happens, but we would have been happy with the seat as long as we didn't have to wait. But the food was great, the service ideal and the view spectacular.

During our afternoon/evening walking up and down the strip (which is a must for an visit) we checked out the new Aria Las Vegas.



As well as the usual suspects in Las Vegas.....

The most flameworthly part of this trip, is we arrived New Years Eve, and we never left the hotel room, jet lag...

Wollombi Weekend Retreat

November 2010

DH and I decided we needed to get way for a quite weekend, with an excuse to do absolutely nothing and came across The Wild Edge Retreat in Wollombi, NSW.

There are four Pavilions to choose from and we went for Nature's Mist, due to the private pool. The weather was horrible Friday morning and didn't improve as we took the 1.5 hour drive to Wollombi. Unfortunately this meant that a perfectly good private pool was going to waste.

After a restful night, and a hearty breakfast (ample provisions were provided), we took the car to Wollombi for the weekend fair, a non-event really. We headed back to our well appointed retreat to spend the rest of the afternoon on the plush coach, reading in front of the fire.

Needless to say, the weather never improved for us to enjoy the pool, so I had to settle for the spa bath overlooking the countryside. Weather aside it was a great place to relax, get away from it all and chill.

A weekend in Auckland

Auckland

March 2010

On one of our many trips to Auckland this year, due to me being based there for work, we decided to spend the weekend in Auckland. We had a very busy couple of days, and even managed to throw in a rugby game (Brumbies vs. Blues) at Eden Park!

So what is there to do?

1. Auckland Tower

With stunning views of Auckland and beyond it's a great place to get your bearings and appreciate how many volcano cones are in the city.

2. Viaduct

A great place to view the sailing ships and to grab a meal, especially in the summer months.

3. Kelly Tarltons Aquarium
Built in an old treatment plant, the aquarium is small but has a great penguin exhibit.

4. Mt Rangitoto
We did the tour to the top, due to being short on time, only having to walk the final step component and it was great to get running commentary on the history of the Island.

5. Mission Bay

The drive from Auckland around to Mission Bay is stunning, and a great place to stop and people watch in one of the many cafes.

6. Parnell
Full of quait stores, cafes and restaurants, it's a great place to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.

7. Piha Beach
A short drive from Auckland, this famous surfing beach is great to take in Lion rock.

8. Waitakere Estate High Tea
I wasn't overly impressed with the high tea, as the estate is quite aged and would be the one activity I would substitute or skip if I had to re-do our weekend.

Aitutaki, Cook Islands

April 2010




On our recent trip to visit the MIL and one BIL, we took a side trip to the beautiful Island of Aitutaki. DH and I had thought about visiting Aitutaki as part of our honeymoon in 2007, but we have expensive tastes and decided to go at another time when we could afford it more comfortably!




We stayed at the beautiful Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa in one of their over water bungalows and it did not disappoint. http://www.aitutakilagoonresort.com/

While the resort and surrounding area was beautiful (especially the sunset at the bar), the snorkeling was truly at best in the main lagoon. So on one of our days we took a boat trip with the Aituatki Adventures and their yellow boat! It was a fantastic day Island hopping, snorkeling and of course the wonderful fish BBQ lunch.

So if your visiting the beautiful Cook Islands (which I highly recommend), I suggest spending some time in Aitutaki. While I'd love to say we'll be back when we next visit the family, unfortunately there are 15 Islands all up and I think we'll be visiting Aitu or Mauke.

Raratonga, Cook Islands

April 2010






This was our third trip to the Cook Islands and the beautiful Rarotonga. Our first trip was for our wedding and honeymoon, the second to visit DH's mother and the latest to visit family again.






Rarotonga is defiantly not a large island, nor thankfully is it dominated by tourists and the tourist "culture". It's always wonderful to try a few local restaurants (which there are a number and always of high quality), have a snorkel and have some adventure.






My favourite Cook Island dish is the Ika Mata, a raw fish dish, marinated with coconut milk, vegetables and spices. But the food is always so good no mater what you choose.












This time we tried out the buggy adventures, and the recent rain had made it a bit muddy to say the least!





For a city girl one of the great experiences this trip was the little piggy's that were born. They are so cute and cheeky! Although I can't say we'll be getting any for our backyard in the near future!



Although our next trip is still a little way off, I'm already looking forward to it.

Bay of Islands

February 2010

The beautiful Bay of Islands. Located north of Auckland on New Zealand's North Island is a beautiful and interesting part of the world. Who knew you could find out so much about New Zealand in one location?


When driving north from Auckland make sure you stop at Kawakawa, at the Hundertwasser toilets. These are designed by the Austrian born artist and are the only Hundertwasser structure in the Southern Hemisphere. The name mean nothing to you? It's still worth the 1 minute detour to take a look.






Once you reach the Bay of Islands area, take either the passenger ferry or the car ferry to the

township of Russell. This town is full of local history, a beautiful area and plenty of nice places to sit and enjoy the water view.














For something to view on your afternoon boat trip, the Hole in the rock as it is known, is a beautiful sight. Depending on the weather, some boats actually pass through from one side of the rock to the other. There are many options from the jet boat, to your typical cruise boat.











A trip to the Bay of Islands is not complete without a visit to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The Waitangi treaty is an interesting part of recent New Zealand history, but the grounds are gorgeous. For a true Maori experience make sure you check out the intricate carvings in the meeting house. DH was particularly fond of the Wakas (canoes - small ones shown).







On the Saturday night we took a cruise on the river on Darryl's Dinner Cruise, which takes you down the river to the Harura Falls. Personally I think this is a wonderful distraction while they prepare your meal.










The Bay of Islands is definitely a must stop location for your visit to the north island.