Hotel Ashburton

... to back the trucks up, play in the dirt, sort potatoes (throwing the bad ones into a bin that goes into the factory). I also have updated my resume adding that I now know how to run a potato piler, which is basically a HUGE dangerous Gameboy and I now have Forklift skills. Yes, that's right, I know how to drive a forklift. Really, not too impressive, but it's pretty cool I think. I can also climb a mountain of potatoes faster ...

... I have never seen someone run away from me as fast as they did. I checked to see if they did anything to the car, but since they didn't get past that knob, they didn't do anything. Phew! After my ordeal, I was starting to feel very paranoid, so I relocated in the residential area where I took my walk, and had a better sleep. In the morning I went for a swim then headed towards Lake Tekapo...you didn't really think I'd be spending another night there!?

... that he was doing the exact same as me (except his braking was a lot smoother... blame it on not driving in 6.5 months!!). Anyways, shortly after we go back onto the road after a lunch pit stop, we were driving along on our merry way (safely, I might add) in the southbound direction on SH1, when a car heading northbound stopped in the lane to wait to turn right. Well, they had their tyres already turned, so when a transport truck ploughed into them (it was a 70k zone, we were going ...

... of a fabulous home cooked (always a treat on the road) burger dinner. And it was a really great house - Sarah and Sven are in the emerging strawbale house business and thbis is their showcase in process. In short they stack strawbales for structure then coat with an adobe like plaster. This provides great insulation and durability but also allows for some really smoth and rounded wals, arches, and openings. Sven and Sarah have realy poured their hearts into the project and ...

... is het een prachtige dag om vanavond een afscheids BBQ te houden. (het is helemaal geen slecht weer, zoals verwacht, en het regent ook niet). Nog even, voor jullie thuis, samengevat mijn laatste indrukken van het Zuid-eiland en de vergeten-te-vertellen-dingen. Ik kan me goed voorstellen waarom Nederlanders naar NZ emigreren. Het is hier rustig (relatief, mensen in Ashburton vinden het zoveel drukker geworden de laatste jaren. Ook hier moet je ...

... gaan we jullie bij thuiskomst vermaken met nog 2000. Want wat is er nou leuker dan andermans vakantiefoto's bekijken? Vanavond heeft stef lekker voor mij gekookt en Tony voor Kevin een echte home-made-pie gemaakt. Een relaxte dag zo vlak voor ons vertrek a.s. woensdag.

... maar het boek is erg grappig en zeker niet literair verantwoord). Juist het lezen van een boek in het Nederlands is fijn als je de hele dag Engels moet spreken. Anyway: het boek is gekocht bij de warehouse. De warehouse is een plek waar ze eigenlijk alles verkopen tegen scherpe prijzen. Ieder dorp of stad heeft er 1. Als we iets nodig hebben gaan we dus voordat we een dagje op stap gaan, tijdens het uitstapje en soms ook nog als we terug komen naar de ...

... that! After we traveled through the rapids we jumped into the river and floated down a calmer section. It was a mad hot day, but it was still a real cold shock jumping into the glacial waters. But it was an amazing way to relax and enjoy the scenery after the prior thrills. Totally unique views. At the end you have an option to climb one of the rocks and jump in. Its about a 7 meter jump. that was wicked fun. It doesn't sound that high, but it feels it when your plummeting towards the ...

... Coast to work. We decide not to backtrack, and head down to Pleasant Point for a look at a place off the beaten track. It is beautiful here, and we're glad we went the long way around. Back in Kimball, we learn that we've just missed the parade. Ah, well, we crammed a lot in already today, no worries! We arrive back in Lake Tekapo, but my ring is NOT on the nightstand ...

... t checked but this farm seems to be the largest. Speaking of farming by now the traveler must have taken notice of the amount of sheep in the fields. New Zealand has 40 million ewes and an annual lamb count of 123%. That's a lot of sheep. Ashburton celebrates a fine wine and food festival called the Wooly Munchie in January in celebration of one of New Zealand's finest productions. In the Ashburton area the place recommended to stay is the ...