The Rees Apartment Hotel Queenstown

... to the other- you'll use your pain killers tonight lol"
Gas women but we were so lucky that none of them seriosuly injured themselves.
Eventful landing but was great experience- we got out and all helped to put the air baloon down and folded it away before we had our champagne breakfast (all part of price of course!!).
We were driven back to Queenstown and we took off at about 11am for our final long trip to Christchurch where Ni was leaving us to go home the next day!

... them. And this is how the following 2 and a half weeks proceeded. Laughing, laughing, discovering the stunning islands that are New Zealand and then laughing some more. Oh and drinking a little wine tambien!

We set off out of Auckland on the first morning and headed up North. Jet lag was prevalent and I was pretty tired after working non stop for the previous few weeks. So we headed back up to Paihia which was close to where myself and Gisele had been ...

... with broad beans, snow pea tendrils and smoked mussel and scallop tortellini finished with almond milk

- Aurum Pinot Gris 2008, Central

Scampi bisque

- Carrick EMB C******nay 2008

Terrine of Bendigo rabbit and Canter Valley duck served with a chocolate soil and prune cream

- Mount Edward Pinot Noir 2008, Central

Hand rolled spaghetti, braised quail, Marsala and Sicilian olives, wrapped in ...

... sugar does usually come in a 'salt' shaker. And as for the second time, well, just about anyone could have misread the ‘SALT’ label and thought that sugar was in the jar. Despite these minor moments of senselessness Eric has been a great travel companion and Queenstown was no exception.

We arrived in the adventure capital of the world and we immediately felt alive. The fresh scent of crisp winter air filled our nostrils and we ...

... Arrowtown was essentially a gold town from the mid 1800s which somehow has been preserved almost in a time warp. It looks like something straight out of a movie with a row of single story timber clad shops down the main street. Really pretty little place and a nice antidote to the buzz of Queenstown for the day.

One morning we woke up to find Queenstown fog bound again. Looking out of our luxurious pad across the patio we could see as ...

... ride and seemed really unstable. Once I got to the platform, a strap was fastened around each of my ankles and I waited until they called my name. The cabin had perspex glass in the floor, so you could see everyone fall. After I saw a few people fall I began to get nervous. When I was called up, I was pretty scared and apprehensive. I had to sit down in a chair, while they checked and tightened my equipment. I then had my photo taken and ...

... line-up of hostels, cafes, restaurants and sea-view apartments for romantic getaways. at the local information centre, we ask about low tides and come to find that we might just have missed the low tide, that would have enabled us to have walked down the stretch of the beach to see the best of what the rainbow beach area has on offer, but after making such a big detour out to the beach, we think we might as well go see as much as we can and so we head to the water's edge and ...

... and maybe two stone heavier. He had a small goatie on his lower lip. Pretty much exactly what you might expect a skydive instructor to look like. I was diving with one other person - an English guy of about 30, who´s name I forget. Let´s call him David. Myself and David were ushered to our plane. There was some rush because the plane was low on fuel and winds were picking up to almost prohibitive levels. There were six people in the back of that tiny ...

... photos. They did the Kepler Track a few days before we did and had spectacular photos. I was a bit jealous. We're back in Queenstown now, getting a rental car tomorrow and trying to find where the cell phone is (either Becks or Wanaka) which will determine where we drive tomorrow. We had a great dinner of real burgers from Fergburgers and fries. We walked around the lake and compared Queenstown to Boulder and the Tetons. Anyways internet is expensive and laundry is done. Cheers!

... begin to make your way around New Zealand. And quite rightly so, for it is no ordinary cinema - all the seats are lovely sofas, with cushions and everything. The have even imported a yellow car and converted that into a cinema seat if you feel like it. Also a cafe and bar, the staff will serve you food before the film and during the interval, so you can munch away while you watch. And everyone talks about the amazing home-made cookies. Although, I'm yet to meet ...