Bealey Avenue Motel Christchurch

... of the room. The room was completely white. Then, there were three light switches, which actually all controlled the same lights – they were just each for different moods – a green one, a blue one and a purple one. There was a flat screen tv on the wall at the foot of the bed, which actually only seemed to have these mood channels – all seemed to be graphically idealized photos of new Zealand scenery – it was weird. I didn’t actually ...

... shuttle bus driver to our favourite hostel, just outside the centre. Not much changes at Foley Towers - the couple who were running it on our first visit in 2004 are running it again (and remembered us), the backpacker-hating cat is still there, there's an American chap who was there last time and we even got our favourite room, a huge ensuite with a large and extremely comfortable bed. Although after the ...

... penguins and the work they do, he showed us inside the enclosure, the water filtration system and finally we got to meet a little penguin. Alex. He wandered around the room and over our feet. He was so cute... you couldn't touch them as you can catch some rather nasty diseases off them them but it was still amazing.

After a quick transfer to the airport we boarded our plane to Australia. Only a four hour flight so not too bad.

... Blanc, Pinot Gris from the tanks, and numerous barrel samples of their reds and C******nays at various stages of development – there is some good stuff on the way!

Pegasus Bay is probably the best known producer in the region and has some iconic wines. It also has a fabulous restaurant which came joint first in the Cuisine Restaurant Awards Vineyard Restaurant category (joint with Terroir which I went to in ...

... Remember the Titans AMAZING FILM! Lots and lots of snow! Lots and lots! Had dinner and then played cards. Then the local farm boys showed us stuff they do to pass the time. Try and get from under the table to the top without touching the bottom etc.
4th July - Flock Hill was stunning in the morning. Beautiful. They showed us their sheep and the sheep dogs and how they shear the sheep! Very cool. Showed us where Narnia had been filmed! Left Flock Hill, stopped off at ...

... distance it was from me. The attendant urged me on and talked me through it - saying I'd regret it if I did it and that I'd done one before - so 3-2-1.....nothing. I couldn't - no matter what the guy said (including some woeful cliches such as "it's not that you can't, you can - but if you don't want to then OK you don't want to"). The americans and even the tiny japanese shouted encouragement - but I couldn't - I bottled - game over. FAILED.

I sat back ...

... roles, cuz cuz and tampory (or deep fried veg, to all those who visit the white horse to often). * I only had 30mins notice so made a sort of trifle but had not time to let jelly set so used packet blamonge, custard from powder and whipped some cream (by hand) and people ate it. Incredible. I have even managed to plan the next week. Amazing for thought on my part!

... for stronger antibiotic eye-drops. They alreday seem to be clearing up my sore eye. That's what travel insurance is for - but at only 26 quid for consultation and medication it's not that bad anyway. We check out the Modern Art Gallery but both of us are more taken by the space than what is exhbited in it - not the first time! Then we head to the Art Centre and find a lovely little cafe "Backstage" where we have coffee and a delicious lunch. We enjoy wandering around ...

... my dorm, Crusaders v Hurricanes (Hurricanes won), which is very different from British Rugby. Faster, and the players look to throw miss passes (where they miss out a player and hit the next one over) as a matter of course. A very good game which the Hurricanes won as the away team and underdogs! Kiwi rugby supporters have absolutely no songs to sing though, vastly different from a Premier League game or England cricket match. Then out to hit the town on a ...

... Lake Taupo, I've been peeling like a snake.... Anyhow, after Lake Taupo, we travelled south again to Wellington, which is the capital of New Zealand (not Aukland like I thought). We stayed at a really nice B&B that was also very reasonably priced. The couple that ran it were New Zealanders....Autry was of Mauri and Scottish decent, and Joy of English and Danish decent. They had us for supper too, and served us wine and beer and dessert....the whole nine yards...it was ...