TravelStream™ news feed for member max_moo on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/max_moo en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:32:42 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197628020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197628020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197628020/tpod.html Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:32:42 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Witney, United Kingdom

Made it back to Oxford at about 9pm yesterday and goodness it was cold waiting at Thornhill! Shock to the system after all the sunshine. I think we were better prepared though than the short and flip flop wearing Aussies on our plane... not sure what they were thinking with the choice of attire.
Slept till 6am and now fighting the need to sleep again.

As this is the last entry we have one last thing to say:


NEW ZEALAND IS AWESOME!!

The End

]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197516600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197516600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197516600/tpod.html Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:27:24 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Singapore, Singapore

BIG breakfast :) yummy. They sure know how to cater for all nationalities.
9.50 pick up and back to airport.
Currently in airport using free internet... I like Singapore!
Apparently not a full flight so the seats next to us might be free, fingers crossed so that we have more room.... long flight, we think 14 hours?! extra room would be fab.

au revoir

m&m

14/12/07
We did have the 4 seats to ourselves and was nice to lay out. Flight was 13 hours so the extra room was appreciated! Back to Heathrow and bus terminal.... Oxford bus delayed due to traffic. Yep we're back in England!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197516300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197516300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197516300/tpod.html Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:29:55 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Singapore, Singapore

Left Paul and Lucy's and headed for the airport in taxi. Feeling a little down as the holiday was coming to an end, but the thought of the 5 star hotel in Singapore kept us happier. Flight was on time and we had aisle seats so made it easier to get up and about on the plane, made it a better flight than the way out. I think it being a daytime flight also helped. Hotel was just as good as before and the service was 5 star. Dinner was buffet and I am sure it was very tasty food but the travelling had got to us so an early night Singapore time, but 2am Christchurch time!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197355380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197355380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197355380/tpod.html Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:54:59 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Christchurch, New Zealand

Today was a toasty warm day in Christchurch, 31 degrees. Summer has arrived! Spent most of the day looking round shops in Christchurch so not much to report today.
Packed ready to get the plane to Singapore tomorrow. Weird that the holiday is nearly over, but we have seen and done so many things in the last few weeks that we can't complain that it is time to come home. Going to be a wee bit hard getting back into the swing of "real" life again and we are really going to miss the chilled out, relaxed times we have been enjoying. New Zealand's south island has been the most amazing place I have visited so far in the world, it is so diverse in it's landscapes and things to do.... we may just have to come back sometime :)
Scenery, people and food have all been fantastic and the lack of traffic is heaven.
Singapore and home here we come.

ps, I am now sober and I still think slot machines are pretty :)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197257040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197257040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197257040/tpod.html Mon, 10 Dec 2007 05:12:39 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Christchurch, New Zealand

Quite an easy day today. We drove out to Lyttleton via Summit Road and all we could see was cloudy misty stuff. The road went around the headland and it was a wee bit hairy as Michael could only see about 15 meters in front of the car and there was a sheer drop to the left...arrrgh! It was a very windy road and it would have been a great view if our tour guide (Lucy) had ordered the correct weather! She said it was a no refund trip so we made the most of it :) Looking down over the clouds was quite cool and a different experience to the rest of our trip.
Stopped in Lyttleton for a cuppa and then back to Paul and Lucy's via a car wash (our first car wash and we are scarred for life!), as they are trying to sell their car before their travels to South America. Popped into Christchurch to do a bit of jewellery shopping, but still nothing that is quite right.
It has turned into a sunny and humid day so it was nice to just be chilling out and taking it easy.
Dinner out this evening at the restaurant where Paul is learning his new cooking skills. Lamb is their specialty, yum!

Back from restaurant. Very tasty food all round. Lamb was really scrummy :)
After the food and wine we decided to go to the Casino across the road... Michael and Paul were ID'd but Lucy and I weren't.... damn it we must look old! :(
To top the day off nicely Michael won $230. Jammy sod!
Slot machines are pretty.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197188820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197188820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197188820/tpod.html Sun, 09 Dec 2007 03:50:17 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Christchurch, New Zealand

Drove back down to Christchurch today with Paul and Lucy. Route took us out along the coast and then down through the Waipara valley and back to the city. We stopped off to see a beach at Gore Bay and the Cathedral Cliffs. The mist was in (even though it was a blue sky day away from the sea) and gave it a really eerie quality. A seagull and oyster catcher were having a fight over an oyster and there was some really weird looking seaweed, looked like aliens.
The Waipara valley is another wine growing region so we just had to nip into another winery (Pegasus Bay) and taste a few samples, we were aiming for lunch there but we hadn't booked and as it was a lovely sunny Sunday they couldn't fit us in. However we got a table at a local restaurant down the road and had a lovely lunch. Spot the alcoholic... I had a glass of wine while everyone else had water or fruit jucie :) hic!
Easy afternoon and dinner at Paul and Lucy's, slipped on into the evening with more food and wine. I am typing this and drinking a nice Baileys, well there are only 2 more days left and I need to make the most of them :)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197100620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197100620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197100620/tpod.html Sun, 09 Dec 2007 03:16:06 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Kaikoura, New Zealand

After breakfast we went to meet the morning train from Christchurch, specifically Paul and Lucy! The trains here run on time so we just made it to the station as the train was pulling in. It was only a short walk back to the apartment to dump their gear before going out to get sarnies and then off for a walk around the coastline. Really nice day so some great photos of sea, cliffs and sunshine :) Damn seagulls weren't happy though, we were walking by their nesting sites and they kept dive bombing us. Lucy was their favourite and gave her the good luck charm of butt peppering her! Nice!
Michael and Paul decided to be manly and climb what looked like a small rocky outcrop... however it was a lot steeper than it looked and watching them try to get back down was most amusing :)
Lunch was a sarnie while perched on some rocks, looking out to sea. Something so relaxing about watching the waves. Walk carried on up over the headland and we had some good views and even more sunshine.
Back to the apartment so that our chef could start preparing dinner, rather tasty risotto and a "fat" Chardonnay. Evening was spent appreciating the calming view from our apartment, of sea, mountains and clouds. The wind had got up so the waves were crashing into the rocks and looked really dramatic. We have all decided to retire to the seaside when we are old... or Wanaka!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197087540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197087540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197087540/tpod.html Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:25:48 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Kaikoura, New Zealand

Left the wine region behind us and the brown and desert like landscape and moved on to Kaikoura. A short (ish) journey along the coast, so made it here by 12 and booked straight in to go up in another helicopter to whale watch. Yes you read that right, Michael is becoming addicted to flying!! I've got to get me a helicopter for the daily commute.... so cool, and quick!
Saw a Sperm whale and took a load of pics (all taken by Michael - as good); get view, shows how small we bods are. Great view of him diving as my pic shows ; )

Great, posh apartment (5*), so evening in with a wine or two and meet up with Lucy & Paul tomorrow.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197000300/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197000300/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1197000300/tpod.html Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:19:07 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Renwick, New Zealand

Today was wine tasting day. Borrowed the bikes from the B&B and went to the vineyards using pedal power . It gets a wee bit windy in the valley as there are no trees left, cut down to make way for the vines. This made it quite hard work, so had to try quite a few wines to quench thirst! :)
Went to: Forrest Estate, Frammingham, Fromm, Highfields estate. All good and Highfields was especially good. However I kept liking the ones that aren't exported.
Was fun just taking it easy and looking at the totally different scenery of this region. A good day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1196843940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1196843940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/max_moo/new_zealand_07/1196843940/tpod.html Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:04:58 -0500 To the end of the earth...and back again!

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Renwick, New Zealand

Nelson was trying to prove this morning that it is sunny most of the time! We ventured out on route 6 again towards Blenheim via a small detour to visit Cable Bay. Sunshine and the sound of the sea was a relaxing start to the day. Not as dramatic as the West Coast scenery, but peaceful instead. Short drive round some more twisty roads brought us to the start of the Marlbourough Sounds and Havelock, small little place but good for a tea stop. From the green hills and pine trees the scenery changed to drier and flatter landscape and then vines covering all available flat pieces of land. We had reached the Wairau Valley- Wine growing region. Blenheim was a little detour to see what there was to offer there, a few shops and nice sunshine. Then back along the road to Renwick, dead in the heart of all the vineyards. A small place but quite sweet and a lovely B&B again. Plan is to bike the vineyards tomorrow :)
Hic!!
It is sunny but windy here... no wonder the hills are drier and browner... no moisture left by the wind. Obviously good for grapes though!!
]]>