An Alternate 'Down Under'

John, Paul, George & Ringo waving
farewell to us at the San Francisco Airport

My travel buddy, Ila & I were at the airport around 3PM for our red-eye flight to New Zealand at 11PM. There was time a plenty to exchange our American Dollars for Kiwi Pounds  and window shop. The flight was 12.25 hours for which I was awake for all but an hour - watching 4 movies enroute. Yes, I know.


On landing in Auckland, New Zealand, we got separated. I managed the IQ test, the automatic 'scan your passport route'. Ila went to the lines with live humans, and there, she got a New Zealand visa stamp. I, however, in an affront to to my person, did not get a Visa stamp. I am appalled and in deep mourning. No more automatic gates for me, I want my $#&@ visa stamp.

Straightaway, we headed to our next flight, from the North Island to the South Island. I tried to stay awake but ended up making zzzzs for 95% of the short flight. Here's a 31 second snippet of the flight to Queenstown, South Island. It was stunning how different these mountains looked in comparison to my familiar Sierras.


On landing it was interesting how although the airport was ultra modern, the disembarking was right onto the tarmac.

Auckland airport is  quite the giant & super-cool mall

Took a while for Ila and me to hit the adorable souvenir stores, candy shops and all. What caught my eye? STUFF!



Loads of laser cut wall hangings and coffee table tchotchkes.



Everything from hand lotion to soaps were either infused with manuka honey &/or festooned with kiwi birds...   

Manuka Honeyed Lanolin

Kiwis!

   
               

We live in the future!

                                                     


And what discovery in this new-to-me country most wowed me? That one could buy M&Ms and get 3 varieties all in one bag! Possibly the best  idea since polio vaccinations.,

Sadly I talked myself out of buying even one single bag of M&Ms, or any souvenir - too early in the journey.

Finally dragging ourselves away from the airport shops, we hailed a taxi. Our driver was generous of heart and gave us sight seeing tour on the way to our hotel, Peppers. For the record, the taxi cost 50NZ£.

From the hillside, in the taxi we looked over Queenstown

At the Peppers hotel, the receptionist looked at us with sad puppy eyes and told us we were not getting the lake view apartment that was booked for us. Nope. We would have to settle for instead the penthouse. No. You read that right.

We were of course upset at having to up our luxury level, and so early in our trip, but what choice did we have? Caviar over hotdogs, it was.

Now, the thing is, we left San Francisco on Tuesday and somehow we arrived in Queensland on Thursday. Not sure where or how we lost Wednesday. Maybe it fell out of the jet over Fiji. It was only 3PM (although it felt 8 PM-ish) so after settling ourselves in the penthouse, we went right back out. Taking another taxi to where we bought tickets to ride a gondola.

Bottom center of this pic is where we rose up from - um.. STEEP

Can you see how steep this gondola carries passengers? 

People bungee jump from this aerial platform. Yeah. Me neither.

At the top of the gondola ride was a complex of gift shops, restaurants and the like. I was super drawn to a lot of the stuff for sale but again, managed to control myself. The ride up to 'Bob's Peak' is all the name given for the high altitude spot. It seems to be quite a popular draw for locals as well as visitors to Queenstown. Ila and I had dinner 'up top', and while we were at it we also bought our breakfast for tomorrow, to take back with us to Peppers. South Island is an island so just as in Iceland, food, is to be had at top dollars. Good news... no tipping required in either country, so there's a break.

Once we descended back to the base of the gondola ride, we used the information phone to call for a taxi back to our hotel. While we waited, we looked at the Kiwi and Birdlife Park area. Shockingly, I declined to go in. I know! At first I had thought they had wild Kiwis there but nope, just caged ones, so I'm holding out for wild Kiwis.

Ila viewing the 'negative space' Kiwi at the park entrance

Grand birdie entrance way

After our quick peek at the first sign of Kiwi birds, we took a cab back to our penthouse and called it a long, L-O-N-G, L-O-O-N-N-G day.



Here, if you care, is a quick look around the penthouse. Please, first take off your shoes. Dirt, you know.

Man Bait

Man Bait

For about a decade, an anniversary issue, gold Trans Am car has been stashed under the awning by my garage. The car belongs to my friends Ron & Jeannie. I've long called the old car 'Man Bait'. Even though it can scarsely be seen underneath a thick coating of dust, any male handyman, tree trimmer or gutter cleaner catching a glimpse of the old car inevitably goes all stupefied, then bursts into a barrage of guy joy over that silly car.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT ANNIVERSARY ISSUE...BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!"
Honestly - if men stared at me the way they stare a that old car, I would have been married & divorced 6 times by now.

While men stare stupidly at the not-exactly-gleaming heap, I explain it is not my car to sell it, nor does the car's owner wish to part with it. The handymen then snivel, and slink away disappointed.

Yeah, that car's man bait I tell you - man bait!

This afternoon Ron and Jeannie came over to fetch Ron's beloved Trans Am. Although Ron drove it to my side yard years ago, it long since ceased to run as it was never kept up at all. So poor old Man Bait had to be hauled by tow truck.

Nope, ain't giving Legos up any time soon

Miffed Jeannie, has begged Ron to just get rid of the car, but that would be like asking me to stop birding or give up my Legos.

Oh, shut up, lots of grown-ups love  their Legos. I'll give mine up when they pry the bricks from my cold dead hands.

And where was I, oh yeah, Man Bait. The tow truck arrived and loving loaded it for its 'ride' to Ron's house. So long old Man Bait! I wish you well.

Berkeley Hen Party

Robbie, bless her Hen Heart, concluded, another Hen Party was in order. Our last was a whopping 3 years ago, so you can understand her point. So with short notice the party was held this past weekend.

To the right here, is Hen Robbie who wowed I, the ultra lazy, by spending hours of the first day on her feet, baking and making a feast for her hen pals. I arrived shortly before Barbara, and we sat on our ample rears, watching Robbie prepare oodles of savories and sweet treats.

The best reason for Hen Parties is to catch up with what everyone is up to these days, and show photos of whom or whatever it is you have to share. 

On Saturday morning, Robin arrived. She came loaded with lots of stories & pix of her brood - all grown now & married - whom we've known since they were knee high to hens.

Saturday morning chat with Barbara and Robin 

We were all tickled that Hen Robin managed to visit with us, as she is always on the go. She is an honest-to-gosh, farmer, in Vacaville, CA.

 Rhonda 

Hen Rhonda came in on Sunday, having just flown in the previous night from Italy, where, as a scientist, she attended a grape grower's conference. Her tales of touring Tuscan grape groves and attending evening Italiano feasts with the locals & other scientists there kept us all in stitches.









Oh, and back to the food, because you gotta feed Hens, you know? Robbie prepared an amazing Vietnamese Pho soup for our dinner. It. Was. Awesome.

I have got to master the recipe for Pho soup. There was a tantalizing assortment of greens and sprouts to add to our soups as is done traditionally. My favorite was the purple Shiso leaves, from a plant of the mint family. I'd bought Shiso leaves but they spoiled as I did't know what to do with them. Well, now I know!


Robbie also knocked herself out the desserts department too.

Robbie made mini tarts from fresh apricots and a scrumptious apricot pie.

Yes, Hens eat pretty danged well

My 'PLEASE TAKE' cooking stuffs, all over Robbie's table

I'm busy breaking up my household lately, so I took this Hen Party opportunity to make everyone give new homes to the kitchen supplies I'm unable to take with me to Washington state. I fostered off generously gave all my flax seed & meal, nuts, bottles of grape molasses, orange water (for my attempts at Moroccan cuisine), as well as my cooking oils and much much more. Thanks for helping me unload my stuff... I mean, thanks for assisting me in re-purposing my fellow Hens!

[Update: I have yet to master the art of Pho soup as yet, but did find a great Pho restaurant in Port Angeles so there's that...]