Durall Down Under Blog

Whitewater Rafting in Thailand

2009-10-28T21:07:00.009+10:00

This was my first rafting adventure.

Are we having fun yet? I think so!

Acting like I was actually helping paddle!

We are about to begin our river adventure.

Kenny and Glenda having a great time.

The locals watching us raft down the river.

The guides made sure that no one stayed too dry on this rafting adventure!

Elephant Trekking in the Jungles of Thailand

2009-10-28T21:06:00.010+10:00

I loved the elephant trekking. When the guide got down off the elephant and let me sit on the elephant's neck, I was having so much fun. We actually got to ride like that for about 25 minutes. It was my favorite tour that we did on this holiday. He took several pictures of us with my camera as he walked along beside us.

After the trek, you could feed the elephants if you wanted to.

The other elehpant trek we did was a much shorter trip and did not provide the extraordinary view as the other one but enjoyed both of the tours.

Isn't she cute? She was happy to pose for a picture.

As we rode by on the elephant, we saw this guy enjoying an afternoon nap!

This guy could not speak English. He posed for a picture, took one of us and then kept smiling and patting Keith on the leg until Keith gave him a tip.

Singapore has World's Largest.....

2009-10-28T21:04:00.008+10:00

The Singapore Flyer is the World's Largest Obervation Wheel. It took about 30 minutes to go all the way around.

Each capsule weighs 16 tons and can accommodate up to 28 people.

Each capsule is uv-protected for comfort and safety. We chose to ride it at night.

There was actually a lot of room in these capsules. You could walk around and check out the views from every direction. You were supposed to be able to see Malaysia and Indonesia but I could only see the city lights. Maybe, the daytime ride would be easier to see that.

This was a beautiful view at night from the Singapore Flyer.

A shot of all four of us while at the top of the observation wheel.

The Singapore Flyer took more than one million manhours to put together.

The wheel towers 165 meters above the city and is equivalant to a 42-story building.

Singapore also has the World's Largest Fountain, The Fountain of Wealth

Keith waiting for some wealth to be showered upon him.

Posing in front of the Fountain of Wealth. We were unable to be at the fountain during the times the water was going except for the night tour which was beautiful at night but the bus was moving to fast to get a good photo. Oh well, you will just have to picture it in your mind. lol

Sightseeing in Singapore

2009-10-28T21:03:00.024+10:00

About to begin our whirlwind tour of Singapore.

Having a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel. You could throw peanut shells on the floor there.

I decided to try the fish spa at the Zoo. It felt kind of weird but my feet certainly were soft afterwards.

The fish eat all the dead skin off of your feet. Kind of gross, huh?

Stopped into the Hard Rock to have a little lunch and pick my sister up a shirt that she had asked for.

The Esplande is in the background. It is a multimillion dollar performing arts complex.

Posing in front of the Merlion Fountain.

Merlion Park overlooking Marina Bay

Getting ready to tour Thian Hock Keng Temple

This part of Singapore is known as "Little India".

It was very crowded and other than the beautiful colors and seeing the temple, this area did not hold much interest for us.

Clarke Quay comes to life at night with a feast of dining, entertainment and shopping.

Sri Krishnan Temple

Even tourists are allowed to enter the temples and even take photographs but you must remove your shoes before entering.

Colorful washing fluttering in the sky is referred to as "Flagpole Laundry".

Rubbing the Buddha for good luck.

Posing in front of the many temples we visited.

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple

Posing Singapore's Changi Airport. It has a reputation of being one of the finest airports in the world.

Trishaw

Horse Races at Eagle Farm

2009-10-10T20:38:00.013+10:00

Caulfield Guineas Race Day at Eagle Farm in Brisbane. This was our second trip to the races in Brisbane. It was a cool and windy day but we had a great time.

Keith and I in our smart racing attire!! There was a dress code. Doesn't he look nice though?

There were 8 races in Brisbane that day and we also bet on one race in Melbourne. We chose Star Spangled Banner and yes, he came in first!

Yes, that is #9, Loves A Challenge, my pick, coming in first. One of three first place finishes that day!

Taking some shelter from the wind between races.

We enjoyed a lovely three course lunch and a fun race day thanks to Vanda.

Vanda and her husband, David

Lance and Jacqui also enjoyed the races with us.

Jacqui, Vanda, me and Ann. I thought I did well to recycle a dress I already had for this but, Ann made hers. I'm not that good!

Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

2009-09-29T15:01:00.020+10:00

Signs that you will not see in the U.S.A. or at least worded a little differently than we are used to seeing.

Stop sign in Phuket, Thailand

You don't have to tell me twice.

Ha ha, not what you think.

or 80 mph

Tourists need to be reminded which side of the road to drive on. We may need to be reminded again when we get home. Beware!

Tasmanian Devils

Wombats

Alice Springs chicken at the Outback restaurant will have a new meaning now.

These roundabouts still confuse me. It is a good think I'm just a passenger.

After the free coffee, you might need to find a loo or toilet.

Nothing like a view of the beach when you've got to go.

This is actually the Virgin Blue Airlines toilet.

Load and unload

Disposable diapers

Self-explanatory

Queue or wait in line here

At first glance you might think this was somewhere other than a place to eat chicken.

Hungry Jack's is our version of Burger King

If you ask for ketchup here, you will get tomato sauce.

Aussies are very aware of skin cancer and encourage people to protect themselves. Most all of the kids wear hats as a part of their school uniform. The sunscreen is all 30+ and you certainly still get plenty of sun through it. Some people have a hard time believing this. I won't mention any names.

Riverfire - Highlight of Spring's Annual Riverfestival

2009-09-28T10:22:00.000+10:00

Boats start to roll in early in the weekend for a spot in the Brisbane River to view the fantastic fireworks display. We have had a bird's eye view of the Riverfire from our balcony for the past three years.

The Roulettes acrobatic team performs.

Riverfire fills the Brisbane skies with an expolsion of color.

After entertaining Brisbane for years with their annual flyovers, the retiring F-111 jets go out in a blaze of glory!

Fireworks resembling a waterfall flows off The Story Bridge.

A firey farewell for the F-111 jets

The F-111's dump and burn routine is being retired after this year.

Lance & Jacqui - Riverfire 2009

Kelley & Cindy - Riverfire 2008

Kenny & Glenda

Ron & Cathy

Pam & Keith - Riverfire 2007

Dust Storm hits Brisbane and Sydney

2009-09-23T19:23:00.000+10:00

Years of drought in the outback brought millions of tons of dust to Sydney and Brisbane. It was an unusual sight and the worst dust storm in 70 years but could continue to happen more frequently in the future if more rain does not come to the drought-stricken areas.

The Story Bridge in Brisbane

Brisbane did not get quite the deep red and orange colors that covered Sydney.

This photo was taken from Riverside. That is our building in the center.

The Brisbane Wheel at Southbank

This table at a Queenstreet restaurant was covered in dust

Selling face masks for $2.00 a piece

I was on my way to the post office to mail Kelsey's tax return when I stopped to take this photo.

Brisbane River was barely visible from my balcony.

Brisbane's City Cat

Sydney's Opera House

Red dust from the Outback covers Sydney's Opera House

374/26 Felix Street, Brisbane, Australia

2009-09-22T19:47:00.018+10:00

Our building is the third from the left. The Oaks on Felix has spectacular views of the city skline, the Brisbane River, the Botanic Gardens and Kangaroo Point. Keith could not have picked a place with a better view than this. Everything we needed was just minutes away.

Our apartment has two levels on the 37th and 38th floors. This was our home for almost 3 years.

My friend, Kathy, and me at the front entrance. Each level was secure so you can only select the floor you live on from the lift. This is great except for the day I forgot mine and the front desk would not let me up to my floor. I kept calling Keith to come and let me in but his cell was dead. I sat in the lobby for 4-1/2 hours that day.

Didn't have to cook many meals as I'm sure Keith will be all to happy to tell everyone. We ate out most of the time, but this was one of the few I fixed when, our friends, Kelley and Cindy were visiting.

Master Bedroom

Another view

Bedroom #2

Another view

Looking up to the second level. The two bedrooms plus two bathrooms were upstairs. There was also a half bath downstairs.

Living Room Area

Keith's commerical coffee maker. Seems like a lot of trouble for a cup of coffee to me.

View into the kitchen area. Not a lot of action went on in here.

Dining area

Spectacular views from the balcony

Looking down from the 37th floor

Just to make sure I never forget this view I purchased a canvas picture of the Story Bridge to take back with me.

Rainbow over the Story Bridge

Darwin, Australia

2009-09-04T13:50:00.009+10:00

Mindil Beach Sunset Markets

Keith in front of Didgeridoos

Keith and Kenny went swimming at Edith Falls then posed with this sign on the way out!

The Nothern Territory--The Real Australian Outback

2009-09-03T22:58:00.008+10:00

The most prominent feature of the Katherine area is the Nitmiluk National park of which Katherine Gorge is the showcase. The gorge can be visited by boat cruise, canoe or several walking tracks, giving views of sheer cliffs, aboriginal art, remnant rainforest and abundant wildlife. Fresh water crocodiles are occasionally seen basking in the sun on the sandy riverbank.

Beautiful Katherine Gorge Scenery

My Tourist Pose

Posing at Katherine Gorge on our short walk in between the two gorges we saw by boat cruise.

Crocodile "Ken dee"

Jumping Crocodiles on the Adelaide River

2009-09-03T20:45:00.014+10:00

This was one of the cheapest things we did and we enjoyed it the most. We were up close and personal with the crocodiles and got some great photos. The Adelaide River Queen Cruise is a natural attraction and takes nothing away from the crocodile's natural habitat.

Can you see the croc behind us?

The crocodile jumps right out of the water to get the meat.

Litchfield National Park, two hours south of Darwin, features stunning waterfalls, and some of the best swimming locations in the Top End. Spring-fed waterfalls including Buley Rockhole are easily accessible. This felt so good after such a hot day and the water was crystal clear.

I don't get my hair wet often but could not resist a swim at Buley Rockhole!

Giant Termite Mounds were abundant. This was one of the biggest we saw.

Kenny and Keith could not wait to get up close and personal with the crocodiles in the Cage of Death.

This croc seemed somewhat bored with Keith and Kenny. They enjoyed it though.

Smiling for the camera!

Kenny, Glenda, me and Keith posing with a baby one.

The best thing about the place we stayed was the huge jacuzzi tub in each room. Thanks Kenny!

View from the balcony in Darwin.

Glenda and I getting ready to start our holiday.

Crocodile "Ken dee" and Glenda at Cullen Bay on our last night in Darwin.

Keith and I posing at Cullen Bay.

Teapots and Beanie Babies

2009-08-23T10:59:00.014+10:00

Morpeth is a unique craft village in the heart of the Hunter Region. Keith took me there on Saturday to look for some beanie babies I had heard were in a store there. Lucky me! There happened to be a teapot festival going on with almost 4,000 teapots from all over Australia as well as England and China. Unlucky Keith. There were functional as well as nonfunctional teapots for sell. You can seriously make anything a teapot.

These are just a few of the many there were to look at.

The Queen has a spout at the top of her forehead. It was kind of hard to photograph behind glass.

Bunny Teapots
Turkey Teapots

This is a koala teapot that sits on its own tea cup and saucer. I liked this one a lot but it was $145 Australian dollars.

The "Teatanic," how cute is that?

Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman have teapots made in their likeness.

Evidently, you also need a cosy for your teapot to help keep your tea warmer. There were also many varieties of those.

What to buy, what to buy...it is so hard to decide.

How about this tea cosy hat? She was in the moment. Don't worry Candice and Kelsey...it was not for sell. I have made a decision.

I will be serving my friends Peppermint tea in my new Christmas teapot!

There was even a band for Keith to listen to while I did my shopping.

Guess, it was not his type of music. Looks like he made due with a paper. What a great sport.

The Campbell's Craft Centre has 13 specialty shops, one of which sells bears (the reason I wanted to go in the first place). There was also a great tea room where we had morning tea, and raisin toast.

As I was still shopping when it came time for lunch, we also had a great sandwich there. It was grilled vegetables on turkish bread that included sweet potato, avocado, sundried tomato, cheese, and mushrooms. It was delicious! I had a great day but spent so much time there I did not make it to the other places I had planned to go. Maybe, if I'm good, he will take me back before we leave.

I managed to complete two of the Asia-Pacific sets of the 5 I had started and bought 3 or 4 others to add to my collection.

I still have a few months left to hunt. It was a successful day and the teapot festival was just a bonus!

Kelsey's Skydiving Adventure

2009-08-09T21:08:00.021+10:00

Kelsey wanted to skydive before she left Australia. She was not able to work it in before she left in December, so we agreed to let her do it for a late birthday present. We went to the Byron Bay area along with our friends, Kenny and Glenda. Luckily, there was someone else crazy enough (that would be Kenny) to do it with her so she was not alone. Kelsey said the view was spectacular and you could see all the way to the Gold Coast from the plane. She said it was the best birthday present ever.

Kelsey was picked up at the hotel by a limo provided by Go Skydive. Nothing like riding in style to jump out of a plane!

Lots of papers to sign before we go up.

They got her ready pretty quickly.

Am I really sure I want to do this?

Off we go, into the wild, blue yonder....

Free falling at 14,000 feet and 130 mph.

Safely on the ground.

Looks like she enjoyed it.

Kelsey and her instructor, Dan. Kelsey was a little shocked to find out that he just folded this parachute up straight away to get ready for the next person waiting to jump. There are just some things you are better off not knowing.

I did it and I'm marking if off my list! They say if you never go, you will never know. I will just have to take Kelsley and Kenny's word that it is a great experience because I'm not going.

Conrad Treasury Casino

2009-08-09T19:22:00.008+10:00

This is Saturday date night or you could call it...Kelsey is entertaining so we had to find somewhere to go.

We chose the Brisbane Conrad Treasury Casino for our night out. The old Treasury Building was built in three stages between 1885 and 1928 and is now home to a stylish casino and hotel complex.

A night shot of the main entrance of the casino. They often change the colors at night for different holidays.

Look at all my chips!! I won these betting on the roulette wheel. I picked the winning number two different times!

Cashed in my chips and hung on to my money for once. The casino was my friend tonight.

Kenny and Glenda went out to play with us.

Good night!

Sydney Opera House

2009-08-02T19:06:00.002+10:00

The Sydney Opera House took 15 years and a cost of 102 million dollars to complete. It is an extraordiary building and a great photo spot from every angle day or night. We have made many trips to Sydney and probably will make another before we depart Australia.

Our first trip to Sydney.

Candice in front of the Opera House.

You never know what kind of weather you will get in Sydney but, more than likely you can count on some rain and cooler temperatures than in Brisbane.

Our friend, Burl, took this great shot from the Waterfront Restaurant after a rainstorm. We try to eat there every time we are in Sydney. What a great photo!

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

2009-07-25T19:47:00.008+10:00

One of the many favorite things we have done since arriving in Australia was the Harbour Bridge Climb in Sydney. We waited until Candice came for her first of three visits so we could all do it together. The twilight climb was perfect because we were able to see the view at daylight during the first part of the climb, it was sunset by the time we arrived at the top of the bridge and the city's lights shone brightly at night by the time we finished our climb.

What a view! There were 1,457 steps to the largest single-span arch bridge in the world. The weight of the steelwork alone totals 52,800 tons. The oldest woman to climb the bridge was 100 years old.

A great family snap!

We originally had 12 in our group but lost one to her fear of heights shortly after we began our climb.

The lights of the city looked amazing from the top of the bridge.

Keith took this night shot of the bridge from the Waterfront restaurant.

You could always see three or four groups on a climb.

Having a little snack before the 3-1/2 hour climb.

Adventures with Maggie

2009-06-21T21:39:00.016+10:00

I met my friend Maggie at a Weight Watcher's meeting in September, 2007. She has become a very good friend and I enjoy going places with her. Her family is just as friendly and welcoming as she is and they have entertained me quite often the past year or so. I will miss her terribly when I leave.

Maggie and Siew Wah Yeong.

Maggie and daughter, Stephanie

Maggie and daughter, Candice

Maggie is always introducing me to new people. This is BanEE. She is also from Singapore.

Eric, the owner of the Little Singapore restaurants. Maggie and I eat there quite often.

Chopsticks lesson at Little Singapore.

I love this fruit market. It has the best fruit and the owner helps us choose the fruits that are in season. He also lets us sample before we buy!

Maggie making room for our fruit purchases.

The Mango is a fruit that I like a lot. Maggie showed me how to slice it properly. There are several varieties of mangoes but my favorite is the Asian Queen (Maggie says it is named after her). The fresh fruits are one of the many things I love about Australia.

Maggie had me pose by these huge bags of rice to show how big they were. I am holding a jar of hot chilli sauce. I add it to my Weight Watcher's chicken fried rice dish to spice it up a bit.

That is one big bag of rice. It would probably last me the rest of my life. That is 55 pounds of rice.

Maggie pointing to her favorite tea. She has introduced me to many kinds of teas. I certainly enjoy my morning and afternoon teas. That is one habit I am taking back to Indiana with me.

I bought a tea pot and some chinese tea cups to serve up the tea leaves I bought at Yuen's Market. I wanted to be able to serve proper chinese tea. Then BanEE told me that she uses a coffee mug and a tea bag to have her tea. How funny is that?

Leaving with my tea purchases. As you can see, I did not buy the big bag of rice.

Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

2009-06-15T09:21:00.005+10:00

Keith had the Queen's birthday off so he planned a trip to Tasmania for the long weekend. It was our first trip there. It was a very rainy and cool weekend. He did not enjoy it much but I think there are many things to see that we didn't have time for.

The famous Salamanca Markets are every Saturday. As you can see it was not the best day for market shopping and we only arrived in Hobart in time to catch the last hour or so. I only purchased some Tasmanian Shortbread to have with my coffee. It was really good.

Fruits and veggies galore.

Keith with the Tasman Bridge in the background.

We stayed out of town a bit at the Rydges. It used to be an old institute for the blind. I think it was built in 1914.

The Penitentiary at Port Arthur

2009-06-15T08:31:00.008+10:00

Port Arthur is the best-preserved convict settlement in Australia. The grounds are very large and you could easily spend a whole day getting lots of exercise walking over the grounds and reading stories about the convicts and the people who worked there. Keith loves historic things so he was quite interested in the stories about Port Arthur.

That is one small cell block. Several of the convicts were locked up for years for stealing cutlery and tablecloths.

I didn't leave him locked up for too long.

The Historic Shot Tower

2009-06-14T21:29:00.010+10:00

This Shot Tower was completed in 1870 and is located 11 kilometers from Hobart. In the early days, it was used for the manufacture of lead shot.

It was hard to get a good picture of the tower. It is 48 meters high

Still a ways to go to get to the top. The staircase in the tower was the original scaffold and had 287 steps.

Molten lead was dropped from a great height where it cooled before hitting a tub of water at the bottom of the tower.

He was all smiles until he realized the the steps were wooden .

View from the top of the Shot Tower.

Tessallated Pavement at Eaglehawk Neck, Tasman Peninsula of Tasmania

2009-06-14T21:12:00.011+10:00

This rare erosional feature forms in flat lying sedimentary rock on some ocean shores. These cracks formed through stress on the Earth's crust and were modified by the sand and wave action.

Unusual geological formations at the Tessallated Pavement.

The Tasman's Arch

2009-06-14T20:35:00.006+10:00

Over the years, the waves have eroded the softer layers of the rock from below and the stronger top layers have withstood the forces of the water.

The Tasman's Arch

Fossil Bay Lookout

The Blowhole has a soft spot where the rock has eroded and when the waves build up pressure, they spray through the hole like a whale's spout.

The Tahune Airwalk

2009-06-14T19:55:00.007+10:00

The Tahune Airwalk is set in one of Tasmania's most world renowned forests, the Tahune Forest Reserve.

That is Keith at the end of the walk. I was shocked he wanted to walk out to the edge.

Treetop views over the Huon River, Tahune Forest Airwalk.

People would throw coins of the walkway trying to get them to land on this tree trunk. Keith got his on. I missed mine.

Geeveston, Tasmania

2009-06-14T19:12:00.005+10:00

Geeveston is a small Tasmanian forest town with a history connected to timber industries. We stopped by for a quick stroll through town and a cup of hot chocolate.

My friend, Maggie, knitted me this scarf for my trip to Tassie. It was very warm. The weather changed quite often that weekend.

This is what we think a Tasmanian Devil looks like. This carving was done with a chainsaw.

All around the town are statues and carvings telling the story of the region's founding people.

The Cascade Brewery is Australia's oldest functioning brewery, built in 1824 then rebuilt after a fire in 1927.

Trip is over. Waiting for the flight to take us back to Brisbane.

Hunter Valley Winery Tour

2009-05-31T23:06:00.007+10:00

As Australia's oldest and best known wine region, Hunter Valley Wine Country combines a rich history with the best of contemporary winemaking, creating an environment for producing world-class wines. There was no shortage of picturesque wineries to choose from, as there are more than 120 in the area.

Our first stop on the tour was the Blueberry Hill Vineyard. This was also my favorite out of the 5 we visited, or possibly my taste buds were more alert in the beginning.

Boutique Wines from 100% Hunter Valley grapes.

Let the tasting begin.

Blueberry Hill Vineyard Logo

Blueberry Hill Vineyard

2009-05-31T22:59:00.003+10:00

Each place we visited provided tips for tasting, facts about wines and their own specialties.

2009-05-31T22:52:00.006+10:00

We had lunch at the Calais Estate. It was delicious! I forgot to take a picture before I began eating. I guesss I was too hungry.

Wine tasting gives you an opportunity to taste a variety of wines You are free to pour out anything that is not to your liking.

Rose bushes are attacked before grapes. Planting these help to give the vineyards a chance to save their grapes if they notice that the roses are being eaten by insects.

2009-05-31T22:41:00.006+10:00

Beautiful Ivanhoe Vineyard

We were running short on time at the end of the day. This was our last stop and we only had 15 minutes to taste and shop, which I guess was a good thing. There was every kind of chocolate you could imagine. In the back of this picture is chilli chocolate beans. They packed quite a punch. Keith did not care for them, but I purchased a bag for me, along with a few caramel chocolate frogs.

Our tour group consisted of 9 friends, one of which was celebrating a 30th birthday, and us. They were a fun group from north Sydney and this is our photo at the end of the day after visiting 5 different wineries, having a delicious lunch at one of the vineyard locations, private cheese tasting with the Hunter Valley Cheese Company, and all the chocolate you could want including strawberries dipped in a chocolate fountain at the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company.

Newcastle, Australia

2009-05-31T21:47:00.011+10:00

Newcastle is located north of Sydney. Keith travels there quite often for work. This past weekend I went with him to check out the sights.

South Newcastle Beach is located in the heart of the city and the most popular of Newcastle's 50 plus beaches. It is known for its water surfing and beautiful blue waters.

Nobbys Head is still an active lighthouse. It was the third lighthouse built in New South Wales.

The wind was a bit crisp.

Brisbane Broncos

2009-05-22T11:55:00.006+10:00

Keith and I really enjoy watching the footy. He has taken me to several games. The Broncos are Brisbane's professional Rugby League football team. They play in the National Rugby League (NRL) and have won 6 Premierships. The game moves right along and definitely holds my interest. I even enjoy watching the sports shows leading up to the games.

We love the footy!

Suncorp Stadium is where the Broncos play their home games and it is walking distance for us.

Go the Broncos!

Anyone for a balloon hat?

When the team scores, it is called a Try.

2009-05-22T11:33:00.003+10:00

Brisbane Broncos

Scrum

Keith's favorite player, Israel Folau. Check out those leg muscles!

Broncos after a win.

Broncos' Captain Darren Lockyear

Christchurch, New Zealand

2009-05-18T09:10:00.006+10:00

Christchurch is the South Island's largest city. It is full of Victorian institutional buildings which help it to retain its distinctive English flavor. The tramway decribes a loop through main parts of the city centre. It links the Cathedral Square, the Arts Centre markets, the botanic gardens, modern art gallery and Victoria Square.

The Chalice is a 21st-century sculpture by Neil Dawson. The native leaf patterns are created from aluminum and fixed to a repeated hexagon structure. It is also very pretty at night.

Christchurch Cathedral at night. Cathedral Square is in the very center of Christchurch and is dominated by the anglican cathedral and is 65.5 metre spire.

My hand made Merino Wool Felt hat I purchased at the markets. It is very warm.

On the way to the markets.

City Sights

2009-05-18T07:52:00.007+10:00

Keith in Cathedral Square.

The tram runs all year round and is the easiest and best way to explore the heart of the city.

This interesting bank building is on High Street.

This old Post Office building now serves as an information centre. It is also home to a Starbucks on the corner.

The Brigde of Remembrance was dedicated on Armistice Day 1924. It is a memorial to New Zealand servicemen who died in World War I.

Punting on the Avon River, Christchurch NZ

2009-05-17T19:35:00.005+10:00

I talked Keith into a punting ride down the Avon River. It is an iconic Christchurch attraction. Our ride lasted about 30 minutes and we were given an informative talk by our guide. He even sang to us as we went under a bridge. The acoustics were great!

A relaxed and cozy ride down the Avon River.

View of the Avon River from the Hamish Hay Bridge.

The punting ride takes you past the dandelion-shapes of the Ferrier Fountain. It is really pretty at night.

My Driving Attempt

2009-05-17T18:47:00.003+10:00

While we were in an isolated area, Keith let me try my hand at driving. We came up on a bunch of cows being moved from one place to another. At one point they had completely surrounded the SUV. I did o.k. being that there were no other cars to confuse me, but I would not want to try it in the city. It is taxis for me, thanks.

I don't think he was happy with my driving!

Glenorchy

2009-05-17T16:41:00.005+10:00

We went back to one of our favorite places to hike, Glenorchy. It is a small community outside of Queenstown, NZ. The views were so spectacular. We spent several hours, walking trails, taking pictures of the landscape and just enjoying the outdoor weather. This is the same small town where last year we went to a sheep farm and actually participated in the sheep shearing. It was very hard work and I'm glad my parents do not own a sheep farm.

I love this picture!

New Zealand Scenic Drive

2009-05-17T08:43:00.001+10:00

This time Keith hired an SUV and we did a lot more driving. We were on no time schedule and stopped wherever and whenever we wanted to take pictures, hike, or just have coffee and enjoy the view.

2009-05-17T08:42:00.000+10:00

2009-05-17T08:32:00.000+10:00

We stopped on our drive through Arthur's Pass National Park and hiked to The Devil's Punchbowl Falls.

Shotover Jet Boat Ride, Queenstown, NZ

2009-05-15T21:40:00.000+10:00

This was a cold day in Queenstown and the Shotover Jet Boat Ride traveled at speeds of up to 85 kph in as little as 10cm of water through narrow river canyons and made full 360 degree spins. This was a lot of fun. I had to hold on to my hat, literally.

2009-05-15T21:22:00.001+10:00

We are on the back row.

Fox Glacier Climb

2009-05-15T21:08:00.000+10:00

This is the second time we have been to New Zealand but the first for a glacier climb. We were dressed in appropriate layers so we did not get cold, except for my feet on the way down. The half day climb was plenty for me It took 5 hours from start to finish. No rest for the weary! There were some great views. Keith had been wanting to do this since our last visit.

2009-05-15T20:59:00.000+10:00

This was the group in front of us. There were several which is why they kept us moving rather quickly except for short rest stops.

2009-05-15T20:17:00.001+10:00

Brrrrrr

Big P Is 47

2009-05-15T17:35:00.001+10:00

Keith had to be out of town for my birthday. He tried to have flowers delivered in his absence. It didn't work out. Better late than never. I loved them!

2009-05-15T17:17:00.000+10:00

Happy Birthday to me.

2009-05-15T17:14:00.000+10:00

Beautiful Birthday Bouquet!