In the last few months we've seen some bad musical theatre (Boeing Boeing), some good circus acts (Circus OZ 30th anniversary performance) and attended our first MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival) by purchasing a 10 film mini-pass which allows an extra 3 sessions if you go before 6pm. This was hard work and we even had to take a day off to catch up as it only goes over 12 days!
And last week we jetted off to Christchurch NZ for a ski trip with our friends Lillian & Rod. After picking up the hire car, we took a lovely drive down to Queenstown and arrived about 9pm at The Glebe Apartments (http://www.theglebe.co.nz/) which has excellent heating and great views. Thursday Rod & I woke very early and saw a glorious sunny day, minus 2 degrees celcius and hit the road for Coronet Peak ski fields (about 25-mins drive away).
Meanwhile Mark & Lillian, explored Queenstown centre and relaxed. After a fantastic day, we drove back to Queenstown exhausted but excited about the days to come.
Unfortunately, Friday had very low fog for the whole morning and that interrupted both the ski plans and the intended flight to Milford Sound, so instead we relaxed till about 11.30am and then drove to Arrowtown for lunch at Bonjour Cafe and Wanaka town.
On Saturday we had another glorious day and Mark joined Rod & I for skiing at Cardrona. We had remembered how brilliant this resort was from our original trip 15yrs ago!
Saturday was easily the best day of the trip and we spent nearly 5 hrs skiing (including breaks). Collapsing exhausted, we managed to raise ourselves for dinner at Restaurant 360 in Queenstown.
Sunday morning dawned spectacularly again and so Lil & Mark took their flight / cruise to Milford Sound and Rod & I hit the slopes of Cardrona again.
Saturday was easily the best day of the trip and we spent nearly 5 hrs skiing (including breaks). Collapsing exhausted, we managed to raise ourselves for dinner at Restaurant 360 in Queenstown.
Sunday morning dawned spectacularly again and so Lil & Mark took their flight / cruise to Milford Sound and Rod & I hit the slopes of Cardrona again.
I chose to do a lesson and was confirmed in the Level 6 class (most advanced) with 2 other skiers. It was quite an eye-opener and I realized that in the many years since I left skiing to take up snowboarding, not only had the ski technology changed, but the learning techniques as well. There's still more improving to be done but highly valuable.
Unfortunately the visibility disintegrated quickly after lunch, so we finished around 2.30pm - happy but exhausted. After a beer/ wine at the Cardrona Hotel on the way home, we exchanged stories that night.
Monday was again low visibility and given it was our final day in Queenstown, we split up and Mark & I drove to Glenorchy along the shores of Lake Wakitipu which is simply enornous and beautiful. It's claimed to be one of the most beautidul drives in the world. It's certainly lovely and although we had a few sunny breaks, it probably could have been better. Then we met the others in Arrowtown for lunch and hit the road towards Lake Tekapo about half-way between Queenstown & Christchurch.
Tekapo has a ski resort (Roundhill) about 20-mins from it, but this was closed. I'm surprised as this has been the best snow season in the last 8 yrs according to NZ locals. It was certainly very cold, averaging about minus 2 to minus 6 degrees celcius on the mountain during the day and somewhere on the North Island of NZ, there fell 150mm of rain in 24-hrs (same as 2 months usually)!
Anyway, Mark & I enjoyed an amazing event - a hot bath in the open air whilst it was about 2 degrees outside, it was either 36, 38 or 40 degrees in the pools. I tell you that the 3- 4 steps between pools was terrible!
We had a Japanese dinner in town and then set off early for Christchurch. We had very wet and foggy weather the whole way up to Ch'ch and arrived about 11.45am.
We split up to explore Ch'ch and Mark & I failed to find the remembered fashion section from 4yrs ago and had a very bad lunch in what claimed to be the Runner Up Best Cafe in Canterbury 2007 (Canterbury is the region). At 1.30pm we set off for the airport and plane home.
Exhausted after plane complications and further delays, we eventually arrived home at 10.30pm Melbourne time (12.30am NZ time) into our own lovely beds.
We split up to explore Ch'ch and Mark & I failed to find the remembered fashion section from 4yrs ago and had a very bad lunch in what claimed to be the Runner Up Best Cafe in Canterbury 2007 (Canterbury is the region). At 1.30pm we set off for the airport and plane home.
Exhausted after plane complications and further delays, we eventually arrived home at 10.30pm Melbourne time (12.30am NZ time) into our own lovely beds.
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