Grant0549

I did say "probably" the last blog in the previous entry........................this one definitely is. Back home again,feeling pretty shattered - might fall asleep while writing this! Spent a few hours in San Fran yesterday morning going round Bloomingdales and Macy's - the retail therapy being punctuated with a walk down to the old ferry terminal via the financial district and back via Chinatown. Rae did mange to restrict her purchases to a couple of birthday cards,though. (She did look for ideas for "Mother of the Bride" suits/dresses as well.) Got the hotel shuttle to the airport (met a couple from Bearsden who were about to go to New Zealand). Flight wasn't busy and after take off we were able to move seats so that Rae had a bank of 4 and me a bank of 3 ... read more

Had to wake Rae up this morning - must been have been jetlag! I was jealoous. Took the sightseeing bus down to Fisherman's Wharf via "downtown" - went through Chinatown and the Italian district. Must be more eating places per square mile than any other city that I've been to. Again was colder than it looked but bright. After getting our bus runabout tickets sorted,went back to the hotel before taking a walk around and saw: Grace Cathedral (Episcopalian) and completed the labyrinth outside it; St Mary of the Assumption Cathedral (Catholic),a lot more modern and brighter; City Hall,with a dragon being built outside it i preparation for the Chinese New Year. Caught the tram to Pier 33 for our evening Alcatraz trip which we enjoyed (but 2.5 hours on the island was a bit too ... read more

Last blog from NZ! At least no more comments about y'day's blog! Will get back to Anita from Greymouth when I get back to the UK. Great day both weather-wise and with what we saw. Got picked up to go whale-watching at 07.45. Stopped off at seal colony before going onto Kaikoura. Whale trips had been cancelled y'day because of the heavy swells but we had one of the calmest days of the the year. Left in the catamaran about 11.30 and saw our first of 3 whales 40 mins or so later; also saw a couple of more albatrosses and cape petrels (birds,for the uninitiated!) and more seals at Barneys Rock. Damian,the Irish wildlife guide onboard was vey knowledgeable as well as amusing. Went back to Kaikoura for a bit of lunch before going on ... read more

Set off from Franz Josef about 08.30 - and made our first stop within 5 mins at Lake Mapourika. Just another lake surrounded by trees! Moved on to Okaritio and wandered along the beach - some interesting rocks jutting out of the Tasman Sea. Didn't even take a pic at our next stop,Lake Ianthe.......just another lake (Francis said I was getting blase). Lake Mahinapua was more interesting (originally a coastal lagoon but now cut off from the sea) and we saw a weka (I was getting excited 'cos the weka looks a bit like a kiwi.......).Stopped off for brunch in Hokitika - quaint little place,made rich in the past from goldmining. Then on to Lake Kaniere - Rae reckons that's where the print we have in a bedroom at home was taken..........could well have been: a ... read more

Had a good run up to Franz Josef via Lake Wanaka. Left sharpish and were at Lake Wanaka (via Kawarau Gorge) before 10. Lovely day - again! Bumped into a couple from Gouraock that we'd met in Dunedin - they gave us a recommendation for breakfast. Fabulous views over the lake. Stopped off at Lake Hawea (impressive),Thunder Creek Falls (less impressive 'cos of lack of rain),Roaring Billy (ditto the comment for Thunder Creek) before popping into Haast for a toilet break - where Rae bought a Merino gilet............no,not in the toilet! Had lunch at Knights Point overlooking the ocean - wonderful blue water! Went to Lake Mathieson near Fox Glacier but, disppointingly,the mirror effect was spoiled by the wind rippling the water.Still............ Accommodation very good again - a very well-equipped self-catering chalet. Off to the Franz ... read more