Blogs from New Zealand, Oceania - page 2515

Evening all. Firstly, I would like to thank Matt Grest of Veronica Moser technologies© for implementing a new gallery system to deliver pictures of my varying escapades to you lucky people. The new system lives at : www.steveshinn.plus.com The navigation system is pretty obvious, but for PlusNet’s Content and design team heres some detailed instructions… 1.Turn on the computer….2… login into windows 3… oh, how I do make myself laugh. So.. I’ve got to NZ and I’ve been in Christchurch for a week. Due to the realisation that I have become horizontally challenged over the last couple of months due to excess beer consumption, I have decided to do some damn exercise. What else is New Zealand good for but Mountain Biking!! - It’s a myriad of trails, mountains, rivers, lakes, more mountains and forests. I’ve ... read more

Hello all Arrived in Wellington Friday night after a very calm crossing from South Island. Can be one of the worst stretches of water when the wind is from the south. Before leaving South Island we went to Abel Tasmen Park on Thursday and took a boat from Kaiteriteri to Bark Bay and a walk along the coastal track to the Falls River swing bridge and back to the beach for a swim and sunbathing. Back to Nelson via Grape Escape for a few gifts and fish and chips at Port Mapua - lovely freshly caught. Friday drove to Picton for the ferry via Marlborough and stopped at St Clair vineyard - lovely setting on the Highway 62 for lunches etc and wine tasting. Picton has some good gift shops at good prices and the on ... read more

Greetings from civilisation (I mean that they speak english). It's been a while since our last update because we've been very buzy or very lazy. After the Inca Trail we vegged in Cusco for a couple of days doing the touristy sights (museums etc). We then headed for Nazca to see the Nasca Lines, huge patterns (some over 100m long)carved into the worlds driest desert. The only way to see them properly is by plane. A four seater plane (including the pilot)was our transport and the flight alone was fantastic as the pilot banked steeply first to one side then the other as he pointed out the patterns on the ground. The afternoon in Nasca was a bit more sedate - we toured a pre-inca cemetary. There were bodies that had been mummified by the dry ... read more

Hello all Comtinuing to have a great time. Weather remains good with lots of sun and very little rain. It's been quite a busy 3 days since the last entry. We moved on from Dunedin and headed south towards Te Anau. Took a detour of about 100km from Balclutha when we went to see the wildlife around Nugget Point and Surat Bay. Not much at the former except seals swimming below the cliffs but at Surat we met up - almost literally - with the sealions. We went for a walk on the grassy track behind the beach and could see a female sealion on the sand about 10m away. Whilst quietly watching it flick sand over itself to keep cool in the sun Joan saw a bull sealion heading for the beach. It came out ... read more

Pihi is one of the closest beaches to the house and the one we went to most of the time.Its where i attempted to surf, but also spent a few days out swimming in the 'blue pool', chiiling out on the beach or watching the surf comps held there. Had a few meals at the life savers club (which i almost got thrown out of because i wasnt wearing a top that covered my shoulders), had a few BBQ at Neil and Paulas friends Mark and Gill or at Paul and Kirstens. One good day in piha was spent at Neils friend Peej's stag doo at the bowling club. I beat my uncle Neil in a close first game then got beaten by Peej (had to let him win as it was his doo!!!honest)... read more