WEDNESDAY WANDERINGS

NOTE:  I have no idea why this post appeared as being published on 7th April as it wasn't written then and was definitely published on 9th April.  Has anyone else had this happen?

Unlike my fellow bloggers I don't get out and about very much these days, nor do I cook exotic dishes or am I able to garden any more so perhaps you will allow me to show you what I have done in past years?  I am going to relive some of my travels and hope you will journey back with me.  Not in any specific order but just as I come across various photographs which will tell the story of different holidays we've had.

In the early 1980's we had two wonderful holidays in New Zealand.  The first one was a bus tour of the south island but on our second visit we had a hire car and made our own way from Auckland on the north island via Napier where we stayed with a friend, then by bus to Wellington.  We caught the ferry over to Picton then journeyed by bus down to Christchurch.   There we picked up another hire car and drove south, via the east coast through Timaru and Oamaru and then headed inland across to Queenstown.  Here we stayed at the Blue Peaks Motel (you can just see the blue peaks on the top of the roof) where we were extremely comfortable.  (If you click on the photos you can enlarge them).

 

 On our first morning I looked out the bedroom window to find that during the night there had been a dusting of  snow on the Remarkables so of course had to take a photo.  To someone who lives in a very warm city, snow is quite a phenomonen; to Phil not quite so much of course as he lived his first 30 years in England.

This was the view from the living room window.  No snow there as yet:

One day we decided to drive up to the Deer Park and when we stopped to pop our entry fee into the honesty box we encountered these two very friendly donkeys.  I think they would have joined us in the car had there been room. You can see Phil's arm (in the yellow waterproof jacket as it had been drizzling earlier on) and his right hand on the donkey's neck.   They may have been seeking a handout but unfortunately we had nothing to offer them and we weren't sure whether they should be fed or not, perhaps not.

As I said it had been raining on and off earlier in the day but after we arrived at the top of this small mountain all of a sudden the rain stopped and the clouds lifted and we had the opportunity to take some lovely photographs of the surrounding areas over Lake Wakatipu. There was even a rainbow showing that the rain was moving away:

That's our hire car you can see way down there:

Believe me Phil and I both stood in awe of these views where only a few minutes before the whole area had been completed shrouded in thick cloud.  I think we even held our breath as we admired the beauty that unfolded before our eyes.

On the other side of the park the view was very different but still quite lovely.  There was a river, a township, farmland and also a small airport.  You can see from the photos just how high up we were when they were taken:

All in all it was a wonderful outing and do you know I don't believe we saw one deer.  Had there been deer you can be sure photos would have been taken and there are none in our collection.

I must mention that on one occasion (may have been on our previous visit) while in Queenstown we visited the botanical gardens and then wandered on around the lake and came across a scene from a film being made there.  It was "Race for the Yankee Zephyr" and who should be emerging from his tent to take part in this scene but Donald Pleasence.  There was no sign of the other actors in the film.  I believe it was the first film to be made in New Zealand.

Should I continue with these wanderings on Wednesdays.  I always look to my friends to tell me if I should do some particular type of post so once again your answer would be appreciated.  Yes or no?  Do tell me, please.