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Sounds Like a Fiord

At 7:00 AM we were standing in the rain waiting for our bus to Manapouri and our final destination of  Doubtful Sound in the Fiordlands.  We switched to a ferry to cross the lake, and then back to a bus  to finally reach Doubtful Sound.  The sound got its name when catain Cook got close to its entrance in 1770.  Fearing he would not be able to sail his ship Endeavor back out, he noted that it was Doubtful. We travelled through the fiords for 3 hours.  The rain was a curse and a blessing.  There are only a handful of permanent waterfalls in the sound, but when it rains there are waterfalls everywhere.  If it had stopped raining (which it did not), our guide said the waterfalls would be gone within 4 hours.  So we had low visibility with the rain and mist but lots of waterfall sightings.  The pictures do not do justice to the beauty and vastness of the fiords.  You'll just have to trust us, or better yet plan a trip! We g...
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Boulders, A Castle, and a Bunch of Churches and Fancy Buildings

I was probably a little harsh about the B&B last night.  We got up this morning and Norman and Stephanie had prepared a lovely "Kiwi Lite" breakfast for us.  It is their take on the continental breakfast, but Norman said he can't call it that if they're not on a continent.  The table was laden with fresh raspberries, rhubarb, fruit salad, granola, toast, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, custard, and jams.  Then they passed around hot cross buns.  We shared the tiny dining room with two couple from China.  One couple from Hong Kong spoke English and told us about their trip.  They left their one year old son with the grandparents so they could take a 2 week holiday. On the way from Oamaru we stopped to view the Moeraki Boulders on Norman's recommendation.  The boulders jut out from the beach.   Scientists explain the boulders as calcite concretions formed about 65 million years ago. Crystallization of calcium and carbonates around charg...
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Best Husband in the World

My day started out with a surprise.  As Shawn was walking around Matamata this morning in search of coffee (either a long black or a flat white), he found a patchwork shop.  The owner was very friendly and showed me her selection of New Zealand designed fabrics (of which a few are coming home with me).  She said quilting is popular in New Zealand and there are many guilds, but many shops are closing because it is cheaper to buy fabric on the Internet. We drove to Rotorua to see the thermal geysers at Te Puia.  Lots of bubbling mud, steam, and the occasional spouting geyser.  I've noticed the parks in New Zealand are very well maintained with paved walkways and informative signage.  Its probably obvious, but I must mention it was hot, humid and smelled of sulfur. They have carving and weaving schools to teach the younger generations the age old art.  The designs are very intricate. We stopped in t...
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