LJMOBG

Argentina 2/2011

2011-04-25T06:40:00.002+12:00

The giant hand in the sand at Punta del Este Beach in Uruguay, Polo lesson, monument in Buenos Aires, Evita's tomb in Buenos Aires

Back in Minnesota

2011-04-25T06:37:00.003+12:00

What can I say?!! It's April 20 in Minnesota!

Auckland Airport has free internet, pies and lamingtons!

2010-05-18T20:01:00.001+12:00

Plants are bigger here than in Minnesota

2010-05-15T14:33:00.004+12:00

These plants are Silver Mound, Canondale Eunomyous and gardenia.

Birds!

2010-05-15T13:17:00.004+12:00

I was walking down the hall in the hospital yesterday and I heard an absolute cacaphony of birds chirping! So I came to a window out onto one of the many courtyards that the hospital is built around. It was open and the trees were chocked full of little chickadee-like birds! There were hundreds of them, all singing away! I wish that I had my camera with me.
It is late autmn here (think November), and the rhododendrons, gardenias, roses are budding and blooming. The groundskeepers are planting new plants in the flower beds around the hospital. Yes it is wonderful living in a place where we have flowers all year round.

Hey New Zealand, I'm back!

2010-04-17T15:32:00.003+12:00

I am back, and with a new much better camera. I've started taking pictures of everyday life, and I will be posting them one of these days. Beautiful sunny autumn day today here...

I'm headed back to New Zealand!

2010-04-15T15:40:00.002+12:00

I can hardly wait to step back on NZ soil! I will be working there again for 6 wks, and then back to MN to resume work at Park Nicollet Clinics in Maple Grove as of June 14. I have rented a townhome in Plymouth MN. It is ideal for me, since I need to be close to my Mom at this time.

Antarctica ---- Way cooler than I thought, not temperature-wise! Animal-wise!

2010-03-27T13:33:00.019+13:00

On the way back across the Drake Passage, we were in quite a gale! The wind was gale force 8, a hurricane is 12!We were out of the boat 2-3 times a day, a much more active trip than I expected!
We saw lots of fur, crabeater, weddell, leopard, and elephant seals. Also we walked among the gentoo, adele and chinstrap penguins, and other birds (like the blue-eyed shags in the picture) too!. From the boat and zodiacs we saw orca, humpback and minke whales! We were next to a sleeping humpback whale for an hour!

Getting excited about Antarctica!

2010-02-01T17:36:00.002+13:00

I am finishing my last week of work in New Zealand this week. Then I leave for an overnight in San Francisco before heading to Antarctica. There I hope to see my fill of penguins! I understand that the colonies are quite odiferous!

A Memorable hike

2010-01-25T19:57:00.002+13:00

It was raining, but Susan, Nick and I decided to do the Sledge Track anyway. Susan and I had done part of it previously but had to stop due to darkness. The trail was washed out in many places, but we did the whole circuit despite walking through rushing water over our boots. Nick, a true kiwi man, was in shorts! The track is now closed! No surprise!

Kiwi Humor

2010-01-21T22:22:00.006+13:00

During my travels in New Zealand, unusual things have been noted...

Doubtful Sound Cruise

2010-01-21T21:53:00.003+13:00

I enjoyed my overnight cruise on Doubtful Sound with Fjordland Cruises. We saw gorgeous scenery, lots of sea lions, Blue Penguins, and dolphins. The crew was wonderful, informative and dedicated to showing us the best cruise possible. The green bird is the kea. They are rascals, known to open backpack zippers and deposit the non-food contents in the trees! And we had fresh crayfish for dinner!

Stewart Island

2010-01-21T21:30:00.004+13:00

Stewart Island is at the southern end of the South Island. It has a higher concentration of kiwis (the flightless and very shy noctural bird) than another part of NZ. But despite walking for 40km for 2 days and part of the night, I did not see a kiwi. I did see kiwi tracks and kiwi poo, and lots of other birds. The ferry ride back to Invercargill was really rocky, I managed not to hurl even after the lady next to me spewed all over! All in all, a fitting ending to a less than marvelous weekend.

Pancake Rocks = Punekaiki

2010-01-21T21:20:00.003+13:00

On the west coast of the South Island there are these cool rock formations! The water is red from tannins from decomposing leaves upstream.

A good Kiwi idea

2010-01-12T00:17:00.000+13:00

I saw a couple of these signs today, good idea!

Yellow-eyed penguins

2010-01-12T00:12:00.002+13:00

I went for a walk in a penguin reserve and was looking over the rail at the ocean below, when I realized that right next to me were 2 little penguins, just looking me over! Cute as can be!

Kaikoura rocks!

2010-01-11T23:58:00.004+13:00

I am on a tour of the South Island.
Today I flew to Christchurch, then drove to Kaikoura in my rental a red Ford Focus. I did the Peninsula Walk starting from Point Kean, another walk from my book of “202 best day walks in New Zealand”, in fact it is the one shown on the cover! The book says that it is a 3-4 hour trip, but even with several pauses for photos and several detours to avoid sleeping sea lions It took only 2 hours. On several occasions I came around rocks and almost stepped on one of them! One barked at me, I don’t know what else happened because I was too busy running away! I really did try to avoid the sea lions, but it was impossible when they were up on the cliffs, so one could not help but get between them and the sea (a no-no).
The next day I went whale watching from a helicopter, the male sperm whales live in the Kaikoura Trench, just off the coast where they feed and grow for several years. We saw 5 on a 30 minute ride!

Moeraki Boulders

2010-01-11T23:26:00.004+13:00

They are really interesting, concretions made of calcite that developed in the mudstone. They are now gradually being exposed by erosion. The wave action is breaking them up, revealing the ‘veins’of crystallized calcite.

Lake Tahoe

2009-12-26T15:38:00.004+13:00

Skiing at Heavenly was heavenly! Wonderful powder, wonderful company and wonderful views!
(From left to right, Laura, Beth Mueller Carewe and Emily)

Pohutakawa tree in December with red blooms

2009-12-14T07:17:00.003+13:00

These trees are in bloom at Christmas. These pictures were taken in Napier. Pronunciation of these long names is really easy. You pronounce every letter, put equal emphasis on each syllable and then just runitalltogetherreallyfast!

Waterfalls near Lake Waikaremoana

2009-12-13T21:25:00.002+13:00

Obviously the sun came out, and the rest of the day was great!

Lake Waikaremoana

2009-12-13T21:08:00.003+13:00

I have been to this large lake on 2 occasions in the last month. The weather was obviously different! The name is really easy once you get it.

Mahia Beach

2009-12-13T21:00:00.002+13:00

The weather here today was beautiful! We waded in the ocean and did a bush walk called the Mahia Scenic Reserve Tramp. The Norfolk pine is common in this area, and it has a natural 'star' at the top!

The painted vans of NZ: a recap from 2009

2009-12-06T21:54:00.008+13:00

These vans speak for themselves...Wickedly NOT PC!

Tongariro Crossing

2009-12-06T21:43:00.002+13:00

This weekend I am on call, but next weekend Susan, Jackie and I hope to do the Tongariro Crossing. It is one of New Zealand's 12 Great Walks. I tried last spring but because of high winds no hiking was allowed that day. As you can see there is still snow, so we will probably not be able to do the side-trip to the summit of Ngaurahoe. Crampons are required. We are looking forward to the trip, may the weather gods shine on us!

Another example of Kiwi Humor

2009-12-02T18:28:00.001+13:00

This car was parked at Picton Harbor.

Blog closure

2009-12-01T19:33:00.002+13:00

Okay, due to lack of interest on the part of my readers, I will be moving this blog to facebook. It seems to get more readers there.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-28T13:28:00.004+13:00

We had 20 people over to the house for Turkey, Leg of lamb, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (kumara to Kiwis) casserole, cranberry relish, green vegetables, 3 different green salads, pumpkin pie, apple pies and pavlova! The food was wonderful and the company superb!

White Island

2009-11-24T20:09:00.005+13:00

White Island is one of 2 active volcanoes in New Zealand. It is a few miles off the coast, in the Bay of Plenty. There is constant high temperature plumes high in sulfuric acid, a crater lake which is also very hot and highly acidic. The streams flowing across the crater floor are sulfuric acid! It was an amazing tour that I will never forget! Our guide was a geology student, so we got a lot of information about explosive volcanoes (like White Island) vs effusive volcanoes (like Moana Loa). White Island is known for throwing out car sized hunks of rock without much notice. Wonderful! They made us wear plastic hard hats which the guide admitted would not protect us, but would help them to locate our bodies in the event of an explosion. The gas masks were helpful since the sulfuric acid fumes caused irritation making us to cough.

More Kiwi humor!

2009-11-17T20:25:00.000+13:00

Don't you love this sign! Only in NZ!

Roses continue to bloom outside the front door

2009-11-15T15:50:00.002+13:00

Isn't spring wonderful! Between the roses are yellow irises, another of my favorites.

Picton, Queen Charlotte Track

2009-11-09T17:07:00.006+13:00

What a marvelous Saturday we had! Took the ferry to Picton Fri eve and then walked 24.5K in 6 hrs on the Queen Charlotte Track. It doubles as a mountain bike track, but I was glad not to be a bike on that rocky trail with some steep ups and downs. Then at the water taxi pick up point, there were sea cucumbers and huge starfish on the bottom. It was easy to see them because it was low tide and the water was clear.

A beautiful garden near Kimbolton

2009-11-01T19:31:00.006+13:00

The pictures say it all! The last Rhododendron must be on steroids!

Abel Tasman National Park

2009-11-01T19:25:00.002+13:00

This is a hiker and sea kayakers paradise!

Sea Lions, Queen Charlotte Sounds

2009-11-01T19:20:00.002+13:00

The Queen Charlotte Sounds are at the top of the South Island, actually due west of Wellington which is on the southern end of the North Island. The native wildlife includes Orca, whales, dolphins, penguins, and innumerable species of birds!

More photos of Queen Charlotte Sounds

2009-11-01T19:15:00.001+13:00

So was I right? Beautiful!

Picton Dolphin Cruise

2009-11-01T19:07:00.002+13:00

I saw both Hector's dolphins and Bottlenose dolphins. The scenery in the Queen Charlotte Sounds is really beautiful! More photos to follow...

Antarctica, Here we come!

2009-10-23T21:20:00.005+13:00

Well it's for sure, My mother and I are going to Antarctica in February, so stay tuned for some fantastic pictures!
This weekend I am in the fantastically beautiful area that is Nelson/Abel Tasman National Park. Pictures to be downloaded!

Auckland Domain

2009-10-19T21:24:00.003+13:00

Well I was in Auckland for a course this weekend and enjoyed going to the Auckland Museum again, then walking around the gardens that I last saw my first day in NZ 10 months ago. The orchids were beautiful!

Mt Taranaki

2009-09-27T23:00:00.003+13:00

Taranaki is a beautiful mountain and is an active volcano which has erupted many times, most recently in 1755. I climbed partway up until we were in the clouds and thought it best to come back down. The trade off was some sunset pictures, nothing glorious, but you never know...

Rhododendrons in New Plymouth

2009-09-27T22:56:00.003+13:00

I do love Rhodos, and these are huge! The Rhododendron Festival is not for 3 weeks, but many of the bushes were in full bloom. The bushes are the size of flowering crabapple trees in MN. The largest blooms were as large as my face!

Trip to Cape Palliser to see the sea lions

2009-09-13T18:57:00.006+12:00

It was a gorgeous spring day, so I headed out through Manawatu Gorge (first picture) , to Cape Palliser, at the southeastern end of the North Island. I drove through a small town with an interesting array of old cars parked on the street. (2nd & 3rd pictures)
On the way, I noted a sign on the roadside for "Horse Poo $2 a bag". Not unusual in NZ! (4th picture)
After an enjoyable 3 hour drive, I came to the ocean and saw many sea lions. Some were off shore fishing, others were lazing in the sun!

Things I love about New Zealand!

2009-09-13T18:32:00.004+12:00

#1: The weather! It is spring now and it is so gorgeous!. As one of my friends said recently, Minnesota has 6 months of winter and 6 days of spring! Not here, spring is wonderful! I'll let you know how long it is when summer comes...
#2: The low-key, laid back life style. The kiwi sense of humor is delightful!
#3:The proximity of ocean and mountains.
#4: The breathtaking scenery! (related to #3).
#5: Teaching residents (registrars as they are called here). I LOVE it!
#6: Ferns that are trees! Flowers blooming all year round!
#7: Wonderful wines, fresh seafood and produce that is mostly locally grown! New Zealand lamb is unbelievably tender and delicious!
#8: The wonderful people here, who regularly use self-effacing humor, and would never describe themselves as Type A.
#9: A near total lack of snakes, bears, and other noxious things! Instead New Zealand has cute little penguins!
#10: This country is an outdoor adventurers paradise! There are a myriad of things to do and see!
Whatever my future brings, a peice of my heart will always be here!

3 active Volcanoes seen across Lake Taupo

2009-09-08T18:24:00.002+12:00

These 3 volcanoes: Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro are seen across Lake Taupo which formed as a result of the eruption of a super volcano 1800 years ago! That eruption was so big that the ash cloud was seen in Italy and is recorded in Roman literature!

Cute lambs and a really ugly pig!

2009-09-08T18:21:00.001+12:00

It's lambing season...

More beautiful North Island Countryside!

2009-09-08T16:54:00.003+12:00

I found a highway that I had not previously traversed! The road between Taupo and Napier was quite beautiful.

Blue Penguins

2009-09-08T16:48:00.002+12:00

Aren't they cute! The backstage tour was really fun! We could have watched these cute little birds all day!

Bathroom doors at the Antarctica Centre, Christchurch, South Island New Zealand

2009-09-08T16:43:00.002+12:00

I do love Kiwi humor!

I skiied Mt Ruapehu

2009-09-06T22:21:00.002+12:00

The winds were strong, up to 60-80 km/hr, and the runs were very crowded since the sister ski field on the other side of the mountain were closed due to high winds.

I really do WORK in New Zealand!

2009-08-09T15:49:00.009+12:00

Okay, I keep hearing that it seems as if all I do is play while I'm here in NZ. So I will put on some pictures of the hospitals and clinics, so that you can see that I do work sometimes! The pictures show a graphic sign seen throughout the hospital warning visitors not to come visit if they are ill, one of the registrars (residents) in the hallway of the operating theaters, an official pro-home birth sign outside Labor and Delivery (anathema in the US), 3 different clinic rooms, a view of a typical ward (4-8 beds, only isolation rooms are private), a "naughty chair" placed in the pre-op holding area which has no other purpose than to make one grin. Ya gotta love the kiwi sense of humor!

I'm back in paradise!

2009-08-09T15:25:00.005+12:00

Well it's been a while since I posted because I was getting ready for my trip to the US to clean out my house in Minnesota in preparation for selling it. To make a long story short, it was a grueling 4 weeks of sorting, discarding, donating and cleaning! I did get together with friends and family most evenings, a welcome respite from the repeated decisions spiked with heavy lifting! My wonderful mother was slaving away with me the first and last weeks, and each of my kids came home for a weekend to clean out their respective rooms and otherwise do my bidding!
I got back to NZ this AM, and it is a gorgeous, sunny 60 degree day! Jackie greeted me at the airport and made me a delicious lunch. After unpacking, I had a pleasant walk to the market for tonight's dinner. The flights were uneventful, I was so exhausted from the past month that I slept for most of the 14 hours! A treat on the flight from Auckland to Palmerston North was beautiful views of Volcanoes Tongariro, Ngaurahoe and Ruapehu! The oldest is the leftmost on the bottom picture, and the youngest and most recently active (last eruption in 2007) and largest is Ruapehu, on the right in the top picture and alone in the middle picture. See the crater lake! We could even see the skilifts as we flew over! Also, I did see Mt Taranaki (Egmont) to the west, but it is further away from the flight path, so not as spectacular.

The House I live in

2009-07-06T21:29:00.002+12:00

This is the house that I share with another female Ob/Gyn from the US. It has 3 BR, 2 BA, cornice molding throughout, and a nice patio out back.It has no basement, no insulation below the floor or above the ceiling! It does not have central heating. We have small gas and electric heaters in each room and we turn them on as we move from room to room. This is the norm in NZ! Since winter temps here are in the 40's-50's during the day and 30's-40's at night, the weather is temperate. We have had frost a few times. The roses in the garden continue to bloom! As a gardener, this is so wonderful!

Gumboots

2009-06-28T19:04:00.003+12:00

I am collecting pictures of my life here in NZ for a presentation on July 18 for Minnesota Women Physicians. Here is one of the pictures: In theater (operating rooms) the surgeons wear white gumboots (which are cleaned each evening by the orderlies).

2009-06-28T18:55:00.003+12:00

15 days from today I will be flying to Minnesota. I am so looking forward to being hot! Since it is in the 40's, I wear my fleece all day. It has been drizzling off and on this weekend. I was in Wellington as you can see by the pictures. Eventhough it is winter now, the botanical gardens are blooming, and the 'fragrant garden' smells wonderful! And yes, there are men walking the streets wearing shorts!

Largest Pohutukawa Tree in New Zealand

2009-06-21T19:31:00.003+12:00

Here is another giant tree, it is 600 years old!

Nationalized Health care

2009-06-17T17:55:00.002+12:00

Since I will be giving a talk to Mn Women Physicians when I am back in the states next month for a visit, I need to start synthesizing my thoughts about nationalized health care. While I am a proponent of universal coverage, which is the only ethical and humane approach to health care, the system in New Zealand has its flaws. Basic health care is provided by general practitioners who are true gate keepers. Maternity care is done by GP's or more commonly by midwives. As in the US, they have a list of criteria which require referral to an obstetrician. Waiting lists for surgery are really long, many months. Unless you have suspected or confirmed cancer, it is possible that you will receive a letter informing you that you are not even on the waiting list! People do not complain about waiting months for clinic appointments, or surgery. More later as my thoughts congeal...

Devonport, a quaint village across the bay from Auckland

2009-06-13T21:02:00.002+12:00

Yes, it is winter here and there are flowers blooming!
See why I love this country!

More of my Juvenile humor!

2009-06-10T22:34:00.003+12:00

So, I'm driving along, enjoying the countryside, and there's a sign...

So, wouldn't you have given it a second look?
Note the comment at the bottom of the sign: don't google!

Kauri Trees are really huge!

2009-06-10T21:45:00.004+12:00

These trees used to cover much of the North Island. This forest preserve is a truly a rainforest; drip, drip drip.
The portion of a trunk in the store is so thick that it contains a full sized stairwell!

Ninety Mile Beach, no kidding!

2009-06-10T21:36:00.004+12:00

The beach is considered a road as far as tour buses are concerned anyway. Rental car companies discourage driving on it since so many have been caught by high tide, stream crossings, and rollovers! It is remarkably free of debris due to an off-shore reef. Note the sand dunes inland. We had a wonderful Maori guide, Senny, who was very informative on our all-day tour. He also sang many Maori songs for us, which were so nice.

Cape Reinga, almost the northernmost point in NZ

2009-06-10T21:02:00.007+12:00

Sliding down the sand dunes on a plastic toboggan brought out my inner child!
Note the mixing of the water from the Tasman Sea (between Australia and New Zealand) on the left and the Pacific Ocean (coming in from the right).

The sand on some of the beaches is silica, almost blindingly white! In other areas of New zealand I have seen black sand beaches (volcanic)

Auckland

2009-06-09T11:50:00.003+12:00

I'm back in Auckland, on holiday. I am on my way to Northland, the skinny peninsula that extends NNW from Auckland. It was sunny all day, so I took the ferry to Rangitoto Island then to the seaside village of Devonport. By the time that I got back to the city and went up into the Sky Tower ( the tallest building in the southern hemisphere), it was cloudy. My pictures of the harbor and the sunset are not spectacular.

Wicked Wicked Vans

2009-06-09T10:48:00.003+12:00

Here are a couple more to add to the collection. So NOT P. C. !

Sequoia Grove

2009-06-09T08:22:00.011+12:00

Yes, New Zealand has a sequoia grove too! None are as huge as in California, but here we have the addition of the lower canopy of fern trees. Mom has taught me to look for patterns and design in photos, aren't these pretty?

I climbed a volcano!

2009-06-08T22:13:00.006+12:00

OK, It's been dormant since 1400! It still was pretty cool! Auckland is built on over a dozen volcanos, and although they are all dormant for now...One never knows! The plants grow between the sharp black rocks. The trail to the summit and back is supposed to take 2 hrs, but as is typical in NZ, I and others did it in 70min, no worries! Rangitoto is one of many islands that make up the city of Auckland.

Whakatane

2009-06-01T22:32:00.005+12:00

Whakatane is pronounced Fak-a-ta-nee. It is on the Bay of Plenty, and is a popular tourist and retirement destination as the climate is so wonderful! The Cinema is typical Art Deco. The scenery was beautiful!

East Coast of the North Island

2009-06-01T22:26:00.002+12:00

Another great weekend exploring a new part of NZ...
Captain Cook was the first European to set foot in New Zealand, his cabin boy was the first to sight land..
These statues are in Gisborne, pronounced Gisbun.

2009-05-27T20:03:00.003+12:00

These photos were taken on an autumn day in Wellington, the silver ball is suspended between 2 buildings, and the funny eggs are part of an art exhibit on Te Papa, a big museum in downtown Wellington. The day was windy, typical weather there!

Beautiful countryside and a black sand beach near Kawhia

2009-05-24T20:55:00.006+12:00

Just another cool NZ view! All this in 2 days: volcanoes, caves, beaches, and beautiful countryside!

More Quirky Kiwi Cultural Icons!

2009-05-24T20:35:00.001+12:00

I had another great drive this weekend. And along the way I saw some interesting things, a giant gumboot, a Mr Cookie Airplane, and another Wicked Van. They are so NOT politically correct!

Waitomo Glowworm caves

2009-05-24T20:18:00.006+12:00

I did the Black Abyss Tour which included abseiling, blackwater rafting, walking up waterfalls, jumping into and swimming in the black river inside the cave and the flying fox! We were hooked to a cable and launched into the blackness, only to look up and see the ceiling of the cave covered with lights from the glow-worms! Phenomenal! We were not able to bring cameras, so the pictures are from the website and the museum. Take my word for it, it was the adrenaline rush that was promised! For more details and a video, check out the website: www.waitomocaves.com/caving-adventure.aspx

I found the Whopping Big Carrot!

2009-05-24T20:06:00.004+12:00

I can hardly believe this, but there actually was a carrot this big! No lie! This is a preserved actual carrot! They grow things big in volcanic soil!

Ngauruhoe and Tongariro have snow!

2009-05-24T18:57:00.003+12:00

Two of our North Island volcanoes have a beautiful snowcover. Ruapehu probably does also, but it was shrouded in clouds when I drove past this weekend on my way to the Waitomo Caves.

LOTR -- Lord of the Rings Tour

2009-05-19T22:01:00.003+12:00

This weekend I saw some of the places where the Lord of the Rings was filmed near Wellington... Unfortunately the sets are gone, so we have to use our imaginations. I have a fantastic book that tells about these places. New Zealand is Peter Jackson's home, and is the logical setting for Middle Earth since the vegetation is unique, and the landscape so dramatic!

Volcanic soil around Mt Taranaki is very fertile

2009-05-09T18:40:00.002+12:00

This area is known for giant vegetables!

Heli-hiking on Franz-Josef Glacier

2009-05-09T18:18:00.005+12:00

The glacial ice is really a gorgeous blue/turquoise color. The pools of water on top of the glacier are cold!

Stripes on the Road... MC Escher-esque

2009-05-04T23:20:00.000+12:00

Snickerdoodles --- Yum Yum!

2009-05-04T23:17:00.001+12:00

Puke Ariki Museum in New Plymouth

2009-05-04T18:47:00.006+12:00

They had some cool things, a great white shark, the skeleton of a Moa (extinct giant flightless bird), Maori artifacts and a contemporary art peice with changing light patterns. The outside totem, rock sculptures and a Wind Wand were unique!

Morris Dancers from England

2009-05-04T18:42:00.002+12:00

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, North Island

2009-05-04T16:54:00.009+12:00

Pretty park in New Plymouth

Dawson's Falls

2009-05-04T16:48:00.003+12:00

Short climb to a pretty waterfall...

Mount Taranaki (Egmont)

2009-05-04T16:35:00.003+12:00

Mount Taranaki is an active volcano! The geology of the North Island is largely volcanic and this volcano which seems to be in the middle of a plateau, is actually the 4th in a series of volcanoes, located progressively eastward, following the global "ring of fire".

Otago Rail Trail 158KM

2009-04-28T22:19:00.003+12:00

3 days on a mountain bike through central Otago:

Arthur's Pass

2009-04-28T18:44:00.004+12:00

Were these in the Lord of the Rings movies?

Jet boating on the Shotover River

2009-04-28T18:39:00.002+12:00

Boy was that water ever cold! I learned where NOT to sit on a jet-boat!

2009-04-28T18:35:00.001+12:00

We stayed at this hotel, but not this wing since it was closed for renovation. Hmmm...

Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center, Mount Cook

2009-04-26T21:21:00.003+12:00

Christchurch

2009-04-26T16:55:00.004+12:00

Kiwi Men in Shorts

2009-04-26T16:42:00.004+12:00

The title says it all! Here are some photos that I have collected so far. I expect that there will be more to come. I'm looking for a man in shorts wearing gumboots (wellies)!

Trip to South Island

2009-04-17T21:23:00.003+12:00

I have not had a new blog entry since I was on call over Easter weekend.
Tomorrow I leave for a week in the South Island, including a heli-hike on Franz Josef Glacier, and riding bicycle on the Otago Rail Trail. We fly into Christchurch then drive north then west to Franz Josef. Then south to Lake Wanaka, then on to Cromwell, then Clyde where we start riding about 60 km per day for the next 3 days until we reach Middlemarch. Then returning to Christchurch via Lake Pukaki and Mt Cook. I should have some terrific pictures to share with you next week!

Bicyclists don't rate here!

2009-04-05T22:19:00.003+12:00

Tractors, cattle and hikers have right-of-way over bikes!

Blenheim....Paradise!

2009-04-03T16:19:00.026+13:00

Blenheim is a lovely town in Marlborough. It is not only the home of a multitude of wineries, but also just was named the sunniest place in New Zealand! It is a fantastic place to ride, kayak, whale watch, swim with dolphins, eat fresh mussels, drink great Sauvignon Blanc and snuggle up with a wonderful man!

Lake Rotoiti

2009-04-03T16:07:00.004+13:00

Just another beautiful lake in the northern part of the South Island. It is part of the vast Nelson Lakes National Park and a starting point for trampers (hikers) and watersports.

1951 Morris Minor

2009-04-03T15:58:00.002+13:00

These photos were taken in Nelson, an exceedingly lovely town near the top of the South Island. Literally, there are mountains on one side of the road and ocean on the other! This is true of many towns in New Zealand! We can even see an active volcano (Mt Ruapehu) from the hospital rooms at Palmerston North.

More examples of Kiwi Humor

2009-03-31T23:44:00.006+13:00

Life is good! I am continuing to enjoy my work and living in this beautiful country!

I have some pictures from a recent trip to the Queen Charlottes, and I will upload them soon.

for the myopic:

Trespassers will be composted

I have a rock garden, last week 3 of them died

Welcome to Eden. Eating Apples strictly forbidden.

Honk if You spanked the Monkey Today

Good on ya! Laura

Flintstone Car

2009-03-24T21:54:00.005+13:00

On the way to Castlepoint, we came across a quirky woodworker...

Milford Track Beatitudes

2009-03-22T16:51:00.010+13:00

During a particularly difficult portion of the Milford Track (after I sprained my ankle), Marie and I, with help from some of our fellow hikers, came up with our own set of beatitudes. No sacrilege intended!
1. Blessed are the mile markers for they mean that we are that much closer to the end!
2. Blessed are the flat spots which give us a respite from the uphill and worse yet the downhill stretches of the track!
3. Blessed are our Macs which keep us dry despite almost continual rain and drizzle on day 4.
4. Blessed are the guides who feed and encourage us!
5. Blessed are our fellow hikers who helped out without being asked, making it possible for us to finish the 33.5 mile Track.
6. Blessed are the Thor-Lo socks which remind us that the wonders of modern technology are not confined to spaceships, but also apply to modest articles such as footwear!
7. Blessed are our poles which help us to walk over the mile after mile of loose rock.
8. Blessed are our boots which do their best to protect our toes from the downhill beating and keep our feet dry when wading through puddles.
And Blessed is alcohol which helps us to forget our aches and pains!

Wairarapa Wine Festival March 21

2009-03-21T14:38:00.001+13:00

Wairarapa has many wineries, so they hold an annual wine festival with music and food along with wine-tasting. The painted car is a common way to advertise here. The band shown is called "California Dreaming " and sounded like the Mamas and The Papas!

The Bridge To Nowhere March 15

2009-03-15T14:14:00.001+13:00

The bridge was built in the 1930's as part of the New Zealand government's attempt to populate the Whanganui River basin. Unfortunately all the settlers left and the road has been overgrown by the bush. It is reachable now by jetboat then a short hike.

There is plenty of driftwood along the river, and creative Kiwis made a sculpture!

The top picture is Caron, Scott, and their 2 yr old Owen canoeing just before they capsized their canoe in one of the sets of rapids. The water was cold!