Monday, December 26, 2011

Xmas in Arrowtown/Queenstown




We have had a great time so far in the Arrowtown / Queenstown area. We have been able to spend some good time with Pauline and Rob and their families and we have also managed to get out and enjoy this blissfully perfect weather. Too hot for some but a very pleasant summer for us.
We were thrilled to be given a helicopter flight br Rob and Tetli as a thank you to Warren for the help he gave them building their house. We flew up onto the snowy mountain where we stopped off for a little while. We flew back to Queenstown over Lake Moke which is in one of the photo's above.
In the few days here we have paddled on Lake Hayes, walked around Lake Hayes, cycled along Arrowtown river and up towards Macetown and also cycled around Moke Lake. It feels like a glorious summer holiday.
On Xmas day we managed to talk to family who were not here with us and that was also great.
I have also just had confirmation that the position I applied for in Tauranga is going to go ahead so at the end of January we will be back behind the wheel of DREEEM (now complete with a peice of wood on the accelerator for short legs) and heading back north. The new position (Project Manager)starts mid February and is a one year contract so we will enjoy the Bay of Plenty for a year and being located near the Tauranga family.
The only drama of note in the last few days was loosing all our air in DREEEM on our way into Queenstown on the Friday afternoon before Xmas. We were lucky that it happened once we had reached Frankton and not on the Devils staircase around the lake edge and we were also lucky that there was a sober diesel mechanic who was able to reconnect a dislodged airline on the side of the road.  We are planning to head down to Niagara Falls for New Year so will be back in touch after that.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Merry Xmas

Merry Xmas everyone. Let's hope it's a safe and enjoyable one for all. We are spending this Christmas with Pauline and Rob and their families in Arrowtown and then plan to move off to explore a bit more of the Central Otago region.
DREEEM has a block of wood on the accelerator now to allow me a more comfortable sitting position. I was given short leg genes I think.
We plan to be away from this Friday til after New Year and should be back in touch then.
Roll on January and a visit from Tony and Claire!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

First Rally

Thanks Southland division of the NZ Motor Caravan Association for making our first rally outing a great one.  
We have just returned “home” from a weekend away at the NZMCA Park over property (POP) at Niagara. It’s been a good weather weekend and the rally was our first since we have been down here. Yes, we’ve been here nearly a year but to be fair we were unable to move from our winter pad due to the ground being too wet and soft, then of course it took a few weeks to get our COF. Never mind, they say better to start late than not to start at all.
There were over 20 motor homes attending the 3 day rally and it was a good chance for us to meet other motorhomers from down here in the south. As with all people we have met and interacted with here they were very welcoming and friendly.   We spent much of the weekend meeting and talking to new friends. Morning teas, raffles and happy hours took up the day time and in the evenings we sat around an outdoor fire built in a converted diesel tank.
Only 2 weeks til Xmas break which will see us heading up to Queenstown and thereabouts for about 10 days. Warren is desperately in need of a break from work, he has been reroofing a 24 x 7 metre shed and it’s been a shock after a winter of hibernation.  The list of non aching muscles exceeded the list of aching ones. There were 4 sheets of iron to go on Thursday when he stopped work for the weekend.