Whippet Snippets

Stormy bed in NZ

Guest blogger Girl writes from Lake Taupo.

The weather has been crazy in New Zealand. Heard through the traveler's grapevine that there was snow on our Church just a couple of days ago! And those same couple of days ago we found a beautiful Department of Conservation campsite in a forest park. Thinking we were settling in for a nice quiet night, the air quickly picked up a ferocious steam and started blasting our van and tent canopy with a veagence, lashing it with rain and wind. We thought we were going to tip over! The next day continued to be windy and rainy as we drove up to Napier, which is supposed to be one of those sun-drenched coastal cities. Nah-uh! But that didn't dampen our spirits as we awed in the art deco architecture that dominates the city. Boy wants to be back one February when they hold their annual Art Deco Celebration in true Gatsby fashion.

Today we're in Lake Taupo - won't be fishing for trout though - and indulged in a heavenly soak at the Taupo Hot Springs last night. For only $6 each we had our choice of 12 private baths with water temperatures ranging from 38 to 42 degrees. We might check out a free hot springs up the highway towards Rotorua called Butcher's Pool -  not the most appealing name but the word 'free' can overcome that!

Tomorrow we'll be tackling the dark cave waters of Waitomo as we plunge and crawl and tube our ways through the glowworm light underworld. Overall the North Island still has much to be discovered, but both of us have already developed a longing for the slower, scenic ways of the South Island. The three hour ride on the Interislander is literally like the BC Ferries experience done back-to-back. Don't let the promotional photos on their brochures deceive you! Plus they don't let you return to the vehicle once they start sailing, which means we had to entertain ourselves for three hours up on the ship. The day was too overcast and cold to stand outside (though we quickly braved the temperatures to snap a photo of the Statendam cruise ship that was docked in at Picton) so we thought about having a Speight's at the bar. But we had slightly mealy meat pies in the cafeteria and watched an episode of Smallville in the lounge. We both thought the show was rather violent, with decapitations and the like. Great, now we're already sounding prudish and we don't even have kids.

Speaking of which, Ribsy has got one helluva souvenir when we get back. We visited an Opossum museum in Napier yesterday - possums are the greatest imported annoyance in the country, even more so than tourists in big campervans - and bought him a nice, furry possum tail to play with. Oh yeah. And in one of the secondhand shops in Napier, we bought a elegant art deco statuette of a greyhound. And apparently there is greyhound racing in Auckland - that's what we heard anyway from the nice shop ladies, whom Boy was talking to mainly about the going-on's on Coronation Street. They love it down here too.

Onwards we go - it's sunny today. Yay! Hope all of you are enjoying the winter wonders back home.

No sleds in NZ

Guest blogger Girl writes from the Picton ferry terminal on the South Island.

Boy and I are wearing our flip flops as we wait for our Interislander ferry - a three hour trip that will bring us from the South to the North Island. After downing our third meal at the Mussel Pot yesterday (their mussel chowder, served in a green mussel shaped bowl is not to be missed!) we had a great sleep in our Spaceship parked at the Havelock motor camp. Our arms were a bit spent from having sea kayaked that morning at Abel Tasman National Park, where we picnicked on the golden sand beaches and hiked amongst the sheltered coves while being serenaded by the songs of the bellbirds. Great weather - both of us got sunburns, which we will be happy to maintain and show off to all of you once we return to SNOWY Victoria/Vancouver. What's with that?! I can't believe it's snowing over there. And it's not even December. That must mean Whistler, Cypress and the lot are having a fantastic opening. While we don't get to indulge in snowboarding over here, we are looking forward to seeing the art deco architectural wonders of Napier, and to black water raft in Waitamo's caves. Plus much more!

Well Fed in NZ

Guest blogger Girl is back with a quicky entry as the sun is shining and the birds are chirping.

Writing from the Greenshell Mussel capital of the world, where Boy and I indulged in a pot of garlic, butter and lemon-drenched steamed mussels from The Mussel Pot restaurant last night, while drinking our NZ red wine and cider from our beachfront camping spot in a bay nestled in the Marlbourough Sounds. The Mussel Pot is no longer the Mussel Boys, which is a now a franchise operation that sadly only has a location in Wellington. Boy and Girl drove up the East Coast yesterday, all the way from Waimate to Kaikoura in the hopes of settling in a for a mussel feast - only to discover that the Mussel Boys there is no more. After a fish and chips lunch in Kaikoura we headed northwards, past Blenheim and Picton and on the Queen Charlotte Drive - an awesome way to see the sheltered waters of the Sounds. Just did an hour long costal track loop, and are soon off to Nelson (but will load up on mussel chowder from the Mussel Pot before doing so) and Moutoeka, and tomorrow we'll be kayaking the waters of Abel Tasman. Apologies about the lack of pictures, but we will definitely bore you all with an extensive butt-numbing slideshow when we return. If we return...

Sights from the south

Guest blogger Girl writes from HobbitLand:

Still on the South Island. Enjoyed a wonderful wedding dinner at Missy's in Wanaka. Next day went to the NZ Fighter Pilots Museum, hiked up to Mt. Iron, and caught a flick at the Cinema Paradiso, choosing to eat our plated meals while seated on a pair of Lazy Boy recliners in the second row. The movie was a made-for-TV melodrama based on a Maeve Binchy novel, so expectations were suitably lowered. The iconic Paradiso is due to shut down due to town developmental pressures, and will be reincarnated as the Cinema Neuvo when construction is completed.  I wonder, though, if the charm of the slightly stank theater - where the projectionist was late and was shouting "Shit!" as he ran into the theater before running back out and saying, "Sorry I got to take a pee first!" - will be lost.

Then onwards to Queenstown, where we took in the heart pounding thrills of the Shotover Jet. A Kiwi invention, these dual-engine powered speed machines whipped us through a rushing canyon, 360 degree spins interspersed with commentary on the gold rushing history of the area. A rather short but thoroughly enjoyable experience, which was promptly rewarded by a Sweet Bambi venison burger the legendary Fergburger. The alley stand has been replaced by a full shop now, sadly going the way of Victoria's Noodle Box. Now I know why Boy laments for the old days and refuses to eat at the new establishment. It's just not the same.

Speaking of which, Boy was obsessed with a new business that's been operating in NZ the past year - called Flight Experience, it's a franchise of flight simultation stations scattered in NZ. You fly beside a real pilot, get to do a takeoff and landing, and choose from over 20,000 airports. I even get to sit behind as a passenger on the plane, looking at the scenery. Salivating at the thought of tackling this avionic beast, Boy reckons he must do this at least once on the trip.

From Queenstown we drove onwards to Dunedin (stopping for some Hokey Pokey ice cream along the way), which is where we're at now. We just came from the Cadbury World chocolate factory tour, walked up the world's steepest street, and witnessed downtown blocks closed for a graduation ceremony, complete with bagpipes in this very Scottish city. Yesterday night we scampered down to Pilots Beach on the Otago Peninsula where we watched tiny blue penguins (about the height of you, Ribsy) come up from the beach and waddle their way up the hills to their burrows where their hungry young were waiting. They were inches away from us as they walked back up in the dark. Blue penguins happen to be Boy's favorite animal when he was a little boy, so it was like watching a kid in a candy store.

We're just about to head into Speight's Brewery for a tour, and will be driving - no not right after the tour - up the coast towards Christchurch as we near the impending day when we must leave the wonders of the South Island.  Not sure where we'll be staying tonight. Rules seem to have changed around here. A lot of nice pullouts now have big signs which say "No Camping" and there aren't enough DOC-run campgrounds. Most of them are gigantic, cesspool-like holiday parks, and if it wasn't for the lure of a hot shower and a toaster, we would avoid these campermanic monstrosities at all costs. We like the Mauis and the Britz campers as much as the locals do.

Until next time, the honeymooners sign off from the Saber.

Newly wed in NZ

Guest blogger Girl writes from HobbitLand --

It's official. Boy and Girl and Ribsy are now part of a forever pack, their bonds foraged in the Chuch of the Good Shepherd in faraway Lake Tekapo, New Zealand this morning.

We landed safely in Christchurch on Sunday following 24 hours and 4 planes worth of flying. Our luggage was a bit slow to come - arriving a day later - and we didn't score first class seats like they were hoping to. But at least we got to sit together. Boy amused himself with Little Britain and The Office follies, while I attempted to watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy - without *yawn* success.

While waiting for our luggage to arrive, we spent time driving around the Port Hills and peninsula of Christchurch. We also drove up to nearby Hanmer Springs and soaked in the thermal pools. Very eggy and totally relaxing.

The official photos are yet to come but here are a few snippets for the whippets out there back home.

They are loving the New Zealand and their Spaceship camper (named SABER) and the good weather and the friendly, chatty locals and the cheap $7 NZD bottles of wine. But naturally, Boy and Girl miss their Ribsy, and say Cheers to all their friends and family back home for their love and support.

Mr. Partly Golden Sun

Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun. Hiding behind a Lake Tekapo cloud. These little Canadians are asking you. Please Mr. Sun come out so we can play with you.

Preparation H(oneymoon)

Ribsy's braving himself for Boy and Girl withdrawal. So too, are Boy and Girl preparing for Ribsy withdrawal. But it's nice that all is quiet on the homefront. Not a phone call, not a barrage of interruptions. Girl suppose that's due to the beauty of going far, far away. Or it could just mean that people have their own lives, their own concerns. To each their own...all the best to everyone out there. We'll be sure to have lots of fun for you.

A real deal Whippet Air

From Ribsy's #1 fan, he learns about PetPilots, an airline service that belives that pets aren't cargo. Billed as the ultimate pet travel experience, PetPilots means that instead of getting treated like a skinny parcel, Ribsy can stay together with his Boy and Girl like a pack, inside the cabin. Now how fun would that be! Unfortunately for Ribsy though, he still won't be accompanying Boy and Girl to Hobbit-land next week. But check out that whippet flying in the airplane at the top of every page! Boy loves it - whippets and airplanes are wonderful things indeed.

Let it snow on my wedding

This just in...here is the expected forecast for Boy and Girl's wedding day in Hobbit-land.

Lovely! Girl better hang on to her bouquet. Maybe she should also rethink her planned hairstyle. And attire. Oh, and Boy may need to wear socks with his flip flops.

And interestingly enough, there was SNOW on the church this morning. Perhaps she should just not look at it anymore.

The average November temperature in Lake Tekapo? 17 degrees.

Church webcam

Ribsy's helping Boy and Girl count down the days to the wedding. But it's hard because he doesn't have enough toes right now to keep track of all the days. But soon. Very soon. 12 days until the journey begins. So Girl's starting to wonder what the weather is like down in Hobbit-land. Today she found a Lake Tekapo webcam, with live views of the Church of the Good Shepherd!

Very exciting. Even on a cloudy day, the glacier-fed lake water is gorgeous. And yes, tour buses will probably be aplenty on the wedding day too.