Today's breakfast was the Green Mountain Omelet. This thing was huge and filled with apples, sausage and Cabot cheddar. It was good, but I could not eat it all. The lady said it was 3 eggs and they must be huge eggs. I had plenty of time to take the scenic routes back to Burlington as my plane didn't leave until 5:30. I drove up through Smuggler's Notch again and continued along route 108. I then followed the 15 to the 104 to the 104A to I-89. These country roads were all 2 lane and the speed limit was no higher than 50. Lots a beautiful views of the farmland and mountains. The trees must have been so beautiful the week before. Once I got back to the interstate, I decided to take Hwy 2 across Lake Champlain onto Grand Isle. It was really windy and cold out so I did a lot of hopping in and out of the car to take pictures. Ferries cross Lake Champlain to New York. There is one that leaves from the island and it runs all year round. I believe it is a 12 minute crossing. You can also continuing driving north on the 2 and enter NY way up at the top before you cross into Canada. I did not bring my passport so I did not drive all the way up. The lake offers lots of nice scenery with the Adirondacks to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. There is even a lake monster, Champ, that has been sighted numerous times. Unfortunately, I did not see him!
I headed back to I-89 and south two exits to Burlington. There is another ferry that runs out of Burlington, but it closed on the 10th so I was not able to take it. It must be for tourists and I guess the tourist season is over. I drove down to the waterfront through the University of Vermont campus and the downtown area of Burlington. There was free parking along the waterfront and a nice boardwalk and bike path. I found a place with lower priced cheeseburgers and some pretty good fries. I wanted to walk on the boardwalk for a bit, but it was dripping and cold so I went to the aquarium. It seemed like a great place for kids. There was a touch pool and lots of interactive displays about the lake and the surrounding area.
I got bored with that and decided to just head for the airport. The exit I had used to get to the waterfront was supposed to be the exit for the airport, but there were no signs anywhere directing you. I ended up stopping in a grocery store to get directions. It was in completely the opposite direction I was going, but in the end, I found it. The Burlington airport has free Wi-fi and there was no line at the check-in counter or security! Now if only O'Hare could add free wireless and figure out how to move people along faster! Now I have a 2 hour wait until my plane leaves and then a 2 hour layover at JFK before I will finally arrive in O'Hare at 11!
This Vermont trip was great. I was able to relax, see lots of beautiful scenery and eat lots of delicious food. If I come again, I will make it a week earlier, pay the higher hotel price and get to see more foliage. I would recommend Stowe as a destination as it has easy access to much of northern Vermont, has lots of little shops and places to eat and is just quite charming. If you enjoy outdoor activities, there are lots of those options for all seasons. The people were all friendly and it was very easy to find your way around, other than getting back to the airport! I would love to come again!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The hills might be alive
Today was going to be a hiking day. This was important because I started off the day with a crepe that was probably way too fattening and sweet to be a breakfast, but it was. It had caramelized peaches with mascarpone cheese and raspberry syrup. Oh my!
It looked to be a rain free day so I set off for the Smugglers Notch State Park. There was a hiking path to a pond that I wanted to take that was supposed to be about 2 hours. The road through Smugglers Notch is only open part of the year and I could see why! Once you get past the gondola area, the road becomes very windy, narrow and lined with giant boulders. It was one of those roads that I don't like to drive on, but I will be doing it again tomorrow when I head back to Burlington. Anyway, the drive was very beautiful and probably was even more so a week ago when the leaves were all on the trees. I pulled over at one parking lot along the route, but there weren't any signs that it was the main parking lot so I kept going. Well eventually I ended up down on the other side and decided I had to turn around and go back. Turns out the parking area I had stopped at was the main parking. There were those little information sign places, but no signs in them. And no rangers to direct you. I saw other people heading up a steep rocky path, which must have been the way to the pond, but I am not comfortable hiking on paths that aren't well marked so I skipped it. Maybe the signs are only up during the main season. In any case, I headed back the way I came. Parked in Stowe and wandered around a little, but shopping wasn't something I was interested in and it kept drizzling. I did take some time to wander through the town cemetery where the first burial was from the 1780s.
I ended up heading out of town to the Trapp Family Lodge. Yes, those Trapps of Sound of Music fame. The movie is really very far from being accurate. All the names of the children were changed, the story of how Maria ended up with the family is different and lots of other things. But, the family seems to take it all in stride as they have weekly showings of the movie at the lodge. Apparently they ended up settling in Stowe because it reminded them of Salzburg. I could see why when I drove past the front of the lodge. It looks out over a valley towards the mountains. These are not nearly as tall as the Alps, but are a good substitute if you can't go home due to Nazi's! The nice thing about the Trapp Lodge is the abundance of hiking trails. Visitors can purchase a $10 day pass and have access to all the grounds and trails. If you aren't a guest or do not have a pass you can only enter the Lodge and eat at the restaurants. There are several gardens and the family cemetery. They have a brewery, make maple syrup and have cows. I first got lunch at the cafe. Several sandwich choices, some quiches, soups and meats and cheeses. I ate outside as all the inside tables were full and I was the only one. I guess it was too cold!
After lunch I finally got my hiking in. One path leads to a chapel. This path was mostly uphill and through the trees. I was the only one at the chapel and it was so peaceful. Then some kids arrived, rang the bell and played hide and seek. Not so quiet anymore! I then took a walk along Sugar Road to the Picnic Knoll and then back along the Russel Knoll track. The Picnic Knoll was the perfect place to run up a hill and twirl around. Luckily there were no other people there! Got my shoes wet and was all warmed up by the time I got back to the car. I started the journey with two sweaters, a coat and gloves. Ended up with just the one sweater. It was very quiet on the paths and they were well marked and a bit muddy from all the rain. I would highly recommend the Trapp Family Lodge as a place to hike if you aren't an adventurous person since you can't really get lost. They also have skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and mountain bike trails. I think it was well worth the $10 fee.
By the time I was done walking around I was pretty tired. So I just headed back to my room to sit down. I went to Piecasso again for dinner, but got a slice and a salad to go.
It looked to be a rain free day so I set off for the Smugglers Notch State Park. There was a hiking path to a pond that I wanted to take that was supposed to be about 2 hours. The road through Smugglers Notch is only open part of the year and I could see why! Once you get past the gondola area, the road becomes very windy, narrow and lined with giant boulders. It was one of those roads that I don't like to drive on, but I will be doing it again tomorrow when I head back to Burlington. Anyway, the drive was very beautiful and probably was even more so a week ago when the leaves were all on the trees. I pulled over at one parking lot along the route, but there weren't any signs that it was the main parking lot so I kept going. Well eventually I ended up down on the other side and decided I had to turn around and go back. Turns out the parking area I had stopped at was the main parking. There were those little information sign places, but no signs in them. And no rangers to direct you. I saw other people heading up a steep rocky path, which must have been the way to the pond, but I am not comfortable hiking on paths that aren't well marked so I skipped it. Maybe the signs are only up during the main season. In any case, I headed back the way I came. Parked in Stowe and wandered around a little, but shopping wasn't something I was interested in and it kept drizzling. I did take some time to wander through the town cemetery where the first burial was from the 1780s.
I ended up heading out of town to the Trapp Family Lodge. Yes, those Trapps of Sound of Music fame. The movie is really very far from being accurate. All the names of the children were changed, the story of how Maria ended up with the family is different and lots of other things. But, the family seems to take it all in stride as they have weekly showings of the movie at the lodge. Apparently they ended up settling in Stowe because it reminded them of Salzburg. I could see why when I drove past the front of the lodge. It looks out over a valley towards the mountains. These are not nearly as tall as the Alps, but are a good substitute if you can't go home due to Nazi's! The nice thing about the Trapp Lodge is the abundance of hiking trails. Visitors can purchase a $10 day pass and have access to all the grounds and trails. If you aren't a guest or do not have a pass you can only enter the Lodge and eat at the restaurants. There are several gardens and the family cemetery. They have a brewery, make maple syrup and have cows. I first got lunch at the cafe. Several sandwich choices, some quiches, soups and meats and cheeses. I ate outside as all the inside tables were full and I was the only one. I guess it was too cold!
After lunch I finally got my hiking in. One path leads to a chapel. This path was mostly uphill and through the trees. I was the only one at the chapel and it was so peaceful. Then some kids arrived, rang the bell and played hide and seek. Not so quiet anymore! I then took a walk along Sugar Road to the Picnic Knoll and then back along the Russel Knoll track. The Picnic Knoll was the perfect place to run up a hill and twirl around. Luckily there were no other people there! Got my shoes wet and was all warmed up by the time I got back to the car. I started the journey with two sweaters, a coat and gloves. Ended up with just the one sweater. It was very quiet on the paths and they were well marked and a bit muddy from all the rain. I would highly recommend the Trapp Family Lodge as a place to hike if you aren't an adventurous person since you can't really get lost. They also have skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and mountain bike trails. I think it was well worth the $10 fee.
By the time I was done walking around I was pretty tired. So I just headed back to my room to sit down. I went to Piecasso again for dinner, but got a slice and a salad to go.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Cider, Ice Cream and Cheese Oh My!
Today seemed to be about food. I woke up all refreshed from a long sleep in a comfy bed. For breakfast, I decided to have the Eggs Benedict. The homemade hollandaise sauce was delicious. The breakfast filled me up and I did not think I would need lunch.
It was pouring rain when I went to sleep and the sun finally came out just as I was leaving the breakfast room. I was going to spend the day touring the various food places and driving farther east and then north to get back. I stopped at the visitor center in town and the lady there suggested that today might be the better of the two days as there was only a 50% chance of rain and Sunday was a 60% chance. So, with the sun shining on the mountains, I decided to head for Mt. Mansfield. Mt. Mansfield is the tallest point in Vermont at 4,393 feet, which is not quite a mountain to those of us who have seen the Rockies, but it's called one here. There are several ways to get most of the way to the top. You can hike, take the toll road or take the gondola ride. Well, I don't hike up mountains and the toll road costs $26 and is a dirt road with tight turns and steep pitches. I don't do that either. So, I decided to take the gondola ride even though I'm not fond of those either. This one seemed to go on forever and it got windier as you got farther up. But it was worth it because the views from the top were pretty nice. It was pretty windy and pretty cold up at the top. I was glad I had my gloves and my sweatshirt on. Pretty soon, the clouds moved in and it started raining so I headed back down. The ride down had a lot more swaying and was less pleasant than the ride up. I was glad I had arrived right when they opened, got to the top before the rain and was able to avoid the crowds that were arriving as I was leaving.
I decided that it would be a food sampling day after all since the drizzly weather had moved in. First stop was the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. The parking lot was full so you knew this place was going to be great. You can watch them pressing cider and have a sample all for free. The store was filled with local jellies, mustards, various pancake mixes and of course maple syrup products. They also had various products open for sampling. For my "lunch" I got a fresh cider doughnut and bottle of apple cider.
Next I stopped at the Ben & Jerry's factory for their tour. This one was 30 minutes and had a huge fee of $3. I got a Cran-Pineapple smoothie as the rest of my lunch while I waited for my tour to start. First you watch a short video about how the company got started and then walk along a hallway to view the production room. They don't make any ice cream on the weekends so I wasn't able to see everything in motion. The last stop is the sampling room. Today's sample was Triple Caramel Chunk and it was delicious. You get a pretty large scoop for it being a sample. Outside they have a flavor graveyard with the headstones of some of their "dead" flavors. The tour guide said there are 7-10 new flavors every year and that means 7-10 other flavors go away. I have never really eaten Ben & Jerry's ice cream before since it's the fancy expensive kind so this way I got to have some without paying a lot of money.
My last food destination of the day was the Cabot Creamery. It was about an hour drive from Stowe to Cabot. Along the way I passed through Montpelier, which is the capital of Vermont. Montpelier is the smallest capital city in the US and the House and Senate chambers are the oldest legislative chambers in their original condition anywhere in the US. I stopped for a tour, which was free, of the capitol building. It was very interesting to learn about the building, which is the third version of the state house and was built in 1859. Everything in the building is original, from the light fixtures to the furniture. Modifications have been made for electricity and technology, but the carpeting and drapes are either original or replicated to look original. The tour guide said this was odd for everything to remain, especially with the modernism that happened in the '50s, but Vermonters are frugal and that's why they never replaced anything! The legislators are in session from January through May and are not considered full-time. Only the governor and lieutenant governor work all year. The legislators have other jobs and are only paid a small amount for this job I guess. Another interesting thing was the chair in the governor's chamber. It was made out of wood from the U.S.S. Constitution, better known as Old Ironsides. This is the only piece of furniture that you aren't allowed to climb all over! It's only used for ceremonial pictures of the governor. I was very glad I stopped and got to explore the building.
After another half hour later and I was finally at the Cabot Creamery. I love cheese and this place was wonderful! Cabot is mostly famous for their cheddar, but they make all kinds of dairy products from cheese to butter to sour cream to yogurt. They even do Greek yogurt and apparently quite well because they produce a lot of it for a pretty reasonable price. There is a tour here as well for an even better fee than Ben & Jerry's at $2. This tour also starts with a video about the Cabot farming co-op and how the milk from the cows is turned into cheese. After the video, a nice young man took us into the factory. The Cabot plant makes the yogurts, dips, sour creams and flavored cheddars. They don't usually make just plain cheese. There is another plant that does just butter and another that does just cheddar. Lucky for me, they were making stuff and we were able to see them making Pepperjack cheese and yogurt. It was pretty cool. And of course there were samples at the end. All kinds of their products were out to taste. Dips, spreads and lots of different cheeses. I think my favorite was the Seriously Sharp!
I was going to drive back to Stowe via a northerly route, but it was already 4:00 when I was done eating cheese and I did not want to be driving in the dark and run into a moose on the road! So I headed back the way I came and got dinner at The Shed. This restaurant is just up the road from my hotel and is apparently closing on Monday. I shockingly ordered the fish n chips and it was pretty good, but nowhere near as good as the stuff Renee and I had in Kaikoura. Nothing will top that! But the fries were really good and I was served quickly even with all the large groups that were there. It is raining again, but I hope it will be clear again in the morning so I can do some walking.
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It was pouring rain when I went to sleep and the sun finally came out just as I was leaving the breakfast room. I was going to spend the day touring the various food places and driving farther east and then north to get back. I stopped at the visitor center in town and the lady there suggested that today might be the better of the two days as there was only a 50% chance of rain and Sunday was a 60% chance. So, with the sun shining on the mountains, I decided to head for Mt. Mansfield. Mt. Mansfield is the tallest point in Vermont at 4,393 feet, which is not quite a mountain to those of us who have seen the Rockies, but it's called one here. There are several ways to get most of the way to the top. You can hike, take the toll road or take the gondola ride. Well, I don't hike up mountains and the toll road costs $26 and is a dirt road with tight turns and steep pitches. I don't do that either. So, I decided to take the gondola ride even though I'm not fond of those either. This one seemed to go on forever and it got windier as you got farther up. But it was worth it because the views from the top were pretty nice. It was pretty windy and pretty cold up at the top. I was glad I had my gloves and my sweatshirt on. Pretty soon, the clouds moved in and it started raining so I headed back down. The ride down had a lot more swaying and was less pleasant than the ride up. I was glad I had arrived right when they opened, got to the top before the rain and was able to avoid the crowds that were arriving as I was leaving.
I decided that it would be a food sampling day after all since the drizzly weather had moved in. First stop was the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. The parking lot was full so you knew this place was going to be great. You can watch them pressing cider and have a sample all for free. The store was filled with local jellies, mustards, various pancake mixes and of course maple syrup products. They also had various products open for sampling. For my "lunch" I got a fresh cider doughnut and bottle of apple cider.
Next I stopped at the Ben & Jerry's factory for their tour. This one was 30 minutes and had a huge fee of $3. I got a Cran-Pineapple smoothie as the rest of my lunch while I waited for my tour to start. First you watch a short video about how the company got started and then walk along a hallway to view the production room. They don't make any ice cream on the weekends so I wasn't able to see everything in motion. The last stop is the sampling room. Today's sample was Triple Caramel Chunk and it was delicious. You get a pretty large scoop for it being a sample. Outside they have a flavor graveyard with the headstones of some of their "dead" flavors. The tour guide said there are 7-10 new flavors every year and that means 7-10 other flavors go away. I have never really eaten Ben & Jerry's ice cream before since it's the fancy expensive kind so this way I got to have some without paying a lot of money.
My last food destination of the day was the Cabot Creamery. It was about an hour drive from Stowe to Cabot. Along the way I passed through Montpelier, which is the capital of Vermont. Montpelier is the smallest capital city in the US and the House and Senate chambers are the oldest legislative chambers in their original condition anywhere in the US. I stopped for a tour, which was free, of the capitol building. It was very interesting to learn about the building, which is the third version of the state house and was built in 1859. Everything in the building is original, from the light fixtures to the furniture. Modifications have been made for electricity and technology, but the carpeting and drapes are either original or replicated to look original. The tour guide said this was odd for everything to remain, especially with the modernism that happened in the '50s, but Vermonters are frugal and that's why they never replaced anything! The legislators are in session from January through May and are not considered full-time. Only the governor and lieutenant governor work all year. The legislators have other jobs and are only paid a small amount for this job I guess. Another interesting thing was the chair in the governor's chamber. It was made out of wood from the U.S.S. Constitution, better known as Old Ironsides. This is the only piece of furniture that you aren't allowed to climb all over! It's only used for ceremonial pictures of the governor. I was very glad I stopped and got to explore the building.
After another half hour later and I was finally at the Cabot Creamery. I love cheese and this place was wonderful! Cabot is mostly famous for their cheddar, but they make all kinds of dairy products from cheese to butter to sour cream to yogurt. They even do Greek yogurt and apparently quite well because they produce a lot of it for a pretty reasonable price. There is a tour here as well for an even better fee than Ben & Jerry's at $2. This tour also starts with a video about the Cabot farming co-op and how the milk from the cows is turned into cheese. After the video, a nice young man took us into the factory. The Cabot plant makes the yogurts, dips, sour creams and flavored cheddars. They don't usually make just plain cheese. There is another plant that does just butter and another that does just cheddar. Lucky for me, they were making stuff and we were able to see them making Pepperjack cheese and yogurt. It was pretty cool. And of course there were samples at the end. All kinds of their products were out to taste. Dips, spreads and lots of different cheeses. I think my favorite was the Seriously Sharp!
I was going to drive back to Stowe via a northerly route, but it was already 4:00 when I was done eating cheese and I did not want to be driving in the dark and run into a moose on the road! So I headed back the way I came and got dinner at The Shed. This restaurant is just up the road from my hotel and is apparently closing on Monday. I shockingly ordered the fish n chips and it was pretty good, but nowhere near as good as the stuff Renee and I had in Kaikoura. Nothing will top that! But the fries were really good and I was served quickly even with all the large groups that were there. It is raining again, but I hope it will be clear again in the morning so I can do some walking.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Cross another one off the list
Here I am on my second vacation of the year, albeit a much shorter, cheaper and closer to home trip. Vermont is the only state in the Northeast that I had never been to and decided a fall trip to Stowe would be the perfect long weekend trip. So, as of 1:15 PM EST today, I only have 8 states left to get to! The day started off bright and early with a 6 AM flight out of O'Hare on jetBlue. My dad kindly drove me at 4:30 in the morning. There were a lot more people at the airport at that time then I thought there would be. The flight left on time and was uneventful. Had a short 2 hour layover at JFK and then a 41 minute flight to Burlington, VT. I would like to point out that jetBlue is an excellent airline in my short, 2 flight experience. There seemed to be more legroom than other planes I have been on, save maybe some overseas flights. Your first checked bag is free, they have complimentary beverages and snacks (and that was even true on the short leg to Vermont!) and video screens in the seat backs with DirecTV and Sirius radio! And they had free Wi-fi in the terminal at JFK! I was really impressed by the amenities considering the ticket price was pretty cheap and that all other airlines are cutting everything I mentioned above. I had never flown them before and used them due to the price being the cheapest when I was looking. I will certainly be comparing their prices for future flights.
I have to say that Vermont is one of the prettiest places I have seen in the fall. I drove from Burlington to Stowe via I-89 and state route 100. As I hadn't had any lunch, I was hoping to find a McDonalds or something like that along the way at one of the exits. Well, I think I only went past 2 exits before I had to exit myself and no fast food! I don't know where else you would find that along an interstate. I stopped in the very cute town of Waterbury to find some lunch, but the visitor center was closed due to the flooding from Hurricane Irene and so was the attached coffee shop. All other places seemed to close at 2 and it was after that. So no luck other than some cookies I bought at the grocery store. It all worked out because I got some delicious pizza later on.
The drive from Waterbury to Stowe is quite scenic. A two lane highway that never got above 50 mph. The route reminds me of driving through Door County, with the little towns and shops, only much hillier! I got to Stowe and really thought of Door County as it was just bustling and people were walking around, even with the drizzly weather. I arrived at my hotel and found it to be so charming. I am staying here: Gables Inn I have one of the standard rooms and it is just cute. It's small, with room for a double bed, dresser, side table and chair and then has quite a roomy bathroom. No TV or clock or any fancy stuff, but free Wi-fi and breakfast. Just check out the breakfast menu! It's quite large and there are also weekend specials. I'm looking to try something with some Vermont cheddar! The owner greeted me and was very helpful. He showed me around and gave me some tips on where to go for my late lunch/early dinner that wasn't too expensive. Their dog, Yogi, is 14 and must spend most of his time lying in the office. He doesn't get around much anymore, but was pretty cute!
I decided that pizza sounded good and headed out to try Pie.casso at the owner's recommendation. Boy was it good! I got the Pizza Margherita with fresh local mozzarella. So good! You could see the guy flinging around the dough and the atmosphere was very cozy feeling. Brought my leftover piece and a half back to my room to munch on later.
It is now pouring outside and I'm ready to get into my jammies and plan out what I want to do tomorrow.
I have to say that Vermont is one of the prettiest places I have seen in the fall. I drove from Burlington to Stowe via I-89 and state route 100. As I hadn't had any lunch, I was hoping to find a McDonalds or something like that along the way at one of the exits. Well, I think I only went past 2 exits before I had to exit myself and no fast food! I don't know where else you would find that along an interstate. I stopped in the very cute town of Waterbury to find some lunch, but the visitor center was closed due to the flooding from Hurricane Irene and so was the attached coffee shop. All other places seemed to close at 2 and it was after that. So no luck other than some cookies I bought at the grocery store. It all worked out because I got some delicious pizza later on.
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| Really hard to take pics while driving. |
The drive from Waterbury to Stowe is quite scenic. A two lane highway that never got above 50 mph. The route reminds me of driving through Door County, with the little towns and shops, only much hillier! I got to Stowe and really thought of Door County as it was just bustling and people were walking around, even with the drizzly weather. I arrived at my hotel and found it to be so charming. I am staying here: Gables Inn I have one of the standard rooms and it is just cute. It's small, with room for a double bed, dresser, side table and chair and then has quite a roomy bathroom. No TV or clock or any fancy stuff, but free Wi-fi and breakfast. Just check out the breakfast menu! It's quite large and there are also weekend specials. I'm looking to try something with some Vermont cheddar! The owner greeted me and was very helpful. He showed me around and gave me some tips on where to go for my late lunch/early dinner that wasn't too expensive. Their dog, Yogi, is 14 and must spend most of his time lying in the office. He doesn't get around much anymore, but was pretty cute!
I decided that pizza sounded good and headed out to try Pie.casso at the owner's recommendation. Boy was it good! I got the Pizza Margherita with fresh local mozzarella. So good! You could see the guy flinging around the dough and the atmosphere was very cozy feeling. Brought my leftover piece and a half back to my room to munch on later.
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| MMMMMMM!!!! |
It is now pouring outside and I'm ready to get into my jammies and plan out what I want to do tomorrow.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
NZ Pictures
Ok everyone. Here is the big album of pictures that we took on our trip. There were about 1000, but I cut that down. Some are pretty similar so just look at what you want to. Enjoy!
Photo Album
Photo Album
Friday, June 3, 2011
Wrap-Up
We made it back home to O'Hare after a very long day of travel. Temperature in Queenstown was -1 degree when we got to the airport! Our flight was supposed to leave Queenstown at 9:55, but was delayed due to traffic at Auckland. So, we arrived in Auckland about 45 minutes before our flight was supposed to leave for LA. We arrived in the domestic terminal and had a 10 minute walk to the international terminal. We had to get our bags and re-check them in the other terminal. So there was lots of quick walking outside and inside the airport. A nice lady guided us quickly from the check-in desk to our gate, passing us through security as quickly as possible. Renee and I had the third to the last row in the plane and a set of 3 seats to ourselves so we were able to rest our legs on the seat and be a little more comfortable than the flight from LA to Auckland. There was a bit of turbulence on the flight and one point when it was pretty scary. But we arrived in LA finally a little before 6:30 AM LA time. Left LA at 9:30 and arrived at O'Hare a little after 3. So about 24 hours of travel all together for us. Other than the turbulence, the flights were ok, but very long. And the running between terminals at Auckland was not fun. And here in Itasca it's in the mid-80s so pretty warm for us coming from chilly Queenstown.
I'm pretty exhausted after our day of travel and am sure it will take a few days to get back on track. Photos will be coming tomorrow!
I'm pretty exhausted after our day of travel and am sure it will take a few days to get back on track. Photos will be coming tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Lord of the Rings Tour and other stuff
Tuesday Renee and I took a LOTR tour. Our guide picked us up a little after 8 and there was one other girl on our tour who was from London. She was spending the entire year traveling around and had come from South America, was going to Austrailia next and then Asia. Very interesting to talk with her about her travels! We drove around Queenstown first to view a Korean fort that was built for some Cold War movie. It was supposed to be a shell, but the director made an actual fort so you can still see it on a hill. Then we headed north to Glenorchy. There are lots of LOTR sites that we stopped at, but I have no idea what they were. I only know the scenery was amazing! Glenorchy is a tiny town and we stopped there before heading off on a gravel road into a forest. Our guide pretty much knew everyone so we got to meet Choppy the pig and a few brown sheep! In the forest area, he made us put on some kind of cloak and swing around swords. Renee found it to be exciting as she knew what the sword and dagger were for. We stopped back in Glenorchy for tea before heading back towards Queenstown. The road was pretty windy and I was glad to be a passenger for a change! The other girl was only along for half the day so we dropped her off back in Queenstown before heading out to see more sites. We stopped to watch some bungy jumpers. That is about the stupidest thing I have ever seen. I was getting sick just watching! We drove on another very windy, very gravely road to view something about the Pillars of the King. Then ate lunch in Arrowtown, which is an old gold mining town. It is along the Shotover River, which is the second highest gold bearing river after the Yukon. Lunch was delicious! Then we went up to Coronet Peak to see the ski field. There wasn't any snow and the ski season starts on the 6th. No idea what they will do when the hundreds of skiers show up! Our guide took us to see the only uninsured road in NZ. You have to have a special permit to drive on it and he did have that. But we did not go down the road as I would not have liked it at all! Then we headed back to our hotel and got back about 3:00. Renee and I decided to have dessert for dinner and so she had the Baked Alaska and I had the plum and apple crisp. Delicious!
Yesterday we walked through the Kiwi Birdlife Park here in Queenstown. Got to see Kiwi's up close and lots of other native birds. New Zealand does not have any native mammals other than 2 small bats. All other mammals have been introduced and are destroying the native birds. The Kiwi are especially threatened due to the stoats eating their eggs. At the park, they have 2 breeding pairs. The one pair are both 10 years old and will be released into the wild at the end of the year. The other pair is a 3 year old female and a 5 year old male. They haven't had any successful eggs yet, but one was in the incubator. We got to see a Kiwi feeding and listen to the conservation show. It was a really nice park. Then we took the gondola ride to the top of Ben's Peak. It was a pretty steep ride, but I did not have a problem with it. At the top is a cafe with a wonderful view of the city and was a perfect lunch spot. After the gondola, we walked around the gardens and watched some dogs playing in the water.
Today we decided to drive south for a bit as we didn't have anything else to do. Good thing we did because we came across a ton of sheep moving up the road. They were much more orderly than the cows that were on the road and moved pretty quick. Very cute! Stopped at a little town that has a steam engine, but it wasn't running. We came back to Queenstown to do some shopping and have lunch. The big place to go here is Fergberger and so that's where we went. It was delicious! The burgers were huge and I could only eat half. I had a regular burger with brie cheese and Renee had the same, only with blue cheese. Amazing! It had been closed for some renovations and just reopened on Wednesday so we had great timing! We got there when it wasn't busy, but by the time we left there was a huge crowd. Did some shopping and sat by the beach for a bit. Now it's time to repack the suitcases and rest up for our long day of travel tomorrow. Plane leaves Queenstown at 10:00 and we get back to Chicago at 3:30.
This has been an amazing trip and I will get pictures sent out soon. Only one hotel had free wi-fi and that was only available for 30 minutes so not much time to upload anything. I hope to be able to come back one day, but if not, at least we had a great sample of what New Zealand has to offer. I highly recommend it as a holiday destination for anyone who doesn't mind flying a long way!
Yesterday we walked through the Kiwi Birdlife Park here in Queenstown. Got to see Kiwi's up close and lots of other native birds. New Zealand does not have any native mammals other than 2 small bats. All other mammals have been introduced and are destroying the native birds. The Kiwi are especially threatened due to the stoats eating their eggs. At the park, they have 2 breeding pairs. The one pair are both 10 years old and will be released into the wild at the end of the year. The other pair is a 3 year old female and a 5 year old male. They haven't had any successful eggs yet, but one was in the incubator. We got to see a Kiwi feeding and listen to the conservation show. It was a really nice park. Then we took the gondola ride to the top of Ben's Peak. It was a pretty steep ride, but I did not have a problem with it. At the top is a cafe with a wonderful view of the city and was a perfect lunch spot. After the gondola, we walked around the gardens and watched some dogs playing in the water.
Today we decided to drive south for a bit as we didn't have anything else to do. Good thing we did because we came across a ton of sheep moving up the road. They were much more orderly than the cows that were on the road and moved pretty quick. Very cute! Stopped at a little town that has a steam engine, but it wasn't running. We came back to Queenstown to do some shopping and have lunch. The big place to go here is Fergberger and so that's where we went. It was delicious! The burgers were huge and I could only eat half. I had a regular burger with brie cheese and Renee had the same, only with blue cheese. Amazing! It had been closed for some renovations and just reopened on Wednesday so we had great timing! We got there when it wasn't busy, but by the time we left there was a huge crowd. Did some shopping and sat by the beach for a bit. Now it's time to repack the suitcases and rest up for our long day of travel tomorrow. Plane leaves Queenstown at 10:00 and we get back to Chicago at 3:30.
This has been an amazing trip and I will get pictures sent out soon. Only one hotel had free wi-fi and that was only available for 30 minutes so not much time to upload anything. I hope to be able to come back one day, but if not, at least we had a great sample of what New Zealand has to offer. I highly recommend it as a holiday destination for anyone who doesn't mind flying a long way!
Monday, May 30, 2011
New Zealand's tallest point and Queenstown
Monday morning we set off on our last driving leg of our trip, from Lake Tekapo to Queenstown. It was another sunny and clear morning and the drive was supposed to be about 2 ½ hours long. We stopped at a visitor center at the bottom of Lake Pukaki to see if we could see Mt. Cook. Mt. Cook is the tallest point in New Zealand at around 3700 meters. There were some clouds around the peak and we couldn’t see the entire thing. So we continued on our way. But then we decided to take the drive north to the Aoraki National Park as it was only a 55 km road. We were so glad that we did! The road winds along the lake and the base of the mountains until you get to the little village at the end. We stopped at the visitors center to see what there was to do. We saw a nice road that was an 8 km drive to a view of a glacier so we took that. Turned out to be a gravel road with lots of twists, a few one way bridges and a steep uphill section. Those are the roads I would normally close my eyes on, but we made it to the end! My dad would be proud. At the end of the road is a picnic area, with toilets and then several walks to different sights. We took the walk to view the Tasman Glacier. It was a mostly uphill walk with a clear path until we got to a pile of large rocks. Then we had to pick our way to the top. The view was great. The glacier is the largest in New Zealand and looks like a pile of gravel. I think the sign said the gravel part was 2 meters thick and then it was ice underneath. The small lake had a few little icebergs floating in it. We had a great view of Mt. Cook with no clouds to cover the top. It was beautiful! In this area, as with most of New Zealand, the mountains pretty much just rise up from the valley floor. There don’t seem to be foothills like you find out by the Rockies. We ate our lunch on a picnic table next to a small rushing stream with the mountains surrounding us. It was the best lunch spot! Unfortunately we had to get back in the car and head back to the main road. The rest of the drive to Queenstown took us along the flat areas and then up through the mountains. This was the only day we hit a traffic jam and it came in the form of a herd of cows heading up the road! So I had to stop to let them go by as they pretty much took over the entire road. Some were smaller ones that were trying to have a drink on the way and some had their tongues hanging out from the walk. Very exciting!
Queenstown is set along a lake that is surrounded by mountains. We have another lakeview room and it has a pretty great view! We have 3 whole days in this area and will be taking a Lord of the Rings Tour on Tuesday and then 2 days to do whatever. Hopefully the weather stays nice!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Whales or no Whales
No whales! Tour was cancelled due to rough seas:( We woke in the morning on Saturday to clear skies and little wind. The waves were a lot smaller than they were the day before and it looked great. We went to the tour place to check in and they said there was a sea sickness warning for our tour. I bought a pill and took that and then we waited outside until it was time to go in to the briefing room. We sat down and then the announcement came that the tour was cancelled. The wind had picked up and we could see white caps out on the ocean. We got in the line and re-booked for the next tour at 1:15. Drove down to the end of the road in Kaikoura where there is a seal colony and ate our lunch by the seals. Went back to the tour office and waited in the briefing room. Another announcement came that the tour was cancelled as well due to the rough seas out by where the whales were. So we did not get to see any whales. Insead we went back to the seal colony. There is a walk around the Kaikoura Peninsula and we walked up to the lookout point at the top of the hill. There were some great views of the snowy mountains that provide a backdrop to the town and also views out over the water. Then we spent a good hour or so sitting by the seals. Some very rude young boys were walking right up to them and poking them with sticks. We were hoping a seal would bite them, but no luck. Most just swam off to find other places to sleep. There was a smaller looking one and we were waiting for it to get up, but it didn't and we were getting cold so we headed back to the hotel. Ended up getting a nice dinner of toasted cheese sandwiches and chips which we ate by the water. The sky was clear and we saw a few stars.
This morning when we woke up, it was pretty chilly. There was ice on the windshield and the car said 2 degrees. That's Celcius, not Farenheit so not below freezing! But the sky was clear and it eventually warmed up as we headed inland. Our route today took us along the coast for a bit, then headed in and south to Christchurch. There we found the Pirates Cove Mini-Golf (yes, for all you campers, it's the same kind as the one in Sister Bay!) and we played a round there. No pirates hanging in trees, but still a nice mini-golf. Once around Christchurch, we headed west to Geraldine and then to our stop at Lake Tekapo. The road became hillier and windier and we could see snowy mountains in the distance. Then we came around the curve into the town and there was the lake surrounded by beautiful mountains! Our hotel room has a lake view, which is excellent. We walked on the path that leads to a small church and then down by the water. The lake is a turquoise blue color due to the rocks that are ground up by the glaciers at the top of the lake. It's pretty nice!
Tomorrow we head southwest to Queenstown where we will spend the last 4 nights of our trip. Hopefully the weather remains as nice and we are able to take in all the beautiful scenery. I'm getting very good at driving on these mountain roads, but I still don't like all the twists and turns!
This morning when we woke up, it was pretty chilly. There was ice on the windshield and the car said 2 degrees. That's Celcius, not Farenheit so not below freezing! But the sky was clear and it eventually warmed up as we headed inland. Our route today took us along the coast for a bit, then headed in and south to Christchurch. There we found the Pirates Cove Mini-Golf (yes, for all you campers, it's the same kind as the one in Sister Bay!) and we played a round there. No pirates hanging in trees, but still a nice mini-golf. Once around Christchurch, we headed west to Geraldine and then to our stop at Lake Tekapo. The road became hillier and windier and we could see snowy mountains in the distance. Then we came around the curve into the town and there was the lake surrounded by beautiful mountains! Our hotel room has a lake view, which is excellent. We walked on the path that leads to a small church and then down by the water. The lake is a turquoise blue color due to the rocks that are ground up by the glaciers at the top of the lake. It's pretty nice!
Tomorrow we head southwest to Queenstown where we will spend the last 4 nights of our trip. Hopefully the weather remains as nice and we are able to take in all the beautiful scenery. I'm getting very good at driving on these mountain roads, but I still don't like all the twists and turns!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Traveling to the South
Yesterday (Friday) Renee and I said goodbye to the North Island and hopped the ferry from Wellington to Picton. The journey takes about 3 hours and goes out of the water by Wellington, across the Cook Straight and into the South Island. As it was very windy and rainy, we did not sit on the top deck. Instead we found a seat right at the front of the ship in the food court. Our ferry was the largest of the ferries and had 10 decks in total and could hold 1200 passengers. The scenery was awesome, but I did discover that the open water caused some motion sickness! But I popped on my iPod and did some puzzles and waited for land again. The entrance to the South Island was beautiful and the sun chose that moment to come out of the clouds! We glided along past towering hills, small houses along the shore, saw a few dolphins and lots of sea birds. We arrived in Picton at 11:30 and picked up our rental car (a red Mazda 3!) and continued our journey south. Stopped in Blenheim to get some drinks and then at a wayside further along to have our PB&Js. This area is big on wine and we went by many vineyards with nice fall leaves. Heading south, we went through rolling hills until we came to the coast. Then our road followed right along the shore with towering hills to the right. The waves of the Pacific were crashing against the shore and it was beautiful. Stopped at a pull out to let some cars pass and there were a bunch of seals! They were just lying around on the rocks and you almost had to watch where you were walking because you could step on one sleeping in the grass. They did not seem to mind the people taking pictures and would raise their heads every once in awhile to check you out. Further along we stopped at Ohau Lookout where there is another colony of seals. There were some cute baby ones playing in the surf and making cute seal noises. Renee has some great video that we'll post probably when we get home.
We arrived in Kaikoura and checked into our motel. We have a small kitchen area and a bathroom with a shower that's just kind of in the corner. Renee discovered that the water basically ends up all over the floor so we know now not to wear our socks as the floor is all wet! We got back in the car and headed into town. Kaikoura is a small town, but I could stay here forever. The visitor center directed us to a cheap fish n chips place and gave us info on a walk we will take today (Saturday). We went back to the supermarket to get some lunch supplies. Then back to the fish n chips place where we got it to take away and ate by the water. It was the perfect setting to enjoy the fish. Then Renee decided that she wanted to put her feet in New Zealand water. So she took her shoes off, rolled up her pants and stood by where the waves were. Unfortunately, the next wave that came went crashing a little further up and she ended up with water all up the front of her pants! It was quite funny! Next time she was more prepared and stood further back. After all that excitement, we headed back to the hotel for the night.
The good thing about vacation is we are on our own schedule. So who cares if we have been eating dinner at 4:30 and in bed by 8! It's nice! Today is bright and sunny and we have a whale tour to catch at 10! Hopefully we see some.
I would also like to point out that everyone in New Zealand is very friendly and, other than a few impatient people, they are all happy to wait until there is a passing lane or I have a place to pull over if I'm the pokey one, which I usually am! The roads are only 1 lane and there is usually not much traffic so it's not hard for me to drive.
Well, our hotel has a nice computer in the office with free internet, but Renee is probably ready to head towards town. The sun wasn't out yesterday and it will be nice to get pictures on a good day. There are some snowy mountains visible from our room! My favorite place so far!
We arrived in Kaikoura and checked into our motel. We have a small kitchen area and a bathroom with a shower that's just kind of in the corner. Renee discovered that the water basically ends up all over the floor so we know now not to wear our socks as the floor is all wet! We got back in the car and headed into town. Kaikoura is a small town, but I could stay here forever. The visitor center directed us to a cheap fish n chips place and gave us info on a walk we will take today (Saturday). We went back to the supermarket to get some lunch supplies. Then back to the fish n chips place where we got it to take away and ate by the water. It was the perfect setting to enjoy the fish. Then Renee decided that she wanted to put her feet in New Zealand water. So she took her shoes off, rolled up her pants and stood by where the waves were. Unfortunately, the next wave that came went crashing a little further up and she ended up with water all up the front of her pants! It was quite funny! Next time she was more prepared and stood further back. After all that excitement, we headed back to the hotel for the night.
The good thing about vacation is we are on our own schedule. So who cares if we have been eating dinner at 4:30 and in bed by 8! It's nice! Today is bright and sunny and we have a whale tour to catch at 10! Hopefully we see some.
I would also like to point out that everyone in New Zealand is very friendly and, other than a few impatient people, they are all happy to wait until there is a passing lane or I have a place to pull over if I'm the pokey one, which I usually am! The roads are only 1 lane and there is usually not much traffic so it's not hard for me to drive.
Well, our hotel has a nice computer in the office with free internet, but Renee is probably ready to head towards town. The sun wasn't out yesterday and it will be nice to get pictures on a good day. There are some snowy mountains visible from our room! My favorite place so far!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Glowworms, Mordor and Driving like a Kiwi!
Part one: Auckland to Tongariro National Park. Today was the first full day of driving like a Kiwi! And it was a successful one! No turning onto the wrong side, no getting lost and no accidents. Traffic around Auckland was not bad and once we were outside the city, it was pretty light. The scenery outside Auckland was mostly rolling hills with lots of cows and sheep. The speed limit on the main roads is 100 km/hr (about 60 mph) and in towns is 50 km/h. So even though the distances are small, it takes longer to get places due to the slower speed and winding roads. Our first stop was the Waitomo Glowworm Cave. It took us about 2 and a half hours to get to the Cave and we arrived in time to take the 11:00 tour. You start with a walk through parts of the cave, learning the history and about how the cave was formed. The cave was first discovered by a Maori leader in the 1880s. Since that time, the cave has slowly been made accessible to visitors. The main draw is the glowworm population. They are basically teeny tiny flies that spin a sticky thread and sit inside it. Then they glow to attract other insects for food. The brighter the glow, the hungrier they are. The cave tour ends with a silent boat ride in the dark along the river at the bottom of the cave. It is amazing to sit in silence staring up at the hundreds of little glowing lights that look like stars. Renee and I truly enjoyed the tour and it was worth the slight detour off the highway and the entrance fee. We had a nice lunch of PB&J in the parking lot and then continued on our way. The road became windier and the scenery more and more beautiful. It was nice that the traffic was so light as I wasn’t rushed and was able to drive the speed I was comfortable at. By the time we got to our hotel at the park, it was cloudy and starting to drip. We were able to check in and then took a drive into Tongariro Park. The goal was to take the road to see Mordor. Unfortunately, the clouds blocked all views. That was fine with me because the road was so steep and windy and I usually have my eyes closed when driving on such roads. This time I was the driver and had to watch where I was going. Renee was disappointed that we weren’t able to see Mount Doom or any Orcs. We also did not see any Kiwi birds, but did see a sign on the road warning to watch for them at night. Our hotel, The Park Travelers Lodge, was more geared towards the backpackers who frequent the park. We did have a room with two twin beds and a tiny bathroom. We had dinner at the Lodge and shared an order of bruschetta and a bacon cheeseburger and fries. It was delicious. Then we settled in for the night. Unfortunately, the other residents didn’t seem to want to go to bed and were out in the hot tub outside our room from probably 1 AM to who knows when. So it was probably good that we went to bed at 7 since we were awake for several hours in the early morning.
Part Two: Tongariro to Wellington. We woke up to pouring rain and gusty northerlies (saw that in the newspaper and I love that description!). Luckily it was down to a drizzle when we had to load up the car. The drive to Wellington was lots of up and down hill, tons of curves and, since it was raining most of the time, I was going pretty slow. The good thing is that New Zealand drivers are pretty polite and I never felt too pressured to go faster. There are lots of places to pull over and let others pass and we also stopped at a few scenic waysides. One was a nice waterfall and others were just nice lookouts over valleys. Eventually we descended out of the hills and the road became a little straighter. The rain was around most of the day and varied from a light mist to a full on downpour. Luckily, the downpours were after we were out of the winding mountain roads. About an hour outside of Wellington, we came around a curve and there on the right was the Tasman Sea! The waves were huge and the road went right along the coast. I was hoping for a place to pull over, but they were on the other side of the road so we weren’t able to get any photos. It was such a sight when we rounded that corner! You then head back inland and come into Wellington, which is in what looks like a bay. Our hotel is up on a hill and our room faces a garden area. After we checked in, we put on our rain gear and headed down the hill into the city. Went to the Te Papa Museum, which is a free museum with lots of exhibits about New Zealand. There was a special exhibit with an actual colossal squid! It was pretty gross. Then we headed out to find the way to the Mt. Victoria lookout. I guess this is also featured in LOTR. Luckily for us, it required a very steep uphill walk. The walk was labeled easy and if that was easy, I would hate to see the moderate kind! We only went halfway because it was just too far and I could not go up anymore. So we walked back down, back to the center of town, got McDonalds and walked back to the hotel. I am glad we are taking a 3 hour ferry ride tomorrow as my feet cannot take much more walking! Hope to post again in a few days!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
NZ part 1
Hello all from Auckland! It's day two of our visit to New Zealand and our last night in Auckland. We arrived after a seemingly never-ending flight yesterday morning a little before 8 AM. I did not get much sleep on the plane, but the ride was uneventful other than a few bumpy spots. Quantas has great amenities, even in the economy seats. We had dinner, breakfast and snacks throughout. Got into Auckland, cleared customs and biohazard security and were on our way to our hotel. The room was ready right away, which was nice. We were able to drop off all our stuff and refresh after the loooooong day to get here.
A visitor center is located right across from the hotel so we stopped there first. Decided to take the harbour cruise so we booked that. Got lunch at Subway and then took the ferry ride. It was a nice way to see the city from the water and check out the other islands. After the ferry, we walked around a little, got ice cream for dinner and went to bed at 6! We were exhausted.
This morning we picked up our rental car. Quite an adventure heading back to the hotel, but I managed to stay in the correct lane. Just a little tricky staying far enough away from the curb! Not used to that yet, but we'll be out of the city tomorrow so driving should be easier!
Walked from the hotel to the Auckland Domain and visited the Auckland Museum. I don't think it was that long of a walk, but it was mostly uphill so that wasn't much fun. The museum has tons of different exhibits covering all areas of New Zealand. Types of wildlife, plants, history and culture. It was worth the $10 donation.
Headed back to the city and took the ferry to Devonport. The ferry ride there was included with our Harbour Cruise from yesterday. We were done walking so we spent our time there sitting by the water, watching the boats and the birds. Took the ferry back and rested in the hotel. Now dinner and probaby bed early again.
So far, we are enjoying our time, but will be glad to be out of the city so we can check out the scenery! Hope to post more soon!
A visitor center is located right across from the hotel so we stopped there first. Decided to take the harbour cruise so we booked that. Got lunch at Subway and then took the ferry ride. It was a nice way to see the city from the water and check out the other islands. After the ferry, we walked around a little, got ice cream for dinner and went to bed at 6! We were exhausted.
This morning we picked up our rental car. Quite an adventure heading back to the hotel, but I managed to stay in the correct lane. Just a little tricky staying far enough away from the curb! Not used to that yet, but we'll be out of the city tomorrow so driving should be easier!
Walked from the hotel to the Auckland Domain and visited the Auckland Museum. I don't think it was that long of a walk, but it was mostly uphill so that wasn't much fun. The museum has tons of different exhibits covering all areas of New Zealand. Types of wildlife, plants, history and culture. It was worth the $10 donation.
Headed back to the city and took the ferry to Devonport. The ferry ride there was included with our Harbour Cruise from yesterday. We were done walking so we spent our time there sitting by the water, watching the boats and the birds. Took the ferry back and rested in the hotel. Now dinner and probaby bed early again.
So far, we are enjoying our time, but will be glad to be out of the city so we can check out the scenery! Hope to post more soon!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
New Zealand Itinerary
Ok, so Renee and I are only a few days away from starting our New Zealand adventure! I thought I would post a short summary of our trip in case anyone is wondering where we are on what day. Just remember that New Zealand is 17 hours ahead of us!
We depart O'Hare on the 21st for Auckland via LAX. We arrive in Auckland around 8 AM on the 23rd.
Hotel Stays:
• May 23-24 - http://www.millenniumhotels.co.nz/copthorneharbourcity/index.html
• May 25 - http://www.the-park.co.nz/about-us/
• May 26 - http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1991-mercure-wellington/index.shtml
• May 27-28 - http://www.willowbankkaikoura.co.nz/
• May 29 - http://www.tekapo.co.nz/
• May 30-June 2 - http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1994-mercure-queenstown-resort/index.shtml
Tours we have planned
• May 28th - http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/
• May 31st - http://www.infotrack.co.nz/lord-of-the-rings-fullday.html
We depart Queenstown around 9:30 AM on the 3rd and arrive back at O'Hare around 3:30 PM on the same day!
I'm hoping to be able to post several times during our trip about all the fabulous things we are doing and the beautiful scenery. There will probably be tons of pictures after we get back, but maybe a few along the way. Enjoy!
We depart O'Hare on the 21st for Auckland via LAX. We arrive in Auckland around 8 AM on the 23rd.
Hotel Stays:
• May 23-24 - http://www.millenniumhotels.co.nz/copthorneharbourcity/index.html
• May 25 - http://www.the-park.co.nz/about-us/
• May 26 - http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1991-mercure-wellington/index.shtml
• May 27-28 - http://www.willowbankkaikoura.co.nz/
• May 29 - http://www.tekapo.co.nz/
• May 30-June 2 - http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1994-mercure-queenstown-resort/index.shtml
Tours we have planned
• May 28th - http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/
• May 31st - http://www.infotrack.co.nz/lord-of-the-rings-fullday.html
We depart Queenstown around 9:30 AM on the 3rd and arrive back at O'Hare around 3:30 PM on the same day!
I'm hoping to be able to post several times during our trip about all the fabulous things we are doing and the beautiful scenery. There will probably be tons of pictures after we get back, but maybe a few along the way. Enjoy!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
My visit to the other Charleston
Charleston SC that is. I spent 4 years living in Charleston IL and always wanted to check out the larger, more well known Charleston. Let me just say the SC version has a lot more to offer than the IL version. There are parks and beaches and alligators and tons and tons of history. I spent the first day just wandering around the city. There is a great visitor center where you can park your car for the day and then it's a short walk down to the Battery. This is the paved walkway along the water that offers beautiful views out over the water and of the gorgeous homes that line it. I think one of the things I liked most about Charleston was the architecture of the homes. The fronts of the buildings are so beautiful and probably haven't changed much since they were built. Some even have those old gas lamps that are lit up at night. A carriage ride is another popular thing to do in the city and gives you a different perspective. And that perspective varies depending on who is giving the tour. I think our tour went past some of the more sordid points of interest of historic Charleston!
Charleston is where the Civil War began and, despite what I read in one guide book, a visit to Fort Sumter is a must. A short ferry ride takes you from Patriot's Point out to the fort and offers some wonderful views of the city. I really enjoyed visiting the Fort and, if you like history, you will too. There is a ranger talk when you first get off the boat and then you are free to wander about on your own. The island is also a bird sanctuary so you can only go so far out of the fort itself. It's amazing that a fort on a small man-made island played such a significant role in our country's history.
The departure point for Fort Sumter is Patriot's Point. There you can take a tour of an aircraft carrier and a submarine. There is nothing stranger than touring the massive space that is an aircraft carrier and then climbing down the metal staircase into the narrow confines of a submarine. You can get lost on an aircraft carrier. You can get claustrophobia on a submarine!
My most favorite part of my trip was my visit to Drayton Hall, one of the 3 plantations you can visit on the scenic Ashley River Road. Construction on the home began in 1738 and it survived both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The reason I liked it so much is because the home hasn't been changed. There is no indoor plumbing, no lights, no air conditioning and no "as it would have looked" furniture. I arrived a few minutes before the home opens and therefore was the only person on the guided tour. As my tour was finishing, one of those large charter buses was arriving. Being on my own gave me a real sense of Drayton Hall. There were no people in the way for pictures, no annoying questions and no standing at the back of the group trying to see over them. One of the most poignant spots on the grounds was the African-American cemetery. The area is kept natural and the majority of the graves are not marked in anyway. I walked around in silence, absorbing the sounds of the forest that surrounds the site. Very moving.
A short drive away is the Magnolia Plantation. I went and wish I hadn't spent the money. This site is geared towards tourists. There is a petting zoo for kids, an overpriced cafe, trolley rides and very visible 21st century upgrades in the home itself. Where Drayton Hall only had one or two lights that had been installed for worker safety, Magnolia Plantation had air conditioning (with a thermostat identical to the one in my house), tons of "period" furnishings and lots and lots of people. I did walk along the garden path and paid to walk on the swamp walk. I think that was the only thing worth the money as I saw a lot of alligators and managed to avoid a cotton mouth snake due to a nice man ahead of me pointing it out. I would not recommend!
The other plantation on the road is the Middleton Place. I did enjoy my time there. I did not pay for the house tour. Instead I took the free guided garden walk and then wandered the grounds on my own. One path I turned around on because there was an alligator blocking my way. Did not want to step over him! I also enjoyed a delicious lunch in the restaurant which had a wonderful view of one of the gardens.
On my trip I also checked out the Charleston Tea Plantation (only one in the US!), the Angel Oak tree (over 1500 years old and ginormous) , took a boat to Bull Island (very remote, home to alligators who make lots of scary rumbling sounds), had sweet tea (disgusting!) and had some delicious BBQ pork and rice with hash at a local fast food place. The people were all so friendly, the weather was gorgeous (I went in May) and the city was beautiful. I want to go back and discover more of what the other Charleston has to offer!
Charleston is where the Civil War began and, despite what I read in one guide book, a visit to Fort Sumter is a must. A short ferry ride takes you from Patriot's Point out to the fort and offers some wonderful views of the city. I really enjoyed visiting the Fort and, if you like history, you will too. There is a ranger talk when you first get off the boat and then you are free to wander about on your own. The island is also a bird sanctuary so you can only go so far out of the fort itself. It's amazing that a fort on a small man-made island played such a significant role in our country's history.
The departure point for Fort Sumter is Patriot's Point. There you can take a tour of an aircraft carrier and a submarine. There is nothing stranger than touring the massive space that is an aircraft carrier and then climbing down the metal staircase into the narrow confines of a submarine. You can get lost on an aircraft carrier. You can get claustrophobia on a submarine!
My most favorite part of my trip was my visit to Drayton Hall, one of the 3 plantations you can visit on the scenic Ashley River Road. Construction on the home began in 1738 and it survived both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The reason I liked it so much is because the home hasn't been changed. There is no indoor plumbing, no lights, no air conditioning and no "as it would have looked" furniture. I arrived a few minutes before the home opens and therefore was the only person on the guided tour. As my tour was finishing, one of those large charter buses was arriving. Being on my own gave me a real sense of Drayton Hall. There were no people in the way for pictures, no annoying questions and no standing at the back of the group trying to see over them. One of the most poignant spots on the grounds was the African-American cemetery. The area is kept natural and the majority of the graves are not marked in anyway. I walked around in silence, absorbing the sounds of the forest that surrounds the site. Very moving.
A short drive away is the Magnolia Plantation. I went and wish I hadn't spent the money. This site is geared towards tourists. There is a petting zoo for kids, an overpriced cafe, trolley rides and very visible 21st century upgrades in the home itself. Where Drayton Hall only had one or two lights that had been installed for worker safety, Magnolia Plantation had air conditioning (with a thermostat identical to the one in my house), tons of "period" furnishings and lots and lots of people. I did walk along the garden path and paid to walk on the swamp walk. I think that was the only thing worth the money as I saw a lot of alligators and managed to avoid a cotton mouth snake due to a nice man ahead of me pointing it out. I would not recommend!
The other plantation on the road is the Middleton Place. I did enjoy my time there. I did not pay for the house tour. Instead I took the free guided garden walk and then wandered the grounds on my own. One path I turned around on because there was an alligator blocking my way. Did not want to step over him! I also enjoyed a delicious lunch in the restaurant which had a wonderful view of one of the gardens.
On my trip I also checked out the Charleston Tea Plantation (only one in the US!), the Angel Oak tree (over 1500 years old and ginormous) , took a boat to Bull Island (very remote, home to alligators who make lots of scary rumbling sounds), had sweet tea (disgusting!) and had some delicious BBQ pork and rice with hash at a local fast food place. The people were all so friendly, the weather was gorgeous (I went in May) and the city was beautiful. I want to go back and discover more of what the other Charleston has to offer!
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