Jan 9, 2018
 
After a not-so-fun night at Sir Cedrics Tahuna Pod Hostel (very small pods to sleep in) we searched for a better place to spend the next 2 nights in Queenstown, and ended up at Heritage Queenstown luxury hotel! Then lunch at Fergburger and wanderings around town.
 

Our evening began on board an 1812 steamboat, the TSS Earnslaw, for an evening cruise on Queenstown’s scenic Lake Wakatipu. We sailed to Walter Peak High Country Farm, where we were treated to a sumptuous barbecue dinner at the Colonel’s Homestead with piano playing adding to the ambiance. After dinner, we had a walking tour of the farm and the beautiful gardens, then watched a sheep shearing demonstration in the ‘woolshed’, then a viewing of sheep dogs doing their thing.

Jan 10, 2018
 
A drive to Glenorchy was in store today, with photo stops for sheep and lake views.
Later, dinner at Sombrero’s on the patio. Then a gondola ride at Skyline Queenstown where we soaked up and photographed the sunset.

Jan 11, 2018
 
We enjoyed Queenstown for a few hours including a late breakfast at the Queenstown Mall Food Court and listening to a singing dog accompany his guitar playing owner.

Our next drive amongst some fog, clouds, and rain lead us to Makarora Blue Pools, Fantail Falls in Mount Aspiring National Park (complete with cairns, human-made stacks of stones), and dinner at Big Foot Bar & Restaurant in Fox Glacier.

Jan 12, 2018
 
We spent the night in the Chateau Backpackers & Motels Franz Josef, which included this morning’s free breakfast. Then we walked into town to check into scenic flights but it was too cloudy where Air Safaris flies, so no luck. Instead we walked to various parts of the trail to Franz Josef Glacier. Later some soup for dinner at the lodge next to our hostel. Then ice cream and computer time at “Full of Beans”.

Jan 13, 2018 
 
Today was a drive to Christchurch via Arthur’s Pass where we ate lunch and a stop at Castle Hill. Later dinner at Bootleg BBQ and a viewing of “Babe” in honor of being in a country with somewhere around 40 million sheep!

Jan 14, 2018
 
We checked out Shirley Mall in the Christchurch suburbs for some shopping, then Rodney went to New Brighton Beach and T&K to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.

Later we had dinner at LoneStar on Manchester Street and took a drive to Akaroa where we saw the war memorial and enjoyed sunset on the beach.

Jan 15, 2018
 
We headed downtown for brunch and a smoothie at Robert Harris (“Coffee for the People”). We took the Hop-On Hop-Off bus all around its route then hopped off in the shopping district. We at lunch at an outdoor spot at the Container Mall (many shops inside of shipping containers).

We visited a somber memorial for the victims of the 2011 earthquake, “185 Empty White Chairs”.

The Christchurch Cathedral was also damaged in the earthquake and a temporary “Cardboard Cathedral” (using cardboard tubes, timber and steel) was built to house the congregation until the cathedral could be restored (following lots of controversy on whether to destroy or restore it).

We ended our last full day in Christchurch at a wonderful Air BnB cheering our nearly 3-week adventure over pizza and wine.

Jan 16, 2018
 
A sad departure from Christchurch to our respective homes, via Brisbane airport.

Epilogue – The Travelin’ Trio gathered in Atlanta in July to put together a photo book of this fabulous vacation. Atlanta is a fairly centrally-located and easy to get to location for us to travel from Colorado, Texas, and Maine so we chose that for this year’s gathering. We spent four days hard at work but took time to eat at Willy’s Mexican Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and Ted’s Montana Grill (notice a theme here??) and enjoy a few of Atlanta’s touristy spots. 4 days later, another great book is completed!

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