Category Archives: Travel

Our US journey begins in New York City

Delighted with the location of the hotel on W57th Street, just a few minutes walk from most of the Midtown highlights: Central Park, Fifth Avenue, Broadway, Times Square are all very accessible. Having promised myself a visit to the renowned B&H Photo store which is to photography equipment as Hamley’s is to toys, I wasContinue reading “Our US journey begins in New York City”

Melbourne and Sydney, January 2011

Having spent a couple of hours at the Antarctic Experience, which is very conveniently sited near the airport in Christchurch, it was time to check-in and board the flight back to Melbourne. It’s a city I like and I knew I would enjoy it even more than usual when I heard that Dianne and JohnContinue reading “Melbourne and Sydney, January 2011”

Back to Christchurch and beyond via the TranzAlpine

Boarding the train at Greymouth along with other tourists and a few locals I was pleased to find that, as requested, my designated seat was right by the viewing car where it was much easier to take photos. These carriages are a bit like cattletrucks – no seats and no glass in the windows –Continue reading “Back to Christchurch and beyond via the TranzAlpine”

… and yet more from New Zealand’s South island

The next day I continued the drive northwards along the west coast. Once again I wasn’t sure how far I would get but had three places in mind to visit. Although the drive was not as spectacular as that from Haast to the glaciers, it was beautiful – cattle grazing in meadows at the footContinue reading “… and yet more from New Zealand’s South island”

…and even more ‘How Great Thou Art!’ moments

Sitting at the computer in Chiang Mai, I find it hard to believe that it is just a month since I was travelling the South Island. I’ve only been back a week and it feels like a looooooong tme, though I’ve achieved very little as I almost feel as if I’m still on holiday. ThatContinue reading “…and even more ‘How Great Thou Art!’ moments”

…and there are still more!

January 3, 2011 was the day I realised how long holidays can be. Waking early, I settled the account at the hotel and drove back in to Dunedin. In many ways it was much more like a small country town in Scotland than the capital after whom it is named; a very unassuming town toContinue reading “…and there are still more!”

More ‘How Great Thou Art!’ moments from New Zealand’s South Island

It’s strange how the weather on this trip has been just right for some activities and just wrong for some! Our enjoyment of the vistas of the Coromandel Peninsula had been diminished a bit by the rain, but we saw a different side of it. On this first day of 2011 I was able toContinue reading “More ‘How Great Thou Art!’ moments from New Zealand’s South Island”

‘How Great Thou Art!’: New Zealand South Island

My last morning in Wellington was very different from the first: I woke to blue sky and glorious sunshine – just right for one of the world’s most renowned ferry crossings. This was a journey I had looked forward to for some time and was something I had been determined to do: no flight hereContinue reading “‘How Great Thou Art!’: New Zealand South Island”