tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:49:44 +0000Touring ChristchurchHints and TipsReviewsCoffeeAccommodationClose CallsVirtually thereBlogging there is half the funDriving Safelymis-adventuresTrans-Tasman CommunicationSnow GrendelsRoute CommentsAdventuresThings to rememberDiningEntertainmentKiwi CoffeePlanning the TripPlanesOutfittingThe 'Grendels' are off to New Zealand. Mr Grendel has been before - but for Mrs Grendel and Junior Grendel's Number One and Two, this is the first time. Every epic adventure needs a chronicle and Touring New Zealand will promote the high points and share the low points of our 17 day adventure in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Our adventure will take us from Christchurch South, and then all the way across to Auckland. Join us, and enjoy the ride!http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")Blogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-3685001822168722425Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:15:00 +00002009-10-26T08:16:50.744+08:00Route CommentsDriving SafelyView Tekapo to Queenstown in a larger map257 kilometres sounds like a relatively short drive, but this leg is full of interesting stopping points and amazing scenery. If the leg from Christchurch were to lull us into a sense of complacency about the roads, this leg is the wake-up call.The first stage to Twizel is straightforward – and I recommend a stop in Twizel if you need a break. We stopped http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/RTJhvBXqkf0/road-remarks-lake-tekapo-to-queenstown.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/RTJhvBXqkf0" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/road-remarks-lake-tekapo-to-queenstown.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-7977010916240204759Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:11:00 +00002009-10-18T09:19:52.742+08:00ReviewsDiningIt was at Hikari Izakaya on Beach Street in Queenstown that we first discovered that Junior Grendel Number Two loves Japanese food. He has always been more interested in trying new things than his older brother but astounded us with the range of new foods he was willing to try.He ate an entire bell pepper salad along with sushi, sashimi and soba noodles. Actually looking at the 'S' theme of that http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/mUL0n4Xc-PQ/dining-hikari-izakaya-in-queenstown.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/mUL0n4Xc-PQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/dining-hikari-izakaya-in-queenstown.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-5022853963969273925Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:23:00 +00002009-10-16T08:09:38.027+08:00Route CommentsDriving SafelyView NZ Roads and Routes in a larger mapI would highly recommend this drive as a great way to get accustomed to New Zealand driving conditions. At around 230 km it will take at least three and a half hours with rest breaks and I'd actually recommend that you plan for a little more time for scenic stops as well.Christchurch is a gem of a city located at the Eastern edge of the Canterbury plain. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/Q0AtOTws1N0/road-remarks-part-one-christchurch-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/Q0AtOTws1N0" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/road-remarks-part-one-christchurch-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-2436680028462988956Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:56:00 +00002009-10-14T07:42:11.103+08:00ReviewsDiningWhile walking through the Queenstown Mall on our first day there we were accosted by a charming young lady bearing pizza. I have always found pizza to be an attractive accessory for a girl so we stopped and sampled what seemed to be a capsicum laden piece of pizza. I've never been a great fan of bell peppers but this one was actually very sweet and not as overpowering as many I have tried here.Inhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/RH6ccqbesn4/highlights-winnies-gourmet-pizza-bar.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/RH6ccqbesn4" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/highlights-winnies-gourmet-pizza-bar.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-8157326752280940944Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +00002009-10-10T12:37:23.570+08:00ReviewsKiwi CoffeeAfter the stunning drive up the West Coast of the South Island we turned inland just South of Westport to follow the Buller River to the East. Murchison is in a lush valley once you come through the gorge and we were exhausted already by the drive which was during an intense storm that was bringing down trees and causing rock slides all along our route.Rivers Cafe, on Fairfax Street just off the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/QaFSZVTUP4M/highlights-rivers-cafe-murchison.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/QaFSZVTUP4M" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/highlights-rivers-cafe-murchison.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-5024533318925033906Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:11:00 +00002009-10-08T21:24:56.248+08:00ReviewsAccommodationThe Holiday Inn on Avon in Christchurch is an oddly pleasant place to stay. Odd because the layout of the hallways and rooms is rather like a cubist-inspired rabbit warren, but comfortable and right on a picturesque bend of the Avon River just 15 minutes walk from the CBD.It is not likely to be the kind of hotel to attract the high end of business travel but as a restful stopping point who http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/7bVGbGRrYHQ/accommodation-holiday-inn-on-avon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/7bVGbGRrYHQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/accommodation-holiday-inn-on-avon.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-8117795548059880911Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +00002009-10-07T08:00:00.960+08:00ReviewsAccommodationWe stayed in a fairly broad range of accommodation types, and our experience was good - with various levels of 'good'. There was one 'Great' however and that was in Rotorua where we stated at the Best Western Braeside. I chose this place as it was supposed to be away from the general sulphur odour which was something we though might worry Junior Grendel Number One - however the smell didn't seem http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/iRlu77prvjA/accommodation-best-western-braeside.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/iRlu77prvjA" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/accommodation-best-western-braeside.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-6662497978693502119Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:50:00 +00002009-10-06T20:15:59.597+08:00Blogging there is half the funKiwi CoffeeWhile in Christchurch we had just enough time for a flying visit to the local Headquarters of Coffee Supreme on Madras Street.This funky roastery/espresso bar is the South Island starting point for Coffee Supreme. Of all the roasters whose coffee we tried it was Coffee Supreme who seemed to have the best distribution network and consistency in quality among the cafes that served there coffee. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/xaVrftlY6YU/highlights-supreme-hq.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/xaVrftlY6YU" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/highlights-supreme-hq.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-175162671971587962Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:49:00 +00002009-10-05T17:16:16.905+08:00Blogging there is half the funKiwi CoffeeTwizel is a small town in the MacKenzie Basin that was built in 1968 as a town to service the local hydro plant. Today it remains a great stopping point for travellers and a staging point for keen astronomers wishing to take advantage of the clear, dry mountain air.We stopped there on our way through from Tekapo to Queenstown and dropped in to Shawty's, a small cafe in the Twizel Mall.Like most http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/k0fPgTqtJJw/highlights-shawtys.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/k0fPgTqtJJw" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/highlights-shawtys.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-586436693434459817Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:48:00 +00002009-10-04T10:48:42.453+08:00Blogging there is half the funKiwi CoffeeCoffeeMitchelli's was one of the cafes we managed to visit in Christchurch. I don't know why it is that all Christchurch cafe's seem so stylish and this one was one certainly had style character and great coffee. There is a much more independent mind set in cafes over in New Zealand and the unique characteristics of each make comparisons between them very difficult - much better to enjoy each cafe for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/4ZxmevpTWfY/mitchellis.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/4ZxmevpTWfY" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/mitchellis.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-7344113147535021775Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:50:00 +00002009-10-03T09:15:31.623+08:00ReviewsBlogging there is half the funCoffeeOne of the places we discovered in Queenstown (and returned to often) was Patagonia. Patagonia is a chocolate and gelatteria with a simple menu, lots of handmade goodies and the best hot chocolate that I've ever had.The Junior Grendels knew from the contents of the freezer bays of gelati that they were in for a treat:Mrs Grendel had her birthday breakfast there and while not impressed with havinghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/KIEZmHBmcV8/highlights-patagonia.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/KIEZmHBmcV8" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/highlights-patagonia.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-571229086423471374Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:35:00 +00002009-10-02T20:47:17.105+08:00Blogging there is half the funAdventuresWell its been an amazing trip and I still have much to write, describe and discuss. The final hotel was a bomb and I shan't be recommending them to anyone but overall the trip was magnificent, the Junior Grendels are exhausted but happy and Mrs Grendel looks back fondly on surviving.It is great to be home and I am looking forward to some routine again, including work on Monday. They boys are http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/CpcpBhaHiXo/home.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/CpcpBhaHiXo" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/10/home.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-3351834304918132309Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:30:00 +00002009-09-30T13:05:39.743+08:00Blogging there is half the funAdventuresBy the frantic note in the voice of the morning TV show host you'd have thought that the entire nation was about to be inundated by a Tsunami today. It was sad to see that television host in NZ are just as appallingly rude and stupid as they are in Australia. One host all but accused a spokesman for local Civil Defense of incompetence simply because he refused to speculate based on rumours http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/R3LZQGIlHEY/big-one.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/R3LZQGIlHEY" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/big-one.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-4816497300198126990Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:19:00 +00002009-09-29T11:29:18.522+08:00AdventuresGeology - everywhere has it but some places have it more than others. I had a rock pickers dream drive over the last ten days, and I also noticed that everyone else loves the rocks - and tends to make piles of them!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/Uerr-wJoCvc/geology.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/Uerr-wJoCvc" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/geology.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-3479446055464084973Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:39:00 +00002009-09-26T08:58:31.854+08:00Snow GrendelsBlogging there is half the funEntertainmentChronologically backwards in time from September 20 to September 24:http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/_wsnP1DkbR0/backwards-in-time-to-queenstown.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/_wsnP1DkbR0" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/backwards-in-time-to-queenstown.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-8865106584651395862Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:17:00 +00002009-09-25T17:26:53.140+08:00Adventuresmis-adventuresI have some amazing photos - I really do, but this particular internet kiosk is perhaps the most useless that I have found - it is in our hotel in Palmerston North and while most of these systems work pretty well and allow you to edit images using a basic tool like Irfanview, this one has nothing. SO I can't show you the great powder snow that fell on us as we drove through Saint Arnaud, or the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/EuzLfFsqN3A/amazing-photos.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/EuzLfFsqN3A" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/amazing-photos.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-8943130095661388765Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:49:00 +00002009-09-24T09:00:13.416+08:00Snow GrendelsBlogging there is half the funWe've been anable to get near the internet for a few days - most often because we were just too exhausted to try staying up.I'll post a few quick pics though - mostly of Queenstown - we'll try catch up on some cafes later in the week but there have been some great stops along the way and it is rare to see the same coffee roaster supplying more than one or two cafes in a town and I have not seen ahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/sOj3MnlmocM/quick-catch-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")4<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/sOj3MnlmocM" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/quick-catch-up.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-5932356267427467109Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:21:00 +00002009-09-18T12:43:55.617+08:00Snow GrendelsAdventuresKiwi CoffeeBarista Fraser Gunn is also a superb photographer. We got to be impressed by both the photos and the Supreme Coffee he served from his perch high on Mt John at the University of Canterbury's Observatory. Given that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy and that both the Junior Grendels are proud owners of Galileoscopes, we could hardly pass up a visit to an observatory that also hosts a http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/PyrQSQE6Rzo/astro-cafe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/PyrQSQE6Rzo" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/astro-cafe.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-3880616857916171723Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:39:00 +00002009-10-08T21:36:11.807+08:00ReviewsKiwi CoffeeWe went to C1 yesterday morning - a quirky little caff that out-grunges Seattle and that also has (to the Junior Grendel's delight) a working Dr Who pinball machine and a shopping centre style pony ride (circa 1960-something).We went to four cafes in our brief stay in Christchurch - only two of these were on my list, the other two were walk-ins and I have to say that I am impressed with http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/h1a-45w3P-Y/c1.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/h1a-45w3P-Y" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/c1.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-8735095290066230316Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:18:00 +00002009-09-16T15:31:30.054+08:00Blogging there is half the funTouring ChristchurchWell, they've let us out of Australia and in to New Zealand!I'll post up Junior Grendel Number One's departure story that he wrote as we waited in Brisbane in a day or so. He borrowed the Green XO laptop and I helped him compose a little story describing what we were doing.Our flight across was fairly uneventful and Virgin lived up to their reputation as 'Cheap and Cheerful'. The staff were greathttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/dcDZzltTnyE/out-and-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")2<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/dcDZzltTnyE" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/out-and-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-7244408863938061290Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:17:00 +00002009-09-15T11:29:55.819+08:00AdventuresI grew up on a hill above the Brisbane River - right across the river from a Koala sanctuary called Lone Pine.I went there often as a child and even braved the muddy tidal flow of the Brisbane River to paddle over to the Jetty from our side of the River to Lone Pine to ride the wake of the tourist ferry as it arrived and departed.We took the more sedate route today of the drive down Fig Tree http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/iH4QIMOOI5U/lone-pine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/iH4QIMOOI5U" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/lone-pine.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-892092906595479709Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:20:00 +00002009-09-14T17:36:23.111+08:00Snow GrendelsBlogging there is half the funI wonder at times whether we are in fact attempting an assault on Mt Cook with the large logistical operation that seems to result from an attempted family holiday.We did some final shopping today and we left the Junior Grendels with Grandma (Yay! Grandma!) and went off to Indooroopilly shopping town.Indooroopilly is a vast complex - about 400 metres from end to end and 3 and a half levels of http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/dKc6EkwQM3U/final-expedition-prep.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/dKc6EkwQM3U" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/final-expedition-prep.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-4929980565513524764Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:35:00 +00002009-09-13T16:57:04.720+08:00PlanesWe took the Red-Eye to Brisbane last night and Junior Grendels Number One and Number Two had a great flight enjoying the novelty of air travel. Meals were served, drinks drunk, and chocolates offered and consumed. They then dropped off to sleep leaving Mrs Grendel and I to ride out the flight in a half-dazed state.I have to compliment Qantas on their flight - it was great, good service, friendly http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/yFK0YNpxago/on-our-way.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/yFK0YNpxago" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/on-our-way.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-6302313695022505608Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:15:00 +00002009-09-12T15:40:35.837+08:00Close CallsGetting the Junior Grendels packed is always an adventure - and it is usually advisable to check their luggage.Junior Grendel Number One decided to pack the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch in his luggage this time and I am not sure what the response from the security people would have been but I suspect less than positive - fortunately it was discovered and removed in time - and a little discussion http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/zy34VhvIGkg/unholy-relics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/zy34VhvIGkg" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/unholy-relics.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-651743768584147437.post-7315099251436839152Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:40:00 +00002009-09-09T11:44:12.262+08:00Blogging there is half the funVirtually thereMonopoly City Streets - a 3D monopoly game played on Google Map - just a bit too cool for words. Because it is online we can play as we travel - A seriously good idea - and the game starts today!I am going to attempt to buy the locations that we are staying at along the way - travel mapping via monopoly.I will also attempt to add cafes that we visit to my monopoly board although I suspect there http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~3/SlvazeDc85Q/monopoly-city-streets.htmlnoreply@blogger.com ("Grendel")0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TouringNewZealand/~4/SlvazeDc85Q" height="1" width="1"/>http://touringnewzealand.blogspot.com/2009/09/monopoly-city-streets.html