Queenstown

Hi all, I haven't posted much since moving into the farm, mainly because of the crap Woosh broadband connection! - I get fed up with the slow connection as I took me 1 hour just to upload these pictures.

Anyway, less of the moan and more about our trip to Queenstown - the Adventure capital of NZ!

We were well and truly ready for Labour Weekend, as we haven't stopped to rest since arriving in Southland, and we hadn't had time to show the boys much either.

We Set off after work on Friday, but with Jordon having got very mucky at the Coal Mine which he had gone too with work, we ended up setting off an hour late and it was dark when we reached the very twisty, shear drop roads!

But we got to the Amber lodge ok...once we found it! the road signs were a bit difficult to read and we ended up ringing them for directions....we parked up in the United Video carpark - which was around the corner from the motel!

We went to bed ready for the early start, we were booked on the 10am Shotover Jet, so after a Big Mac we went to Arthurs point for the Shotover Jet ride, the weather was fine, not cold or raining, we had a great ride, but I think Robs stomach didn't appreciate the 360 degree spins!

and then at 11am we went to the Canyon Swing.......... and me and Jordon jumped twice!

On the Sunday we went Quad biking in the hills, which was a blast, and we all got filthy, any way heres some of the pictures, and if you want to see them all click on this link....

More Photos

The Balcony at Pug's Malone....We had Stonegrill, which is where your meat comes out uncooked on a Volcanic rock and you cook it to how you like it... Very tasty!


































Jordon coming back from his first jump..







Jason about to do the Chair.... a reminder of his school days I think, you lean back on the two back legs till you topple backwards.








Robert taking a look at the drop...then the guys went to push him...Just for an extra bit of excitement!











This is a statue of a Kiwi....with an egg under it, not a Poop!
























My second Jump...its Called the Gimp? god knows why, but you hang upside down till the end and then you swing the right side up again.








Sunset from Queenstown Wharf










And a picture of us all BEFORE we got all Mucky on the Quads, they were ace fun...and we all wanted one adding to our Xmas list...santa are you taking note?












On the Sunday afternoon while the boys chilled out Rob and I went sightseeing, and took a drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy, here are the Pics from the trip...This spot at Closeburn was fantastic, Glass clear and hot, I would have jumped in If i'd had togs (swim gear) with me...and Half a ton of Insect repellant!....

Unfortunately, this little slice of heaven had a part of Hell with it, They say that New Zealand doesn't have any dangerous animals....BUT they conveniently forget to mention the Sand Flies...These Tiny little critters have a very itchy bite, and can turn very nasty sometimes, I still have a scar on my ankle from the first week we were here, it went real manky and I ended up using a match to Cauterise it, it started to heal after I did that (For an example of how it looked Google Bagdad Boil.....)YUCK!

This Bay had about 6-8 houses opposite it, A Fantastic view if I say myself, and I'd retire there any day, but I doubt they would get Broadband unless they had Satellite.


And when we reached the Dart River, we turned back and headed back to Queenstown.

Its a great place to visit, expensive but if your just going camping and walking it would be ok, as its only the actual activities that break the bank, It cost $1045 for the 4 of us to do the Shotover Jet and Canyon Swing. So be prepared to spend, if you want to try all these activities out....But it was well worth it, and I want to try White Water Rafting in the Summer when the Rivers SLIGHTLY warmer!

October Update

Hi all, I haven't posted much since moving into the farm, mainly because of the crap Woosh broadband connection! - I get fed up with the slow connection - But lets not get onto that subject as it really annoy's me!!!

October has been a very busy month, as well as the last weeks of September.....when the boys arrived I never realised that I would be so busy - I am up at dawn and stay up till late, and thats a normal day, if I am doing any computer stuff such as this it can be later.

The boys have been good, but they are finding it boring with me and their dad at work all the time.

Jordon has started work now - hes on his second week, and he is enjoying it - thank God!

He works for a company called Wilson Bros, they are based in town, and they actually do some work for the Parks Department, so I know that they are a good firm and they treat their workers fairly, he has also passed his theory test for his NZ drivers licence, and we are waiting to hear back from them if he can get a restricted licence ASAP rather than waiting 6mths, as he needs to drive at work.

Jason decided he didn't want to go to school, he wants an apprenticeship too, but unfortunately the next course at the institute is February, so that has left him at home alone, with the sheep, horses and poultry for company!
I have enquired at work to see if he can get a job with the Parks Dept till college starts, so fingers crossed everyone!

I had my first NZ birthday, it was a quiet one, but I knew we had our weekend in Queenstown to look forward to at the weekend....so watch this space......oh and thanks for all the birthday cards, pressies etc, they were loverly.....

The boys have a look around

The Boys had a look around the garden and fields when they first arrived, and said the place was OK ....so far so good!

Then we took them to Omaui, to climb the reserve.... and look at the views. They grumbled a bit but in the end they were laughing, running ....and using me as a coat hook?????

Jordon taking in the view, and Jason taking a breather!

We also took them to Gore, capital of NZ country music apparently, oh and trout fishing....as you can see they have a giant trout in the park!

We came home with a car for Jordon.....$999 its a Ford Telstar XL 1991 2 litre......Pictures of it to follow.....at this very minute it is in the garage with Rob teaching Jordon how to 'Pimp his ride' ha ha!.... big stereo/amp and subwoofer etc....new paint job, and maybe even go faster stripes...watch this space!







ALTHOUGH they didnt think much to the NZ heating systems..this picture was of them after we got home from Omaui, it wasnt that cold but they spent the first 2 weeks here with Duvets on them while watching TV!....they have now aclimatised a bit more...

Update from Casa Smith

Well we have been in our house for 36 days now and I feel like I haven't sat down since!

I have been busy trying to make it into a home, so the bank balance is getting lower and the boxes of our stuff are slowly being emptied.

Jason wasn't happy in his room near the conservertory so I am busy stripping the horrid pink wallpaper and the subsequent layers dating back to the first owners I think, and its taking forever - but I can't rush it as the walls arn't plastered, they only caulk the joins (going to paint it first before re-wallpapering) So there is a barrier between it and the paper....NOT that I plan re-wallpapering it in the next 50 yrs!!!
Anyway, I promised some photos of the inside, so see below and I also added a picture of the 'Ugly Duck'......any name suggestions as we keep calling him Duckie at the minute.


Heres a Pic of Robs Car, and the Chooks at dawn (when I am getting up to feed the menagerie and get Robs Packup done for work...and his breckie too!)



Oscar likes to find the good spots in the daytime, so thats either on a sunny patch or Jasons Bed, watching him on his XBox360!

And finally heres the pictures of the kitchen/dining area and Lounge....I was going to clean it up and take some 'house & garden' style shots.......but Hey I am too busy so you get it Kiwi style/as is (at least I took the undies off the dryer!(a handy item that the previous owner made...Rob needs to streamline it as it tends to slip as he just knotted the ropes, and they come loose - the previous owner was NOT good at DIY...)