Ketchup!

I just have to tell you that I love the ketchup packets in NZ. Above you will see a picture of one of the packets I am referring to. If you notice on the top of the packet there is a peak. You bend the packet in half and break the peak of the packet. Then you are able to squeeze the packet in half causing the two bubbles containing the sauce to push on each other. This causes the sauce in each bubble to compress and protrude from the tip of the peak. The sauce comes out so neatly. It amazes me every time I use one. I just thought I would share.

That's all for now. Until next time may America please invent something as cool as the neat ketchup dispenser.

BC

Road Trip!

Top of the morning to ya,

After the exciting ferry ride Ken and I thought we needed more excitement, so we rented a car. Ken volunteered to be the driver since he has driven on the other side of the road before. Also, considering that I am on vacation I thought it would be cool to have a personal driver.


We arrived in Picton at noon and got the car and drove to Blenheim where we stayed the night. We also did some win tasting. Please see picture below.

After spending the night in Blenheim we got up early the next morning to drive down to Christchurch. It was a beautiful drive through the countryside and along the coast. Please see picture below.



After arriving in Christchurch we spent the night in a huge mansion that was converted to a B&B. It was in the heart of the city. Ken and I walked around that afternoon. Early the next morning we left for our 6 hour drive to Queenstown.

The drive to Queenstown was probably one of the most beautiful drives I have ever seen. Every corner you turn there is more beautiful scenery to see. We made many stops along the way. Below is one of my favorites.

So, that pretty much sums up the road trip. After that we spent two nights in Queenstown and then drove to Te Anau (where I am currently writing this post). I should have another post up shortly. I hope you are all enjoy reading these posts, because I really enjoy writing them.

That's all for now. Until next time may all your cows stay in their pasture.

BC

Deadliest Catch Ferry Ride!

Greetings,

I know there has been much anticipation for the story of our Deadliest Catch Ferry Ride. So, without further ado I bring you the hair raising story.

Monday morning started off at 0-dark thirty. I had to sneak around the B&B to find a phone for us to call a cab. Once I successfully found the phone and mad the call it was time to pack our bags and get a move on it. The weather in Wellington had not changed (rain, wind and COLD). The cab ride took us about 15 minutes to get down to the harbor. We checked in and waited until 7:45 am to board the boat. There were about 20 other brave souls that were going on this daring journey across the Cook Straight.

The boat ride started off in the calm harbor of Wellington. The rain had eased up a bit, but the wind was blowing about 35 mph, with guests probably reaching 50 mph. A lot of the passengers were eating breakfast and just chatting with their friends. Ken and I both were thinking to ourselves how this was such a bad idea to be eating (FORESHADOWING).

I stepped out on deck to take some pictures of us leaving the harbor and the North Island. As soon as we left the safety of the harbor the swells hit us, and they hit us strong. Some of these swells were probably about 7 to 10 feet. As our luck would have it they were on our port side (left side) for the crossing. It was causing us to roll and have a horrible crossing. All those passengers who had decided to eat breakfast earlier were paying the price. Out of all the passengers Ken and I were some of the only ones not to get sick.

The crossing of the Cook Straight took about 90 minutes, but it felt a lot longer. Once we made it to the South Island it was like we were traveling on a lake. The safety of the sound we had entered was like Christmas coming early for a lot of the passengers. It was bright and sunny with no wind. I have included some pictures above for your viewing pleasure.

Overall, I would only recommend this crossing to be done in the summer or when you know that there are calm seas. The beauty of the Sound was well worth the crossing for us, but we do wish that the Cook Straight would have been a little more kind.

That's all for now. Until next time may you all have a smooth crossing.

BC

Sunday Roast!

Hello Again,

I hope this post finds you well. I wanted to tell you about our "Sunday Roast" experience this past Sunday. We were invited over to one of Allie's mom's friend of a friends house in Wellington. When we got the invite Ken and I both thought it would be a fun experience as well as a free dinner.

We took the bus about 25 minutes outside of Wellington to a small town called Lower Hutt. Lower Hutt is in a small valley region with hills on both side and a river running through the middle. Once in Lower Hutt Alli and her mom picked us up and took us over to the house.

The house was a small cozy New Zealand home. The residents had decorated the interior with some very warm and vibrant colors. They had their wood burning stove heating the house. It was so nice to be in a warm cozy house and out of the cold rain and wind that had made up the weather the past few days.

After a quick tour of the house we sat down for drinks and some crackers and cheese. The cheese was from the local region and was absolutely delicious. The conversation mainly consisted of us talking about earthquakes. This is because Graham, the host of the house, is the main principal of the earthquake society in New Zealand. The funny part is that he has never been in a big earthquake. So, we talked to him a lot about our experiences in earthquakes and picked his brain on when he thinks the next big one will hit. (He has no clue).

We then sat down for dinner, or what they call "Sunday Roast". Sunday Roast is a typical New Zealand custom when you have guests over on a Sunday. It consists of a lot of food and drinks. It typically takes place around 4 pm but we were eating at about 6:30pm.

We had a large beef roast, stemmed vegetables, fried potatoes and kumora (New Zealand potato), and gravy. It was so good, especially the potatoes. For dessert we were served a traditional New Zealand dessert of Pavlova. It is a angle food type of cake made out of sugar and egg whites with a frosting on top. It was so light and good.

Overall, the dinner was such an awesome experience. The hospitality of the people in New Zealand is unbelievable. I don't think I have ever meet such nice people. They are always looking out for others, and never seemed bothered by anything. It is something I think a majority of other people from around the world need to learn, including myself! I am so glad that I had this opportunity while I was traveling.

That's all for now. Until next time may you plan your "Sunday Roast" menu!

BC

All Blacks!

Hello,

Sorry, it has been so long since my last post, but we have had very limited Internet. I think I last posted right before I was going off to the All Blacks (AB) game. What can I say, it was a great New Zealand experience. If you are not an AB fan then you are not a New Zealander.

Ken and I put on our many layers of clothes before we headed off. It was about 40 degrees with wind gusts of about 40 mph. On top of all of the it was raining. As some crazy people would say, it was great rugby weather. We walked to the stadium which was about 2.5 miles away. Along the way we stopped at one of the pubs to grab some pints of beer (adding to our tally). The pub was completely packed with AB fans along with some French fans. We got to the match about 90 minutes before it started.

Once we arrived at the stadium we took some pictures by the field and got some food and drinks. The coolest part about going to sporting events in New Zealand is that they sell 4 packs of beer. So when you go buy yourself a bottle of beer you have the option of buying four of them at once with a handy carrying case. So, of course we had to buy a 4 pack.

The opening ceremonies started with some song and dance, and the national anthems. During the French national anthem someone let a white rooster on the field that was painted as the French flag. Everyone got a kick out of that. The french fans are a pretty wild bunch.

The weather didn't improve much during the match. Just imagine being in a hurricane while watching a live football game, with a windchill in the 30's. IT WAS AWESOME.

The best news was the the AB's won the match. The final score was 14-10. Sorry I cant provide more details but I am using a public computer, and others are waiting. But I will let you know that while I am writing this, the hotel I am staying in is playing Christmas music. Which is very weird for this time of year, but if you were to walk outside you would think it is Christmas time.

Please look for new posts over the next few days. I still need to let you know about my Sunday roast with a New Zealand family, and my Deadliest Catch Ferry ride across the Cook Straight. I am currently in Christchurch and we are driving to Queenstown tomorrow. That's all for now. Until next time may your cookie jar remain full.

BC

Windy Wellington!

Good on Ya,

I have made it to Wellington. The flight down here was VERY easy. Ken and I took Jetstar airlines which is New Zealands new cheap airline. I think our flight one way was $40. It is very interesting flying into Wellington. The approach that the planes have to take is through a valley to the elevated airport. When you are descending the plane is level with the homes on the hill. This goes on for a couple of miles. It is a pretty cool experience.

The city of Wellington is a lot like San Francisco. They say that SF is actually its sister city. There are a lot of steep streets and once and awhile there is an earthquake. The weather is cold, rainy, and VERY windy. There have been some gusts that I thought would blow the house down.

Once we gathered our luggage we got into a van to go to the bed and breakfast where we are staying. The B&B is named Booklovers B&B. The name is very fitting for the house. It is run by a New Zealand author that not only writes books but also reviews them. There are thousands of books all around the house. She encourages people to take a book with them when they leave, because she is trying to get rid of some of them. After Jane, the hostess, showed us around the house and to our room, Ken and I got settled and then went out for dinner.

We walked down the street to Courtenay Place which is the hot spot street in Wellington for the best night life. The street was certainly alive last night. We went into a sports bar for happy hour to get some pints of beer (adding to our beer tally). The beer was only $2.50 for a pint. Best deal in town. After enjoying our libations we went up the street to a middle eastern restaurant to have dinner. The dinner was excellent. We had lamb sheesh kebab's with a bottle of wine. After dinner we walked back to the B&B to get some much needed rest. (Our bedtime has been averaging about 9:30 pm, kind of embarrassing. However, we have been waking up about 6:45 am).

This morning we were served an extensive breakfast by Jane. We were also joined by another couple who is staying in the B&B. It was great to talk with everyone about where they are from and the differences between NZ and the US. Everyone is so friendly. Jane is currently writing a book on peoples perceptions on NZ and she wanted to use some of my quotes. I guess I was saying some great stuff!

The weather today is very cold rainy and windy. We went to the Te Papa museum to get out of the weather for a little bit. It is a natural history museum on the life of New Zealand. There are some pretty interesting exhibits. After the museum we walked around the city and grabbed a drink and a bite to eat.

That leads me to now. We are currently chilling in the B&B to rest up for our BIG night. Tonight we are going to see the All Blacks Vs. France. For those of you who don't know, the All Blacks are New Zealands Rugby team. It should be a great match. I am sure I will have a lot to write about after my experience. Until then may you all do the Haka.

BC

O'Carroll is here!

I had to take a Photo! This is on a side street in Auckland!

Off to Wellington

Hello Followers,

I thought I was going to be able to get two posts in yesterday but that was a little ambitious. The day started off with a nice walk to get some breakfast. We found a little restaurant on a side alley. I ordered the pancakes with ham and grilled bananas. It was so good. The breakfasts here are very filling and last us just about to dinner.

After breakfast we walked down to the harbor to try and find the KPMG building. It was a bright sunshiny day with the high probably around 50 degrees. The building is located right on the harbor over looking the the biggest and most expensive yachts. (My kind of location!) It is also right across the street from the Westin Hotel. I can't even begin to describe the complete awesomeness of the hotel. There is a private marina in the middle of the hotel that small boats can get into by using a lock. It was the coolest thing ever. If there was any chance of me being able to transfer to the KPMG office down here I would do it in an instant.

Following our morning walk we got back to the hotel around 12:30 pm. Ken and I played some cards and then went to use the workout facilities at the hotel. I have to be honest with everyone, I think this is the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in while traveling (with maybe the exception of the hotel in Portugal and the windstar cruises). The workout facilities here are one of a kind. They have TV touch screen controls that do everything from turn on a personal fan to store information on your Ipod (if connected). After completing about an hour workout we headed up stairs to the spa area. They have 2 saunas and an awesome shower experience (It is like the spa on the Emerald Princess for those who have been on that ship). I spent about 90 minutes doing all the different spa amenities including swimming in the pool and taking a Jacuzzi. It was AWESOME!

For dinner the four of us (Ken, Allie, Allie's Mom and I), walked back down to the harbor to grab a drink and dinner at one of the restaurants on the water. There were many restaurants to pick from but we decided on Fox's Ale House. It was a pub kind of restaurant with many beers on tap. Ken and I added to our beer tally. For dinner I had a mouth watering beef pot pie with a cream rosemary ale sauce. It was the perfect meal for a cold evening in Auckland.

After such a fun and relaxing day we were burnt out. We came back to the hotel and crashed for the night. I am officially on New Zealand time now. I got another 9 hours of sleep and feel fantastic.

This brings me to now. Ken and I are off to grab breakfast and start our day. We fly down to Wellington this afternoon. We will be spending three nights in Wellington. I hope to be able to post some pictures on the blog when I get down there. Until then may your bungy cord stay intact!

BC

Day 2 Morning update

I have made it successfully to day 2 of my journey. Last evening Ken and I went to Father Ted's Irish pub to grab some drinks before dinner. We have decided to tally up all of the beer and wine we drink this trip. On my last blog from New Zealand I will up date you on the final tally. I have a feeling it is going to be a lot.

After grabbing some drinks we met up with Allison Maginn (high school Friend) and her mom for dinner. We went to a great Italian restaurant about 500 meters from our hotel. The restaurant had a wonderful atmosphere and great food. The only thing that concerned me was that they were heating the restaurant with one of those patio heaters. I guess they don't know that is a real hazard!

After dinner we walked back to the hotel in very cold weather to get some much needed sleep. I was able to get about 9 hours of sleep, so I am ready to go. We are just about to go grab some breakfast, but you can plan on an afternoon update.

Until then, may your sails be filled with wind.

BC

Kiwi Land

I made it! After a 12 hour 25 minute flight I finally arrived in New Zealand. On the plane I didn't get to sleep much (probably because I am 6'3 and way to big for the seat). We landed about 5:15 am New Zealand time. When I went through Customs of course I got the guy that decided to grill me. He asked me a bunch of questions including if I had my ticket to leave. I told him yes, but he want to see it. So I had to turn on my phone and find it in my email account. I am sure that cost me a few bucks.

After successfully getting past NZ customs and inspection I got on the airport express bus to my hotel. It was a short 30 minute bus ride through Auckland at "O Dark Thirty". I got to my hotel around 7:00 am and went up to my room to meet up with Ken (he is my buddy that I will be traveling with for the next few weeks). I politely woke him up and got the day started.

We ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant. We were sat next to two older gentlemen that started a conversation up with us. It turns out that they live here in new Zealand, but have been to California including Manhattan Beach (Small World!) They gave us some great tips for when we travel over the next couple of weeks.

After breakfast we walked down to the harbor to look around. It is a beautiful day here in Auckland. There are bright blue skies, a light breeze and about 9 degrees Celsius. It looks like it is going to be pretty cold throughout our trip. On our walk we were stopped by about 6 young school kids (ages 10 to 14). They were part of a leadership camp and were playing "The Amazing Race" game. They asked if we would give them $2 if they sang for us. We told them that would be great. So, the youngest girl of the bunch started singing this Disney type fairy tale song, and she was GREAT! I was so impressed that i gave her $5 at the end (well, the real reason is that Ken and I didn't have just $2). We made the kids day. As soon as they got the money they took off running to their next mission. It was a pretty cool experience.

That leads me to now. We decided to return to the hotel to rest a little and are about to go back out to do some more exploring. I cant believe this is only my first day. I can already tell this is going to be a jam packed filled trip, and I love it.

I will try to post pictures and videos in some of my later posts. I hope all is well with everyone and until next time, may you all have a ripe kiwi!

BC