New Zealand - Fox Glacier area

Day 1 - Sunday, 5-Feb-2012 
Brisbane to Christchrch

Arrived at the airport at 6:20am for the 8:20 flight to Christchurch. Went through imigration and boarded our flight. Just as we started taxiing the pilot mentioned that we would be departing 5 minutes early.

We got to the end of the taxiing position and waited for 20 minutes, we were then told they had a fault show up on one of the instruments. We then taxied back to the terminal as they tried something else, so all in all we sat on the tarmack for an hour.

Then were to to disembark the plane and given a food voucher to get a snack. We then watched our laugage being unloaded fromt he plane and where told that we had to go back through to emmigration and collect our bags.

Back up to departures and reline up at the Air New Zealand ticketing counter (the whole plane). After waiting 1.5 hours we got to the front of the queue and got put on the flight to Auckland in 15 minutes time.

We raced through customs and security (where they promptly took off me my newly purchased 200mls of Bailey I bought at duty free that morning - not happy Jan) rushed to the gate and just made it in time.

We finally made it to Auckland about 9.45pm, then queued up again to get the voucher for our accomodation at the Auckland Novatel across the road. Grabbed a quick bite at the left over buffet at the restaurant then headed upstairs for a shower and sleep.


Day 2 - Monday, 6-Feb-2012 
This time the flight to Christchurch was uneventful = yeah!!!
Grabbed our hire car (which ended up being a hybrid = so quiet) and headed for our long trip to Fox Glacier.

First stop Arthurs Pass (we had planned to do a walk - but didn't have time now) so grabbed some lunch and looked around the Information centre.

Kea

Continued the drive and after a few hours stopped for a rest at Hokitika, small beach side community along the coast. The town is noted for its jade.

The beach here is typical of the westcost, lots of grey rocks. We finally booked into our accomodation at Fox Glacier after another few hours drive south.

Had a quick look around town and headed towards Lake Matherson. Unfortunately the weather was cloudy so the views were not that good.

We had a nice meal at the Lake Matherson Cafe then headed back to our room for an early night.

Day 3 - Tuesday, 7-Feb-2012 
The day stared of cloudy so we didn't hold much hope for our helikike at 11:50am.

We headed back north to Franz Joseph Glacier and for a while the clouds cleared and we had a great view of the glacier. We started the walk to glacier lookout but had to head back to the car to grab a quick lunch before heading back to Fox for the Heli-hike.

Franz Joseph

Unfortunately by the time we got back to Fox the cloud had filled in and the heli-hike was cancelled.

We we given the option of 2:50pm or 8:50am (on Wednesday) trips in exchange, we took the 2:50pm option.

We dicided to hang around town until the trip, after a while it started raining so we thought we would see if we could swap to the morning trip instead luckily we got the last 2 spots.

We decided to head towards the Gillespie's Beach (25 Km away) as there had been blue skies towards the west all day.  We were greeted to another grey rocky beach with beautiful clear blue water.

Around 4:30pm the rain stopped in Fox Glacier township, so we decided to do the galcier terminal walk. After a short drive we arrived at the car park and were greeted to some good views, we maded it to the terminal lookout when the clouds started clearing and the sun came out.

Fox Glacier

The views were good and we spent around an hour taking photopgraphs.

Fox Glacier

Back to town for dinner then a quick drive to Lake Matherson for some senic photographs of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.

Day 4 - Wednesday, 8-Feb-2012 
This was going to be a big day, the skies were clear so it looked like the heli-hike (the Flying Fox) would happen (scheduled to finished around 1pm), we then had a 380km driver to Queenstown over twisty mountain roads to look forward too.

We ended up having picture postcard weather. The chopper ride up to the glacier was fun and we where the first load up.

Maria in the Helicopter

View from the helicopter

On the Glacier

Once the other 2 loads arrived we put on our crampons and grabbed a walking pole and started the ice adventure.

The colour of the ice was beautiful white with pools of crystal blue. Some of the pools/holes had turned into to caverns and arches of ice - which where beautiful.

Lots of photo opportunities, we had just over  2 hours up on the glacier.

Inside an Ice Cave looking up

Ice Cave

Looking up the Glacier

Once we choppered back down again, we grabbed lunch and hit the road and finally arrived at Queenstown about 6ish.

Checked into the St Mortiz hotel and grabbed some Chinese down the road.


Gallery, Slideshow

Woodgate 2011-2012

Maria and I decided earlier in the year that we we would need a short break over the new years period to recover from Christmas and busy work schedules.

We thought about New Zealand but the timing of accommodation wasn't right so we decided to visit Woodgate, a place we have wanted to stay for a number of years.


December 29, 2011
We headed off around 8am nice an early as we had a big day of driving in front of us as we planned on visiting Maria's bother at Biggenden. Just outside Gympie we were almost ran off the road by a greyhound bus that didn't know how too merge correctly. Not a good start to the trip.

We stopped in at Biggenden for lunch and then popped into visit Russell and to see his huge property.

Back in the car for the drive to Woodgate via Childers.

We checked into the the Woodgate Beach House, and then off to the Woodgate Club for dinner, unfortunately the club was fully booked out for Thusday and Friday nights, so off to the pub for dinner and few drinks. It was great to sit at the pub overlooking the water and the nearby kangaroos.

December 30, 2011
We decided to visit our Nephew Alex up at Bundaberg to see his new house and girlfriend. We had a good time catching up with Alex as we haven't seen him for around 2 years.

Then off to Bargara for lunch then back to Woodgate for a stroll along the beach at sunset.

 

Bargara

December 31, 2011
We spent the day hanging around Woodgate, we ended up doing a 7 km bike ride along the beach, and had a nice swim in the pool.


Then off to Theodolite Creek to catch dinner.
The fish were biting but we only managed to catch one undersized whiting.

Fish total          
    Michael - 1
    Maria - 0

Back to the unit for a quick shower, and off to the beach in front of the unit for a picnic dinner watching the sunset with a few drinks. It was a lovely way to see out the year.


January 1, 2012
Back to the creek for another round of fishing.

The fish still were nice and hungry, but the only one silly enough to get caught was a 15cm Puffer fish .
Fish Total
    Michael - 2
    Maria - 0

Back to the beach house for a quick swim and shower then off to the bowls club for a great lunch. After lunch we headed to the board walk for a short walk through the swamp. Back to Theodolite Creek, for some sunset photos, where Maria got chomped on by the sandflies.


January 2, 2011
The long drive back to home

Gallery

Christmas Day 2011

We had a full house on Christmas Day.

Our parents, Russell & Sharyn also came down.

An hour's worth of present opening (we must have all been really good this year), then on to the main event.

Christmas Lunch - Roast Pork and Beef with Roast veggies and for Russell and Sharyn vegan Shepards pie and salads.

A round of Yahtzee, then dessert... 3 to choose from:
Christmas cake, Jaffa cake and Christmas truffles (they where a really big hit).

 

Everyone was at bursting point!

Christmas Oasis 2011 - Village People

This Christmas Oasis was the last for Nick and Dionne before they head off for chilly cold England.
We have been talking about dressing up as the Village People for about 5 years now, so this was our last chance to do a last dress up.

We all had our traditional dance dinner out at Oasis (this time at Mario's) before dancing - got some very interesting looks :) then applied our mustashes!

The girls/boys: Dionne the Bikie, Sue the Sailor and Maria the Construction Worker

 The boys: Mikey the Indian, Mark the Cowboy and Nick the Policeman

Got some group shots together, then outside to the dance floor, for more photo's.

We managed to dance in our outfits for at least an hour, before the stashes came off, I don't know about the boys, but I think some of us girls freaked the leads out with our furry lips :)

Village People with a new addition - Mark the swinger, not that kind of swinger, a swing dancer!

Doing the dance class

Rob and Jane joined in.

It was a great night out and glad we finally did the Village People.


More photos at our Gallery and slideshow

Brisbane Basket Brigade 11th Dec 2011

I am a committee member of the Brisbane Basket Brigade (BBB) that are a part of the International Magic Moments Charity.

All around the world we all raise money and get donations for our Christmas delivery to the needy. After much fundraising through the year, delivery day was upon us. Dad helped out with pick ups of donations and food bought on the Friday, and Saturday for delivery to the school and set up for Sunday.

 Sunday 8am was a beautiful sunny day and we had over 250 people turn up by 9.30 to help: wrap presents, colour in pictures to stick on the boxes, make up boxes, pack and deliver boxes to the needy.

 Everyone pitched in: Dad helped out with carparking, Mum was a Funster, Mikey looked after the free sausage sizzle and I looked after the registration, raffle sales and raffle draw.

 Everyone was in great spirits and we where all in the Christmas spirit and done by 12.30. Awesome achievement!! We helped put a smile on 768 people faces, that is 249 families! 346 boxes packed with food, gifts and love.


 Photo Link