A view from the plane …

A view from our B&B…

Our Air New Zealand flight from Melbourne to Queenstown this morning was slightly ahead of schedule as we were towed back from the gate.  Unfortunately, an elderly man in the same row as Ken and I had a medical episode which involved a brief loss of consciousness and caused a bit of alarm amongst those seated around him.  The aircraft was towed back to the gate and paramedics attended and assessed him.  In the end the airline asked him to seek a medical clearance before he continued his flight and the poor old fellow was full of apologies to the people around him as he left the aircraft.  We got underway after a delay of about 45 minutes.

Dropping under the cloud as we approached Queenstown revealed the most spectacular views, and we’re all looking forward to Monday when we will be taking a flight out to Milford Sound and will get a second dose of them.

Queenstown is busy!  (Although, according to our cabbie, “This is not busy man!”). Anyway, most of the eateries and bars are packed, and there are people on the streets everywhere.  But you don’t see them, because you cant help but gaze at the extraordinary scenery that surrounds this place.  It is indescribably beautiful. 

In a nutshell, Dory and I, together with The Other Russells (TOR), will be spending a week in Queenstown, including a flight out to Milford Sound and a bike ride through the Gibbston Valley wineries.  Then we jump on our bicycles for a 4 day tour along Lake Dunstan, Roxburgh Gorge, and the Clutha River which takes us half way to Dunedin.  The nice tour peeps will take us the rest of the way at the end of day 4.  After a weekend in Dunedin we will hire a magnificent Kiwi chariot and make our way to Christchurch for our last 5 days in Aotearoa.

I have engaged my considerable skills in graphic design to help you understand (see below).

​Stay tuned for more reports, photos and perhaps the occasional video of Dory crashing into bridges and bollards 😉.

Kia Ora!