Barbara's travels continue 2018

It is now nearly April and I have been rather slack about writing my blog, but that is mot to say I have done nothing!  Christmas holidays were over far too quickly but happily David stayed for quite a while and so we had plenty of great day trips. Sumner is such a lovely place to wander along the Esplanade.  Incredible weather, with the blue skies in stark contrast to the magnificent red rata. Just above Sumner the Summit Road winds around the rim of an extinct volcano, affording fabulous views of the hills and coast. From Godley Head the vews and colours were spectacular.0 I decided that I would do a short trip each month to make the most of the lack of tourists on the roads. My first two-day trip was to Kaikoura, and although it was short, I felt totally refreshed when I got home, having enjoyed some phenomenal scenery and beautiful walks. How wonderful to also just be able  'to stand and stare'. Just before Kaikoura, as I arrived at the rugged coast, I left the bad weather

The first of two early 2022 visits to Wanaka was in February, the tail end of summer and yet already there was early snow on the foothills as I started my journey south. Despite the overcast skies, the colours were unbelievably vibrant Central Otago is frequently much warmer and drier, and this time was no exception. I had four fantastic days, a pleasant surprise after some rather depressing forecasts for the area and floods elsewhere in New Zealand. What a marvelous day I had in Queenstown. My decision to take the little shuttle bus from Wanaka to Queenstown was great. It was so relaxing to be a passenger, as we wound our way round the twists and turns of the Kawerau Gorge.  I opted to take The Million Dollar Cruise, so named because the area we visited on the Frankton Arm has some of the most magnificent and expensive properties in Queenstown, not to mention the million dollar views!  Having taken the cruise in the morning, it was perfect, if not rather hot, to then walk from Queens