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Post by roverpup on Oct 30, 2023 23:51:18 GMT
OCTOBER 31st Tuesday
We're back!
My cold got very bad the day we left. On the way out of town Nevan stopped into the pharmacy for me to get extra meds.
Whenever I took the meds I felt better for about 2-3 hours and then the effects of the meds wore off and I was right back in misery. Sometimes it felt like I just had to hold on for another 3 hours before I could take some more medication.
It was a 3 hour bus ride, then a 45 minute boat ride, then another 90 minute bus ride and then finally we met up with our tour boat that was our home for the next 32 hours. The place we were going was REALLY remote! It was called Doubtful Fjord and was the largest of all the Fjords along the southwest coast.
The boat we were on was an ocean worthy vessel and was run by diesel engines but it also had 3 Sails that were mainly used for balance.
We had a lovely cabin with a private bathroom. Very cozy but enough room for our overnight stay. There was a large dinning salon on the level above our cabin. They also had a observation lounge at the front of the boat. And of course there were loads of observation areas outside.
And the food! That was top of the line and constant! Although I was very ill that day I still had a good appetite so I was able to enjoy the food.
I did take some meds and Nevan made sure we got on the "tender boat" ride. That was a small craft that held about 18 people max and a naturalist/navigator took us out for about 45 minutes to look at the sides of the rainforest up close. Very exciting!
Dan and I went to our cabin to rest.
By then it was almost time for dinner. That was probably my lowest time. I was really achy and I could feel that I had a fever. But the dinner was delicious and afterwards they had a nature talk about the wildlife.
We also went on deck to star gaze for a short while and then went to bed.
During the night my fever broke and I felt SOOOO much better! Had a great breakfast and afterwards the captain guided the boat into a very quiet cove and we had a "sound of silence" experience.
Then we headed back to where we started from. From there it was the reverse of how we got here.
As of right now we're on our way back to Queenstown. Nevan said we should be back by 3 or 4. I think we'll do some laundry (the hotel has free facilities) and then we might use tge tickets to tge Gondola ride that Nevan supplied us.
Tomorrow we have a boat ride on a historic steamer, a farm tour and a BBQ lunch. All that should be done by 4-ish and at night we have a goodbye supper.
Talk to you later!
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Post by roverpup on Oct 30, 2023 23:59:12 GMT
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Post by roverpup on Nov 1, 2023 22:17:37 GMT
NOVEMBER 2ND Thursday
At the moment we're in the Queenstown airport waiting for our flight to Auckland (where we will transit on to Papeete, Tahiti later today).
Yesterday was such a busy day in the afternoon I didn't get a chance to write up my journal.
The morning was quiet - we didn't have to be on the TSS Earnslaw until 11:30 so after breakfast we just strolled along the waterfront until it was time to board. The boat was a coal fired steamship built in 1911 and launched in 1912.
It was a fascinating ride across a large lake to a large sheep station called Walter Peak. We disembarked and made our way to the farm show. What a hoot! There was a guy who sheared a sheep right in front of us on the stage. Then came the driver dog demonstration! There were two dogs but only one was used for the demonstration. Her name was Mia and she was sooooo well trained! She drove, on command, the sheep from the top of the hill behind the stage area, to the bottom and into a pen. The "shepherd" put her through her paces, sometimes purposely stopping her to let the sheep get away and then commanding her to retrieve them. It was astonishing!
After the sheep and dog show we made our way to a large restaurant building with gorgeous rhododendron bushes and iris plants surrounding it. They served usvup a feast! Rooms full of salads, hot and cold veggies, every kind of conceivable meat, including roast chicken, pork belly, lamb, and roast beef. They also had a room of hot and cold desserts. We chatted a bit with a nurse and her husband (they were Kiwis). We talked about vaccines and how nuts antivaxxers are.
Then it was time to board the steamship to make our way back to Queenstown.
Forty-five minutes later we were back on the warf. We decided that since it was only about 4:30 we'd go up the mountain and ride the "Skyline Gondola". Nevan had given us the tickets a day or so before and it was included in the G-Adventures tour.
It was a hard upward climb just to get to the building where the Gondola took off from! It took us a looooong time to get to the building! But once there, the ride was smooth and the view at the top was spectacularly frightening! The observation deck is 1,480 ft. above the level of Lake Wakatipu. We stayed a while but I was tired and we were having the goodbye dinner that night at 7:30, so I wanted to get rested up before going out. So we headed back to the hotel to shower and rest.
Then at 7:30 we went to dinner with the gang . It was lovely saying goodbye to everyone and chatting with Nevan. The group wasn't the best travel group we've been with but they were fine enough travel companions.
After dinner we went back to our hotel room and organized our packing for Thursday morning.
I had a very difficult time sleeping but I did rest a lot.
This morning I showered and then we had a quick breakfast and waited for our ride to the airport. He was right on time and we were there with bundles of time before our flight to Auckland. Security was a breeze and the lounge is very comfy and bright.
In less than a half hour our flight will board and then 2 hours later we'll be in Auckland International waiting for the flight to Tahiti. We already have our boarding passes for the Tahiti flight so it should be easy . Once we get to Tahiti we go back to November 1st. We'll be arriving at about 10 pm. We have one night in a hotel about a two minute drive from the airport.
Once we are in Tahiti we have everything arranged as far as transport, accommodation and EVERYTHING! So no worries!
See you later!
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Post by roverpup on Nov 2, 2023 17:04:46 GMT
NOVEMBER 2/1ST THURSDAY
Well we're on the Air Tahiti plane but after rushing like a banshee to make the boarding, now we're just sitting going nowhere!
Everything was so smooth when we checked in at Queenstown but when we got to Auckland we had to walk to the International terminal and that was supposed to be a 10 minute walk. It took us longer of course but we weren't lingering. When we got to the international terminal we went to the toilets and then got directions to the Air Tahiti counter. They gave us a new boarding pass and we proceeded to security. Dan noticed that we were boarding in about half hour! And we hadn't even found our gate nor gone through security. We got to security and there was a pretty big lineup. Dan had one of his bags flagged (we never did find out why) and that delayed us further. By the time we got through security we had 4 minutes to find our gate! And the walk to it seemed to go on forever! We were running to make it on time! But we did! And then we got called up to the desk! That was a first! But it turned out they just wanted to see that we had tickets to go home. Tahiti is extremely strict about visitors leaving!
We got to board on time and then the plane just sat there for what seemed like forever but finally we finally got moving! Yay!
As it happens when you fly economy, stuff doesn't work. On the plane both my and Dano's USB Port are broken and won't recharge my phone battery. But I came prepared! The new battery bank I bought has come to the rescue and is recharging my phone as I write this!! Double Yay!
I still have to go to the toilet but just as I was getting up they began serving dinner. It wasn't the fancy stuff we had in Business Class but it was pretty good. A chicken and mushroom stroganoff with roast potatoes and carrots. Plus a yam, ham and tomato salad and a chocolate mousse cake for dessert. There was also cheese and cracker snack pac but we are saving that for later. We both had some white wine as well.
We're about 2 and a half hours away from the capital city of Papeete where we'll spend the night.
Then the next day the REAL Adventure begins!! I'm going to try and visit the loo and get someone to help me fill out the debarkment forms.
Nightie-night!! *******************
Well we got in quite late to our hotel but Goway travel had everything smoothly arranged and the fellow who picked us up at the airport was very professional and friendly. Our overnight hotel is HUGE but all laid out on just several levels. It's very nice but we'll be on our way to Moorea Island by around 10:30-ish so we aren't going to enjoy most of it. We had a lovely sleep in (the beds are comfy) and we are going to shower and change into some light clothing.
It's very warm and humid here. It will be breezing over the water in Moorea. I am totally confused about the time and date! Even my phone doesn't help!
I've reorganized the luggage (it doesn't have to be "airplane ready" for a few days). This morning after breakfast we hope to buy Dan a new hat (unfortunately he lost his cute ball cap he bought in NZ!) and maybe a souvenir.
Talk to you later when we get to Moorea.
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Post by roverpup on Nov 3, 2023 1:53:17 GMT
Sorry guys! I have pix to show everyone but I'm having real problems with Imagur! It's only working sporadically.
Is there some other way I can send bunches of pix?
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Post by jbc12 on Nov 3, 2023 15:54:21 GMT
Here you go RP. postimages.orgGlad you've fully recovered and are having such a great time!
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Post by roverpup on Nov 3, 2023 16:56:32 GMT
NOVEMBER 3RD FRIDAY (I think?!?)
Today we had a relaxing breakfast at this stopover hotel. It is a nice place but I am anxious to get to our resort hotel with the huts over the water.
We did find Dan a hat (not as nice as his lost Kiwi hat but it will serve the purpose of keeping the sun off him) and then we boarded a small van to get us to the ferry to Moorea. The ferry ride was smooth and about a half hour long. Once we got off the ferry we found our transport to our hotel and we were on our way!
Almost immediately when we stepped off the van, a port greeted us and a woman walked us through the registration (along with a welcoming Lei and a cool pineapple drink). We booked some massage time for the next day and headed to the restaurant for lunch.
We're getting full meals included with our stay, so after figuring out the menu we ordered our dishes. It was an overload of food! Enough to feed 6 people! We couldn't even finish half of it! But VERY delicious! Dan ordered a chicken panini and a pineapple and crab salad, and I ordered a "personal" sized margherita pizza and our dessert - profiteroles.
After we were done with lunch we found our over the water hut and settled in. Dan had a nap and I puttered about, unpacking and checking out the view. Our hut faces outward with a view of a mountain on one side, open water in front and some other huts off to the right-side.
We have a clawfoot tub in the bathroom and an open shower at the end of it. In the bedroom/living room there is a very high cathedral ceiling and a large fan. There's also a glass floor (about 2×4 feet) in front of the sofa. You can see the water under the hut and see all the fish swimming by!
Outside, there is a good sized covered deck with a marble table, two easy chairs and two large lounge chairs and a small wicker table in between them.
A few steps down is another smaller deck for getting into the water, with a sturdy ladder going down into the absolutely crystal clear blue water!
There are coral rock beds all around and tons of fish of all sizes and colors swimming around! We did go and get our snorkeling gear and then got into the water at our hut! It was like swimming in an aquarium! Very exciting! We were out about an hour or so and then we showered off, rested and got ready for supper.
Learning from lunch, we decided to order only one meal and share it. We got cocktails, another pizza to share and more profiteroles! And a glass each of red wine with our pizza!
Tomorrow we'll do some more snorkeling! I can't wait! And the kayaking looks pretty easy too. And we have our afternoon massages!
************
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Post by roverpup on Nov 3, 2023 17:12:59 GMT
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Post by jbc12 on Nov 3, 2023 17:30:45 GMT
It works! Love that glass floor!
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Post by roverpup on Nov 4, 2023 5:19:34 GMT
Pix of Moorea Day 2 imgur.com/a/M1KCMxONOVEMBER 3RD FRIDAY Today we got up late, had a gorgeous buffet breakfast and then took a taxi into town to get more meds for our colds. When we got back we went for a swim in the pool. Then we went to our massages. It was so relaxing ! I nearly fell asleep. Sometimes I just drifted off in a relaxing meditative state it seemed like I was dreaming and yet awake. My masseuse really worked my neck and shoulders. I feel so kink free! After Dan gets out of his we're going for a late lunch. Then we'll probably go snorkeling. *************** We decided to skip the snorkeling and had a leisurely lunch (fresh tuna done 3 different ways) and then we did some more reading and had showers to feel fresh after the massage oils. Dan said it was THE best massage he had ever had - even better than Jamaica!! We made reservations at the fancy restaurant tonight for 8 p.m and then relaxed on our porch . I took care of a few housekeeping things (handing in the snorkeling equipment etc). We're just about ready to go to dinner now. Tomorrow our van is coming at 9:30 in the morning to take us to the airport for an hour flight to Bora Bora.
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