When asked what he wanted for his birthday, Robert replied, “An experience.” Then qualified it by stating that a bungy jump or being thrown out of a plane was not what he was aiming for. Being a Capricorn and being brought up surrounded by mountains, kinda adds up to him being a mountain person rather than a beach person. I arranged for two nights in Queenstown and a day trip to Aoraki as his birthday present from me this year. (With me as a tag along!)
Here I’ll give Cheeky Kiwi Travel a plug (I couldn’t fault them – highly recommend.) We went on their Queenstown to Mt Cook (and back) day tour. Sean and Kreig were our guides (we were lucky enough to have two – usually it’s just the one guide.) Among many other benefits, it was good to have someone to take photos of us. No ghastly selfies required.
I enjoyed the experience of making some kind of acquaintance with this ancestral guardian – Aoraki, the heart of Te Waka o Aoraki / the South Island.
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Tour and short stay in Queenstown over, it was time to head to Gore to visit Robert’s mother in a rest home there. With a couple of stops for coffee and lunch on the way.


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I enjoy the short Sunday drives around Gore to places I remember looking at from the windows of the high school bus. Knapdale Hall for example.


Then back to Dunedin … where I have picked up from where I left off last. M.S. going well. I’m at the plod, plod, plod stage. Digging over the ground. A lot of resting on the handle of the spade. So to speak. In other words – thinking, researching, writing, thinking, researching.
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My sister’s puppy. When I need some warm fuzzies – I just take a peek at that face.
Love the panorama pic of you two at Lake Tasman!
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Thank you! It’s a lovely memory to have.
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Stunning landscape. Happy memories of our visit to the Queenstown area.
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Smart man to make such a request. Smart you to produce the solution. Your pics are all gorgeous and the ones of Lindis Pass are strangely intimate
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Thank you Rachel! It’s now a lovely memory to cherish. I don’t know when next we’ll make our way out into the country. Hunkering down a bit at the moment. Hope you’re keeping well and staying happy.
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Wonderful photos with beautiful description ! Beautiful shot! Thanks for sharing 😊💕❤
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