don and bonnie's 2015 New Zealand adventure

New Zealand is the home of Bungy jumping and the birhtplace is right here at the old bridge on the Kawarau Rier.  Looking for a unique and special gift that will never be forgotten?  This is the ticket!  Create lasting memories for that special person in your life.  Just $195 NZ for a single or $535 for the family pass at HJ Hackett bungy jump.... Jump Zone at the gorge Perfect form!

Wednesday we drove to Queenstown with the Condon’s and their good friends Rick and Sue, from Timaru.  The weather this morning is quite cold and overcast with winds quite gusty.  Drove down the gorge with a stop at the bungy jump on the old Kawarua river bridge.  It is quite an operation at $195 NZD for one or a family can all go for $535.  It includes a close up picture on the top of your sweaty, terrified face and a video of your jump.  We pass this amazing opportunity and drive on to Queenstown.  The day cleared and we enjoyed a walk through the Queen’s gardens and around the finger of land back into downtown Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu.  Our last visit was in 1981 and the town has grown.  There are many more tourists beyond the backpacker set that we were part of in the 80’s.  There are opportunities for cruises on the lake, jet boat trips, parasailing, and a gondola trip with spectacular views looking down on the town, lake, and Co...

No Bees, no fruit While the big commercial crop besides wine grapes is cherries, Mark's Raanen Estate orchard produces pit fruit including apricots, peaches, nectarines, and plums.  The crew has arrived and we've been working the orchard the last 5 days.  Mark's daughter Susi, husband Mike, with our child labor, Katy and James have joined us and we are working against the clock to get the apricot harvest in.  3 varieties of cots-Early Red, Sundrop, and Vulcan.  Ripening from too green to ready to pick can occur over just a few hours.  The weather here is very dry and, hot during the day and can cool off at night with strong winds.  No Japan Current to moderate temps and the south wind is on a direct reach from Antarctica.  Prior to picking we've been weeding new trees, fertilizing, and assembling boxes in the packing shed.  Harvest has been full on the last two days and we've hand picked, sorted and packed by size 1.5 tons of fruit. ...

We're getting settled in Cromwell and I kind of like being a bit of a bum, though a busy bum so far. We're a day ahead but 3 hours earlier on the clock from home.  Cromwell is at the junction of the Kawarau and Clutha Mata-au rivers and has a long history as a commercial center during the Otago district gold rush in the late 1800's.  It is the fruit producing hub in NZ and famous for Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris grapes.  There are many small wineries in addition to the fruit orchards.   This area is really arid and has cold winters.  The topography reminds me of Lake Chelan blended with the central Oregon high desert. Bonnie and I stopped in at Crank cycle and Nigel, the owner sold me a 29  inch hard tail mountain bike at a great price and is going to ship it not charge to the north island when we head up there. He also makes Espresso drinks for his customers!    Bonnie is using one of our friend Mark's bikes so our riding is pretty well covered...

It has been a long journey flying from Seattle through San Francisco arriving at 5:30 am in Auckland.   Susie Condon kindly met us at the airport where coincidentally we also saw her brother Peter, who arrived a bit earlier as first officer on the Air New Zealand 777-300 flight coming in from Vancouver BC.  Susie and her dad, Mark Mitchell, had us totally covered with a cell phone and Mark's Land Cruiser was waiting for us on arrival at Queenstown.  After a quick shop at World Market grocery store we make the 45 minute drive to Cromwell.  With unpacking finished we went for a walk and found Mark's orchard which is 1/2 mile from his home on the lake.   He grows apricots, peaches, apples, and green gage plums.   The apricots are just about ready.   Returning to the house, we got the bikes out, tires pumped up, and after a long and needed sleep we ride to town and visit the farmer's market.   The weather is cold and chilly due to the south wind...