Koriental Restaurant, Mt Victoria
2 weeks ago
Monday, October 26, 2009
Road Remarks – Lake Tekapo to Queenstown
View Tekapo to Queenstown in a larger map
257 kilometres sounds like a relatively short drive, but this leg is full of interesting stopping points and amazing scenery. If the leg from Christchurch were to lull us into a sense of complacency about the roads, this leg is the wake-up call.
The first stage to Twizel is straightforward – and I recommend a stop in Twizel if you need a break. We stopped in at Shawty’s Café there and had a great coffee, something that is rare in any Australian town of around 1000 people.
If you have kids you’ll be pleased to find the mall where Shawty’s is located – and by mall I mean a wide open space with foot traffic only and a great playground where the Junior Grendels got to burn off some excess energy.
Back on the road you continue south towards Omarama and you start to feel as if you really are leaving the farming country. Crossing into the mountain range south of Mount Melina you pass the turnoff to Wanaka and drive along Lake Dunstan to Cromwell – where we stopped for lunch. Another small town along the route, it was Cromwell where we first noticed the Thai thing.
New Zealand seems to love Thai food and every town we passed through seemed to have at the very least a Thai restaurant, and so it was in Cromwell where we sat in another mall eating Thai in another small town – and it was good.
The pace we took this leg was leisurely – as you might guess from the stops I have mentioned already. After Cromwell you enter the Kawarau Gorge where the more challenging driving begins – the traffic speed advisory signs are worth paying attention to!
For the whole trip in New Zealand I decided that it was better to pull over and allow others to pass rather than try and drive faster in order to accommodate the signed maximum speed limit. This was a whole lot easier – and on the South Island there was not much traffic in any case.
The Kawarau Gorge Rd becomes the Gibbston Highway and the road opens out a little to lush dairy and wine country – naturally we had to stop at a Winery/Cheesery in the Gibbston valley and sample the local produce. It was well worth the effort but I was surprised at times in New Zealand just how hard it was to find some types of cheese - sharp cheddars in particular.
From Gibbston it is a relatively smooth drive through to Queenstown where we spent four very enjoyable days alternating between snow and lake activities.
Road Remarks (Part Three) will cover Queenstown to Fox Glacier
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Dining - Hikari Izakaya in Queenstown
It was at Hikari Izakaya on Beach Street in Queenstown that we first discovered that Junior Grendel Number Two loves Japanese food. He has always been more interested in trying new things than his older brother but astounded us with the range of new foods he was willing to try.
He ate an entire bell pepper salad along with sushi, sashimi and soba noodles. Actually looking at the 'S' theme of that sentence he missed out on only one thing - the Saki! (mine, all mine!).
Hikari Izakaya is a small neat restaurant what serves a small by delicious assortment of Japanese dishes. The quality of the food is very good and the staff polite and seemed to appear exactly when needed without interrupting the dining experience.
It was also one of the quieter places that we visited in Queenstown - although on our second visit there was a rowdy crew of drunk Canadian skiers who were having trouble finding the menu, pronouncing the items and ordering anything coherently. Dinner AND a show that night!
In a more general comment - Japanese food was almost unheard of in New Zealand when I visited in 1989 but on this trip we were amazed not so much at its presence in nearly every town but by the truly great quality compared to many places here. Sushi in particular seems to be a point of pride in New Zealand and one food hall in a mall in Auckland had the most amazing array of sushi that I have ever seen in my life - it was a display that would put lesser sushi bars in Perth to shame and make the better ones sick with envy.
I asked the chef if I might take photographs - but he declined, understandably, because these were works of art that others might copy. This one not a one off and we repeatedly saw amazing edible art at many sushi bars across Auckland.
Who: Hikari Izakaya
What: Superb Japanese cuisine
Where: 5 Beach Street, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 9030
When: 20 & 21 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate
He ate an entire bell pepper salad along with sushi, sashimi and soba noodles. Actually looking at the 'S' theme of that sentence he missed out on only one thing - the Saki! (mine, all mine!).
Hikari Izakaya is a small neat restaurant what serves a small by delicious assortment of Japanese dishes. The quality of the food is very good and the staff polite and seemed to appear exactly when needed without interrupting the dining experience.
It was also one of the quieter places that we visited in Queenstown - although on our second visit there was a rowdy crew of drunk Canadian skiers who were having trouble finding the menu, pronouncing the items and ordering anything coherently. Dinner AND a show that night!
In a more general comment - Japanese food was almost unheard of in New Zealand when I visited in 1989 but on this trip we were amazed not so much at its presence in nearly every town but by the truly great quality compared to many places here. Sushi in particular seems to be a point of pride in New Zealand and one food hall in a mall in Auckland had the most amazing array of sushi that I have ever seen in my life - it was a display that would put lesser sushi bars in Perth to shame and make the better ones sick with envy.
I asked the chef if I might take photographs - but he declined, understandably, because these were works of art that others might copy. This one not a one off and we repeatedly saw amazing edible art at many sushi bars across Auckland.
Who: Hikari Izakaya
What: Superb Japanese cuisine
Where: 5 Beach Street, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 9030
When: 20 & 21 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Road Remarks (Part One) - Christchurch to Lake Tekapo
View NZ Roads and Routes in a larger map
I would highly recommend this drive as a great way to get accustomed to New Zealand driving conditions. At around 230 km it will take at least three and a half hours with rest breaks and I'd actually recommend that you plan for a little more time for scenic stops as well.
Christchurch is a gem of a city located at the Eastern edge of the Canterbury plain. Leaving Christchuch you get your first glimpse of the magnificent Southern Alps and these will be your constant companion on the trip South.
The first large braided river that you cross, the Rakaia River, amazed the Junior Grendels and warned us that bridges in New Zealand are narrow, and often long. Most highway roads were single carriageways, well surfaced and with good warning signs. A little hint for the tourist - pay attention to the speed advisories. I found them to be an accurate guide for anyone unfamiliar with the road, although you do need to adjust for conditions.
The road from Christchurch to Tekapo is a good place to learn this as the road is mostly straight with gentle curves but a few sharp slow turns to educate you.
The views are stunning as you shift from open plains to rolling green hills, 'aussie mountains' (foothills) and finally the grand peaks of the Southern Alps. There are some good places to stop for breaks including Ashburton where I can recommend 'Lunch' on 160 Burnett Street. It was here that we first discovered the joyful fact that many New Zealand cafes have toilets, which was something we are not used to in Australia and very handy when you have children.
From Ashburton the road continues to the South West until you reach Geraldine where you turn West to thread the valleys through to Fairlie. By this point you are well within the foothills of the Southern Alps and every turn brings a new amazing vista. The best view of all however comes once you have passed through Fairlie and around the Southern end of the Richmond Range. Here, at an altitude of 700 metres above sea level is Lake Tekapo.
Tekapo marked the end of our first day's drive and really is also a transition point in the style of country you can expect. From this point there is very little open plains driving - once you have travelled beyond Omarama you head deeper and deeper into the mountains, and while it is a beautiful drive, caution is required.
Road Remarks (Part Two) will cover Tekapo to Queenstown
Highlights - Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
While walking through the Queenstown Mall on our first day there we were accosted by a charming young lady bearing pizza. I have always found pizza to be an attractive accessory for a girl so we stopped and sampled what seemed to be a capsicum laden piece of pizza. I've never been a great fan of bell peppers but this one was actually very sweet and not as overpowering as many I have tried here.
In one quick stop we had simplified our dinner plans.
Winnies is mid way up the mall in a large upstairs area with a great balcony, big fireplace and a remarkable roof (more on that later).
It was a bit dark on entry but our eyes soon adjusted and it was in fact quite a comfortable level of light to dine by. Looking around it appeared to be a pub trying to be a pizza place and not knowing the history if the place we had fun speculating whether in fact it might be a pub where the bar snacks just got a little out of control.
Whatever it was, it is fun and the pizza was great. It was also quite child friendly and early in the evening the vast majority of patrons are families. As we were getting ready to depart we could see the skiiers starting to arrive to fuel up for a night of partying.
Junior Grendel Number One brought his headphones and his Nintendo and thus was able to dodge the noise of the place successfully. He loved the fireplace though and was suitably impressed after delcaring that he was getting too hot so suddenly feel a blast of icy night air as the roof above us split in two.
This was quite a sight and where we were sitting we could see all the way to the top of the peak on which the gondola station rests. It was a unique way of changing the air in a bar!
The pizzas are great and I highly recommend them - the kids menu is good and Junior Grendel Number Two was pleased two nights in a row with the Spag bol they had on offer.
Being a bar they also had a good range of on-tap beers. Mrs Grendel discovered the Monteith's Raddler and I tried the cider, both came in a tankard and remained favourites as we travelled around the country.
A very enjoyable Queenstown dining experience.
Who: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
What: Really yummy pizza, unusual temperature control feature
Where: 7-9 The Mall, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 8635
When: 18-19 September 2009
Accessibility: Impossible if you use a wheelchair, hard if you have vision impairment and challenging if you have autism (take headphones/ear protection!), however if you just want to try the pizza they do deliver.
Web: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
In one quick stop we had simplified our dinner plans.
Winnies is mid way up the mall in a large upstairs area with a great balcony, big fireplace and a remarkable roof (more on that later).
It was a bit dark on entry but our eyes soon adjusted and it was in fact quite a comfortable level of light to dine by. Looking around it appeared to be a pub trying to be a pizza place and not knowing the history if the place we had fun speculating whether in fact it might be a pub where the bar snacks just got a little out of control.
Whatever it was, it is fun and the pizza was great. It was also quite child friendly and early in the evening the vast majority of patrons are families. As we were getting ready to depart we could see the skiiers starting to arrive to fuel up for a night of partying.
Junior Grendel Number One brought his headphones and his Nintendo and thus was able to dodge the noise of the place successfully. He loved the fireplace though and was suitably impressed after delcaring that he was getting too hot so suddenly feel a blast of icy night air as the roof above us split in two.
This was quite a sight and where we were sitting we could see all the way to the top of the peak on which the gondola station rests. It was a unique way of changing the air in a bar!
The pizzas are great and I highly recommend them - the kids menu is good and Junior Grendel Number Two was pleased two nights in a row with the Spag bol they had on offer.
Being a bar they also had a good range of on-tap beers. Mrs Grendel discovered the Monteith's Raddler and I tried the cider, both came in a tankard and remained favourites as we travelled around the country.
A very enjoyable Queenstown dining experience.
Who: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
What: Really yummy pizza, unusual temperature control feature
Where: 7-9 The Mall, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 8635
When: 18-19 September 2009
Accessibility: Impossible if you use a wheelchair, hard if you have vision impairment and challenging if you have autism (take headphones/ear protection!), however if you just want to try the pizza they do deliver.
Web: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Highlights - Rivers Cafe, Murchison
After the stunning drive up the West Coast of the South Island we turned inland just South of Westport to follow the Buller River to the East. Murchison is in a lush valley once you come through the gorge and we were exhausted already by the drive which was during an intense storm that was bringing down trees and causing rock slides all along our route.
Rivers Cafe, on Fairfax Street just off the main highway, was a welcome relief. We ordered some lunch and coffee with hot chocolate for the Junior Grendels.
I ordered a Shepherd's pie, but was delivered a piece of the Venison pie - I didn't complain as I had been tossing up between the two and I figured I'd count it a fortuitous error. I was correct, the venison pie was stunning and I have not enjoyed such a rich mean as much as that in a long time.
The coffee was very well prepared and to top it off they had a good internet cafe that allowed us to catch up with a few emails and make a quick post.
It was a very enjoyable stopping point - especially for the Junior Grendels who had a play area and a warm fire. As a bonus we got to sit inside and watch the snow fall on peak across the valley.
Who: Rivers Cafe
What: Amazing Food, cozy fire and great coffee (Havana Coffee Works)
Where: 51 Fairfax St, Murchison
Contact: 64 3 523 9009
When: 24 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Rivers Cafe
Rivers Cafe, on Fairfax Street just off the main highway, was a welcome relief. We ordered some lunch and coffee with hot chocolate for the Junior Grendels.
I ordered a Shepherd's pie, but was delivered a piece of the Venison pie - I didn't complain as I had been tossing up between the two and I figured I'd count it a fortuitous error. I was correct, the venison pie was stunning and I have not enjoyed such a rich mean as much as that in a long time.
The coffee was very well prepared and to top it off they had a good internet cafe that allowed us to catch up with a few emails and make a quick post.
It was a very enjoyable stopping point - especially for the Junior Grendels who had a play area and a warm fire. As a bonus we got to sit inside and watch the snow fall on peak across the valley.
Who: Rivers Cafe
What: Amazing Food, cozy fire and great coffee (Havana Coffee Works)
Where: 51 Fairfax St, Murchison
Contact: 64 3 523 9009
When: 24 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Rivers Cafe
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Accommodation - Holiday Inn on Avon, Christchurch
The Holiday Inn on Avon in Christchurch is an oddly pleasant place to stay. Odd because the layout of the hallways and rooms is rather like a cubist-inspired rabbit warren, but comfortable and right on a picturesque bend of the Avon River just 15 minutes walk from the CBD.
It is not likely to be the kind of hotel to attract the high end of business travel but as a restful stopping point who accommodate families it is warm and pleasant and well fitted with amenities.
It is also well located if you like a stroll and the massive willow immediately opposite just begs to be sat under while reading - or playing your Nintendo DS.
I couldn't fault the service, or the room and would recommend it.
Who: Holiday Inn-on-Avon, Christchurch
What: Good accommodation with a heated pool and gym
Where: 356 Oxford Terrace Christchurch 8011, Canterbury, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 379 1180
When: 15-17 September 2009
Accessibility: Good
Web: Holiday Inn on Avon
It is not likely to be the kind of hotel to attract the high end of business travel but as a restful stopping point who accommodate families it is warm and pleasant and well fitted with amenities.
It is also well located if you like a stroll and the massive willow immediately opposite just begs to be sat under while reading - or playing your Nintendo DS.
I couldn't fault the service, or the room and would recommend it.
Who: Holiday Inn-on-Avon, Christchurch
What: Good accommodation with a heated pool and gym
Where: 356 Oxford Terrace Christchurch 8011, Canterbury, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 379 1180
When: 15-17 September 2009
Accessibility: Good
Web: Holiday Inn on Avon
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Accommodation - Best Western Braeside, Rotorua
We stayed in a fairly broad range of accommodation types, and our experience was good - with various levels of 'good'. There was one 'Great' however and that was in Rotorua where we stated at the Best Western Braeside. I chose this place as it was supposed to be away from the general sulphur odour which was something we though might worry Junior Grendel Number One - however the smell didn't seem to worry him at all.
This hotel/motel however is a family dream. They have a small heated pool, a trout stream (feeding only, no fishing!) a small mini golf course and some units have their own four person spa.
Bliss.
The only bath we had in New Zealand (as opposed to the showers we used everywhere else) was here as it was the only one that seemed comfortable enough to bother filling. It was outside in its own screened courtyard and the icy night air was a wonderful counterpoint to the really deep hot water that came gushing from the tap in a seemingly endless flow of muscle-pleasing heat.
Of all the stays in New Zealand this is the one that I will recommend to families. We had our own room and TV and the boys slept in the lounge on one of the best sofa beds I have ever seen - they loved the novelty and we loved being able to watch something other than kids shows!
It is also just across the road from the Gondola and luge tracks, the Rainbow Springs Animal Sanctuary (with Kiwis) and a Maori tourist village.
We took our host Karen's advice and went out to Whakarewarewa Thermal Village. It was a great experience and the Junior Grendels found it much less daunting than some of the more touristy places we had been to. It was a very genuine welcome to a place where a Maori community live daily.
The Braeside Best Western was the first place we stayed in that had reliable free wireless and we made good use of it to catch up on a few emails. We were tired by this stage of the trip and it was great to have a place that allowed us to relax in comfort with a little more space and welcoming, helpful hosts.
I'd have to give it top marks for the trip!
Who: Best Western Braeside Resort
What: Great accommodation and good advice on where to visit
Where: 4 Barnard Road Rotorua
Contact: 64 7 347 9497
When: 28-30 September 2009
Accessibility: Good - some rooms fully accessible
Web: Best Western Braeside
This hotel/motel however is a family dream. They have a small heated pool, a trout stream (feeding only, no fishing!) a small mini golf course and some units have their own four person spa.
Bliss.
The only bath we had in New Zealand (as opposed to the showers we used everywhere else) was here as it was the only one that seemed comfortable enough to bother filling. It was outside in its own screened courtyard and the icy night air was a wonderful counterpoint to the really deep hot water that came gushing from the tap in a seemingly endless flow of muscle-pleasing heat.
Of all the stays in New Zealand this is the one that I will recommend to families. We had our own room and TV and the boys slept in the lounge on one of the best sofa beds I have ever seen - they loved the novelty and we loved being able to watch something other than kids shows!
It is also just across the road from the Gondola and luge tracks, the Rainbow Springs Animal Sanctuary (with Kiwis) and a Maori tourist village.
We took our host Karen's advice and went out to Whakarewarewa Thermal Village. It was a great experience and the Junior Grendels found it much less daunting than some of the more touristy places we had been to. It was a very genuine welcome to a place where a Maori community live daily.
The Braeside Best Western was the first place we stayed in that had reliable free wireless and we made good use of it to catch up on a few emails. We were tired by this stage of the trip and it was great to have a place that allowed us to relax in comfort with a little more space and welcoming, helpful hosts.
I'd have to give it top marks for the trip!
Who: Best Western Braeside Resort
What: Great accommodation and good advice on where to visit
Where: 4 Barnard Road Rotorua
Contact: 64 7 347 9497
When: 28-30 September 2009
Accessibility: Good - some rooms fully accessible
Web: Best Western Braeside
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Highlights - Supreme HQ
While in Christchurch we had just enough time for a flying visit to the local Headquarters of Coffee Supreme on Madras Street.
This funky roastery/espresso bar is the South Island starting point for Coffee Supreme. Of all the roasters whose coffee we tried it was Coffee Supreme who seemed to have the best distribution network and consistency in quality among the cafes that served there coffee. That is not to say that other roasters are not also outstanding, but the representation of their coffee was a bit more patchy than for Coffee Supreme.
Supreme HQ is like a Norse version of Seattle Grunge - enough wood paneling along the back dividing wall between the roastery and the bar to please any sauna lover but bare walls elsewhere with low-watt naked incandescent bulbs providing spartan lighting above the old, but well maintained La San Marco espresso machine.
The coffee was great - a really rich ristretto that bridged the gap between the bright acids and savoury gravy of whatever blend (I'm embarrassed to confess that I did not ask what was in the hopper) they were using that morning.
We got two take away flat whites for the start of our drive to Lake Tekapo and these were rich and sweet, an early taste of New Zealand milk that would happily dominate any milk based espresso drink if you allowed it to. In this case the coffee artfully sang through the milk and it was an enjoyable start to the morning drive.
Who: Coffee Supreme HQ Christchurch
What: Great coffee
Where: 218a Madras St, Christchurch CBD, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 3790698
When: 17 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate for entry to purchase a take away
Web: Coffee Supreme
This funky roastery/espresso bar is the South Island starting point for Coffee Supreme. Of all the roasters whose coffee we tried it was Coffee Supreme who seemed to have the best distribution network and consistency in quality among the cafes that served there coffee. That is not to say that other roasters are not also outstanding, but the representation of their coffee was a bit more patchy than for Coffee Supreme.
Supreme HQ is like a Norse version of Seattle Grunge - enough wood paneling along the back dividing wall between the roastery and the bar to please any sauna lover but bare walls elsewhere with low-watt naked incandescent bulbs providing spartan lighting above the old, but well maintained La San Marco espresso machine.
The coffee was great - a really rich ristretto that bridged the gap between the bright acids and savoury gravy of whatever blend (I'm embarrassed to confess that I did not ask what was in the hopper) they were using that morning.
We got two take away flat whites for the start of our drive to Lake Tekapo and these were rich and sweet, an early taste of New Zealand milk that would happily dominate any milk based espresso drink if you allowed it to. In this case the coffee artfully sang through the milk and it was an enjoyable start to the morning drive.
Who: Coffee Supreme HQ Christchurch
What: Great coffee
Where: 218a Madras St, Christchurch CBD, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 3790698
When: 17 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate for entry to purchase a take away
Web: Coffee Supreme
Monday, October 5, 2009
Highlights - Shawty's
Twizel is a small town in the MacKenzie Basin that was built in 1968 as a town to service the local hydro plant. Today it remains a great stopping point for travellers and a staging point for keen astronomers wishing to take advantage of the clear, dry mountain air.
We stopped there on our way through from Tekapo to Queenstown and dropped in to Shawty's, a small cafe in the Twizel Mall.
Like most New Zealand cafes it was licensed - and they are in the process of expanding their bar (a lounge bar known as 'Grappa').
The coffee was superb (or Supreme to be precise!) and the Afghan we bought was just the right balance between dense and crumbly to satisfy. Owner and barista Troy was knowledgeable about the coffee and had a great menu that was amazing given the small size of the town.
I can't think of many small rural towns in Australia where you can waltz in and find a cafe in an open space with a playground for children that also serves top notch coffee and food. In fact I can't think of any at all - a bit sad given the size of our population.
Who: Shawty's
What: Great coffee, food and Grappa (apparently!)
Where: 4 Market Place, Twizel, South Canterbury, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 4353155
When: 18 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Shawty's
We stopped there on our way through from Tekapo to Queenstown and dropped in to Shawty's, a small cafe in the Twizel Mall.
Like most New Zealand cafes it was licensed - and they are in the process of expanding their bar (a lounge bar known as 'Grappa').
The coffee was superb (or Supreme to be precise!) and the Afghan we bought was just the right balance between dense and crumbly to satisfy. Owner and barista Troy was knowledgeable about the coffee and had a great menu that was amazing given the small size of the town.
I can't think of many small rural towns in Australia where you can waltz in and find a cafe in an open space with a playground for children that also serves top notch coffee and food. In fact I can't think of any at all - a bit sad given the size of our population.
Who: Shawty's
What: Great coffee, food and Grappa (apparently!)
Where: 4 Market Place, Twizel, South Canterbury, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 4353155
When: 18 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Shawty's
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Mitchelli's
Mitchelli's was one of the cafes we managed to visit in Christchurch. I don't know why it is that all Christchurch cafe's seem so stylish and this one was one certainly had style character and great coffee. There is a much more independent mind set in cafes over in New Zealand and the unique characteristics of each make comparisons between them very difficult - much better to enjoy each cafe for what it is.
Mitchelli's was originally a rough warehouse or garage that has refitted by the Mitchell family for the purpose of opening a deli and cafe. It serves coffee by Wellington's Cafe L'Affare and they serve it superbly. The ristretto was tight and full bodied and the flat white creamy, rich and delicious.
Who: Mitchellis
What: Great coffee and gelati
Where: Ash Street Christchurch CBD (just off Poplar Lane)
Contact: 64 3 3774574
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Good
Web: Mitchelli's
Mitchelli's was originally a rough warehouse or garage that has refitted by the Mitchell family for the purpose of opening a deli and cafe. It serves coffee by Wellington's Cafe L'Affare and they serve it superbly. The ristretto was tight and full bodied and the flat white creamy, rich and delicious.
Who: Mitchellis
What: Great coffee and gelati
Where: Ash Street Christchurch CBD (just off Poplar Lane)
Contact: 64 3 3774574
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Good
Web: Mitchelli's
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Highlights - Patagonia
One of the places we discovered in Queenstown (and returned to often) was Patagonia. Patagonia is a chocolate and gelatteria with a simple menu, lots of handmade goodies and the best hot chocolate that I've ever had.
The Junior Grendels knew from the contents of the freezer bays of gelati that they were in for a treat:
Mrs Grendel had her birthday breakfast there and while not impressed with having her photo taken was very impressed by the hot chocolate.
Who: Patagonia Chocolates
What: Amazing gelati and chocolates, hot chocolate, coffee and internet access
Where: Lakefront, 50 Beach Street, Queenstown NZ
Contact: 64 3 4429066
When: 19, 20 & 21 September 2009
Accessibility: Good
Web: Patagonia
The Junior Grendels knew from the contents of the freezer bays of gelati that they were in for a treat:
Mrs Grendel had her birthday breakfast there and while not impressed with having her photo taken was very impressed by the hot chocolate.
Who: Patagonia Chocolates
What: Amazing gelati and chocolates, hot chocolate, coffee and internet access
Where: Lakefront, 50 Beach Street, Queenstown NZ
Contact: 64 3 4429066
When: 19, 20 & 21 September 2009
Accessibility: Good
Web: Patagonia
Friday, October 2, 2009
Home
Well its been an amazing trip and I still have much to write, describe and discuss. The final hotel was a bomb and I shan't be recommending them to anyone but overall the trip was magnificent, the Junior Grendels are exhausted but happy and Mrs Grendel looks back fondly on surviving.
It is great to be home and I am looking forward to some routine again, including work on Monday. They boys are looking forward to vegging out without 'Dad' rousing them out of bed in the dark to go climb something cold and steep - and possibly geologically active.
Mrs Grendel is glad there are no more boats.
And finally - here is the image I mentioned weeks ago - shot through the lens of a telescope on Mount John - a bit ragged around the edges but I was holding the camera over the eyepiece.
It is great to be home and I am looking forward to some routine again, including work on Monday. They boys are looking forward to vegging out without 'Dad' rousing them out of bed in the dark to go climb something cold and steep - and possibly geologically active.
Mrs Grendel is glad there are no more boats.
And finally - here is the image I mentioned weeks ago - shot through the lens of a telescope on Mount John - a bit ragged around the edges but I was holding the camera over the eyepiece.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Big One
By the frantic note in the voice of the morning TV show host you'd have thought that the entire nation was about to be inundated by a Tsunami today. It was sad to see that television host in NZ are just as appallingly rude and stupid as they are in Australia. One host all but accused a spokesman for local Civil Defense of incompetence simply because he refused to speculate based on rumours alone.
There was no giant wave that hit us here - only the islands of Western Samoa and American Samoa and it looks terrible for them.
We arrived safely in Auckland today and still have a vast backlog of tales, reviews and adventures to write up - I think most of these will be done once we get back to Australia as the internet facilities have been patchy in supporting image uploads and edits.
The last few days have been spent touring Taupo and Rotorua and we managed to visit a Maori village (a real one, not a tourist-built village), enjoyed watching a hangi cooked in the boiling water of the thermal pools and then rode luge downhill near our motel. Junior Grendel Number One surprised us once again by riding not only the luge but the chairlift. He took his own luge down after an initial tandem ride with me and fell off three times and got up laughing each time.
Scared ten years off me!
Or added ten - not sure yet.
Here are a few choice moments from the last few days - and as always, click to enlarge!
There was no giant wave that hit us here - only the islands of Western Samoa and American Samoa and it looks terrible for them.
We arrived safely in Auckland today and still have a vast backlog of tales, reviews and adventures to write up - I think most of these will be done once we get back to Australia as the internet facilities have been patchy in supporting image uploads and edits.
The last few days have been spent touring Taupo and Rotorua and we managed to visit a Maori village (a real one, not a tourist-built village), enjoyed watching a hangi cooked in the boiling water of the thermal pools and then rode luge downhill near our motel. Junior Grendel Number One surprised us once again by riding not only the luge but the chairlift. He took his own luge down after an initial tandem ride with me and fell off three times and got up laughing each time.
Scared ten years off me!
Or added ten - not sure yet.
Here are a few choice moments from the last few days - and as always, click to enlarge!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Geology
Geology - everywhere has it but some places have it more than others. I had a rock pickers dream drive over the last ten days, and I also noticed that everyone else loves the rocks - and tends to make piles of them!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Backwards in time to Queenstown. . .
Chronologically backwards in time from September 20 to September 24:
Friday, September 25, 2009
Amazing photos
I have some amazing photos - I really do, but this particular internet kiosk is perhaps the most useless that I have found - it is in our hotel in Palmerston North and while most of these systems work pretty well and allow you to edit images using a basic tool like Irfanview, this one has nothing. SO I can't show you the great powder snow that fell on us as we drove through Saint Arnaud, or the pale face of Alli as we crossed Cook Strait into the teeth of the same low pressure system that brought the snow.
I hope to do a little photo editing tomorrow - and I'll post up some images then.
I can say that this morning I had my best coffee so far - in Wellington. By and large the standard of coffee and food over here is very high and I don't like to make comparisons but this was really outstanding - Floriditas in Wellington - I got the tip from "Grab Your Fork" an Aussie food blog and it was bang on the money and provided a good rest and recovery stop for us after an early start and moderately rough trip over the Strait (actually it was pretty calm but Mrs Grendel does not do sea travel at all well so for her a 1.5 metre swell might as well be a hurricane).
I have to catch up with a lot of the cafes we have visited over the last few days - there have been some goodies, and I'll also review a few of the places we have stayed - and a few we wish we'd stayed in, like Lake Wanaka.
We are on the journey North to Auckland but stopped by Palmerston North to visit friends and we have had a great time - we have another day resting here before heading for more adventures in Taupo.
I hope to do a little photo editing tomorrow - and I'll post up some images then.
I can say that this morning I had my best coffee so far - in Wellington. By and large the standard of coffee and food over here is very high and I don't like to make comparisons but this was really outstanding - Floriditas in Wellington - I got the tip from "Grab Your Fork" an Aussie food blog and it was bang on the money and provided a good rest and recovery stop for us after an early start and moderately rough trip over the Strait (actually it was pretty calm but Mrs Grendel does not do sea travel at all well so for her a 1.5 metre swell might as well be a hurricane).
I have to catch up with a lot of the cafes we have visited over the last few days - there have been some goodies, and I'll also review a few of the places we have stayed - and a few we wish we'd stayed in, like Lake Wanaka.
We are on the journey North to Auckland but stopped by Palmerston North to visit friends and we have had a great time - we have another day resting here before heading for more adventures in Taupo.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Quick catch-up
We've been anable to get near the internet for a few days - most often because we were just too exhausted to try staying up.
I'll post a few quick pics though - mostly of Queenstown - we'll try catch up on some cafes later in the week but there have been some great stops along the way and it is rare to see the same coffee roaster supplying more than one or two cafes in a town and I have not seen a large bulk roasted presence much at all.
And now for the snow Grendels!
(Click on images to enlarge!)
We've just done the Fox Glacer, Punakaiki and are passing through Murchison on our way to Blenheim before catching the first ferry tomorrow morning across to the North Island. It is blowing a gale today and I hope it quiets before the crossing tomorrow!
I'll post a few quick pics though - mostly of Queenstown - we'll try catch up on some cafes later in the week but there have been some great stops along the way and it is rare to see the same coffee roaster supplying more than one or two cafes in a town and I have not seen a large bulk roasted presence much at all.
And now for the snow Grendels!
(Click on images to enlarge!)
We've just done the Fox Glacer, Punakaiki and are passing through Murchison on our way to Blenheim before catching the first ferry tomorrow morning across to the North Island. It is blowing a gale today and I hope it quiets before the crossing tomorrow!
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Astro Cafe
Barista Fraser Gunn is also a superb photographer. We got to be impressed by both the photos and the Supreme Coffee he served from his perch high on Mt John at the University of Canterbury's Observatory.
Given that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy and that both the Junior Grendels are proud owners of Galileoscopes, we could hardly pass up a visit to an observatory that also hosts a great cafe.
This cafe has to have one of the best views in the world and it was well worth the steep road trick up the mountain to drink in the view - along with a coffee.
Junior Grendel One and Two wasted no time at all in giving us both heart failure with their antics on the steep sides of the mountain.
Fraser had a small scope set up on a tripod with the view over the ski fields nearby - I managed to wedge the camera over the lens at just the right angle - and as soon as I can extract the images from my card I'll post them up - in the meantime the following spread of Grendel adventure pics should be satisfactory!
If you are passing Lake Tekapo ever in your life I highly recommend that you take the turnoff to Mount John and drive up the hill. Simply amazing. They also do night tours at the observatory, leaving on a minibus from the town below, and although I missed it (too tired!) it looks like a great night's viewing.
Given that 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy and that both the Junior Grendels are proud owners of Galileoscopes, we could hardly pass up a visit to an observatory that also hosts a great cafe.
This cafe has to have one of the best views in the world and it was well worth the steep road trick up the mountain to drink in the view - along with a coffee.
Junior Grendel One and Two wasted no time at all in giving us both heart failure with their antics on the steep sides of the mountain.
Fraser had a small scope set up on a tripod with the view over the ski fields nearby - I managed to wedge the camera over the lens at just the right angle - and as soon as I can extract the images from my card I'll post them up - in the meantime the following spread of Grendel adventure pics should be satisfactory!
If you are passing Lake Tekapo ever in your life I highly recommend that you take the turnoff to Mount John and drive up the hill. Simply amazing. They also do night tours at the observatory, leaving on a minibus from the town below, and although I missed it (too tired!) it looks like a great night's viewing.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Highlights - C1 Espresso Christchurch (Updated post)
We went to C1 yesterday morning - a quirky little caff that out-grunges Seattle and that also has (to the Junior Grendel's delight) a working Dr Who pinball machine and a shopping centre style pony ride (circa 1960-something).
We went to four cafes in our brief stay in Christchurch - only two of these were on my list, the other two were walk-ins and I have to say that I am impressed with everything I have seen here so far.
C1 had great coffee - roasted by C4, good service (which is particularly handy when you have small ones in tow) and the food was exceptional. I had eggs benedict on the best bagel I have ever had in my life!
The ristretto was served in a heavy-bottomed glass, ideal for the purpose and was a good balance between acidity and savoury.
The flat white was well balanced with the espresso sitting nicely above the milk on the palate. Mrs Grendel had a cappuccino - also superb. This turned out to be her favourite cafe of the trip so they must have got everything right!
C1 - great cafe, great style and great coffee.
Who: C1
What: Great coffee and choice nosh
Where: 150 High Street, Christchurch 8142, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 379 1917
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Tricky
Web: C1 Espresso
We went to four cafes in our brief stay in Christchurch - only two of these were on my list, the other two were walk-ins and I have to say that I am impressed with everything I have seen here so far.
C1 had great coffee - roasted by C4, good service (which is particularly handy when you have small ones in tow) and the food was exceptional. I had eggs benedict on the best bagel I have ever had in my life!
The ristretto was served in a heavy-bottomed glass, ideal for the purpose and was a good balance between acidity and savoury.
The flat white was well balanced with the espresso sitting nicely above the milk on the palate. Mrs Grendel had a cappuccino - also superb. This turned out to be her favourite cafe of the trip so they must have got everything right!
C1 - great cafe, great style and great coffee.
Who: C1
What: Great coffee and choice nosh
Where: 150 High Street, Christchurch 8142, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 379 1917
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Tricky
Web: C1 Espresso
Out and In
Well, they've let us out of Australia and in to New Zealand!
I'll post up Junior Grendel Number One's departure story that he wrote as we waited in Brisbane in a day or so. He borrowed the Green XO laptop and I helped him compose a little story describing what we were doing.
Our flight across was fairly uneventful and Virgin lived up to their reputation as 'Cheap and Cheerful'. The staff were great, the prices of food and drinking not gougingly high and they didn't glance askance when we opened the pack-dinners we had prepared for the Junior Grendels.
The aircraft was an older 737 but had pretty good leg room - a little more than the domestic Qantas flight we took.
I called Apex at 8.30 and they arrived right on time to pick us up to go and arrange the hire of the Toyota Rav4 we'll be driving around NZ - as described online the car is a 2007 model, in fairl good nick with only the usual wear and tear scrapes but it drives well and has fantastic boot space.
We spent the morning admiring Christchurch - it really is the most beautiful city, and Mrs Grendel has been for two walks along the Avon River out in front of our hotel.
The Junior Grendels are settling into the travelling habit and are even starting to be a little more cooperative about some things - although Junior Grendel Number One was a bit out of sorts today and had a minor moment sitting on the floor in a cafe - until the offer of a swim once we got back to the hotel perked him up enough to accept some chocolate ice cream.
We visited two great cafes today - very impressive and I regret that we cannot get around to all that I have heard about.
I'll post up Junior Grendel Number One's departure story that he wrote as we waited in Brisbane in a day or so. He borrowed the Green XO laptop and I helped him compose a little story describing what we were doing.
Our flight across was fairly uneventful and Virgin lived up to their reputation as 'Cheap and Cheerful'. The staff were great, the prices of food and drinking not gougingly high and they didn't glance askance when we opened the pack-dinners we had prepared for the Junior Grendels.
The aircraft was an older 737 but had pretty good leg room - a little more than the domestic Qantas flight we took.
I called Apex at 8.30 and they arrived right on time to pick us up to go and arrange the hire of the Toyota Rav4 we'll be driving around NZ - as described online the car is a 2007 model, in fairl good nick with only the usual wear and tear scrapes but it drives well and has fantastic boot space.
We spent the morning admiring Christchurch - it really is the most beautiful city, and Mrs Grendel has been for two walks along the Avon River out in front of our hotel.
The Junior Grendels are settling into the travelling habit and are even starting to be a little more cooperative about some things - although Junior Grendel Number One was a bit out of sorts today and had a minor moment sitting on the floor in a cafe - until the offer of a swim once we got back to the hotel perked him up enough to accept some chocolate ice cream.
We visited two great cafes today - very impressive and I regret that we cannot get around to all that I have heard about.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Lone Pine
I grew up on a hill above the Brisbane River - right across the river from a Koala sanctuary called Lone Pine.
I went there often as a child and even braved the muddy tidal flow of the Brisbane River to paddle over to the Jetty from our side of the River to Lone Pine to ride the wake of the tourist ferry as it arrived and departed.
We took the more sedate route today of the drive down Fig Tree Pocket Road and the Junior Grendels and Mrs Grendel got to experience the same thing that I did as a child - and it has barely changed at all.
We fed kangaroos, cuddled Koalas and captured crocodiles.
Junior Grendel Number Two declared it "the best day of his life". Junior Grendel Number One claimed total awesomeness for Lone Pine.
I went there often as a child and even braved the muddy tidal flow of the Brisbane River to paddle over to the Jetty from our side of the River to Lone Pine to ride the wake of the tourist ferry as it arrived and departed.
We took the more sedate route today of the drive down Fig Tree Pocket Road and the Junior Grendels and Mrs Grendel got to experience the same thing that I did as a child - and it has barely changed at all.
We fed kangaroos, cuddled Koalas and captured crocodiles.
Junior Grendel Number Two declared it "the best day of his life". Junior Grendel Number One claimed total awesomeness for Lone Pine.
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