Cadbury World

Published March 13, 2017

Oompa Loompa doompadee doo

I’ve got another puzzle for you

Oompa Loompa doompadah dee

If you are wise you’ll listen to me

Never got to meet Willy Wonka – but I did get my ‘Augustus Gloop’ on at Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory.

Early morning start. 9 mile trek on Frankton Track, mix of trail & bike path, east alongside Lake Wakatipu. Shower, apartment check-out, last day in Queenstown – goodbyes to my fave New Zealand town. 3 ½ hour drive, south & far far east today. After a half-week shouldering NZ’s Tasman Sea, would spend the next three days bumped up against the vast Pacific.

Arrived in South Island’s 2^nd largest city, Dunedin, early afternoon. First hotel stay since Auckland. Grabbed a map & a rain jacket – CHOCOLATE! Walked past high steeple churches & historic city buildings in Dunedin Central ‘the Octagon’, then continued south toward the water, past Anzac Square to Cadbury World on Cumberland Street.

2 large lumbering storage tanks invade the landscape – one white, one purple, ‘Cadbury’ emblazoned in script. Tour ticket purchased, quick pass thru the factory museum, iconic Cadbury bunny photo shot. Sadly no other pics to share. Cell phones, purses, backpacks all confiscated before eyeing the company’s chocolate making process. No joking with Chocolatiers – take their business mighty seriously.

[Gotta/hafta/must sneak out an everlasting gobstopper (remember creepy Slugworth?) — another Wonka reference 🙂 ]

Inside, pulled a lever, filled my cup with liquid chocolate. How much is too much? Anything more than half a cup…live & learn. Heart racing, sugar-shook remainder of the tour. Oh to be a kid again. Went home with a satchel of marshmallow candy bars.

Return walked thru Dunedin’s historic Railway Station in Anzac Square. Train love.

Inclement weather, one more day. Boardwalk strolled on St Clair Beach, site of the South Island Surf Championships. Stormy day, HUGE waves. Rain or shine – vacation continues. Tomorrow’s quest? To the top of Larnachs Castle!

: Ford Model A: one of Cadbury’s original delivery vehicles

: Chocolate Lovers dream day

: St Paul’s Cathedral

: Knox Church, George Street

: Anzac Square

: Dunedin Railway Station

: stormy day, HUGE waves

St Clair Beach

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged beachcombing, kyrkan, museo, trains | 1 Comment

Misty Mountain GOLD!

Published March 12, 2017

Misty rain today. Day plan?

Travelling high above Queenstown on a 4WD “Lord of the Rings” tour…through the movie’s Misty Mountains. Iconic, right?

Piled into an off-road Jeep, fast left Queenstown behind — headed toward The Remarkables mountain range (New Zealand’s premier ski locale). Scenic spot high above Lake Wakatipu, then a quick stop at Kawarau Gorge – site of the world’s first commercial bungee operation. Luckily, no jumps happening today (because of weather) so I had a good excuse 🙂

Rain curtailed our picnic plans so moved things indoors. Took tea in Arrowtown’s historic Chinese Settlers Village (inside Ah Lum’s store, circa 1885) before driving UP the Arrow River – literally UP the river itself – to Macetown, an abandoned gold mining town.

Rain jacket, check. Shovel, check. Gold pan, check check. Ready to get rich quick!

As luck would have it, I DID actually find gold – a small flake (with the magic of an iPhone zoom lens), visible to the naked eye. But because I’m obviously independently wealthy, washed my fortune back into the Arrow River. Easy come, easy go 🙂

FAVE part of the day? One-lane path UP UP UP Coronet Peak to Skippers Saddle. AMAZING colour, whatta view!

Back in Queenstown, laced up, light jacket (from February’s Cowtown Marathon)…gotta get in my run miles. Steep hill climb to Skyline Gondola, then west ‘cross town past 3 city parks – run destination: Sunshine Bay, on the road to Glenorchy. 6 miles total.

NZ’s eastern shore tomorrow nite, sleeps in Dunedin. Gotta/hafta/must do? Cadbury CHOCOLATE factory tour. Can’t wait!

: Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown

: LOTR’s ‘Misty’ Mountains

: world’s first commercial bungee location

: Kawarau Gorge

: Mt Beetham, Arrowtown

: GOLD!

: one lane, no guard rail

: Skyline Gondola

: massive REDWOOD

: Sunshine Bay, on the road to Glenorchy

Posted in New Zealand | Tagged rivers-lakes | 2 Comments

Doubtful Sound

Published March 11, 2017

Queenstown ⇨Lake Manapouri ⇨Doubtful Sound

2 buses, 2 boats. 7:15am pickup, 8pm return. FULL day – but first, a 3-mile pitch-black run along Lake Wakatipu thru Queenstown Gardens. Would purchase a flashlight later in the day – last time getting spooked in the early a.m. 🙂

2 hour 45 minutes west over the Southern Alps to Lake Manapouri. Box lunch purchase, then ferried ‘cross glacier-fed water, where a 2^nd motor coach awaited. Travelled on New Zealand’s most expensive road over Wilmot Pass, stopping twice to walkabout/experience the dense rainforest of Fiordland National Park. Clouds parted, sun appeared – snapped several shots of Deep Cove, our catamaran entrance on West Arm.

3 hour cruise thru pristine water, surrounded by lush volcanic mountains. If you’re limited on funds, this is the one place to splurge. Just WOW! Gotta/hafta/must [see] Doubtful Sound (or Milford Sound) on NZ’s Tasman Sea.

Doubtful Sound was named ‘Doubtful Harbour’ in 1770 by Captain Cook, who did not enter the inlet as he was uncertain whether it was navigable under sail. It was later renamed Doubtful Sound by whalers and sealers, ‘though it is not technically a sound but a fiord.

Beautiful sunshiny day. Deep Cove to Crooked Arm, Crooked Arm to First Arm, First Arm past the Shelter Islands.

Fur seals sunbathed on the tiny boulder-faced islands, last land before entering the turbulent Tasman Sea. Boat lurched in ocean waves – up, back, side-to-side – before turning back, returning to the Sound.

Extra time available so…explored First Arm’s inlet waters. Stopped our Patea Explorer, cut the engines entirely. Ship staff asked for 2 minutes of silence, [would be] the day’s most memorable takeaway. Island waterfalls splashed, saltwater lapped against our drifting vessel. Silence. Emotional, visceral & exotic.

Easy half-day adventure tomorrow – panning for gold…in New Zealand.