We also visited a town trapped in a Victorian...
December 30, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
  We also visited a town trapped in a Victorian time warp. I'm now off to Australia to river raft and snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef.
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On the way to Mt Cook we visited a beach wher...
December 30, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 On the way to Mt Cook we visited a beach where some giants played billiards in the distant past.
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I took a helicopter ride at Mt Cook
December 30, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
  I took a helicopter ride at Mt Cook.
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Milford Sound waterfalls in a 70 knot wind
December 30, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
  Milford Sound waterfalls in a 70 knot wind. The spray actually covered the cruse ship, but I snapped the picture a little soon. The tour guide said this was the real Milford Sound, not the one in the tourist pictures. Needless to say, the wild life all stayed home.
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Another jumper just after immersing her head ...
December 30, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 Another jumper just after immersing her head in the river.
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A brave Japanise tourist
December 28, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 A brave Japanise tourist.
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Nothing like a little Chrismas vacation bungy...
December 28, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 Nothing like a little Chrismas vacation bungy jumping.
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We were carried off to dinner on a steamship ...
December 25, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
We were carried off to dinner on a steamship to a magical old place at the end of the lake. On the way we were served my a very unlikely Santa's helper. It was great. Today I'm off to tour Queenston.
  
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Last night I had Christmas dinner with a grea...
December 25, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 Last night I had Christmas dinner with a great group. The couple on the right was from London visiting their friends on the left, who had just moved to New Zealand with their two daughters. The oldest daughter was home cooking turkey for her boyfriend, but the youngest was traveling with her parents.
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Here's Santa back from delivering all the pac...
December 25, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 Here's Santa back from delivering all the packages where Christmas was today. We helped him load up your packages for tomorrow. I'm off to Christmas dinner now. I miss you all. Merry Christmas!
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I started the official tour with a train ride...
December 24, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
 I started the official tour with a train ride over the mountains and a trip down the west coast. Unlike Christchurch, it rained and blew. However it all quit when we got to Franz Joseph glacier. This is one of the viaducts (New Zealand word).
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Christchurch is an incredably beautiful city
December 23, 2007 by Adam in Lohring
Christchurch is an incredably beautiful city. I spent the day on a trolley (they say tram) like this, stopping to walk through Victoria Square (looking toward my hotel), the Botanic Guardans, the Canterbury Museum, and a Sunday arts and crafts market.
  
  
Since it's still Saturday in Eugene, you can think of it as a Saturday market. I had a wonderful talk with the owner of a map shop about life in New Zealand. It seems they aren't quite as insolated from the problems of the 21st century as I thought. However, how many problems can you have in a country with only 1 million more people than Oregon. He said that if the sheep revolt they might have a real problem. I'm getting rejuvinated with a cafe moca from Starbucks. More when the tour starts tomorrow.
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Just a brief note for this holiday season
December 20, 2007 by Lohring in Lohring
Just a brief note for this holiday season. This is the first time I have been away for the holidays, and I will miss all of you. Be good and show me how to post pictures so I can send you some of my travels. Who knows, I may actually find the flying spaghetti monster living on the Great Barrier Reef.
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