The most beautiful town in the world.

 

Queenstown! I know that’s a big title but Queenstown really is the most beautiful town in the world. We have been here four weeks and our time is coming to an end. We arrived to fresh alpine air and some pretty low temperature as Spring had come late and there was plenty of snow on the Southern Alps. It was so refreshing after the heat and humidity of Sydney. After stocking up the cupboards at the apartment and unpacking we headed straight for Glenorchy about an hours drive along the shores of Lake Wakapitu to check if the wild lupins were in flower along the dry river bed. They were just starting to come into bloom so we knew we had a treat in store and have visited regularly throughout our stay to watch them come alive. Our last visit was two days ago and they have reached their peak - the scent was amazing - but  in a week or two they’ll have gone to seed again. We are often alone as we wander through them and as well as feeling privileged to enjoy them, I feel relieved that they remain a secret - I’d just hate it if they became a stopping place for the many coaches and tour groups that descend here. Selfish I know!

Its  been great using The Rees as a base to explore at our own pace and we have enjoyed two visits to Wanaka over the Crown Range along many bends. Another lovely little town - quieter than Queenstown and just as scenic with some lovely boutiques and upmarket shops. We enjoyed lunch and window shopping on our first visit - over the mountains on the way there and returning through the vineyards and orchards - a longer but easier route. On our second trip we  reversed the order and arrived at Wannaker Lavender en route - which looked nothing from the road - but once inside it was like a fragrant heaven. Beautifully laid out gardens lined our path to the lavender fields which were in full bloom and buzzing with bees not the least interested in us as they got on with their very important work. What a lovely couple of hours which concluded with a photo on the purple tractor! I love a Massey Ferguson!

The highlight of this trip though was our trip to Mount Cook National Park. We tried to book a flight up there from here but they all included 5 hours in the reserve which we felt was too long, so we drove there ourselves having booked a helicopter flight up to the glacier and a ski plane for our decent. It was amazing and well worth the 3 hour drive! We stopped at a great farm stall at Tarras before heading over Lindis Pass into the mountains. The word Awesome doesn’t adequately describe how you feel surrounded by the mountains still thick with snow and looking down on the turquoise rivers below and the palest blue ice of a new glacier formation. It was just magic…… but we needed a miracle as we had to get from the helicopter to the plane across 200 m of ice and snow between aircraft up there! It was interesting to say the least as I sunk into a foot of snow and struggled to stay upright. The pilot helped Nick as I couldn’t but I did make it albeit on my knees at times!! Thankfully I had packed a change of clothes in case it got too warm later in the day for jeans and a fleece - so back on the ground I didn’t have to sit with wet jeans for the rest of the day! We travelled on to Lake Tekapo - a place we have stayed at previously. The scenery was beautiful and we had the perfect weather - clear blue skies, roads lined with wild flowers and fields of blue and pink lupins and the turquoise waters of Lake Pukiki and Tekapo. There is an amazing restaurant at the Lake - delicious food and a welcome glass of wine to celebrate the day! We set off back around 6 and we’re home at sunset - these long hours of daylight really help you get the most out of your time here.

Another great experience was the Arrowtown Longtable which we were lucky enough to join this year. A table the legnth of the high street is set up and each restaurant caters for the section of the table in front of it and it was a great opportunity to mix and chat with the locals. We sat with a couple from Dunedin - a baker and a nurse practitioner and with one of the sponsors from a food company in Aukland and a young woman from Arrowtown - it was very interesting and the food was good too! We headed home around seven but the party was still in full swing with live music at most of the venues and the booze was flowing! We have met some interesting and lovely people on this trip and even swapped books with one.

Queenstown has been great - lunch at Kinross, Gibbston Valley, Ayrburn and Mount Difficulty vineyards is always a pleasure. Although getting busier and busier Queenstown is still the most beautiful town in the world and The Botswana Butchery the best restaurant in New Zealand. The iconic TSS Earnslaw is a reassuring site as it chugs along the lake to Walter’s Peak and back and beloved Glenorchy may you stay a hidden gem.  We are packing up today and heading to Christchurch before heading to the US for a white Christmas. I’ll miss waking up to this view! 

Exciting, glamorous and pulsating with life - we are in Sydney.

 I’m sitting in the foyer of a noisy hotel in Sydney - it’s hot outside and I’m jet lagged! We arrived on whatever day it was - I’m still getting my head around losing a day of my precious life in transit. When we landed we threw ourselves into the waterfront nightlife at Darling Harbour after being cooped up mid air for too many hours. We went to bed - he slept while I tossed and turned, played sudoko and read.

Yesterday we planned a stroll around the harbour - there’s a boat show on - but ended up hopping onto a ferry, meeting a couple carrying a life size purple banana in a witches outfit which they’d won at a funfair. She had her life story etched on her face and tattooed on her body and he kept wanting got talk to us about Manchester United! We hopped off the ferry to return to Darling and hopped on the wrong one which took us to the zoo so we stayed on and returned to the ferry terminal to find the right one and get us somewhere for lunch. Sydney Harbour was full - a massive cruise liner was docked and sightseers in Instagram poses everywhere. I’ve never understood the point of someone taking a photo of the back of your head while you stare into the distance but there was plenty of that and some contortionist, would-be cameramen trying to get the perfect shot - just how many photos of a bridge is too many?

I love people watching and the ferry and surrounding quay was the perfect place. As well as the mad couple with the purple banana - did I mention that it was life size - we saw so many people in fancy dress. It was Friday but this took casual day to a new level - two brides to be, a bumble bee, an angel in wings, a clown ( it could have been a designer outfit hard to tell these days) a pirate,  a witch or was it a wizard of Oz. The mind boggles - clearly Fridays are party days down under.

We found a perfect lunch spot and watched the world go by while an opportunistic seagull watched us. Seven thousand steps later we arrived back our hotel and had a hour to change and step out again - another ferry but this time to Manly carrying a long box which held an ancient barometer being relocated to Nicks nephew along with some other heirlooms. We arrived at the terminal just as the sun was setting and were met by the family for the handover and catch-up and enjoyed a lovely meal with a fabulous view al fresco.

Clearly Friday is also ‘let your hair down’ night and there were loads of young people looking glitzy and  glamorous, sun-kissed and sparkly in skyscraper heels, flirting and laughing while I felt like a country bumpkin in my H&M cotton frock and sandals. 

After 10pm we hopped back onto the ferry past the illuminated Opera House under the bridge and back onto dry land - into an uber and back to the hotel exhausted but happy. You’d think I would have slept but no……. I tossed and turned, dreamed of turtles WTF then gave up and read the paper online - I’m not sure if it’s tomorrows or yesterdays. 

 We’ve just enjoyed a late breakfast and relaxed in the foyer while housekeeping sorted our room out. Two gorgeous girls all glammed up in a backless red dress and a sequinned gold dress have just walked past us heading out and I just know for sure they will be enjoying an Instagram moment.

I’m going for a nap - well I’m praying for a nap. Tomorrow we have an early start and fly to New Zealand and another time zone. I’ll do the Wordle puzzle and then maybe I’ll sleep……..

Sydney is always exciting, glamorous and pulsating with life! It’s great for a few days and then it becomes exhausting and I am craving fresh air and a quieter pace of life. Looking forward to the blue blue skies and the  mountains and lakes of Queenstown. Here we come!

Seasonal Madness

 Falloweenmas…. It’s a new season which combines Autumn (fall), Halloween and Christmas! Or the shops think it is as there is just one big, messy, cluttered shambles of pumpkins, autumnal garlands, witches hats, skeletons, Christmas trees, Santas, baubles and tinsel with fireworks going off anytime from mid Oct to mid Nov - Urgh! I hate it! I like the seasons to be tidy and in the right order. I like Autumn followed by Halloween, then Bonfire night (which is one night not one month) and then Christmas and if you are in the US with Thanksgiving in between! When did it become one huge consumer frenzy?  Don’t know but I think people have gone completely mad!

Autumn is just a season of mellow fruitfulness, not a reason to buy cushions and throws with pumpkins on  and hang plastic wreaths on doors. It used to be a season of long muddy walks through crunching leaf piles, Harvest Festivals and thankfulness for all those who plough the good earth. Conkers and crisp days enjoying late sunshine and nights drawing in with curtains closed by 6pm and the TV on early!

Halloween was a witchy night for playing tricks. My sister’s birthday meant party games involving apples - duck apples to be caught in a washing up bowl, toffee apples to be eaten with sticky hands and apple pie.  Costumes were homemade from mums sheets or black cardboard to make a witch hat - nothing inflatable or plastic to go into the landfill! We made lanterns from turnips - we hadn’t even seen a pumpkin - Carved out with a safety knife and the insides mashed into carrots to be eaten. Trick or Treat was sugar free and just us children running around the street with our lanterns scaring people with maybe a knock and run if we were really daring! It was not a mountain of sugary sweets! 

Bonfire night was preceded with ‘penny for the guy’ and involved pushing an old hat, jacket and pants stuffed with newspapers around in a wheel barrow and neighbours would give a copper or two for fireworks. A bonfire was built as close to Nov 5th with wood and scrap donated if you carted it way in the very useful wheel barrow. If you built it any earlier rival kids would burn it down and you’d be left with no fire on Bonfire Night. A box of fireworks was bought and set up in the garden for after the fire  - milk bottles lined up for rockets and Catherine Wheels pinned to the fence. This was quite strictly controlled by our parents and if my brothers were caught with bangers beforehand they got a hiding! We were told horror stories of lost fingers and disfiguring burns as a deterrent.  We could see our breath when we watched in the garden all wrapped up in knitted things!  We ate hot chestnuts - cooked in coals and sooty jacket potatoes or maybe a hotpot to warm us up and then it was over and a smokey walk to school the following day was the only evidence. It was great!

Christmas followed a whole seven weeks later and shop windows and the town Christmas light were a highlight with the switch-on in December. Towns had a Christian manger scene with baby Jesus magically  added on Christmas Eve. Trees went up the week of Christmas no matter how we begged to put it up earlier and decorations were made with loo rolls, egg boxes, silver foil,  cotton wool and glitter joining the precious gaudy glass baubles and balding tinsel that came out each year. Gifts were mostly things we needed like school stationery and slippers, a scarf and hat with the odd frivolous addition and some sweets and an orange. They were delivered in a pillowcase - not a fancy personalised stocking -  There were six of us and still the lounge wasn’t full of gifts unlike the Christmas Day scenes of hideous overspending that fill social media these days. 

I liked the order of things and miss the warm simplicity of the Festive season. It’s sad that it’s morphed into a stressed out shopping spree with family spats and over stimulated and over indulged children. The spirit of Christmas and the reasons for all of the above traditions seems to be long forgotten - lost in consumer madness, driven by media hype. I’ve opted out and we keep it as simple and enjoyable as we can. I liked creating magic for my children and to see now they are grown up, they are doing the same for theirs’. 

My message - keep it simple, don’t be pressured into overspending and getting sucked into a commercial feeding frenzy. Remember to embrace the true reason for these traditions and celebrate them the way they were intended to be. Teach your children the value of things and most importantly the consequences to the planet of the mountain of plastic and harmful rubbish that the unnecessary decor and seasonal trash creates. 

Before we know it, it will be Backtoschoospringeaster! and the madness continues!

Must do better!

 

SIX months! Since I’ve written my blog - I’ve written it in my head several times but just haven’t put it on the keyboard. What can I say, I’ve had a very busy summer and a couple of health issues but the last couple of months I have no excuse - most do better!

We were packing for Ireland not long after we got back as Punchestown races were calling. A great opportunity to dress up, meet friends, people watch ….and of course enjoy the races and some great craic with the wonderful Irish folk we meet along the way! This year we met two lovely fellas from Kelso who ended up on our table on day one and joined us on day 2 as they were placed on a table for two and felt a bit daft staring into one anothers eyes in a dark corner - they were great fun! We spent the last morning at the National Stud which was very interesting - we've never had such good weather in early May in Ireland and had to have a warderobe rethink as many of the racing things that I had packed were to keep out that Irish north westerly wind - meawhile we were basking in 23C.

Then on to Killarney - it seems every time we visit lately they are in the middle of some festival or gathering, this time it was a car rally and the town was full of boy racers except no one told us until we ended up in the middle of it on a single track lane going in the opposite direction through the Dunlop Gap! We literally had to pull in so close to the edge that I feared for my life as cars queued up to go past us blasting their horns, giving us obscene gestures and shouting abuse ar us as they had to slow down to pass us, while I stood at the side of the road in my best Sunday frock en route to lunch at Sneem! This happened not once, not twice but several times as we inched along the narrow road which got narrowere and culminated in a line of food trucks and a barrier obstructing our path! At this point Mr P got out of the car and asked them to remove the barrier as we needed to get on and were late for lunch date - not unlike king Canute demanding that the sea retract. He was answered loudly in Gaelic I think and then a marshall was called and we were told, 'No.' and had to turn around and inch our way back till we found a turn off that was a bit of an off raod, cross coutry route to avoid the rally racers. Anyway we got there eventually and after a stiff drink were none the worse. Thankfully our journey home was hassle free.

Easter if I remember rightly, was lovely and sunny and my son joined us for the weekend - there was lots of food, wine tasting and good company. We  really have had a good summer in the UK which seemed to stretch on and on

The highlight of the year was the family visitors from the US and SA. Sean, Nadine and the children arrived and we had a lovely week locally with days out to castles, hostoroical houses and vineyards and evening beach walks followed by playing UNO. Grandson Craig arrived mid week and joined in the fun. The Americans then left for London and Craig and I joined them from Monday to Wednesday - also joined by my sister and niece for a big famuly catch up - it was just lovely. I hink when all your family live nearby you take it for granted where family time is precious for my far flung family. 

Following which I had downtime …….August (my least favourite month) was spent lying down, visiting doctors, a day in hospital and general maliase which dragged into September. The weather was lovely so I got the rest I needed and sat out in the sunshine enjoying the river traffic and a few good books. I was fully recovered by Septemver when my sister, Julia came to visit and we had a couple of fun days together. 

Then we jetted off to Jersey - Ive always been curious about the Chanel Islands and really didnt know what to expect. We chose to stay in St Helier in a room with a great view as we were uncertain of what the weather would be like - the forecast looked wet. It did rain most days but just briefly and we timed our activities around the daily shower. On day 2 = unknown to us - there was the Jersy Airshow and our hotel room was literally a ringside seat to all the action. It was thrilling and the finale was a great aviation display by the Red Arrows - something I'll never forget! We also had an island tour where evidence of the Nazi occupation was very musch in evidence and we visited a vineyard, museums, down town department stores, the famous Durrell Zoo and I had a somple but excellent Italian lunch - it was a lovely relaxing yet interesting break - we wanted to include Guernsey but our day trip was cancelled due to high seas so that will have to wait for another day.

We spent an accidental weekend in the country last weekend as we had booked accommodation to coincide with horse racing but the horse didnt run and it was too late to cancel so we went anyway ad used the time to visit family in 'Jillu Cooper' country - who had died that week and her books, films and life story was very much in the media and I thought about her sense of fun and general love for life attitude a lot while we were there. 

So now we are already getting ready for our next big trip and the year has flown. Mid Novemer we are off again for three months - which means a lot of planning not just for packing but also getting things  done before we leave and making sure we have a clean bill of health. Ill be doing my 
Christmas shopping in New Zealand, wrapping it in Los Angeles and putting it under a Christmas Tree in Michingan before heading south again to the warmer side of the US - exciting times. The idea is to travel 'while we can' and make the most of life. 

Well that was a mammoth catchup post - and a lesson to keep up to date and keep my journeling on track! 

The Blue ‘Road’ road home..

 

We are home and just about unpacked - oh how I hate preparing for the return journey when the moment of truth happens - YOU HAVE BOUGHT TOO MUCH !!! I always stress about getting it in and the more luggage allowance I have the more temptation I have to resist ….except I don’t! 

Our last few days were split between Hermanus and Blouberg SW of Capetown so there were plenty of opportunities to shop and Hermanus particularly devastated my willpower! I found a beautiful shop called Beach House Hermanus and spent two hours plus in there - Linda my new BFF encouraged me to try things on by bringing things she thought I’d like to the fitting room ….. I liked it ALL Linda 😂 I settled on a couple of Frock ‘Roll dresses and a couple of tops and Ive worn everything which is always a good sign! They had a great selection of Carol Boyes and some lovely table linen and gifty things. It was brilliant! Also in Hermanus and inspired by the lovely decor in our AirBnB I headed to the mall and bought bedding, a comforter and cushions! At this point I booked an extra case in with the airline. Oh I forgot to mention the Springbok skin 😂

This was all before we had a day trip to PaterNoster and a gem of a place called ManeKi in a lovely little newly built arty square. They had lovely galleries and jewelry showcasing local artists and I could have gone mad but had to think small and beautiful so jewelry it was! The restaurant there was amazing too and in fact our whole day was amazing! Such a wonderful place that hadn’t lost its charm as so many of these little coastal sites have.  Then there was Darling and an interesting place Heart of Darling with eclectic decor, a charming guy called Brian and unusual and lovely things to explore and so I ended up with even more …… on to Riebeck Kasteel and  Chrystal Twine which left me speechless and if I ever win the lottery (which I don’t even do) and buy that barn conversion I hanker after,  then this is where I will go to furnish it!  Another beautifully wrapped package to add to my collection.

So getting it all home! I checked that extra bag in, my carry on case coming, ditched my toiletries and some clothes the morning we flew, found little pockets of space in both mine and Nick’s cases. We were not even at our new allowance. Phew! It all arrived home in one piece.

What I have eventually have learned is not to take so much with me especially to SA where I know I will find stunning clothes especially to holiday in. My favourite brand Iconic (I bought several of their dresses)  also ships to the UK ❤️ a few days in Capetown at the start of my SA trip and I could travel with an empty case I’m sure! Will I be brave enough to do this 😉 Time will tell!

We spent out last day at Stark Conde which is the most beautiful vineyard in the world nestled in the Jonkershoof Valley. Their wines are excellent and we discovered it about thirty years ago by mistake - tasting was informal and free from a little counter from the winery - we were heading elsewhere and stopped to ask directions - felt it was rude not to taste their white wine! Neil Ellis was the wine maker then who went on to win loads of awards. We showed our map (no sat nav in those days) and I said we were trying to get onto this ‘blue’ Road to a restaurant for lunch. ‘Lady that’s a river’, I was informed to much laughter and we decided to stay and sample the reds and some cheese crackers and preserves appeared! Such a happy memory and it makes me happy to see how it has grown successfully since. Lunch this week was delicious and served beautifully and it was a fitting end to this years visit!

I love and miss this most special place and it’s people!

You are welcome…..

I sleep around! On this trip alone we have stayed in 12 hotels and B&Bs - all of them 4* plus. Some modern, some traditional, all unique and most have been great! We have met some lovely people our experience has been warm and welcoming and I always give feedback when I leave. I love to give positive feedback and give it freely but I also like to give suggestions for improvements.  We are currently in a lovely place on the coast with panaromic views of the Indian Ocean. Our room is fairly spacious, beds comfortable, good quality bedding and towels, a modern en suite ….BUT ……the room is spacious but cluttered.

 There are five chairs in this room for two people FIVE! Two dining chairs, two wing backed easy chairs and a dressing table chair.  There are two bedside tables plus a coffee table, plus a small dining table , plus a dressing table plus two wicker side tables …… that is toooo many tables! I think they would benefit from a visit from an interior designer as no one needs this much furniture and the common area is the same - guests are tripping over furniture and ornaments.

Here are some things that just drive me mad about some of  places we have stayed.

1. Coat hangers that are attached to the rail that you have to wrestle with to hang your stuff up! I know people can take them but for Gods sake coat hangers are cheap!

2. Toiletries that are nailed to the bathroom wall - yes I know some people like to nick the soap but I am not one of them so stop treating us all like criminals.

3. Small cups that hold two sips of tea - please provide a mug or a decent size cup!

4. These days everyone is charging something, so fitted USB ports are a necessity not a nice to have.

5. Lighting is a hit and miss affair but I think hospitality should remember that guests are staying in unfamiliar rooms and to make them as bright, light and accessible as possible especially areas with steps and stairs. Reading lights are must!

6. I think it was in the local newspaper that a restaurant critic used to not only rate the food and service but also the loos! Well I totally support that - some loo paper in where we have stayed is almost see through! I want 5 star loo rolls!

7. Guest information should be friendly and welcoming - not written with Do’s and Don'ts like the riot act with penalties for smoking and stains in CAPITAL letters. It’s also good to have emergency numbers listed somewhere prominent for guests.

8. Those folding racks are great for unpacking and they fold up after use so aren’t taking up valuable space and guests do need somewhere to put their cases while unpacking and to store their empty suitcases (especially when there are five chairs and six tables in the room)

9. Cleanliness is non negotiable!

10. If you want your guests to return it’s a good idea to remember that we are here to relax and enjoy a break and not to act as if everything is a huge inconvenience to you. Hello if we are not here then neither are you!

We have stayed in some wonderful places so I’m not moaning at all but I think it’s a good idea that the hotel or b&b owner perhaps spends a night in the rooms that guests are paying for so they can feel the experience they are providing. In the same way that we should spend a night in the guest bedroom at home to make sure it’s comfy for our guests. What do you think?

A Tale of Two Cities

 

We have journeyed on to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town and Knysna and I have had numerous frustrations during the week we have been here.port Elizabeth is where I lived very happily for 35+ years. It doesn’t have THE mountain but it does have amazing beaches, good doctors and most importantly my remaining family here. However as Capetown has boomed in tourism  and business, it has capitalised on the success and is a thriving, growing exciting city with a real throbbing heartbeat. In contract at the other end of the scales Port Elizabeth has declined and is on life support! It has been badly managed by successive ANC governments (CT is governed by the DA) and each year I shake my head at the failure of undelivered promises and corruption that has robbed this once wonderful place of its success!

The frustrations are many and I have labelled these WTF moments for obvious reasons 😉

The roads - oh my word what happened! There are pot holes galore in-between the numerous speed humps and what happened to road markings! The speed humps are often invisible as they are not marked and the tarmac so bleached and the road lines so faded that they are the same colour. This together with street lamps that don’t work make for a hazardous driving experience! WTF!

The standard of driving - aggressive to say the least to the point of lawless! I shook my head in disbelief at the behaviour of motorists and felt so disappointed! You can blame the government for the state of the roads but you can’t blame anyone for the bad behaviour of motorists but the citizens of PE. WTF!

The service in shops was frustrating! When you get to a till and there is no barcode or prices on goods what are you supposed to do? This only happened to me in PE and not only once or twice. I walked out of more than one shop without what I wanted and shopped for because it wasn’t labelled when I got to the till. Clicks being the worst offender! It was I there as well that I was chastised for sampling a perfume spray on my hand - how are you supposed to buy anything if you can’t try it? WTF!  In most restaurants the food was mediocre and the service abysmal so we found ourselves going to the same places - Blue Vibes in Seaview because both the food and service was great,  Merak (new place in Walmer) was excellent and Mug and Bean in Walmer Park because you know what you are going to get.

We are now in Jeffrey’s Bay when the state of the roads is worse year upon year! The  beaches in both PE and JBay are world class, the weather is amazing and the people mostly wonderful humans so why oh why oh why is the Eastern Cape not capitalising on this to make a tourist destination that people will flock to and bring their money to spend and inject into the economy and create jobs. Yes you have cruise ships docking here - we saw a few but those visitors are off the boat and straight up the N2 to Addo because there is zero reason for them to head into PE.  I just shake my head in disbelief. WTF indeed…….

I know that I will heave a sigh of relief when I pass through the Tsitsikamma toll into the Western Cape and back to civilisation. I feel so sad writing this - I was proudly Port Elizabethan but no longer!

NB. Kitchen Window in JBay is one of the best restaurants I have been to. The standard is consistently high, the food fresh and well prepared and the service excellent! Go there…unsurprisingly you need to book!