9 January 2026
Back home
Back in Auckland, we started our drive home around 1630. Many people haven’t started back at work yet and the motorway was thankfully free-flowing.
9 January 2026
Back to civilisation
Driving back to Christchurch We left our Lake Benmore campsite around 0730 for the drive to Christchurch. We had better luck with our stop at Fairlie Bakehouse this time. The salmon and bacon pie was very generous with a large chunk of salmon in it! During the drive, a friend Ming had told me that […]
8 January 2026
Lazy day
With cool and changeable weather, we didn’t get up to doing much today. There would have been nothing to report except that Kim went on the water ski effortlessly after many years of not having done that. He even went on one ski, a harder feat, but I didn’t catch of photo of that.
7 January 2026
Short hikes at Mt Cook
Going to Mt Cook National Park Today is the one of two full days we have here, that is forecast for good weather. With my desire to do some short hikes at Mt Cook National Park, this is the only feasible day. We left around 0800 with Jan in our car, stopping in Twizel for […]
6 January 2026
Camping with friends
Today we drive down from Christchurch to the western shore of Lake Benmore to join our friends who are camping there. We left after 0800 and stopped at Rolleston to get some groceries as our contribution before continuing to Dunsandel for breakfast after 0900. The remaining stops along the way now seem to be regular […]
5 January 2026
Dinner with cuzzies
Upon arrival, I dropped some frozen Malaysian meals to a friend’s before checking in at the Classique Lodge for some rest. We have stayed in this motel before. It is Chinese-owned and rather old but very cheap. It appears to be kept alive as a land-banking measure, pending redevelopment of the site. My cousin and […]
5 January 2026
Flying off
Today, we fly down to Christchurch for dinner with my cousins before doing a road trip to Lake Benmore tomorrow for camping with friends for the third time. With a midday flight, there was no rush leaving home to get to the park-and-ride, and we even had some time in the lounge before boarding. It’s […]
24 November 2025
Home sweet home
We landed into Auckland at 0100. I noticed that the cabin lights had been left on for the landing and the earlier take-off from Brisbane. It was actually super-bright in the front and rear galley areas by the doors. Enquiring with friends that knew Qantas crew, this is supposedly their requirement. That’s something new for […]
23 November 2025
Homeward bound
Above: Only snacks served on a 5h55 international flight; unusual for Qantas. Flying to Auckland Today, I finish my trip with a flight back to Auckland via Brisbane on a Qantas redemption ticket. I was very lucky go get a redemption ticket as I wouldn’t like to have chanced a long weekly B737 flight on […]
22 November 2025
Sea Excursion
Getting started Today, I have a day at sea on the surface, rather than underwater which was yesterday. I was picked up by a lovely Japanese guide at 0845 and dropped at their waterside office to pay, collect our snorkel gear and check my permit for being at sea in the area (which was obtained […]