Chad Post: Thursday
It’s half way through out trip and we decide Fjordland was
one of our two goals….New Zealand is so pretty we could have kept driving up the
coast and going on forever but decisions needed to be made. After the incredibly awesome Roberts Point hike we bombed down to Haast, stayed the night and started up in the morning to
make it down close to Te Anau. We wanted
to wash our windshield for the drive through the canyon but three ladies were
giving their car a complete bath with the only window washer at the station, so we gassed up
an got on our way. It is slow going in
New Zealand, we had to stop for a bit while a road crew blasted a rock off the
cliff wall. We continued down into the
town of Cromwell, a town known for its superb viticulture - expecially that of pinot noirs and pinot noir blush! We tried it, and it was good.
We stopped at a fruit stand and had a fresh squeezed fruit juice and sat for a bit.
We stocked up on groceries, wine and gas and continued down the road
through Kawarau Gorge from Cromwell to Queenstown. What impressive water, so blue, cutting
through the black and brown rock, awaiting gold panning and jet boat
adventures…all of which we blast past to use our travel day to get to the
Milford area. We stop in a park south of Queenstown late in
the night for a quick bathroom break and find an incredibly fun playground
ride…it was mini-zipline for kids, so we took a couple turns on that and
continued on our way.
We arrive into Te Anau with the sun going down, but we find a hotel so we can shower, eat, and figure out tomorrows game plan. Two hotels, two days in a row…very nice…no stinky van...
We stopped at a fruit stand and had a fresh squeezed fruit juice and sat for a bit.
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| Kristie gets the "Body Cleanse" fresh fruit juice. |
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| Chad gets Triple Berry Smoothie |
We arrive into Te Anau with the sun going down, but we find a hotel so we can shower, eat, and figure out tomorrows game plan. Two hotels, two days in a row…very nice…no stinky van...
Kristie Post:
So far our New Zealand vacation has been many things, but a culinary tour - not so much. For instance, today we started our travel day with a breakfast of a greasy muffin and sausage roll in a pit stop as we left Haast, and ended it with two "pies" from a gas station in Te Anau. This certainly isn't salad country. But, if you want pies, you've come to the right place. They're virtually everywhere. Not the tasty fruit or sweet pies we have in the US. Think pot pie. British comfort food. We went to the gas station around 9 pm - its the only place in town that's open, and we were hoping to pick up some calamine lotion for my sand fly bites! Alas, no lotion, but they do have pies! The pies are $5.60/e or 2 for $7. We're not idiots - so we get two - they're the last ones left in the case. Oh goody! I got the Mushroom, Spinach and Feta Pie and Chad got the Minced Lamb Maharaja Pie. They are dense - like hockey pucks. Before we even make it out the door, we see the gas station attendant start to clean out the last remaining items in the case. We can already taste the regret. Back at the room we cannot distinguish between the two pies, as their contents are a stewy mystery. We share them, and hope for the best. Between the greasy muffin, sausage roll, organic cleansing juices, and now the pies, our stomachs are fit to be tied.
So far our New Zealand vacation has been many things, but a culinary tour - not so much. For instance, today we started our travel day with a breakfast of a greasy muffin and sausage roll in a pit stop as we left Haast, and ended it with two "pies" from a gas station in Te Anau. This certainly isn't salad country. But, if you want pies, you've come to the right place. They're virtually everywhere. Not the tasty fruit or sweet pies we have in the US. Think pot pie. British comfort food. We went to the gas station around 9 pm - its the only place in town that's open, and we were hoping to pick up some calamine lotion for my sand fly bites! Alas, no lotion, but they do have pies! The pies are $5.60/e or 2 for $7. We're not idiots - so we get two - they're the last ones left in the case. Oh goody! I got the Mushroom, Spinach and Feta Pie and Chad got the Minced Lamb Maharaja Pie. They are dense - like hockey pucks. Before we even make it out the door, we see the gas station attendant start to clean out the last remaining items in the case. We can already taste the regret. Back at the room we cannot distinguish between the two pies, as their contents are a stewy mystery. We share them, and hope for the best. Between the greasy muffin, sausage roll, organic cleansing juices, and now the pies, our stomachs are fit to be tied.
Admittedly, we came to NZ to feed our appetites for adventure, not our bellies.
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 Dinner for two: Pies, Chad's ramen noodle, and pinot noir rose. Comes with a side of rocks. |
The NZ version of the gas station hot dog. Dad would be proud!
ReplyDeleteGood rocks.
ReplyDelete