Parque das Aves

This afternoon a number of the team headed out to do the touristy thing at the local Parqu das Aves. This place was amazing and we all wished we had more time to explore the 5 hectacres and view the 800 birds. With an entry of approx NZD14 the price was cheap for the experience. Many birds were in their natural habitat without enclosures and cages. Everyone was camera happy so here a few snaps from the day. Brazil with its reputation for bright vibrant colours just has taken them from mother nature. There was also an enclosure with 100's of butterflies and hummingbirds. Definitely worth a visit a real must.

Taroba Hotel and views from windows

Images of the town centre and locals

Pedicures Foz style- walk off the street, no booking and six work areas in this one tiny room. Also hairdresser, make up and eyebrows down in the front room. Social and public!! Pedicure just over 4NZD value for money. Looking down the main street Brazilian flag in the distance

Pedestrian carnage-No one stops for anyone even for the wheelchair access

James and Mike at the course Iguacu

Images of Foz do Iguassu

Heading towards Brazil

Driving from the hotel Buenos Aires early morning to the Newberry airport. The view beyond the cars is of the sea- no horizon and no clarity the smog was low and thick. They also have fog but it seemed more smog.This would have been in the past a beautiful esplanade for people to enjoy.Locals were fishing and some walking along the path and parks jutted out into the water.The airport was crazy with a few counters operating but no apparent order to them. Aerolineas counters take any and every flight out so no flight numbers displayed suggesting where to book in. Crazy system.People queued out of the airport doors waiting to check -in. armed guards every few metres. After about 40 minutes of queueing and no movement forward panick started to hit in and with some help and plenty of gestures managed to get a counter opened to check -in and hoped my baggage would follow. Once past security the bedlam stopped and quiet prevailed in the gate areas. The gate number for my departure came up 10 minutes before the plane left so was starting to get a little concerned in case I was in the wrong area. After what seemed like forever the plane turned and headed towards a solitary airstrip in the middle of the bush . the Iguassu international airport. No customs, passport or luggage check. I was met by a volunteer and whisked across to Brazil. No hassles at all. We also picked up a couple of people from the Brazilian airport so I didn't reach the hotel until 4.30pm and found my booking had been misplaced. Finally got a room and aircon and quietly relaxed.

Buenos Aires-night on the town-well almost

Bottled wine on tap

Socialising just doesn't start early in BA. Following the hotel's recommendation I headed out at 9.30pm to a local, small, intimate restaurant just a short stroll about a block and a half away on this lovely balmy evening . It was a cafe and speciality patisserie by day and a restaurant by night. It was warm and welcoming with a strong Italian influence in the food and decor and by 10.30pm it was just buzzing and turning people away. It only appeared as if it would seat about 20 people all up. All the service was done by men in typical waiter aprons and with a dash of class a young women was behind the counter making up boxes for the next day but that appeared to be her only responsibility.. I ordered my meal, bottled water and a glass of the local red- not half bad either and settled down to enjoy the comings and goings of the restaurant and the locals. The streets were just filled with people out and about socialising, passing the time of the day and relaxing. Unexpectedly, the waiter started bringing out complimentary food- a wonderful mango and white wine juice shot just mouth-watering followed by bruschette with a cheese and herb topping yummy, it didn't stop there next came a basket of pastries- cheese puffs, breads and plain pastry puffs I could have easily just had the water and wine and skipped the ordered meal so exercised considerable restraint and waited for my meal. The restaurant 'Cantello' was a wonderful find, great food , reasonably priced and excellent staff. I strolled back 11'30pm to my hotel replete and feeling quite at home and relaxed in Buenos Aires

Kay arrives Buenos Aires

I had the most amazing flight to Auckland which just topped off the start of my trip . Before flying Les surprised me by making time to walk around the mount before we headed to the airport to catch plane number one, the beach, sky and harbour were crystal clear, sunshine glorious views and lovely home images to take away.After a slightly delayed flight from Auckland I arrived in Buenos Aires. The Aussies had to cross the ditch to catch the flight to BA so for once NZL was on the direct route- makes a change. After 12 hours flight I flew across the coast and farmland and it showed the smog getting thicker the closer I flew to Buenos Aires. If the sky had been cloudless and clear over the pole I would have been able to see the south pole but cloud meant no polar views. Argentina still sprays it aircraft on arrival against insects back to NZL quarantine days. The airport was a shambles with departing and arriving passengers intermingled and signage just enough to find my way around and collect my baggage. But for all that the process was reasonably quick with minor passport checks. I changed some money and was warned to make sure I only received authentic Peso (1 Peso=.47 NZD) back but how would I know. The currency exchange also checked every USD I gave them for authenticity..After Mike's warning over the BA taxis I thought I had it made and booked via the desk just through customs - looks were deceiving-only to find they weren't the officially registered taxi operation in Argentina. Thought I would take a risk as I had already paid. No problems though the driver knew where he was going and 25 kms and 1 hour 40 mins later after fighting through the traffic and watching in amazement at every intersection armed federal police occasionally stopping the traffic for pedestrians and forever writing on their pads?I pulled up at my hotel . Doormen, luggage and concierge greeted me and all was well. the The hotel is great, really old school 150 years old-I even have marble around the bath and shower and a marble vanity, with English speaking concierge, Internet, clean and comfy surrounds it OK being by myself-I am so pleased I cancelled the previous booking. It is central and i have gone for an explore, drunk the local coffee, got lost and found my way again, bought water and feel I have it under control for now. Tonight I am going out for dinner somewhere close the hotel will recommend somewhere.. It was strange seeing children finishing school at 5pm and heading home. Everyone has a siesta and then everything opens up much later at night. My rooms looks out over a lovely gardened courtyard and is quiet. The lift is old school-open the door, pull across the concertina door and push the brass numbers. Fits two people in just at a squeeze.

Smog at BA aeroporto

The taxi I should have takenTraffic on the drive inLots of people on bikes and scooters My hotel entrance
Dog walking just isn't for the NY'ers
That coffee cup is just over thimble size and strong


Cheeses, hams and breads just like Europe

2007 Father's Day

The Fathers being spoilt again by the girls!!!!

2007 Rotoiti Uni Break

Images of China

At the hotel

The hotel we have been put up in is modern and very luxurious with a grad extrance and guard who salutes every time we drive or walk past. The hotel has its own fishing ponds for carp and you can hire rods etc. I hav swum a couple of time but it is so expensive about NZ$18 a swim but ohhhh so good after being out and about in the heat. the pool is a lijke a commercial cmplex but no one hardly uses it so each time I have swum a life guard comes out and sits there waiting for me to drown and give him something to do. In the ladies they run around turing on showers, bringing towels, opening lockers and just making sure everything is as one could possibly want. rather disconcerting when you are used to doing everything yuirself. the hotel has so many staff. Today we are all exploring Tiananmen square , shopping and the Forbidden city. Time is quite limited as we also have meeting in the early afternoon so having an early start into town and hopefully it will be a little cooler.

At Beijing Course the only Kiwi

Great wall of China

2007 China

Today we organised a bus to the Great Wall of China. Organising anything out of the ordinary takes time in China but we managed it. It was about 37 degrees and most of the clim was down hill as we all cheated and caught the gondola up to the first point of access. The steps are all inconsistent with some just 5 cms and others 50 cms so at times it was a slog climbing up and down. Along the wall are areas similiar to garretts where the temperatures drop ut of the suna nd many peopple just stop, smoke and eat in the shade. Locals have carted water and drinls for the tourists and are hawking them along the wall.There are 3000 m able to be walked and orginally there were 6kms of wall. The wall was only ever breached once in its history and that was when one of the local important commander's wife was taken as a concubine by the emperor and in revenge the commander allowed the mongolians through the gate . I guess his life was cut short. The views are amazing looking across the hills and mountains. today we have had blue sky as the smog is a thick haze across the city and stretching towards the valleys, hills and rural areas.

2007 Queenstown Abs and Mum

Central Otago hoar frost

The Shotover River frozen . Abby walking on water!!

2007 Abs time out from Uni at the bach

Sometimes its good to be out of sight!!

Les and the family planned a surprise birthday for my 50th last year. I had a great time and the best part was having all my family and friends together. Thanks Les, James, Mike and Abby