Home is behind, the world ahead.

this is the car that took me thousands of kms across New Zealand. thanks for being good to me

Today was a driving day. We didn't leave early, because we wanted to go through Lake Tekapo for an early dinner, we heard their Japanese Restaurant serves very good sushi! So we went back into town for the morning, had a McDonalds breakfast before going for a walk along the water and stopping into some shops we hadn't explored the evening before. I found a LotR shop/collection in the back of a tour booking place. They had a lot of awesome figurines and weapons and books. Spent a good bit of time out there and came out with a tiny model Hobbit hole. Also stopped in a Cookie Time store and I got a cookie s'more and it was delicious. Stopes along the drive to Christchurch: Lake Hayes for a picture after having passed it several times. Cromwell, they had a reconstructed mining town here and also a special baked good called a Cromnut. Essentially it was a croissant donut with custard in the middle, a drizzle of chocolate on the top and icing sugar sprinkle. I didn't get one, I think I will regret it forever. Despite planning to have sushi for dinner, we stopped at High Country Salmon Farm and got some fresh sashimi. Lake Pukaki, which has an amazing view of Mount Cook on the opposite end of it. Lake Tekapo, where we planned to have sushi but the restaurant was closed. They close between lunch and dinner and we were a bit too early to wait. Thankfully we had gotten that sashimi earlier. So we got a whole bunch of meat from pub style place. It came out on a mini stone grill and we have to cook it ourselves. It was quite good though. From there we pretty much went straight on the Christchurch. Owen and I played 21 questions for a while and I point this out cause I actually love that game and it was a good choice for a drive. Then that was it, we checked in, had some wine and got an early night. Well I did Owen stayed up and poked around a bit. We have one more quick visit to Auckland because of a 10 hour stopover and then we say goodbye! Sad! But have had an amazing trip! We are definitely coming back together some day.

this is my lake. got one long stopover in Auckland where I have a surprise for Owen and then we're on our way home and say goodbye to new zealand, which i miss already. #nz

less than 24 hours left; #nz

Kia Ora ~

cookie smore; #nz

Also our 4WD Nomad Safari car's name name was Shelob :D #nz

"If you want him, come and claim him." #nz

fall colours; #nz

the morning view; #nz

We did a lot today! This morning we drove out to Glenorchy for some horseback riding and a short LotR tour with Dart Stables. It was Owen's first time on a horse! He got on named Sandy and I got one named Monty. We went for a beautiful ride along a part of the Dart River bed. After that we had a short 4WD ride out to Paradise. Along the way we stopped at. Forested area where they did some shooting for Parth Galen, including the scene where Bromomir dies. Because there is very little soil there, the trees grow hollow. After that we went out to another area of the Dart River bed, which served as the place where they digitally inserted Orthanc. After having a picnic lunch and a beer, we headed back to Queenstown. Since the day was so clear, I thought it would be a good idea to take a drive up the Remarkables. Once we got to the ski area, I wanted to make another attempted at finding lake Alta. The sign there says it's a 1.5 hour return which means that it should take that long to go there and come back the same way. What it doesn't say on the sign but on the website is that it is an advanced hiking track. Uphill and at most times quite steep. After hiking for about an hour, we checked to see how close we were and were only about half way. It was getting late in the day now, so we decided we had made a good effort, but weren't quite up for it and turned back. One day I'll find you Lake Alta, one day. If you ask Owen, he'll tell you that I have been going on and on about a restaurant in Queenstown called the Blue Kanu. After much ado, we went and ate sooo much delicious food. Honestly it's worth moving to Queenstown for. So I'm going to go ahead and list everything we ate, Kokoda fresh market fish, pork bun, firecracker chicken with chilli jam on a bed of pineapple and coconut slaw, salmon sashimi and a traditional Maori bread. Despite being stuffed I ordered desert which was chocolate, banana, hazelnut wontons with banana ice cream on the side. The ice cream was delicious and had an interesting texture. Happy panda, tired and full of food I essentially crashed as soon as we got back to the room. Kia Ora ~

A failed panorama. #nz

a view of #Queenstown #nofilter #nz

i tried to find lake alta again, it didn't work out but the weather was nicer and the company was better. @shang_heist #nz

it's hard to tell but this is where they 'put' Orthanc. #nz

His cloven shield, his broken sword, they to the water brought. #nz

We went horseback riding today, I wish this was us but it was too pretty not to post. #nz