Revisiting Childhood memories

Richard and Christine at Milford

 Today we had an amazing day as we visited Milford Sound.  It still remains to be one of my favourite places in New Zealand.  It is best in the rain, but true to form it didnt rain - which happens everytime I visit there.  Even better the sandflies were minimal and I only got one bite.  Sadly you can no longer walk around to the Bowan Falls.


The Homer Tunnell entrance

 This is the Homer Tunnell that was built many years ago to gain access to Milford Sound.  It was hand dug by many workers in harsh conditions.  Milford is known for its snow in winter and the avalanches and of course heavy heavy rain fall.  The tunnell is only one way and you have to wait at the traffic lights for twenty minutes or so to travel through it.  It is over a kilometer long and quite scary.


Magestic Mitre Peak

 Here is a picture of mighty Mitre Peak.  It is part of Milford Sound, where you see dolphins, sea life and the occasional seal.  The only way to gain access is via boat, which we didnt do today as we have done the trip many times.  There wernt too many tour buses today either which was nice, as I feel that Milford has become very commercialised, and lost some of its appeal.  Last time we visited we were swamped by tourists.


View from the Chasm on the way to Milford Sound

 My gosh where is the year going - It's march already.  Time just keeps ticking away, and we dont seem to be achieving anything.  Our lives are very busy with the kids activities, richards work commmmitments and my own activities.  This year is shaping up to be husier than ever, and more tiring too.  I have jsut gone back to playing bridge and that has been heaps of fun.  My bridge playing is a bit rusty but is slowly comming back.  Thank goodness for partners who dont worry about bad bidding, poor leads and just general mistakes.  This weekend is a long weekend for our district so we took the opportunity to visit mum and dad in Te Anau - its a very long way from OAMARU.  Sadly though we had to make a detour via Roxburgh as a colleague was killed last week and we attended her funeral.  She will be sadly missed, as she was real extrovert who lit up the room whenever she entered.  RIP Lesley - we will miss you immensly. Funerals are always sad, but this one was filled with music and prayers and loads of colour.

Abbey at Alex on the rocks

On the way to Roxburgh we stopped at Alexandra for a stretch of the legs and I took the kids to on of my childhood memory places - The shaky bridge at Alexandra.  They enjoyed it immensly and had alot of fun making the bridge shake.  Its funny though how much smaller the bridge seemed to my memories as a child.


Amelia being gumby face

 Amelia has many faces and moods, but this is one of her best gumby faces, taken while playing in the playground at Roxburgh after lunch.  We think we might make a photo board of her and her interestering poses for the camera!


Great Aunty Alma and Uncle Berts House

 Oppostie is a picture of where my Great Aunty and Uncle lived.  Thye owned an orchard that had the juciest apricots ever.  We visited them often as kids and I have memories or eating fruit untill being full to the brim.  I loved our visits to Roxburgh as a kid, and miss those days of hot summer and sun, with as much fruit as you could eat.  Aunty Alma's ashes are scattered up the back of the property.

Clyde Dam

 Opposite is a picture of the Clyde Dam - this forms Lake Dunstan and generates a large amount of power that all goes to the North Island!!  why is our power so dare when we produce the bulk of it in the South Island?.  I can remeber them building this dam, and my parents bringing me here to watch the Dam being filled up. - Now thats showing my age!

Kids at the shaky bridge

My old haunt - the playground at Roxburgh



We had a picnic lunch at this palyground - just like we used to as kids.  It was heaps of fun and I felt like being a kid again, only it was forty years later.  I hope that my kids will remember this as well as a great place to visit.




The beautiful Manototo and endless sky

 


The Roxburgh Hydro Dam

 

Map of where we have been from Oamaru to Roxburgh

 The map over shows our travels from Oamru to Te Anau - well sort of - we left Oamru at 7.30am, travelled to Cronwell via ranfurly (you cant see ti on the map), down to Alexandra, then to Roxburgh which is south of Alexandra, then back to Cromwell, and across to Te Anau.  It was twelve hours in the car in the end.  Urrgh  time sitting, but a great trip, if tinged with sadness.  Anyway we have had some fun adventures and really do live in a beautiful country.  Even if we do have earthquakes and Tsunami warnings,