Queenstown, New Zealand

A big part of the rationale for taking this trip was to visit and catch up with old friends from believe it or not... high school. For some reason, many of my best friends now live very far away??? Thankfully I've tracked them down! One such friend who rarely gets back to Canada is Gary, now living in the far flung reaches of far flung New Zealand. In fact, it's so far that I'd never even met his wife, Lynn, or daughters, Scarlett and Lucia. It was fantastic to finally meet the whole family, including two very fierce dogs, Chico and Monica, seen here overlooking some very posh vineyards we visited near Wanaka. Gary was amazing, even managing to take time away from his career as a viticulturist to tour us around Queenstown and do several beautiful hikes in the area. - Steve

I am with my friends Scarlett and Lucia, Lucia is on my back.  I am the horse.  It costs five colourful crystal rocks for a ride.  We were waiting for our pizza and lemonade ( I wish I had lemonade right now).  - Emma

The kids had a great time playing together, and Emma was an excellent "big cousin" which she's practiced lots with Alexandra and Keira (my sister's kids. Here they built themselves a little teepee using a Hudson's Bay blanket (very Canadiana) which we sent Gary and Lynn for their wedding. 

I have decided that Gary wins the prize for living in the most beautiful rural place (I'd like to think that our place in Vnacouver qualifies as the most beautiful urban place). Here are a couple of shots on day trips we did with Gary.

 

Everywhere you travel in New Zealand there are references to The Lord of the Rings.  Whether it was a location for a specific scene, Orcs and elves in the national museum, the maker of 'my precious' ring shop, or a Hobbit village, you cannot escape Middle Earth.  Below Emma is dressing me up as a forest creature using spanish moss she gathered in Mount Aspiring National Park. - Keith