Where are we all

The whale watching at Kaikoura was wonderful - we were only about 50' from two whales and my grandson got some great photos of them, especially of their huge tails when they got ready to dive. We saw albatrosses and lots of seals and a couple of dolphins. The drive from Nelson to Kaikoura was so beautiful, but I could understand why it might be a bit daunting for anyone not used to twisty mountain roads!
We shared a huge cray fish from a roadside stall (£25!!) and my GS said it was one of the best days he has ever had. Mind you, he said that yesterday about his first parachute jump. He is off to the Lakes tomorrow with his sister, who is here on holiday from Lancaster university. They are heading for a refuge with their sleeping bags and cooking gear. Then he has a bungee jump before leaving for a diving holiday in Fiji. He does work very hard in London, so I think he deserves his chance to forget work and enjoy all the wonderful things NZ has to offer.

What a trip of a lifetime you're having Greatnan. The whale watching must have been awesome, and to see the dolphins as well must have been such a treat.

Glad it went well. The only time we went whale watching in California it was gruesome. I got soaked from the waist down and the crew just laughed. He felt sick. We caught a few glimpses of the backs of some blue whales.
We staggered off the boat and DH said "Now I know what wildlife programmes are for!"
Hope the clouds cleared and you could see the beautiful mountains
Kai is the Maori word for food isn't it.

Greatnan, I am very envious reading your description of whale watching at Kaikora. In Feb last year, we were there and due to rough sea we couldn't go out that afternoon but turned up next morning at 0730 to try again. It was a huge swell when we started looking for whales and we never saw one! Many people were sick and we were amongst the 5% who had money returned for non viewing!
We saw lovely Hector dolphins though. So I still have a big wish to see whales...
Everywhere else we went worked perfectly and even had 34 degrees and sun at Doubtful Sound.
Best wishes.

Sorry spelling error, meant Kaikoura

Doubtful sound is one of the most special places. My brain just could not take in that the sides are a kilometre high...

Wonderful, Greatnan - this makes me determined to try again for a whale-watching trip. You are having such a lovely holiday and you deserve it. I'm off now to the family in Oxfordshire so have a very happy Christmas in NZ - I hope the sun shines for your barbie. - the best Marlborough can supply and you can't get much better than that!

Jess, you were lucky to see the sides of Doubtful Sound - we were there in a continuous downpour.

Thank you, ladies - the sun has been shining every day since the rain stopped, but one town, Collingwood, is still accessible only by boat. I was surprised to hear how rarely the boat operators have to refund money because no whales are seen. There was a helicopter and also a small plane overhead, and I think they share information about the whereabouts of the whales. There were lots of seals playing on the rocks by the beach, and they seemed to be showing off for the cameras.
Another example of Kiwi kindness - I was waiting in the car outside the house for my GS to fetch his sun glasses, and a lady did a U-turn and came back to ask if I needed any help.
I got a quote from a firm that makes the cabins and for a really luxurious one, with a separate double bedroom, laundry, verandah, all erected, decorated, carpeted, with an en-suite shower room and a small kitchen, all mains services connected, it would be about £40,000. I told them I didn't need the bedroom as I am used to living in a studio, and my daughter would do my laundry for me, so he is giving me a floor plan for a smaller unit, about 18' long x 9' wide. My move is still several years away, but I wanted to make sure I could afford something suitable when the time is right.
My holiday and future plans are helping to take my mind off my great sadness about my other daughter, and the affect that her addiction to codeine is having on our relationship.

I am from Durham now living on an island off the west coast of Norway. Although I do love living here I do miss Durham city and the countryside around.

I don't know Durham, pelawjohn, but I've travelled down that east coast railway line a few times and thought the scenery wonderful. Easy to see why you miss it.

Pelawjohn, it sounds as if you could be living somewhere even more isolated than my little Alpine village! Could you tell us how you came to be there, and what it is like? I have long planned to visit the fjiords, but trips from the UK are very expensive, so it looks as if I will be visiting Fjiordland in New Zealand instead.
MY GS was at Durham university and I visited him there - I thought it was a delightful little town and I love the wild scenery.

Greatnan, I live on an island called Bømlo which is situated about half way between Bergen and Stavanger. The island is in middle of the fjords, at the entrance to the Hardanger fjord and a very beautiful place. I shall try to post some pictures on my profile which I hope will give you some idea of where I live.

greatnan your trip sounds out of this world, hope you are ok just heard the news of the earthquakes! Your trip to see the whales is on my must do list

Pelawjohn hello, I am from Newcastle and love Durham I would miss it too.

I look forward to seeing your photos, Pelawjohn.
We have not been affected by the Christchurch tremors, as we are about 250 miles North. The big one happened to the town last February, when I was here, and that was really terrible. No serious inuries this time, fortunately, but I think many people will be leaving Christchurch for good.

Glassortwo, It´s nice to hear from a fellow Geordie, How are things in the north east? I shall be coming home to Durham in June next year and bringing my son, his wife and their children. My grandchildren want to see where their grandad grew up and lived before I emigrated to Norway. I think that they are in for quite a suprise, here in Norway we live on a small island between Bergen and Stavanger and the kids have never been to a realy big city like Newcastle.

pelaw Newcastle is as it always is, best place in the world to live, not that I am biased or anything. I dont know how long it is since you were in Newcastle, if it has been a while you will be surprised especially along the quayside looks very cosmopolitan now. What with the Sage and the Millennium bridge etc.

Glassortwo, It has been awhile since I was in Newcastle. The last time I was there I went to Worsick street buss station looking for a bus to Durham. Somebody had moved the bus station and I ended up having to take a taxi. Newcastle has change alot since I left in 1972. I remember bringing my then girlfriend (now my wife) for the first time to Newcastle. Sailing up the Tyne, she wasn´t very impressed, but that soon changed when she got into the town centre and saw the shops. She went loopy, everything was so cheep, I think she bought everything she set her eyes on. Since then we have been back quite alot, at least once and sometimes twice a year and my wife loves it and can´t get enough. Already she is planning where to take our daugter-in-law shopping when we come in the summer. No doubt my son and I shall have wait it out in some pub and then carry all the bags home. Life is not always fair!

Hello from Seattle!
Just found this forum tonight so I thought I'd jump in and introduce myself.
I'm originally from Middlesbrough, Cleveland and have now been in the Pacific NorthWest for 12 years (has it really been that long?)
Off to have a good mooch around!

Welcome ClaudiaUSA enjoy your mooch! You will find wonderful humour, sympathy and lively discussion. Be warned Gransnet is addictive!

Hello, Claudia, and a warm welcome.

Welcome Claudia we truly are becoming international.

Greetings, Claudia. I'm sure you will find your niche among us. have a good mooch.

I think there's quite a gathering of 'Gransnetters' around the Altrincham area isn't there? I live near Altrincham and work in Stockport so i agree with the lovely comments about Poynton - I am easily pursuaded to enjoy a costa there and buy a few bits in Waitrose. The street lighting is quite unique tho, don't you think?

Pelawjohn, we often stay in a hytte in Sveio and we have a boat there that we use to go to the supermarket and visit the islands. I think we have visited Bømlo. My husband has lived in Norway (Elverum, in the east) and he speaks the language well enough to have been mistaken for a Norwegian, we have many close friends living in different areas of Norway and try to visit once a year. How did you come to be living there?