Sep – Oct 2024

Our Southern Sojourn!

Trev and I are off to Melbourne for a couple of days, then the South Island of New Zealand, then back to Melbourne before flying home to Brisbane. Join us!! 😀😀😀 Read more

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Trip start
September 14, 2024
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Friday, September 13, 2024 at 1:56 PM
⛅ 23 °C
Altitude: 27 m
Australia Petrie Bight Retaining Wall -27.464458, 153.03056627°27’52” S 153°1’50” E
The Eve of Travel 😀😀😀
September 13, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Not long to go now!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Trevor HollandOMG it is soooo close!
9/13/24Reply
Suzie HollandIt's here!!!!!!!!! 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄
9/13/24Reply
TravelerVery exciting
9/13/24Reply
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Day 1
Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 8:42 AM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 4 m
Australia Brisbane Airport -27.384606, 153.12203127°23’5” S 153°7’19” E
Brisbane Airport
September 14, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Suzie - Wooooo! It begins! I love the airport, it either means I'm plane spotting or I'm travelling 💜💜 Checked in our bags, made it through security and now it's time for noms before our flight to my favourite Australian city 😀😀😀 Excitement!!

And there's my favourite plane, the Emirates A380 😄😄😄😄Read more
Trevor HollandI'll fly this plane!
9/13/24Reply
Hahaha!! Greg's Drinking Song is awesome!! 🤣🤣🤣 [Suzie]
9/13/24Reply
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Day 1
Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 3:12 PM
⛅ 10 °C
Altitude: 11 m
Australia Fed Square -37.818106, 144.96853337°49’5” S 144°58’7” E
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Melbourne 💜💜💜
September 14, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
After a rather uneventful trip down, we arrived in Melbourne with rain and 9°!! It was lovely!!!! 😄😄😄😄 We checked into our accommodation - Rendezvous Hotel in Flinders Street and then set off to see my favourite Australian painting - 'The Pioneer' by Frederick McCubbin at the National Gallery of Victoria. We then went to ACMI - Australian Centre for the Moving Image and saw many fascinating exhibits, then to my favourite pub in Melbourne - Young and Jackson for a pint. We then met up with our friend Jason who I haven't seen since 2019 at least and we walked through Melbourne to Daughter's Arms, a British India themed gastronomical delight!! Trev had the fish and chips and I had the potato, leek and cheese pie 😄😄

We came back to our room and the air con was stuck on 17°, not optimal for Trev's hayfever. We talked to reception and they moved us to a new room which is better 😄😄😄😄 Goodnight everyone!!Read more
Traveler That is one of my favourites too.
9/14/24Reply
Suzie Holland💜💜💜💜 I don't know if you saw it, a print of The Pioneer was hung in my childhood house in Savoy St in the loungeroom. Mum would fascinate me with the story of the painting, Frederick McCubbin and other artists from the Heidelberg School such as Tom Roberts. I visit The Pioneer whenever I'm in Melbourne 😄😄
9/15/24Reply
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Day 2
Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 8:29 AM
⛅ 9 °C
Altitude: 20 m
Australia Melbourne -37.814686, 144.96341937°48’53” S 144°57’48” E
Ambiance, Queen Victoria Markets
September 15, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
I was told about this beautiful shop in the Queen Victoria Markets which celebrates Christmas, from one of my work colleagues 😀😀😀😀 So gorgeous!!
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Day 2
Sunday, September 15, 2024 at 1:33 PM
☁️ 12 °C
Altitude: 14 m
Australia Sorrento Park -38.336261, 144.74137538°20’11” S 144°44’29” E
Sorrento
September 15, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
I've wanted to visit Sorrento for a great number of years and it is well worth the wait. Sunshine and a relaxed beach vibe 😄😄 The ferry takes people and cars from Port Melbourne to Sorrento return 💜 Hotel Sorrento is real too!!Read more
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Day 3
Monday, September 16, 2024 at 7:09 AM
☁️ 8 °C
Altitude: 124 m
Australia Tullamarine Airport -37.668806, 144.84821737°40’8” S 144°50’54” E
Christchurch Bound!!
September 16, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Almost ready to fly out 😀 The Business Class lounge was lovely, however as it was on ground level, it felt a little isolated and dark. It's nickname in flight circles is The Dungeon and now I understand fully why! The staff were lovely and we had a hearty breakfast 😀

Next stop Christchurch 💜Read more
TravelerHave a great trip
9/16/24Reply
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Day 3
Monday, September 16, 2024 at 10:30 AM
☁️ 14 °C
Altitude: 122 m
Australia Tullamarine Airport -37.667781, 144.84564237°40’4” S 144°50’44” E
Southern Alps from the Air 🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤
September 16, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
These are some beautiful photographs I took from our flight and a view of the South Island coastline 😀😀😀
TravelerBeautiful
9/16/24Reply
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Day 3
Monday, September 16, 2024 at 1:11 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 31 m
New Zealand Christchurch International Airport -43.489558, 172.53986943°29’22” S 172°32’24” E
Christchurch
September 16, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
The flight from Melbourne to Christchurch was pretty good and we arrived safely in New Zealand 💜💜💜 We went and picked up the car and drove to our hotel. We checked in and rested for a bit before we went to explore. We found an Irish pub and had dinner, cider and Kilkenny.

Trev has passed out and I'm watching CSI: Vegas. More exploring tomorrow!Read more
TravelerLove it
9/16/24Reply
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Day 3
Monday, September 16, 2024 at 6:26 PM
🌙 8 °C
Altitude: 16 m
New Zealand Cathedral Square -43.532567, 172.63438343°31’57” S 172°38’4” E
The Little Fiddle Pub, Christchurch
September 16, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 8 °C
What better way to ease into NZ culture by having a pint and a tasty meal at a really great Irish pub!!
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Day 4
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 9:30 AM
☁️ 5 °C
Altitude: 24 m
New Zealand Christchurch -43.531628, 172.62663643°31’54” S 172°37’36” E
My Tree, Christchurch Botanical Gardens
September 17, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
I'm visiting 'my tree' - a Turkish Red Pine planted in c. 1860. I visited this tree in 2016, my first trip to Christchurch and I came across this tree and sat on one of the branches and contemplated my future.

Children were playing in and out of the branches that sprawl along the ground. As I was leaving, I hugged the tree and promised I would be back and here I am.

It's a magical tree and I'm so blessed and happy to be back.Read more
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Day 4
Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 2:23 PM
☁️ 5 °C
Altitude: 316 m
New Zealand Hanmer River -42.580206, 172.78484242°34’49” S 172°47’5” E
Hanmer Springs
September 17, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
Here we are in the beautiful alpine spa village of Hanmer Springs with 4°!!

We even had snow!! SNOW!! 😀😀😀😀 We've had a late lunch/early dinner of a souvlaki and now it's back to Christchurch
TravelerMy favourite place xxx
9/17/24Reply
Suzie HollandOne of mine too 😀
9/18/24Reply
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Day 5
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 10:42 AM
⛅ 9 °C
Altitude: 5 m
New Zealand Stanley Park -43.805481, 172.96685843°48’20” S 172°58’1” E
Akaroa
September 18, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
A beautiful little village founded by French settlers in 1840. Both France and England were interested in this little corner of paradise. I love it here 💜
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Day 5
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 4:35 PM
☁️ 9 °C
Altitude: 732 m
New Zealand Lake Tekapo -44.0039, 170.47718644°0’14” S 170°28’38” E
1
Lake Tekapo
September 18, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
I'm finally back here!! Lake Tekapo is one of my happy places in our world and it's an honour and privilege to be here 😀😀😀 The trip into Mackenzie Country with the beautiful snow capped mountains (it's been snowing a bit around the South Island) elicited a lot of happy sighs from me and various comments from Trev such as " oh my god!!", " you're just showing off now New Zealand!!" and "stop it!!" to show his love for this country.

We were booked for the Dark Sky Summit tour tonight but when we got there, they warned us that it might not be able to happen due to the cloud cover and gave us the option to do the Crater tour with a partial refund, book another night or full refund. We opted for the Crater tour and boarded the bus. The tour took us 5 minutes away to a man made crater that had some gorgeous telescopes. Our guide Oscar showed us where Saturn and Venus are, the Southern Cross, true north and south are and we were able to see Saturn through the telescopes. Wow!! Saturn was so clear and I could see the ring and some of Saturn's moons. We learnt that Jupiter buffers a lot of debris and asteroid impacts that could hit the Earth and how auroras are made. As the cloud cover got worse, they had to call the rest of the tour off and offered a full refund! I had a beautiful night.Read more
Suzie Holland View from our apartment!!!
9/18/24Reply
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Day 6
Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 1:35 PM
🌫 4 °C
Altitude: 768 m
New Zealand Red Tarns -43.732822, 170.09311443°43’58” S 170°5’35” E
Aoraki/Mount Cook
September 19, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌫 4 °C
We had booked the Tasman Glacier tour but Mother Nature had other ideas and it was raining heavily at the Hermitage Hotel where we were meant to meet up with our guide and it had been cancelled. All good and we had a yummy lunch instead! The mountains are still beautiful 💜💜💜Read more
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Day 6
Thursday, September 19, 2024 at 3:23 PM
🌫 4 °C
Altitude: 709 m
New Zealand Mount Cook -43.736831, 170.11127543°44’13” S 170°6’41” E
Tasman Glacier
September 19, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌫 4 °C
Our tour may have been cancelled due to poor weather, however we decided to go and see what we could see and I'm so glad we did! The sky cleared and we have been gifted this beautiful view of the Tasman Glacier and the resident icebergs!!Read more
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Day 7
Friday, September 20, 2024 at 1:16 PM
☁️ 9 °C
Altitude: 732 m
New Zealand Lake Tekapo -44.004103, 170.47689244°0’15” S 170°28’37” E
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Our Most Action Packed Day Ever!!
September 20, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Trev wanted me to label our day as the above!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

We decided today was to be a rest day and it was just what we needed. We headed off into the village around midday in search of coffee and pastries and we found it at The Greedy Cow cafe 💜💜 We then went to the lake for some more photos, then back to our apartment for movies and rest 😄😄

As we were coming back to our apartment, Trev spied alpacas further down the road. We had found the Lake Tekapo petting zoo!! We patted alpacas, the cow and the sheep 😄😄😄

The weather has turned cold and rainy now and I'm glad we are inside and warm 💜💜💜Read more
Suzie Holland I promise this is a blueberry cheesecake macaron and a Ferrero Rocher eclair!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
9/20/24Reply
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Day 8
Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 10:09 AM
☁️ 6 °C
Altitude: 758 m
New Zealand Mount John -43.971564, 170.46666143°58’18” S 170°27’60” E
Mount John, Lake Tekapo
September 21, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
We are at the Mount John Observatory and we have just had a delicious morning tea 😄😄😄

If our Dark Sky Summit Tour hadn't been cancelled the other night, this is where we would've been at 7.30 at night. What a wonderful reason to come back!! Not that we needed one!!

Onto Queenstown now 💜💜Read more
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Day 8
Saturday, September 21, 2024 at 8:13 PM
☁️ 5 °C
Altitude: 342 m
New Zealand Peninsula Hill -45.033589, 168.66425545°2’1” S 168°39’51” E
Queenstown
September 21, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
After a beautiful drive from Lake Tekapo through mountains and gorges, we are here in Queenstown and it's so beautiful 💜💜💜

We arrived around 3.30pm, settled into our apartment and went exploring. We went to Fergburger, a Queenstown institution for delicious burgers and fruit smoothies from Patagonia Chocolatiers and walked along Lake Wakatipu. We are so tired, so we are back at our apartment, rather than hitting the town, which is only a couple of minutes away!!Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 12:37 PM
⛅ 7 °C
Altitude: 781 m
New Zealand Queenstown -45.026178, 168.65006945°1’34” S 168°39’0” E
Skyline, Queenstown
September 22, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
We are high up a mountain here and have just finished our luge rides!! We jumped onto the Skyline gondolas which took us up to the gift shop and cafe, then we walked to another chairlift that took us right to the top for the luge.

I was freaking out a fair bit but after a quick but thorough lesson we were ready to go!! What an amazing time!! Trev braved the more advanced track and I happily stayed on the more scenic route!! 😄😄😄😄😄Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 3:36 PM
⛅ 8 °C
Altitude: 311 m
New Zealand Peninsula Hill -45.032665, 168.65842345°1’58” S 168°39’30” E
Minus 5° Ice Bar, Queenstown
September 22, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
Well, to say we are sober would be a lie!! Our Ice Bar was -8.7°!! What a fantastic time! Trev says he's going to leave me for Dean, our bartender!! We were the last ones left in the bar dancing to Ice Ice Baby!! We got 2 for 1's at the bar next door! How many exclamation marks can I put in one post!??!!!Read more
Trevor HollandOn second thoughts I think Dean is a bad influence. I'm still feeling that last shot he made!!
9/22/24Reply
Suzie Holland🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
9/22/24Reply
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Day 10
Monday, September 23, 2024 at 10:37 AM
☁️ 6 °C
Altitude: 312 m
New Zealand Peninsula Hill -45.033006, 168.66026745°1’59” S 168°39’37” E
Last Full Day in Queenstown
September 23, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
We have had a bit of a chill day today 😄 We went to Time Tripper, which was an interactive trip back into time to show how New Zealand and Lake Wakatipu was created and we also saw what was underneath the surface of the lake. We saw the largest eel in the world - they are a metre long and live for 80 years before travelling to Tonga to spawn. We also saw diving ducks, salmon and rainbow trout.

Lunch was at the Beech Tree pub where we had fried Halloumi and vege burger, and sampled two of the 26 craft beers they had on tap 😄😄

We then went on the TSS Earnslaw which was so chill and peaceful. So much snow is still on The Remarkables and the surrounding mountains! Much more than the last time I was here.Read more
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Day 10
Monday, September 23, 2024 at 2:43 PM
☁️ 9 °C
Altitude: 311 m
New Zealand Peninsula Hill -45.033303, 168.65791445°1’60” S 168°39’28” E
TSS Earnslaw, Queenstown
September 23, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
We are currently sailing on Lake Wakatipu on the coal-firedl steamship, the TSS Earnslaw which was built in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1911. She is 52 m long and she used to deliver mail and supplies to the villages and stations along and around Lake Wakatipu. Two of the stations are only accessible by boat, the largest is over 40,000 hectares.

You can even go downstairs to see the machinery in motion that powers this amazing steamer. The TSS Earnslaw is one of the largest of the few remaining coal-fired steamships in existence.Read more
TravelerLovely
9/24/24Reply
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Day 11
Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 7:36 AM
☁️ 3 °C
Altitude: 311 m
New Zealand Peninsula Hill -45.033619, 168.6612545°2’1” S 168°39’41” E
Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown
September 24, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C
As we sadly have to leave this beautiful area and go onwards to Te Anau, I wanted to walk along the lake and dip my feet in! On a really cold day, in thongs, as that's how I roll!!! Hahaha!
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Day 11
Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 10:27 AM
☁️ 3 °C
Altitude: 322 m
New Zealand Buckler Burn -44.850961, 168.38864244°51’3” S 168°23’19” E
Glenorchy
September 24, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C
I love this little village!! I have been here before and wanted to show Trev the beauty of this piece of paradise. What a beautiful day and we stopped off at Mrs Woolly's for yummy hot drinks before heading back into Queenstown and onto Te Anau.

Trev brought himself a gorgeous Kakapo made of recycled materials that he has named Orchy after Glenorchy 💜💜💜Read more
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Day 11
Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 11:36 AM
☁️ 5 °C
Altitude: 312 m
New Zealand Queenstown Airport -45.028664, 168.73335845°1’43” S 168°44’0” E
The Remarkables
September 24, 2024 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 5 °C
These amazing snowy mountains forming part of the Southern Alps are majestic and form a gorgeous backdrop to Lake Wakatipu as you leave (or arrive) Queenstown.

We were going to go to base camp, however due to unsafe weather conditions, we were unable to do so. Yet another reason to come back to this fabulous part of the world!Read more
TravelerLooks amazing
9/24/24Reply
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