Queenstown

Update #9. McDonalds

> I'll admit it...we've been to McD quite a few time cause NZ have the best we've ever seen! Not only are many huge & glamorous ...some with kiosks where you place your order...the menu is amazing & abundant: hamburgers with guacamole, salsa, BBQ, bacon, beans & cheese choices; fries with guacamole & salsa; Georgie pies of meats, veg and/or eggs (like pot pie), deli sandwiches, tarts, cakes, cheesecakes, huge selection of muffins; specialty coffees & teas; slushy floats and my personal favorite: chocolate waffle cone filled with hot fudge sundae!! Really--I demand equality!!!

Update #8 Queenstown SNZ

> Guess I'll carry on...left Seb's after fixing our breakfast using eggs he'd just collected from his hens. Headed back to Queenstown using a day bus pass so after dropping our bags at Southern Laughter hostel...we bussed all around the area which couldn't be more spectacular! It's like a 4D effect with the dark, ragged peaks of The Remarkables in the background, the golden rounded mounds with lush pines creeping up them all surrounding the most crystal turquoise lake! (Imagine an immense Torch Lake cradled in this setting.). Crazy that just 150 years ago only a few Maori lived here...today almost 30,000 residence host an average of 5000 visitors a day!! 60% coming from China. This place is crawling with young kids 'cause it's also know as the center for dozens of ways to scare the crap out of ya! From the top of the huge mountains you can skydive, paraglide, zip line, canyon swing, ride a luge or gondola and of course, bungy jump. Then there's the lake where you can speed through the canyons, ride in a skidoo like machine that dives under water & then flies in the air, white water raft, and parasailing. Bike trails have jumps so you can fly there too! Or our choices: a relaxing, calm boat ride and a tour of Kiwi Birdlife Park (thanks Karen for a heads up on that one). Both informative and exciting to hear about the progress NZ is making to revive their native plants and animals. 40% of their animals are on the extinction list another 40% close to it. When the Maori came only 2 types of mammals lived here...both bats and a huge number of birds. Quickly the largest bird, the Moa was hunted to extinction as it had no fear of humans. When other mammals & plants were introduced, it wrecked havoc. Today NZ is spraying pine trees with canola oil to stop the spread and replanting native fauna so many birds have returned. Deer which quickly became overpopulated are actually being plucked up by helicopters & raised. Meat is sold to Germany and the velvet horns to China & used for medicinal purposes. (USA take note--it's big $$ here). Another problem solved: the opossum's fur is being made into hats, gloves & shoe liners. Many large areas are being eradicated of non-native mammals (rats, rabbits, stoats, etc). Most programs have been very successful...especially for the kiwi! The water quality of Lake Wakatipu is 99.9% pure...better than any bottled water...and 2nd only to a lake in Antartica. (Fact checking is encouraged as most of what we hear is from the tour guides, boat captains, bus drivers or locals!)
> Last night we went for a stroll in Queenstown's botanical park which was quite lovely...and we were treated to a medley of Shakespearian plays with snippets being performed throughout the park. Us lucky blokes!! Tonight we're catching up on writing...obviously...trying to plan a bit ahead...and gazing at the views & soon the night skies at 45 degrees S latitude...half way between the equator and the S pole!
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> Sent from my iPad

Tuatara!

We saw some tuatara at the bird life park today.  They were living at the time of the dinosaurs...and they are still here in NZ today (well, their descendants are still here).  
Love to all,
Gpa and Gma

Can you find Milford Sound on a map?  We will be there tomorrow.