5 December 1999
Tis the season for Christmas parties galore! Our first taking us to
Danseys Pass in Central Otago for an unseasonable white Christmas.
As we travelled up from Dunedin the temperature steadily dropped
to zero and the rain turned to snow. Our accommodation was a small
hotel just below the top of the Pass.
The photo on the left was taken near the top of the Pass and was the first time that Belinda and Jamie had seen snow falling, also their first time in the deep south.
The party was for the South Island branches of Gary's work and with 12 couples we filled the hotel.
After a very good night we headed back to Dunedin via Naseby, Alexandra, the Clyde dam, Cromwell and Lawrence. Outside of Alexandra we called in to the Black Ridge vineyard to sample some of their wines and to bring home a dozen of the best. The area around Alexandra had been flooded a few days before and the high tide mark could be seen on many of the buildings and trees in the area.
Below are photos of Larnach Castle near Dunedin which we visited during our two days stay in the city. Belinda is sitting on the wishing well, no doubt making some extravagant wishes for her Christmas presents.
Yesterday we went to the Auckland branch Christmas party which was a BBQ on Motuihe Island in the Hauraki Gulf. We travelled across on one of the old Auckland ferries, the Kestrel, which only a few weeks ago had run in to the wharf in Auckland and damaged its bow. During the repairs they added extra ballast which caused a problem when we attempted to tie up at the wharf on the Island at low tide. The boat grounded on the bottom and in the end they had to turn it around to get close enough for us to disembark.
We all had a very pleasant day on the beach and because of the bright Auckland sun, Jamie had a chance to wear his new cool shades.