This morning we had breakfast at the B&B (hence the second B). Our hostess Lisa was in a bit of a tizzy because she had forgotten the electricity would be turned off on her street from 9:00 to 4:00 today while they replaced wooden power poles with concrete poles. She was trying to figure out if she should wake all the other guests and let them know, and she was also trying to figure out how she was going to get all the linens washed for the next batch of guests. Maybe running a B&B isn’t as quaint as we thought, so we’ll have to come up with a new retirement plan (just kidding Carol and Martie, we’re not moving to NZ).
The couple at breakfast with us was from Scotland. They visit NZ quite often because their only child lives here. About ten years ago, she took a gap year after college and traveled down the west coast of Mexico and South America finally ending in New Zealand for the ski season. Unfortunately, it was a bad snow season that year so she decided to stay another year hoping for a good ski. Needless to say, she still lives here and her parents were visiting for her wedding.
Mr. & Mrs. Scotland asked us about our Trump. This is the first time we’ve been accosted regarding politics. We quickly renounced the Trump and breakfast was allowed to continue with civility. They said Trump bought land in Scotland and built a golf course and hotel. They were not fond of his bullying ways and fear for us all if he has access to the red button.
We stopped in Invercargill for a quick peek at their quilt shop and brewery. Kitz n Thingz is a very well stocked quilt shop. I liked the way they displayed the fabric on half height bolts (they re-roll all the fabric themselves). While many quilt shops in NZ are closing, they are expanding to Dunedin. I added a few more Kiwiana fabrics to my collection.
At the Invercargill Brewery, we turned away because they had too many people out sick today and were not doing tastings and tours. Oh well, on to Te Anau. Once again, our friendly New Zealand accented GPS sent us down a gravel road. It was a nicer gravel road, but still?? Once we got back on the paved highway, we were detoured due to a fatal accident. Getting to Te Anau today was not a straightforward excursion; however, have I mentioned the roadside poo bags? People will place plastic bags filled with poo at the end of their driveway with a sign indicating “Horse Poo $2”. And yes, the signs really say Poo. Chicken Poo is pricier at $4 a bag. We won’t be bringing home any poo bags.
Sights on the gravel road
Sights on the detour
Lake Manapouri
We finally arrived at our destination in Te Anua. It is a lake town on the outskirts of the fiordlands. We will be doing a full day fiord tour tomorrow to Doubtful Sound. Today, we walked around town and stopped at the Olive Life for a sandwich and then over to the Italian place for a gelato. Like you, we thought “Hey we should really do something about all this yummy gelato we’re eating” so we took a 90-minute walk through the fern forest along the lake. Our hostess warned Shawn to stay away from the beach because that will stir up the black sand flies. We were slathered in DEET, but we kept our distance from the shore. It was rather nice on the path in the shaded woods with the occasional sprinkles.
Seafood baguette (salmon, shrimp, blue cod, and squid)
Lamb wrap
Lake Te Anau
This must be why the fern leaf is the national symbol of NZ
Tonight and tomorrow we are staying in a cottage. It is very cute. We had dinner in while enjoying the sound and smell of the rain coming through our patio door. Hopefully, we have a bed more comfortable than last night since we will be up at 6:00 to catch the bus for our all day excursion tomorrow.
Our cottage
Dinner in: 3-berry cider, stout, NZ olives, sesame flatbreads, beet & garlic hummus, and garlic hummus (yes, the beet hummus is really that pink and kind of sweet)
Daily ratings:
The Olive Life – 3 Kiwis
Gelato flavor: pistachio (it wasn’t green!)
Steps taken = 10,239