As promised, here's my posting on Akaroa..

Venue: Akaroa, New Zealand
Date: 22 Jan 07
Time: 0830 to 1800
Weather: Super sunny in the morning, till cooling in the late afternoon
Cost: NZD 55 dollars
Travelling partner: Teammie Sherlin (aka Loo Loo, nickname given by me. :p)


After resting for 14hrs, I was so fresh to embark on my road trip to the beautiful city, Akaroa. A mini van came to pick us up at our hotel at 0830hr sharp, together with 5 more senior citizens, average age of 65. (Loo Loo was quite worried for an elderly man, who was so breathless after climbing up a small hill.) Our tour guide of the day, Mr Ernie Meinzer, briefly told us where were we heading to before we set off. We had an inner city tour along Avon River, Victoria Square, Town Hall, Museum, Botanic Gardens, The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, etc. The starting part which makes us go "wooh".. We then make our way up the Port Hills via the Sign of Takahe and Sign of the Kiwi along the Summit Road, past the Sign of the Bellbird. The view of Canterbury Plains and Lyttelton Harbour was so amazing!! Gosh, a look at it not only calms you down, and also liften up your spirits. Overlooking Diamond Harbour, Quail Island, Lake Ellesmere and Kaitorete Spit, all at the same time was magnificent!! Every spot we seen just made us go "wah".. The place looks exactly the same, just like what you seen on tv, like National Geographic, or even magazines, postcards and photos.

We then stop over at Little River for toilet break and Ernie showed us photos of Akaroa and Hanmer Spring. Nice!!

At The Hilltop, while sipping a hot cup of peppermint, we overlooked the beautiful Akaroa Harbour and Onawe Penisular. To be able to live and witness the beautiful works of mother nature, is simply the bestest pleasure one can ever have. Indeed.

A variety of locally made cheese was sampled at Barry's Bay Cheese Factory. Too bad, we couldnt witness the making of cheese, cos the factory only produces cheese on odd number days. But guess its the same process as what I saw in Edam Cheese Factory. One of our tour mate bought a wedge, and ate it all by himself within 5 minutes time. Its quite a huge wedge okie! That explains why his float is always around his tummy. Hehe..

BBQ lunch top with a glass of french chardonnay was served and prepared by Ernie, just beside our mini van. The table was set nicely with linens and cushion. Yum yum!! A couple of families were having picnics beside their cars too. And their sandwiches and sausages just made me drool. Oops!! We were given 2 hrs of Free-And-Easy time to take the harbour cruise to see the dolphines and watch the sheepdogs working on the steep hills, OR to walk around on our own. We choose the latter instead cos the cruise ride isnt covered in our itinerary. We were so glad to find the Giant's House, with the helps and information given by the locals.

And this place is where we fully recharge our mind, body and soul.

""The Giant's House" was named by a small girl looking up at it from the valley below, and said it was so big it must be the house of a Giant. The house was built in 1880, by the first BNZ Bank Manager in Akaroa, who came from Linton in England. It took 5 years to build the house using hardwoods of Totara and Kauri, miled from banks Peninsula. The exception is the magnificent mahogany staircase that was imported from France and reassembled imposing in the grand entrance hall. The house, now restored, is the home of artist Josis Martin.

Josie is an estalished modern artist, painter and sculptor, who saw the opportunity of combining contemporary art while respecting the historic, and enhancing both by contrast. She had breathed new life into the old house. There are her original paintings throughout, besides many quirky and playful creative features."

I have to say, every inch of the house, just makes me and Loo Loo goes "WAAAHHHH"!!!! All the art works in the Mosaic Art Garden, all the sculptures and paintings hanging around the house just made our jaws fell open. The 3 bedrooms were decorated with themes like the boat room, the cinderella room and a super-girly-princess room. Everything you see in the house are handmade or paint by Josie. The rooms, the garden, the staircase, the toilets, anywhere in the house. Even the cups and saucers too. Words couldnt express my thoughts about the house. Its like living in fairytale that you thought wouldnt appear in this war engaging society now. If only we could extend our rest one more day in Christchurch, Loo Loo and I would have stayed over for a night. Dying to, in fact. Where to find another place like this, far far away from the busking hectic city, except in Akaroa?? Finally I found my dream house.

Check out the place over HERE.

PS. Sorry guys, not much photos for this post cos my Sony-T3 camera failed me. Most of my photos had lines, which blured the images. Boo-hoo..

.....You Never Know When Romance Is Going To Sneak Up On You.....