Today the full-day canyoners (Ronnie, Norrie, Jess) left at 9:00, the guys flying planes (Ed, Baby Whale) left early as well, and the rest of us had a leisurely morning before heading out at 10 (Steve time, so more like 10:20). We went to a place called Puzzling World - which has a bunch of illusion rooms and a huge two story maze.
The three interactive illusion rooms (and washroom) were really cool and then we went into the Maze.
Susan and I stuck together at the beginning but then it started raining and she decided to hide under shelter and then left via an emergency exit door. I decided that little rain wasn't going to melt me so I stayed in the maze. The object is to find all four corner towers (in colour order if you're extremely logical and maze oriented, which I am not) and then find your way out. I managed finally to find all the towers, but that took 45 minutes and then as I was trying to find my way out I heard Susan yelling that the van was about to leave. I ended up cheating by ducking under a divider and then taking an emergency exit to get out in time.
Susan and I really wanted to go to a sheep farm while in New Zealand - me especially because I promised Liz that I would try to get a picture of me with a sheep on a leash for her. The story behind that is that one of the New Zealand county books in her library has a picture of a little girl walking a lamb on a leash on the front cover. She's been going on about me walking a lamb in New Zealand ever since. Anyway, Steve mentioned a cruise from Queenstown to a sheep farm, so we booked it for 2 this afternoon. Now we just had to make it to Queenstown in time.
We made it to Queenstown at a bit after 1, and after checking in to the Base Discovery Lodge and dropping off our bags we had 5 minutes to make it down to the wharf. Good thing Steve took us there via a shortcut. The steamship we were going to cruise on, the T.S.S. Earnslaw, has been in service for 95 years, and it still has the original engines and boilers.
To maintain top speed of 11 knots, it takes 1 ton of coal per hour being shoveled into the boiler manually.
We cruised across Lake Wakatipu (gorgeous) to Walter Peak High Country Farm. It took about 1/2 hour, which I enjoyed while also enjoying a pesto, brie, and cucumber sandwich.
The farm looks like it belongs in England with it's genteel buildings and rose gardens and sheepdogs. We got taken down the display portion of the farm by Duncan, who first took us to feed lambs and deer and sheep. The deer had a little faun that we just beginning to lose it's spots, and the stag had quite an impressive set of antlers. The lambs were adorable. We also saw highland cattle - which look more like Ludo from Labyrinth than actual cows.
After feeding the animals were were shown the original homestead, and then were served high tea - which neither of us were expecting and was delicious.
The second half of the tour involved going into a pen of sheep (merino and other kinds) and petting and feeding them.
Then we saw a sheepdog demonstration and then Duncan sheared a whole sheep. That was impressive.
After the sheep shearing I asked if I could get a picture of me holding a sheep on a leash for Liz. Duncan went above and beyond the call of duty for me - he went and got a dog lead and manhandled it onto a sheep, then helped hold the rather irate sheep steady while Susan quickly snapped a picture.
Then Susan and I went into the gift store and bought a lot of stuff - Susan even bought a surprise to bring back home...
On the cruise home we had the cheesiest fun time. They held a singalong on one of the decks so Susan and I spent the 1/2 hour singing our little hearts out.
After being dropped off we wandered around Queenstown for a while window shopping. Stores here are open very late, even on a Sunday night. Then back to the hostel to drop our stuff off and out again for dinner. We were pretty boring and went to Subway, but we did have a sandwich I can't get back home: Roast Lamb.
After that it was off to the Internet cafe. It's really cheap here but godawfully slow - it took 2 hours to upload only 49% of 179 pictures.. Then back to the hostel and bed.
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