I had my picture made in front of the Party Tree and collected bark from the oak that grew from the top of Bag End. I am in Hobbit heaven and having a very Merry and unforgettable Christmas. What is missing is sharing it with family and friends. When I bought the cheese for our Christmas Eve fondue today, I wished the deli clerk a Merry Christmas and started crying.
But we are having a good Christmas. We have a tiny tree that was strapped down in the van and tonight we are in a hotel the highest in New Zealand on the flanks of a volcano with two more right next door. We have moved the tree onto the tv set and laid out the presents. For dinner we clandestinely made cheese fondue on our one burner stove and then chocolate fondue with fruit. We have also managed to squeeze in watching half of Christmas Vacation on our Ipod and a quick trip to the hot tub.
After presents and a hotel breakfast in the morning. Vacation on our Ipod and a quick trip to the hot tub. After presents and a hotel breakfast in the morning we head off for Ohakune to see Ithilien and part of the River Anduin. We have a very busy next three days leaving the Shire and visiting Wellington before we take the ferry to the South Island and start our first 5 day trek along the coastline at Abel Tasmin Park. I am very behind in my blog as we only allowed 2 weeks for the North Island and it needs about 2 months.
We have been camping most nights and sightseeing and driving from early in the morning to late in the evening. There has been lots of light since as you know, December 21 st is the longest day of the year! Having summer in December takes a lot of getting used to even for native Floridians. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. We are just back from the 5 day Abel Tasman Tramp and it was spectacular.
The scenery would remind you of what the California coast must have been 80 years ago—but with more tropical vegetation. Here a crowded beach in mid afternoon would have kayaks pulled ashore with perhaps people actually on the beach itself. In the morning and after late afternoon most of the coves were deserted, especially in the far Northern areas. What really appealed to me were the waterfalls with granite boulders and wonderful pools—so if you wanted to take a dip without the salt you could.
