West Coast Wonders

During the Summer school holidays, I went on a road trip to the South Island (of New Zealand) with my family.
As part of our trip, we went to the West Coast, where we stayed in a town called Greymouth for a couple of days.
The West Coast is one of the most remote and sparsely populated regions in New Zealand and is home to some of New Zealand's most impressive natural features, such as the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and blowholes, Mount Cook and the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.

The drive from Christchurch (where we were staying) to Greymouth is about three - four hours and takes you through some very spectacular and rugged terrain.
With the Aachen Motel in Greymouth as our base, we went out and did several day trips, visiting Shantytown, The Punakaiki Pancake rocks and blowholes, Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier.

Shantytown is a Heritage Park located just out of Greymouth and is set up like a gold mining town in the 1800s.
At Shantytown, you can experience panning for gold, ride a working steam train and catch a glimpse of what life might have been like for the early settlers of gold mining towns.

Shantytown's steam train 'Gertie'

'Main road'

Inside 'Coronation Hall' 

 

 After Shantytown we made the drive to the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes.
The rocks get their name due to the distinct layers in the rock, which makes them resemble stacks of pancakes.




Pancake Rocks

 

The day after Punakaiki and Shantytown, we visited the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers.
These glaciers are some of the most popular attractions on the whole of the West Coast.
Due to the enthusiasm of my parents, we visited both glaciers in the same day. As a result of the glacier receding over the past few decades, it is necessary to make a 30 minute trek (or what the signs claimed was 30 minutes) up to Fox Glacier and a 45 minute one up to Franz Josef. I am heinously unfit so this basically amounted to torture for me (especially as it was mostly up hill). Despite this, the views of glaciers were truly stunning.

A distant view of Franz Josef

Franz Josef close up

Waterfall on the walk to Franz Josef

Overall, I found the walk to Franz Josef pretty easy.
I found the walk to Fox a bit more traumatising, mainly because there were a LOT of massive boulders and rubble perched on the mountain just above the walking track.
They were accompanied by helpful signs warning you that straying off the path could result in DEATH.

Beware of all the rocks

Fox glacier

You could get guided tours onto the glacier itself, note the stairs

River which runs from the glacier
 



If you are ever in the West Coast, I would recommend visiting these places. They are amazing, and well worth any effort taken to get to them.

 

Spicy Noodles

Instant noodles make a quick and easy meal, however plain noodles and even noodles made with the packet flavouring can become a bit boring.
When I feel like noodles for lunch, I make what my family calls spicy noodles. It is still easy to make but is far tastier than the alternative.

• 1 small onion
• about a tsp of garlic paste (less or more depending on your preferences)
• about a tsp of ginger paste
• about a tbsp of soy sause
• about a tbsp of Worchester sause
• Sweet chili sauce
• Salt and pepper

Cut the onion in half and then cut each half into thin slices.
Heat a medium sized pot on a low - medium heat with a little olive oil in the bottom.
When the pan has heated, put in onions and sauté with salt and pepper to taste.
When onions are soft, add garlic and ginger. Stir.
Add soy and Worchester sauce. Stir.
Continue to stir until ingredients are well blended.
Add as much chili sauce as your taste-buds can handle. Stir.
When ingredients have reduced a little and are well combined, add instant noodles and enough hot water to cover your noodles. Cook on medium - high heat until noodles are al dente (not to soft, not to hard).
When the noodles are cooked, you can either drain them or leave the liquid in.
It's not fine dining, but it's both cost and time effective.
Enjoy

Lunch and a good book

Whovian Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

My sister and I are massive Doctor Who fans. So, in order to celebrate our obsession and the upcoming Christmas special (for which I am not at all ready, RIP 11th Doctor,[weeps in corner]) we decided to have a Whovian Christmas.
The first item on the list was, of course a Christmas Tree (which sadly neither explodes or attempts to decapitate people).

 



Decorations:

• River Song diaries (SPOILERS)
• A fourth Doctor scarf
• Miniature 3D glasses
• Van Gogh exploding TARDIS paintings
• A 3D cardboard TARDIS tree topper
• Miniature weeping angels
• Blue and silver tinsel

All of the decorations (apart from the tinsel) were either made or assembled by me or my sister.
The TARDIS we used as a tree topper can be found here https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=tardis&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=wVa6UsmuDMrlkAXoiYDIBA&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=613#facrc=_&imgdii=_baqCqZo9vcGIM%3A%3BTlZFxNiPV9WFyM%3B_baqCqZo9vcGIM%3A&imgrc=_baqCqZo9vcGIM%3A%3BVKypi8ndU7JmSM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.velofille.com%252Fuploads%252FPrintable-tardis-3d-color.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flizquilty.com%252F2011%252F09%252F21%252Fdiy-paper-or-card-3d-tardis-printable%252F%3B1602%3B1845
or, if this link doesn't work, just look on Google images.
I just Googled 3D glasses and reduced the picture I found until it was the right size for the tree, made several copies, printed and cut them out. I did the same for the exploding TARDIS paintings (I glued ribbon loops to the back so they could be hung up.
I will post tutorials/instructions for the scarf, weeping angels and diaries at a later date.
I am very very happy with the way this tree turned out.

Prefect for detection void radiation

Vincent and the Doctor

SPOILERS (admit it, you said it in River's voice!)

 

The Angels have the phone box

Don't blink. Blink and you're dead!

 

Being the crafty Doctor Who mad individuals we are we did not stop with the Christmas tree, we also created our very own gingerbread TARDIS (complete with marshmallow Adipose)

The measurements are:
Base - 5 x 5 in
Doors - 4.5 x 8 in - x4
Roof - 4 1/4 x 4 1/4 in
Corners - 8x.5 in - x8
Txt Box - .5 x 3.5 in - x4
I found them on this Youtube video (which also does a tutorial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7BzU8Pi_lM
I also used the following Youtube tutorial video:

Hobbit Goody-bag

Last week my sister went with her friend to see a special screening of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
I thought she would just go and watch the movie and possibly get a few free cinema lollies, but no, that is not how it turned out.
She came home with this goody bag.




A feast fit for a hungry Hobbit

Everyone in the theatre received one as they went in.
Included in this goody bag were:

• A Hobbit biscuit
• A bottle of 'Dragon Quencher' (water)
• A key ring
• A Elven ring (a gift from Rivendell)
• Lolly spiders with a miniature Sting
• 'Fireworks' (popping candy)
• Mithril Ore (candy coated chocolate pieces)
• Leaf pipes (fruit candy sticks)
• A ticket to the movie
• A red velvet cupcake with a Hobbit hole decoration (sadly this was devoured before my sibling returned home)
• 'Second Lunch' lolly bag (also devoured pre-photo shoot)

These goody bags were produced by Christine from Imaginarium Cakes and I think it was a really cool idea. Needless to say I shall be spending the next few weeks attempting to convince my sister to let me borrow or consume various items from the bag.