Late afternoon, relaxing with a tasty hot chocolate in a little ice cream and chocolate cafe that makes its own chocolate on premises, mmmmmm.
We did take the steamer trip across Lake Wakatipu this afternoon. The boat is the TSS Earnslaw, recycled from its early 20th century worklife as a lake tramper to a tourist transport, and the very pleasant ride was about 40-45 minutes each way.
At the far end we visited Walter Peak High Country Farm which besides hosting visitors is still a working sheep ranch. The staff laid on a decent buffet lunch on a patio over the lake and then we had a tour on the sheep operations. The host was quite loquacious and, as seems common down this way, has a sense of humor that would not, er, go over as well in the US.
He had his dog, a rocket of a Border Collie, round up about eight sheep and bring them down into the pen with us. We had the chance to take some pellets and feed the big hairy animals by hand. Next the dog brought another recently sheered batch down from the hillside to show off the way the dog and handler use whistles and coughs to control the animals. Finally we went inside a shed and he sheered one right in front of us, which didn’t seem as much fun to me or TS1 as you might think.
Tomorrow is a big travel day. We’re catching an afternoon flight to Sydney, hang out for a couple of hours and then get a different plane up to Cairns. Sunday is our day trip to Kuranda, Monday is free and Tuesday the big highlight, a day trip out to the Great Barrier Reef.
Hope y’all are having a happy Thanksgiving. I know what we’re thankful for this year!
BillSaysThis 