Hello from Queenstown.

[Mama Fergie]

DH and I could live here too. It's so beautiful.
If we didn't have such a big family we would be here in a heartbeat.
We just couldn't leave our family   

[Mama Fergie]

This is the old Chinese settlement that we visited yesterday in Arrowtown. During the gold rush in the 1860's more than 8000 young Chinese men came to central Otago to try to make their fortunes. Sadly many of them never made it home. This settlement housed some of the miners who worked this area. The huts were tiny and had 8 to 10 people in each. Only a few huts remain standing today as can be seen in the few photos I took.

[Mama Fergie]

[Mama Fergie]

[Mama Fergie]

[dede]

Great pics MF, wow you are right about them being small. I complain about having a4 bedroom house with 7 of us. I couldn't imagine living in a small hut with 9 other people

[Mama Fergie]

It's sad isn't it. We are so spoiled in our modern world.
We take so much for granted 

[Mama Fergie]

A relaxing day in town this afternoon and then we went up the skyline gondola and had a couple of drinks and then a buffet dinner which my mum loved. She went up and down with her eyes closed tightly as she hates heights. Food was plentiful and nice but I am not really a buffet fan.
Cookie this photo may bring back memories!I took a few photos of the view but didn't post them as I took them through the glass and could see reflections.

[Jude59]

Lake Esplanade.  Apartment at Peppers.  Can highly recommend, stay there every time.  Lovely view and good sized balcony and rooms.

[Jude59]

I don't like buffets either.   Try not to think of all the people leaning over everything.... Yuk.... Have a very weak stomach when it comes to things like communal food. 

[Amy :-)]

Great photos MF
Those huts are very small, I can't imagine living in one of those with eight or nine other people They would be cute for a child's cubby house though

That skyline thing looks scary! I'm scared of heights too

[cookie1]

Thanks for the gondola photo MF it did bring back memories. I wanted to go up to the restaurant as we had been on our previous trip, so I tried to be very brave. In fact I was so determined that I kept my eyes open and looked out, except near the top.
Judy my DH is like your parents. He hates eating out, and is very uncomfortable. Therefore I don't inflict it upon him. When his parents came from Europe they had absolutely nothing so for all of his childhood and young adulthood he never ate out. DD and I love to go out though and he doesn't mind.
For DH going out is Subway or similar. I understand where he is coming from and don't mind. In the big picture it is no big deal.

MF your photos are glorious. I can't remember where we stayed last time but it was in your area as we had similar views. If I wasn't so lazy I could go and check in my diary.

[judydawn]

That's why it was so nice that he came up to Karen's recently Cookie because if we had met in a restaurant I know he would only have dropped you off.  It's nice that you understand him so well and at the same time he doesn't stop you from going out with DD.  Give and take makes a good marriage.

[Moptop]

MF your pictures are amazing. I didn't realize NZ was so pretty.  I am terrified of heights and a gondola ride would be a form of torture for me. I really take my hat off to anyone who can set foot in one!

[Kayc]

My daughter used to work in the restaurant at the top of the gondola and would go up there everyday!  Whenever I would visit, I would have to sit facing the mountain so I couldn't see the view.  When it got too windy they would have to put sand bags in the gondolas to weigh them down!