Woo-hoo! My 3-month adventure began in Queenstown, on the south island of New Zealand. The mountains here are impossibly steep, plunging into Lake Wakatipu, used as dramatic background in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy. We drove east-ish to Central Otago, home to about 175 wineries, producing mainly pinot noir. It looks so much like Eastern Washington, dry, desert-like, rolling hills. Sheep are everywhere! In my whole life I’ve never seen so many sheep, hundreds of them, and no wonder…sheep out-number humans 6 to 1 in New Zealand. They produce such soft Merino wool….and lamb, which Kiwis enjoy, and we did too at the bistro at Mount Difficulty Wines .The next day, driving north from Queenstown we passed paddock after paddock of sheep on our way to Glenorchy. That’s a jumping-off point for hikers who (like me) are LOTR fans. It was so cool to hike in the locations used for Isengard and the Forest of Middle Earth, which was eerily quiet, windless, beautiful.
Traveler's Table 
Look at all them sheep! What an amazing journey so far – can’t wait to read more!
LikeLike
Martha!
What a dream come true adventure this is for you! Congratulations, Bon Appetit and Happy Trails to you! Art and I loved New Zealand: the people, the landscape, the sheep, the wine. I’m looking forward to following your adventure throughout the next months.
With much love,
Joann Peterson (JP)
LikeLike
Hi JP, you are so right about the people in New Zealand – they’re so kind, so positive.
LikeLike
What a great adventure!!! enjoy lots
LikeLike
Margarita, I wish you were here with me to translate Spanish! I was driving a rental car and didn’t know that PARE meant STOP!
Martha
LikeLike
oh no, stop driving, Hire Uber!!! yes I wish we could join you, nice trip, enjoy!!
LikeLike
What a fantastic adventure you are undertaking !
LikeLike
Hi Pat, it’s great that you’re along for the ride!
xxoo Martha
LikeLike
We will enjoy your blog as you travel along, Martha. We,too, loved NZ – beautiful country.
Judy & Peter
LikeLike
So happy for you Martha … Just waiting to try my amateur skills on the first lamb recipe you have for us from NZ … !
LikeLike
Thanks for taking us along. Can I pass the link on to the folks at St. Clare’s?
LikeLike
Hi Patty, absolutely you can share the link with the rest of the St Clare’s community!
LikeLike
What an amazing adventure you’re on. Thank you for sharing it with us!!
LikeLike
Love Mt Difficulty wines! I wasn’t ready to come home from NZ – so glad you are getting to enjoy the country!
LikeLike
Hi Karen, I know NZ is one of your favorite places on earth….now I can see why!
LikeLike
Bon Voyage et Bon Appetite!!
I’ve passed your link on to more friends and family!
LikeLike
Thanks, Mike!
LikeLike