Puzzling World in Wanaka

Family activities are a good way to get everyone together and bonding. Puzzling World in Wanaka is just one of those special places.

It has a maze with bridges and four colour towers. This maze was quite challenging, and only my crafty husband made it out successfully without taking an "emergency escape exit".

The kids also really liked the optical illusion room, where you look way taller or way smaller based on where you stand at the back of the room.

The Puzzling World starts off with a series of rooms at an incline of 10-15 degrees. It appears that water flows up, and that you

can "slide up" a slide, instead of sliding down. There are a few Escher window clings which I adored. Optical illusions was a theme throughout the whole place.

Mike loved the leaning tower of Wanaka. You can take pictures on the lawn just so it appears that you are Superstrong and holding the tower up, or are eating the tower, or are pushing it back into place. The key for Mike was getting us to cooperate as we were tired from waiting for him in the cafe and puzzle room while he finished the maze ( 45 more mins). Then crafting the perfect tower shot was another 20 mins, at which point the kids were all puzzled out.

Stewart Island trip

If you live on the South Island and want to see blue penguins, then your best bet is to go south of Christchurch to Oamaru or beyond. If you really want to see native birds and other wildlife at their best, continue past Oamaru to Invercargill and take the ferry to Stewart Island. Stewart Island has many places that are pristine native bush and native birds flourish without any rats or cats or other predators. Ulva Island, a small island that is a Eco tourist destination, provided us with easy bird viewing of many native birds, including the weka, oystercatcher, bellbird, fantail, Stewart Island robin, kaka, yellow crowned parakeet, and red crowned parakeet.

On the same ecotour , we also saw the Albatross in many numbers. They are amazing sea birds. This happened to coincide with the hit song that came out the same month of a similar name. :) Zack thought feeding fish to the Albatross was the best part of the trip.

My only sadness in going to Stewart Island was that we did not stay for a second day. I would have loved to do an overnight tramping tour.

It was definitely a great tourist spot for those of us that love identifying birds and flora in the wild. The kids had fun, and we got back to Invercargill and the Internet by sundown. This made for a happy husband, as he loves his email and web updates.

Easter and Passover in Christchurch

This is my third Easter and Passover here in Christchurch. I know how to hunt for matzah at the Johnson's International Grocer, how to sing "Dayenu" in a room with tables of Jews from the Canterbury area and Israel. I know how to throw an autumn egg hunt for the American Club of Christchurch.

But more importantly, I have incorporated NZ customs into my holiday celebrations. Zack cut up beetroot to add to my Seder plate on Friday. We got some Waikato chocolate hollow eggs to share, in various themed boxes from the Warehouse. I even got a mould from a department store to make my own hollow chocolate eggs. The kids had three Seders for Passover and three egg hunts this April. More importantly, we all got to enjoy a 4 day weekend as Good Friday and Easter Monday are statutory holidays in NZ. Almost everything is closed except for tourist spots and a few dairies on the corner.

Mandatory family bonding time!

Mike is teaching the kids how to play Poker, and I took everyone swimming at Pioneer Swim centre. The kids and I ended Easter with a walk at Willowbank and we hand fed the emus, sheep, pukekos, and even pet wallabies.

Happy autumn holidays from the NZ Frieds!