Along the way to Milford Sound, one of the sights to see is The Chasm. While The Chasm is a beautiful nature walk on a path traveling through the trees and over a river, it was not an easy place to get photos. Not far away, however, is this pass. You can still see snow on the mountains even though we were at the end of summer.
Mirror Lakes is in New Zealand’s Fjordland National Park. The water was perfectly still on the day we visited.
Mirror Lakes – what a showstopper!
Mirror Lakes was one of the stops on our tour to Milford Sound. The crystal clear water was perfectly still on the day we visited, which let me capture a photo of fish swimming above the mountaintops. This was one of those stops where the tour director gave us ‘twenty minutes,’ but the natural beauty was so immense that many of us tended to straggle. Mirror Lakes gets a tremendous number of visitors and our bus was just one of those who stopped. Because there is a wooden path to walk on, it’s easy access, and that helps contribute to the popularity of Mirror Lakes.
With clear water and no wind, Mirror Lakes reflects the mountains beyond.
In the National Park, this is one of the many creeks and rivers.
We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day.
Milford Sound is a popular place for tours.
Here's the coastline of New Zealand along the Tasman Sea.
Cruising along the sound.
This weathered bell has been on the front of the Milford Monarch since 1994. No longer used, it's a beautiful decoration.
Looking back toward the Tasman Sea
This group of fur seals was just hanging out
This fur seal woke up when we cruised by and did a little stretch.
This was my last clear shot. After this, the lens was getting too wet and I had to seek cover.
I believe this is looking back at The Chasm from Milford Sound
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
All of the doorways at Larnach Castle are amazing.
The ceiings at Larnach Castle are amazing.
This vase sits on the mantle of one of the fireplaces.
Welcome to Larnach Castle, where over-the-top is just the beginning.
The castle, like other opulent older homes, has beautiful hardwoods throughout.
The mistress of the house wanted this statue in her dressing room. It's a strange story!
The views from the roof of Larnach Castle are spectacular
From the lawns to the shrubs and trees, the landscaping at the castle is immaculate.
On the way down from the roof of the castle, the stairs are steep and winding!
It's hard to believe this castle was nearly leveled by developers.
This beautiful gazebo is just one of the many elegant garden features.
Our first stop on our shore excursion was at the Dunedin rail station.
A local garden society maintains the grounds of the rail station.
The inside of the Dunedin rail station.
When you're entering the Dunedin rail station, you pass through these columns.
Another piece of detail that makes the rail station a classic piece of history.
Picton is a gorgeous little village of only 4,000 people, but it has a lot of boats!
It looks like this little town has almost as many boats as houses.
The harbor at Picton has a good sealife population, so these waters are clear several feet down.
The ocean can become very dramatic down here when there's a storm coming. Swells reached about 9 feet at one point.
Getting ready for the seaport walk. Let's go!
The blue skies lasted most of the day, which was unusual. The flat water is supposed to be normal.
Boats in the harbor at Picton, where tourism is big business
These guys play to benefit the Blenheim Orphanage. They drew a nice little crowd.
Here we are, living the life in Picton...at least until we have to be back on the Noordam.
Lots and lots of islands, peninsulas, and fjords in this part of the world.
These little cluster of sailboats was just out in the bay waiting for their owners.
The California pine was brought to New Zealand years ago. It now is farmed as an export to Japan, where it will be turned into furniture, which will go to...the US (amongst other places).
The arch is the entrance to the park from the quaint downtown.
We're back in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand
This building is called the Beehive. It's where the Executive Offices of the New Zealand Parliament are located.
This "lake" is actually part of a dam, which became part of Zealandia when it began.
Unable to fly, these birds fall prey to mammalian predators.
What a place! Six floors of exhibits and offices. It would take a couple of days to see the whole thing—and we had less than two hours.
This is a very popular exhibit and requires separate tickets, which we didn't have. It was also sold out!
Our guide told us she was bothered by this interpretation of a Maori meeting house for several years, then one day had an epiphany and now understands it.
This beautiful stained glass was in the same area as the Maori 'house'.
The clouds parted long enough to get a glimpse of the moon.
Ariel likes to be prepared for the day.
California pine is a huge export for New Zealand - it's also a big problem.
Taken from the balcony of our stateroom,
More than a hundred years ago there was an earthquake in Napier that raised up the entire valley.
The town of Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931, but has rebuilt in an art deco style.
Our guide leaving the Napier Customhouse, which has been restored thanks to a group of locals
This train has been lovingly restored by our guide and his family.
There's a tractor under all that glitz!
What a great way to see the area. The guide is very informative and the train has so many little period details.
All those colors? They're giant pincushions!
Just one example of the art deco style that runs throughout downtown Napier
Vintage autos, restored by their owners, were on display.
The art deco style is the theme in the downtown.
There are even little balconies like this one on Harston's
Just in case you want to fit in with the Napier building style!
If you want retro style, this is your place!
There seems to be a common theme in New Zealand. We've seen arches on the waterfront before.
Napier might only have 57,000 residents, but it oozes style.
Ariel watches wistfully as we get further from Napier. We think she likes art deco!
We depart Napier under partyly sunny skies
As we prepare for April 16, Ariel takes a ride on the towel elephant made by our room steward, Ricky
As has been the case with many of the ports, Tauranga is primarily a shipping port, but tourism is a growing business
Even though Tauranga is a shipping port, it has some breathtaking views
Our tour wasn't for another hour, but they announced there was to be a drill for the staff
This is the backyard view for one of the Maori guides who works for the tour company.
While small, this Maori welcoming ceremony was well done and they were so friendly!
New Zealand is making a push to get their gold kiwi fruit into markets this year. It's soooo good!
This is an ingenious system. The canopy needs to be a certain depth, so the growers place next year's vines up top. They cut everything at the end of the season and lay those new top vines down.
When the sun was dropping, I decided it was time to go topside and snap a photo.
It was Asian night in the Lido dining room! These two are the best!
This is an example of a Maore double-hulled canoe
We think this towel animal is a sloth. At least Ariel like it!
This was part of the view of Auckland from our balcony.
The emblems around the edges of the stained glass signify the countries involved in the conflict. The center commemorates the New Zealand military branches.
Thousands of names are inscribed on the walls in this room.
This is a real airplane that they brought in through the roof.
This memorial serves to remind visitors of war's devastation.
The views from the museum are spectacular and fitting for the monument
New Zealand was once a land of birds and no mammals.
That is one big bird. The moa once flourished in New Zealand, but the Maori and other forces brought it to extinction.
The puka is the sticking out of the tongue - in times past, different expressions meant something - kind of like a separate language.
This canoe could carry about 100 warriors, most of whom were paddling.
If the canoe was to be used for transporting something other than warriors, the bow and rear could be replaced with something appropriate.
Once glue had been applied to the binding, the pages set
The book bindery operated out of this house upstairs and down.
I hear the scones were fabulous—but they were not gluten-free, so not for me!
This garden area is maintained by a local group of gardeners
The attention to detail on these pieces is amazing.
Here's another of those beautiful pieces from the central garden
Established in 1836, this is the oldest church in New Zealand, and it's still beautiful inside.
Russell is a quaint town without a lot of traffic—except for the pedestrian kind.
Outdoor tables are common and the atmosphere is relaxing
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
I'm not sure I'd want to be greeted by these guys (one on each side of the front door) when I arrived home!
The wood throughout Larnach Castle is beautiful.
Omaru has so much fantastic architecture. Many of these buildings use Omaru stone, which was taken from quarries neaby.
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
Huka Falls near Lake Taupo in New Zealand is nothing less than impressive. Located approximately in the middle of the north island, the falls are on the Waikato River. Roughly 200,000 liters of ice-blue water flow through this point every second—that’s more than 50,000 gallons every second. The falls create a huge undertow, which has taken under boats that got too close. We were happy to watch from the sidelines and marvel at the sheer power of Huka Falls.
Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.
More photos from New Zealand
In Fjordland National Park in New Zealand
Devonport is a seaside town on an island in New Zealand with the look of an old village. The architecture of many homes and shops is classic.
We walked through a park in Devonport to a point where we could see another part of the island across the water.
When I saw this display in the window at this shop in Devonport, I had to take a photo. NOtice that's an old Smith Corona Junior typewriter.
As the ferry takes us away from Devonport and back to Auckland, we get a last glimpse of this beautiful little town.
The pages were bound together with string.
More plates from the old bindery
The shims come in all sizes to make for precise placement.
The books made in this bindery were all leather covered. This is getting close to the final product.
This old press was used to make a single proof after the letters had been set. After the proof, the actual printing was done downstairs
Just beyond the anchored sailboats is the MS Noordam waiting for all of us to see the sights.
Russell has a lot of hills—and boats
This was an early morning shore excursion, so we had to be up bright and early!
With clear water and no wind, Mirror Lakes reflects the mountains beyond.
In the National Park, this is one of the many creeks and rivers.
We were so lucky to have such a beautiful day.
Milford Sound is a popular place for tours.
Here's the coastline of New Zealand along the Tasman Sea.
Cruising along the sound.
This weathered bell has been on the front of the Milford Monarch since 1994. No longer used, it's a beautiful decoration.
Looking back toward the Tasman Sea
This group of fur seals was just hanging out
This fur seal woke up when we cruised by and did a little stretch.
This was my last clear shot. After this, the lens was getting too wet and I had to seek cover.
I believe this is looking back at The Chasm from Milford Sound
A pair of lions guard the front door of Larnach Castle
All of the doorways at Larnach Castle are amazing.
The ceiings at Larnach Castle are amazing.
This vase sits on the mantle of one of the fireplaces.
Welcome to Larnach Castle, where over-the-top is just the beginning.
The castle, like other opulent older homes, has beautiful hardwoods throughout.
The mistress of the house wanted this statue in her dressing room. It's a strange story!
The views from the roof of Larnach Castle are spectacular
From the lawns to the shrubs and trees, the landscaping at the castle is immaculate.
On the way down from the roof of the castle, the stairs are steep and winding!
It's hard to believe this castle was nearly leveled by developers.
This beautiful gazebo is just one of the many elegant garden features.
Our first stop on our shore excursion was at the Dunedin rail station.
A local garden society maintains the grounds of the rail station.
The inside of the Dunedin rail station.
When you're entering the Dunedin rail station, you pass through these columns.
Another piece of detail that makes the rail station a classic piece of history.
Picton is a gorgeous little village of only 4,000 people, but it has a lot of boats!
It looks like this little town has almost as many boats as houses.
The harbor at Picton has a good sealife population, so these waters are clear several feet down.
The ocean can become very dramatic down here when there's a storm coming. Swells reached about 9 feet at one point.
Getting ready for the seaport walk. Let's go!
The blue skies lasted most of the day, which was unusual. The flat water is supposed to be normal.
Boats in the harbor at Picton, where tourism is big business
These guys play to benefit the Blenheim Orphanage. They drew a nice little crowd.
Here we are, living the life in Picton...at least until we have to be back on the Noordam.
Lots and lots of islands, peninsulas, and fjords in this part of the world.
These little cluster of sailboats was just out in the bay waiting for their owners.
The California pine was brought to New Zealand years ago. It now is farmed as an export to Japan, where it will be turned into furniture, which will go to...the US (amongst other places).
The arch is the entrance to the park from the quaint downtown.
We're back in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand
This building is called the Beehive. It's where the Executive Offices of the New Zealand Parliament are located.
This "lake" is actually part of a dam, which became part of Zealandia when it began.
Unable to fly, these birds fall prey to mammalian predators.
What a place! Six floors of exhibits and offices. It would take a couple of days to see the whole thing—and we had less than two hours.
This is a very popular exhibit and requires separate tickets, which we didn't have. It was also sold out!
Our guide told us she was bothered by this interpretation of a Maori meeting house for several years, then one day had an epiphany and now understands it.
This beautiful stained glass was in the same area as the Maori 'house'.
The clouds parted long enough to get a glimpse of the moon.
Ariel likes to be prepared for the day.
California pine is a huge export for New Zealand - it's also a big problem.
Taken from the balcony of our stateroom,
More than a hundred years ago there was an earthquake in Napier that raised up the entire valley.
The town of Napier was leveled by an earthquake in 1931, but has rebuilt in an art deco style.
Our guide leaving the Napier Customhouse, which has been restored thanks to a group of locals
This train has been lovingly restored by our guide and his family.
There's a tractor under all that glitz!
What a great way to see the area. The guide is very informative and the train has so many little period details.
All those colors? They're giant pincushions!
Just one example of the art deco style that runs throughout downtown Napier
Vintage autos, restored by their owners, were on display.
The art deco style is the theme in the downtown.
There are even little balconies like this one on Harston's
Just in case you want to fit in with the Napier building style!
If you want retro style, this is your place!
There seems to be a common theme in New Zealand. We've seen arches on the waterfront before.
Napier might only have 57,000 residents, but it oozes style.
Ariel watches wistfully as we get further from Napier. We think she likes art deco!
We depart Napier under partyly sunny skies
As we prepare for April 16, Ariel takes a ride on the towel elephant made by our room steward, Ricky
As has been the case with many of the ports, Tauranga is primarily a shipping port, but tourism is a growing business
Even though Tauranga is a shipping port, it has some breathtaking views
Our tour wasn't for another hour, but they announced there was to be a drill for the staff
This is the backyard view for one of the Maori guides who works for the tour company.
While small, this Maori welcoming ceremony was well done and they were so friendly!
New Zealand is making a push to get their gold kiwi fruit into markets this year. It's soooo good!
This is an ingenious system. The canopy needs to be a certain depth, so the growers place next year's vines up top. They cut everything at the end of the season and lay those new top vines down.
When the sun was dropping, I decided it was time to go topside and snap a photo.
It was Asian night in the Lido dining room! These two are the best!
This is an example of a Maore double-hulled canoe
We think this towel animal is a sloth. At least Ariel like it!
This was part of the view of Auckland from our balcony.
The emblems around the edges of the stained glass signify the countries involved in the conflict. The center commemorates the New Zealand military branches.
Thousands of names are inscribed on the walls in this room.
This is a real airplane that they brought in through the roof.
This memorial serves to remind visitors of war's devastation.
The views from the museum are spectacular and fitting for the monument
New Zealand was once a land of birds and no mammals.
That is one big bird. The moa once flourished in New Zealand, but the Maori and other forces brought it to extinction.
The puka is the sticking out of the tongue - in times past, different expressions meant something - kind of like a separate language.
This canoe could carry about 100 warriors, most of whom were paddling.
If the canoe was to be used for transporting something other than warriors, the bow and rear could be replaced with something appropriate.
Once glue had been applied to the binding, the pages set
The book bindery operated out of this house upstairs and down.
I hear the scones were fabulous—but they were not gluten-free, so not for me!
This garden area is maintained by a local group of gardeners
The attention to detail on these pieces is amazing.
Here's another of those beautiful pieces from the central garden
Established in 1836, this is the oldest church in New Zealand, and it's still beautiful inside.
Russell is a quaint town without a lot of traffic—except for the pedestrian kind.
Outdoor tables are common and the atmosphere is relaxing
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
I'm not sure I'd want to be greeted by these guys (one on each side of the front door) when I arrived home!
The wood throughout Larnach Castle is beautiful.
Omaru has so much fantastic architecture. Many of these buildings use Omaru stone, which was taken from quarries neaby.
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
200,000 liters of ice blue water flow flow over Huka Falls every second.
Peg Cochran is the author of the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London), the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series, the Cranberry Cove series, and the Farmer’s Daughter series. She’s an avid reader who began reading when her parents gave her a set of children’s encyclopedias. She read them all—and has even been known to read the dictionary. She discovered a love of mysteries at the age of seven when she discovered the perfect hiding place for a body down the street from her house.
The beginning of Murder She Uncovered
“I wanted to tie a story to some historical event, and when I read about the hurricane the Yankee Clipper—also known as the Long Island Express—I became fascinated. It was horrific and unexpected—the hundreds of people killed had no warning that the storm was coming.”
Peg said after she learned about the Yankee Clipper, she began thinking…what if? “What if a body was found in the wreckage of the storm and it became apparent the person was not a victim of the hurricane but of murder? That victim took shape in the form of a young Irish immigrant working as a housemaid for a wealthy family. The story grew from there.”
The story becomes more complex
“The book is set in 1939 and so many issues came up while I was writing it—some planned and some unexpected. One is mental illness and how people with a mental illness were viewed and treated. Lobotomies were being performed because interestingly enough, the cause of mental illness was believed to be organic. The main objective of a lobotomy seemed to be to render the patient passive and compliant.”
Peg said another issue that interested her and made its way into the book was the plight of single females—particularly immigrants from Ireland seeking a better life—who had no real marketable skills. “They mostly depended on housework and factory work,” Peg said. “Both required long hours and low pay. My grandmother immigrated from Italy and worked in the garment industry in New York City so that’s where I placed one of my characters. Despite the efforts of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, women still worked under hard conditions and for long hours.”
During her research, Peg discovered that abortion was an issue of the time. She said, “One of the characters is pregnant and unmarried and the only abortions available to women at the time were performed illegally and often by untrained providers.”
Imagination and research
“I respect my readers and try to give them the best story I can. I’m grateful to be doing what I love and I don’t take it for granted. I’m a ‘late bloomer.’ I always wanted to write fiction and dabbled in it here and there before I got serious about it. Still, my first book didn’t come out until a month before my 60th birthday! And that after hundreds of rejections. But I refused to give up!”
While very persistent in her writing, Peg doesn’t feel the need to experience everything she writes about. “I hate to disappoint you,” she said, “but I’m not one of those writers who locks herself in the trunk of the car to see what it’s like. I have a pretty good imagination at least when it comes to how I would feel in that situation. I suppose my funniest story is when I visited a cranberry bog and asked the owner what he would do if a body floated up in the bog. He was speechless!”
This exotic pad thai recipe uses a sweet ginger Chile sauce for extra flavor.
Print Recipe
Exotic Pad Thai
This pad thai recipe is a blend of different cultures. Made with easy-to-find ingredients, it’s a delicious dish with a sweet chili twist that makes it unlike any pad thai you’ll find in a restaurant. Check the recipe notes before you begin for some helpful hints.
Slice scallions and place into two small bowls. Slice white and light green parts thin and put into one bowl, slice dark green parts cut into 1-inch slices in separate bowl.
Peel, devein, and remove tails from shrimp, then rinse and pat dry.
Combine the vinegar and chile in a bowl and set aside.
Combine 1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. sugar in a small bowl. Microwave until steaming, about 30 seconds. Add the radishes and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Turn off the heat and add the noodles. Stir and let soak for about 6 minutes, stirring halfway through. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again, return the noodles to the pot, and toss with 2 tsp. oil.
Whisk 3 tbsp. sugar into lime juice; set aside.
Cut 4 shrimp in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss with 1/8 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp, sugar. Arrange in a single layer on a plate. (Make sure the pieces are not touching or they will glue themselves together!) Microwave at 50 percent until the shrimp are dried and reduced in size by half, about 4-5 minutes.
Heat 2 tsp. oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add dried shrimp and cook until golden brown and crispy, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
Heat 1 tsp. oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add thin-sliced scallions (white and light green parts) and garlic. Cook about one minute and transfer to the large bowl.
Heat 2 tsp. oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add remaining shrimp (whole). Cook on one side for 1-2 minutes, then flip the shrimp and repeat on the other side. The shrimp should be brown around the edges and opaque.
Turn down the heat, push the shrimp to one side of skillet, and add the eggs to the other side. Using a heat-resistant spatula (silicone is perfect), stir the eggs gently until set, but still wet. Combine the shrimp and eggs, breaking up any large pieces, until the eggs are completely cooked, about 30-60 seconds. Transfer to the large bowl.
Heat 2 tsp. oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until oil is just smoking. Add the noodles and lime juice mixture to pan and cook until liquid is absorbed. Transfer to the large bowl.
Add drained radishes, scallion greens, reserved chile slices, and bean sprouts to the large bowl and toss to combine.
Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with peanuts for presentation or simply serve on individual plates.
Recipe Notes
Organization is key to making this dish smoothly. Ideally, you’ll have 8 small bowls and one large bowl. You’ll also need a large pot for the noodles and a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Prepare all of the vegetables first to make the assembly process easier. You’ll need small bowls for the chile, the radishes, shrimp, garlic, eggs, and peanuts (if using).
Ginger Chile sauce - this might be hard to find - we found one from The Ginger People that is a sweet and spicy marinade/sauce. We needed something that was both soy and gluten-free. If you don't have food allergies, about any sweet and spicy marinade/sauce should work.
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn’t this a beautiful view?
Devonport New Zealand pathway
The Devonport, New Zealand pathway circles a park in the downtown area. The path follows the shore, and this is just one of the stopping points. I loved this spot and could imagine walking here daily just to see how the bay is looking on that particular day. This is the kind of small town where the beauty surrounds you.
Want to see more photos from trip? Here’s a link where you can find all the entries in our travel journal.
More photos from Devonport
Devonport is a seaside town on an island in New Zealand with the look of an old village. The architecture of many homes and shops is classic.
We walked through a park in Devonport to a point where we could see another part of the island across the water.
When I saw this display in the window at this shop in Devonport, I had to take a photo. NOtice that's an old Smith Corona Junior typewriter.
As the ferry takes us away from Devonport and back to Auckland, we get a last glimpse of this beautiful little town.
We stopped and had ice cream under those red umbrellas. It was so refreshing!
The path through the park in Devonport leads to this tiny peninsula. Isn't this a beautiful view?
eg Cochran is the author of the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London), the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series, the Cranberry Cove series, and the Farmer’s Daughter series. She’s an avid reader who began reading when her parents gave her a set of children’s encyclopedias. She read them all—and has even been known to read the dictionary. She discovered a love of mysteries at the age of seven when she discovered the perfect hiding place for a body down the street from her house.
Imagination and research
