Glenys and Warren picked us up for the next adventure, northward
this time to Hanmer Springs, a picturesque spot surrounded by
mountains and featuring frequent seismic action that results in
hot springs and other neat natural features. When there, we
didn't particularly do anything, just wandered around a bit,
during which peregrinations Warren bumped into some old friends
and introduced them to us. They were amusing, but not as amusing
as Warren and Glenys.

To get there is a couple hours of driving, with gradually
improving scenery, culminating in the Ferry Bridge across the
Wairau Gorge, one of the country's top destinations for
adventure travel. We adventured it mostly up and down the
main street of the tourist trappy but quaint town and a whole
block over to the Alpine Village Inn, which looks like any
other slightly seedy Anzac pokies bar, though one with a
reputation for decent food.

To continue the theme, I ordered fried scallops and was told
they were off, but a whispered consultation between the barmaid
and the back kitchen resulted in the promise that there was
just one order left, and I was the lucky one. What eventually
came was prawn cocktail - 25 (I counted) 32/40s on greens with
what I thought was Thousand Islands but turned out to be tomato
sauce beaten with whipped cream. It was a lot of food, and even
though some of the shrimp were a little mushy, I wasn't the one
to complain, especially when it turned out that this rang up at
$4 less than the scallops would have.

The roast of the day was pork, ao the rest of them all got roast
sandwiches. I took a bite of Lilli's - it was leg, tender and
deliciously fatty, a decent serving on a sturdy roll. Warren left
the fat behind from his sandwich, and it was all I could do not
to swoop down and vulch it.

On tap were Mac's Gold, a mild lager, and Speight's 5-Malt, an
extremely mild brown aleish substance. Glenys, inspired by a
taste of my Ginger Tom the other day, asked if there was any, and
upon hearing there wasn't settled for an ordinary nonalcoholic
ginger beer. The wine of the day was the semi-local Kopiko Bay
Pinot Noir, which was generically red, not very Pinotish, but
not bad either. We left reasonably satisfied.

Back to the hotel for happy hour free d'Arenberg Shiraz and
more Speight's lager and Mac's black, then home. where Glenys
had prepared an all Anglo meal of lamb shanks (dry cooked and
a little dry) with peas and roast spuds-and-rooties. Lots of
happy conversation not including politics (having lived in
the States for some years, both are interested in ours as well,
Warren watching Fox news, Glenys refusing to), and fond until
next times, and off we went for an abbreviated night's rest.
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.FIDOSYSOP.ORG (1:123/140)