Hi everyone .... Been we while I know , so a couple of blogs in quick succession me thinks .... first up winter fun ...just got back from a little trip 4 1/2 hrs down the road to Ruapheu last week .....

Most people think of Queenstown and Wanaka when it comes to skiing in NZ - they are the best places to go but if you only have limited time and you want to do it relatively cheaply then the North Island at Turoa and Whakapapa (hope I spelt it right )...is great. Not many places you can ski next to a live volcano ( it only had its last major eruption in 1995 ...)

Just check the weather forecasts before you head down there .... I was lucky and got great weather .....

I was lucky enough to stay in a bit of an iconic hotel in NZ - the Chateau - its all a bit like stepping back in time to the 40's / 50"s - ballrooms , plush furniture and big lounges with roaring fires ..... the bit I like is that its only 10 mins from the slopes , so no 30- 45 min drives from the nearest towns ....

Anyway ..hopefully if I'm lucky I will be back down there in 2-3 weeks ...

ta ta for now

Phil