Philippines

So when we last connected Nick and I were en route to beautiful Boracay for a weekend of kiteboarding.  While we did indeed make it to Boracay, we failed to get the kiteboarding experience that we expected to have.  When Nick showed up at the shop early Saturday morning he was told that there was ‘no wind’ and he should just come back the next day.  He didn’t like that answer, so he made a pest of himself and they finally agreed to show him the various equipment (mind you, he did not get to try using it at this point – just look).

Sadly, the story goes downhill from here.  We woke up on Sunday to MASSIVE winds and light rain.  We could see people kiteboarding though, so down we went hoping for the best.  Upon arriving at the shop Nick was told that the winds were too strong for a beginner and that he should come back the following day.  We moped back to the hotel and played cards since even the beach was undesirable in this weather… I’m pretty sure I don’t even need to tell you what happened on Monday.  You guessed it – MORE high winds which meant NO KITEBOARDING for Mr. Nick.  :(

Although the kiteboarding was a bust and will be put on hold for the time being, we did manage to enjoy one good day at the beach as well as lots of good reading & card time in the hotel.  And even though Nick wasn’t allowed on the water, I was able to capture some great shots of the more advanced kiteboarders on Bolobag Beach!  Here are a few of my favorites – this sport is not for the faint of heart!  PS – As you may have guessed, I took a crap-ton of photos.  If you want to see the full-size versions and many, many more head on over to SMUGMUG.

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With only 6 months to go, we’re furiously scheduling every last experience we want to get in before leaving the Philippines.  This weekend we are headed back to Boracay to fulfill Nick’s desire of taking a 3 day kite surfing course.  Sounds like a lot of work to me but he’s pumped to try it… here’s what it looks like for those who are unfamiliar:

I’ll try to capture some good shots of him on the water and be sure to let you know what he thought of the experience.  As for me, I’ll just be enjoying the beach and playing with my camera.  For those of you who also have a long weekend, be sure and do something fun with it!

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We had just wrapped up our stay at the B&B/Farm when Nick threw another surprise my way – he told me we’d be spending 2 nights in a private apartment on a vineyard in the Otago Valley!  I’m sure you can imagine my delight… everything about it sounds romantic.  And as with just about everything on this trip, it fully lived up to the wild expectations I had for it.

Our place was adjacent to the owner’s home, in the heart of the lush wine valley.  The space was beautifully decorated in a decor style Nick and I decided we’d call ‘Modern Country’ (perhaps a new look Target should check out).  We felt immediately at home and went out exploring.

The vineyard produces Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris (the same thing as Pinot Grigio).  They aren’t open to the public, nor do they have the production facilities here, so it was really quiet and peaceful.  The place it reminded me of most was Tuscany.  The combination of rolling hills, tall trees and endless rows of grapes made me have flashbacks to my study abroad experience in Italy.  I continue to be fascinated by the country and the incredible variety of topographies that it has.

I wasn’t kidding when I said we made ourselves right at home.  Nick even received an adorable dandelion and ‘note’ from the little 4 year old girl that lives on the property.  Why didn’t I think of that to woo him?  :)

Ours days were spent visiting local wineries trying the region’s best Riesling and Pinot Noirs.

Our first night there we tried the “Trust the Chef” Tasting Menu at the Amisfield Bistro, which accompanyies the vineyard.  It was 5 courses of pure delight, I tell you…

On our final night we decided to take advantage of the big outdoor bbq area on the property.  We lit a roaring fire and enjoyed a selection of local cheeses that complemented a bottle of wine we had chosen at Felton Road vineyard.  It was a perfect way to end a relaxed couple of days.

Half the trip’s over, but there’s still lots more to come including Queenstown, Milford Sound, Auckland, Gisborne and Wellington!  Go on and indulge me by checking out some of my great shots over at SMUGMUG.  I’m pretty proud of what I’ve been able to capture thus far!

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