Last full day in New Zealand

April 23 - Our first stop today was Glendene at Lake Hawea. Glendene is a high country sheep and cattle station owned by Jerry & Leslie Burdon. In a picturesque lake-side setting, they raise more than 7,200 Merino sheep, several hundred cattle and more than 2,400 deer on approximately 15,000 acres. The deer and Merino sheep are especially suited to the hilly land. They raise deer for antler velvet, trophy hunting and venison--this type of diversification has been beneficial to the Burdons. The Burdons's sheep produce a fine, bright, high-quality wool, which accounts for around 20% of their farm income. Jerry showed us their wool shed and explained about the types of wool quality. Some of their wool goes to an auction market, while the rest is sold through direct contract deals. Jerry's sheep dog, Spot, and his buddy, Luke, put on a sheep herding demonstration for us. The herding dogs respond to voice commands to steer the sheep in the right direction or round up any stragglers. It was quite entertaining.

After a wonderful lunch served by Leslie, we boarded the bus and headed on to Queenstown for our last night in New Zealand. Along the way, we stopped at the Gibbston Valley Winery for a look at their vines and a tasting. We also stopped Kawarau Bridge, where bungy jumping originated. One member of our group, Lou, took the plunge from the 43M bridge!

Our farewell dinner was on Bob's Peak. We took the Skyline Gondola to the top for a great meal and views of Queenstown. The Bob's Peak Gondola is reportedly the steepest lift in the Southern Hemisphere.