Peter and Xiaoli Tours

A young friend of mine showed me up!

I make simple videos in Picasa using still photographs set to music. Now its no secret, I am not very technically orientated. I can push buttons but I am a self taught person and the old memory bank up top in my head is becoming full. And you know what a computer is like when it gets full, it slows down.

With a computer you can just delete files to create more memory. The human brain doesn’t work like that unfortunately. It just keeps storing more and more. And the older we get the harder it gets to process things. By that I mean learn new things.

Technology I try hard to learn. I think I do a pretty good job with conquering what I have. But along comes my friend Yi today, and says, Peter send me those photos you put in the video you made yesterday. So I did. 30 minutes later on her cell phone she produced this lovely video. Its not perfect but from my perspective, it took her 30 minutes just to show me how much better it could be.

I am not sure where Yi is now. Either Beijing or Washington as she has met an American man she has been travelling different countries with. But not sure she has permanent residence in the States sorted.

Yi I met 2013 when she toured New Zealand with a group of 8 from Liuzhou in Guangxi China. She was young and naïve then. Still being sent to university by her doting mum to keep learning. 4 years later I believe she may have escaped mums clutches and seems to have matured. Or maybe it was my mentoring as ever since that meeting we have kept in touch and she keeps turning to me for advice. Well now its her teaching the teacher. Roles have been reversed.

I still don’t understand how she converted my pics into that video so quickly. Yes it needs an edit which I don’t want to hurt her feelings by asking her to do. But its also great just the way it is.

A photo story featuring some of the many photographs on our tours around New Zealand.
Contemplating publishing a photo book of our top pics as souvenir giveaways to clients that tour with Peter and Xiaoli Tours

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

Our beautiful 4 dogs. All loved equally. But all very different.

Dou Dou. Our one and only boy, neutered because we do not want to breed any. Dou Dou in Chinese meaning green been. Ok. Not my choice of names, he came with it.

Dou is our guard dog. He hears every noise. Sometimes barks a little to often. Is hyper to say the least so banned from sleeping in the bedroom. Lucky to last 10 minutes anywhere without being on the move again. Take him out in the car and he must sit front seat. Whoever sits passenger seats has no choice, Dou Dou will go there. And he rarely sleeps in the car. Must watch everything out the window.

Xiao Xiao, the first of the 4 to come live with us. Guess she must be 9 now. Definitely Xiaoli’s dog although if Xiaoli not interested in her company, rapidly sitting by me. Xiao means small. She is small, but also rotund. Needs regular exercise or becomes fat. But she is a wider build in the rib cage anyway. Would sleep all day if you give her the opportunity. Sleeps on our bed. Cold nights gets under the blankets between Xiaoli and I. No please may I come under, barges her way in. Snores badly.

Tara. I guess about 10. She would be our noisiest expect prior us she was debarked. She is te second ring leader with Dou Dou for barking at anything going on out side. And no, Tara is not a Chinese name.

If there is thunder then Tara will jump anything just to be with us. Hates with a vengeance, thunder. A beautiful soft personality. Nicknamed by me, feet. She comes up to you then its her feet that come up. Don’t pat her the foot will grab the hand or arm to pull it over to her. A character. Like Xiao Xiao, happy to sleep all day. In the lounge. She never been interested in sleeping on our bed.

Then there is Li Li. I am hers. That’s right, I am hers, she is not mine. She claimed me and is very possessive of me. She wont let the others come close at times. The same goes for Xiaoli. If you hear ‘grrr’ then you know Li Li says get away. Her name in Chinese means beautiful. She is the smallest of 4 but the most courageous. Nothing really scares her. Unfortunately she is the one we cannot trust if we have young ducklings or chickens around. She would kill them given half a chance. Hence a photo in the trolley. They all know they ride in that past the chook and duck area. Where does Li Li sleep. By my shoulder under the blanket. Will not move from there or get up until I do.

Time for the next project

 

40 page document for presentations in China is completed. Been translated so just hope the translation replicates my English version or it could be embarrassing. A company profile for ‘Peter and Xiaoli Tours’ but also listing our key tours.

6 day tour now planned and loaded to the website incorporating much of the route I did last week but with the addition of a boat trip plus hike to the White Island volcano. Plus several nights Rotorua. It will be an amazing tour for my tour parties and affordable. Expect to take record numbers of photographs.

If you have not seen a live volcano up close then this is your chance. For me some of it reminds me of Rotorua but with a much stronger sulphur smell for which you have masks you can put on. But what got me and I thought frightening to a degree was the roar coming up through the vent holes. But so glad I have experienced it and I guess I will with even more tour guests.

The East Cape is amazing with its many bays and beaches. Then there is the Maori heritage factor. The beautiful  interior of the Maori church at Tiki Tiki.

Gisborne, much to see. Start on the drive into Gisborne, tide permitting the walking out on to the reef and feeding the stingray. Magic. And you must remember this whole area is steeped in heritage with the landing of Captain Cook back in the 1600’s.  The first European to step foot on New Zealand soil and meet the local Maori. What that must have been for both races on the day.

From Gisborne we head down to Wairoa and the over the awe inspiring very scenic Lake Waikaremoana road. Many bush walks that can be done. An area you just have to see to believe. The road is not the best but I have travelled many a time.

Then 2 nights Rotorua. Visit Te Puia thermal park. Geysers, boiling mud pools. A visit to Agrodome for the farm show. Leisure time when if you wish you can go soak in the world famous Polynesian mineral pools. Or go souvenir shopping, maybe

The last day a visit to Waitomo Caves before returning Auckland. What a tour and its affordable.

Today with the business trip to China getting closer it was time to check costings for all tours we do. We will not compete with a packaged bus tour but then we do a lot more than bus tours do. We stop often for photography on route. Or maybe just to walk on a particular beach. We never rush unless we have a deadline to meet such as a cruise boat.

Our costs are very competitive like with like. If interesting in touring New Zealand talk to us. Our specialty is small groups 11 or less but we are licensed to drive everything.

Tomorrow I would love to go do a bit of fishing but the weather forecast is not favourable. But it is winter I guess.

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

 

 

 

How beautiful is that view

 

I am sitting here at our beach property waiting on people to collect some furniture I advertised as free to anyone requiring said items. Hopefully the furniture is going to a genuine home and not someone who is going to try to on sell.

But look at the photograph taken out the front window of our beach front accommodation. The beautiful Ninety Mile Beach almost calm. Just a very thin layer of cloud cover. I have no idea what the temperature is but given I have stripped the sweatshirt off, it is pleasantly warm.

I have recovered from my 6 day trip around the East Cape on the North Island of New Zealand. Some of my blogs were up there against my best ever blog for readers of about 2500 readers. I am either getting better or just maybe more and more people are becoming aware I write regular blogs.

Now the East Cape is complete I have finished writing my 39 page document I will use in presentations in China. I have had it translated into Chinese. Juggling photographs around after that was a mission to make sure I didn’t change the translation done. My brother in law back in China is now proof reading for me. Handy having a Chinese brother in law who is a Deputy Principal, so therefore the perfect proof reader.

I have added a 6 day tour to the report. Unique to us I hope. Certainly not a route the main players promote. Auckland down to Whakatane. A boat trip to White Island. Then on around the East Cape and Gisborne area. Down to Wairoa and back across to Rotorua via Lake Waikaremoana.

I believe once we take a few tour groups that route then word of mouth should help it take off.

Next to be added is a fishing tour which East Cape could be a component of.

I look forward to the business challenge in China. My first serious attempt at getting business out of China. 60% of our tours are Chinese but through word of mouth. This will be our first real attempt to gain travel consultant business. Other times we tried we could not get past 2 emails. This time meetings secured. Next is to win business.

In fairness in earlier years we did not have the credentials to put up to get us past the first contact stage.

Tomorrow this weather keeps up, its very tempting to take the boat out.

 

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

24hours to I post this blog

Its 6.49am. The stupid alarm in the motel went at 5.42am. I didn’t set it as I had set it on my cell phone. Obviously a previous guest. Thankyou to that previous guest I woke with a start an hour before I needed get up. But get up I did. Shower and I am ready to go again.

Today a 4.5 hour drive back to Auckland to drop off my fellow guides then a further 4.5 hours to get home. 2 stops planned on route which we decided on last night. An 8am departure.  What we needed to do which was learn about the entire East Cape area we have done. You can never see everything but I know all of us have vastly increased our knowledge of the area.

For me I have taken about another 250 photographs to add to my photograph library. I have planned in my head another5 to 6 day tour route and I know that its highly unlikely anybody else  offers the same route as a standard package. Extremely scenic and endless things to see.  I certainly have not seen everything but now a great over view.

2/08/19 6.24pm. I was wrong in my calculations. Haha. 36 hours before I finish and post the blog.

Took no photographs on route yesterday yet we had a few stops and I accomplished a number of things.

First stop, my recommendation, Peejays in Whakatane. They are the company that does the White Island cruises plus as it turns out, much more. A very interesting meeting with the marketing manager and at some stage in the near future I will head back down there to look at in more depth their offerings. The local Iwi down there have now purchased Peejays and I only see that as a positive thing.

Photographs I post tonight are some I took on White Island earlier this year. We were offered the opportunity of going yesterday but all agreed we need do a specific Whakatane and surrounds famil trip in the future.

From there to Maketu Pies. A New Zealand small town success story now selling pies around New Zealand plus Australia.

We did consider visiting Comvita honey but their phones interestingly were rerouted to the Australian office who obviously were answering out of their normal office hours. All they could tell us were there was a 3 day meeting on and the company except shop are closed. Interesting.

Then back to Auckland to drop people off different locations. I managed to be in time to visit a Greenstone and Paua Jewellery manufacturer to arrange a sales agreement so we can represent their product in the future. Another string to our bow as we continue to broaden what we do and grow

Woke up late this morning for me. First appointment was the accountant to sign last years financials. Recorded a profit and reasonable growth year on year which is good. But downside is more taxes. Hopefully the 2017/18 year continues that growth and currently signs are looking good.

www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

Day 5 – Gisborne to Opotiki New Zealand

 

In theory only a 2.5 hour drive but we have a bit of tripping around so in reality 4 to 5 hours drive time. Not sure of the exact agenda but we will look at shortly.

Last night on discussion between us we agreed the trip could have been 1 day less plus we could have changed how and what we saw each area but this agenda was presented to us by the local tourism authority. Maybe a sign they don’t understand totally what they have to offer. But it has still been a good exploratory trip. We worth the time the 7 of us have spared up to do it.

We have laughed a lot. Told very interesting stories so personal opinion, a great trip. I have my photography I set out to get. Maybe the weather not making some of those photographs as beautiful as they could be but that is okay.

Asked last night what was the highlight so far. For me the whole East Cape trip. Hindsight is great but I never thought of this to now. We should have stopped Opotiki first night. Then 1 to 1.5 days getting around the East Cape before we arrived Gisborne.

Today an 8.15 start. I am packed ready to go. Viewing news on television. Not sure whys because if its news its seldom good news. Haha

9.18pm. Later than I wished to keep writing this blogs but sometimes tours do not give the tour guide/driver, namely me, time out to write.

We had a great day today. 2 people less tonight as they flew out of Gisborne to their home destinations.

What did we do on this weather wise after some terrible cold weather days. We started with a tour to Eastwoodhill Arboretum. If you are a ‘kiwi’ then we own it. A very interesting heritage. Started by a very interesting character, Douglas Cook in 1910. Granted through a land grant of sorts the land. Much more than exists now as part of the grounds but as time evolved and he spent money bringing trees from all over the world he sold off parts.

Don’t quote me, but now in about 113 hectares this property is planted extensively with trees from all over the world. And yes experts are in there to keep developing this property. As a kiwi you are an owner, but this property is more than that. It is protecting trees becoming extinct in their natural environments. If you are into trees, an absolute must see. For me personally, not so much about the individual trees, but the photography opportunities at the magnificence of what I saw which was just a small portion of the property.

My mistake, I am travelling with 3 cameras plus a cell phone but today I misjudged which camera I should carry.

Douglas Cook, maybe another day I will dictate a blog to him, or google him. It was his vision that established what I saw but there are more interesting stories about that man.

From there we were running extremely late so we cut out a segment of the agenda that included some hot springs. Personally I was fine with the decision. So because by now it was late morning and none of us had had breakfast we decided on a very late brunch. I wont name the place and just put it down to they had a bad day. Food was okay but service and staff were not. A pity. But my off sider decided she would not leave without saying something. Apology was given, but sorry, I will not stop there with a tour group again.

From there it was to Milton Vineyard. A boutique vineyard an organically certified. This trip 3 vineyards and one brewery but I am driver so no drinking. Sad. But I understand the wine was great. I know my wines so I know what the gentleman was telling was correct. Just a pity I am driver.

Next we built in a surprise for the rest of the group. I cannot take credit at all but I agreed we should do it. We went to a blacksmiths. A gentleman with same first name as me and probably similar age. Peter. My eyes lit up. Sea anchors, cray pots and old motor bikes. I am in heaven. Peter was a real character you could spend all day with. Endless stories to tell. Bonus of this stop was I got very unexpected photo opportunities and hopefully 2 cray pots are on their way north.

Next stop an extremely beautiful water fall but if you want to see you will need book a tour with Peter and Xiaoli Tours. Off the beaten track very much but worth t.

From there a 2 hour drive to Opotiki and the lovely lady on the GPS keep telling us to turn around for a while. But then she must have realised that’s not going to happen so kept saying go straight. Haha. 30 to 50 minutes of metal road. Very scenic and I love metal roads. A dream come true. But probably not the ideal tour route. Haha.

We arrived Opotiki 20 minutes or so earlier than the GPS lady originally predicted. I wonder why?

A great day. Tomorrow 4.5 hours to Auckland. Drop people off different locations. Visit a souvenir factory that has agreed to work with us. Pick up 10kg of American Cherries for my beautiful wife, the boss, Xiaoli

Then 5 hours to home. Going to be a late night arrival. Hopefully the farm gate is open as we are 1km down a very dark metal driveway. See my beautiful little Li Li. Yes my dog. She will be beside herself to see me. Xiaoli has no look in until I settle here. Xiaoli and I both know, our 4 beautiful babies, the dogs, take priority

www.peterandxiaoli.com

 

 

 

If ever in Gisborne on New Zealand’s east coast of the North Island, then I recommend Smash Palace is well worth a visit. Have a drink or two. Not sure I would recommend the food unless you enjoy it as part of the experience. It would be better with a group.

Enjoy the photo’s. If its you then one day do visit. Book a tour with Peter and Xiaoli Tours. We do tours from 5 to 25 days. Sometimes shorter in our home region but 80% of what we do falls within the area I listed.

We are a boutique tour company specialising in small numbers up to 11. All our tours are individually planned to the wish list we ask clients to supply.

Want a tour within New Zealand then talk to us. Want a tour in China then talk to us. As our name suggests Peter is very much a Kiwi, Xiaoli Chinese heritage. Peter fluent English unless he hashad a glass or wine or two. At leasts my friends tell me that. Haha. Xiaoli fluent 5 Chinese languages plus English

Enjoy our Smash Palace photographs taken tonight by yours truly. Every photograph we ever display on our blogs is personally taken. So enjoy our Smash Palace experience

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

Day 3 – Minimal driving exploring Gisborne

I have awoken to a beautiful day. A clear blue sky and the wind has significantly reduced. Alas, the very cold temperature has not changed. But just be grateful, little wind and a blue sky.

Not absolutely sure what is on the agenda today but I do know it starts with the company in town that arranges cycle tours of the city. I am not a cyclist nor wish to be. Those memories can remain in my childhood days. But I do need learn about what is offered as from time to time the odd tourist is interested.

I know there is a surf school on the agenda and again not my thing but in the past I have had tourists travelling with me ask. So again it’s a learning thing.

And there is a vineyard end of day and yes the important wine tasting. Now wine I have given up but surely partaking in a little tasting will be okay? Haha. I have not sworn off alcohol, just wine as I love it, and it loves me with a passion,  and the love runs so deep sometimes a little much would be consumed.

30 minutes to go before we meet the rest of the group. Changed shoes for today hoping my feet may remain warmer. I know one of my fellow guides sharing the apartment has put a double layer of socks on. I must say I hadn’t thought of that but hopefully the trusty sneakers in the rear of the ‘Peter and Xiaoli Tours’ vehicle will do the job. Or really, it would be just great if the temperature rose 4 or 5 degrees today.

11.35am. It feels like about 2 degrees here today even though our tour vehicle says it’s a little warmer. The wind chill factor caused by the southerly wind coming off the water.

The days started with a meeting in a local café here in Gisborne with a lovely lady talking about her surf school she has created here. A very interesting lady when you here the full story of what she does. I am not interested in surfing. Tried it many years ago and for me the sea holds more valuable treasures such as the fish I seek to haul in. But yes, she was very worth spending the time as I know although not often, but I do get tourists time permitting that could be interested in what she offers.

The next meeting was arranged so we could stay put and they would come to us. A lovely South African but now kiwi lady who runs the local cycle tour business. Some interesting tours she offers. Very much just a seasonal business as Gisborne has the same issues as where I come from in the very far north of New Zealand, it is off the normal main tourist route. So I related very well.

After that a drive around Gisborne. Many years since I have done that. A few photographs to add to my growing photo library. Next a motel inspection visit then followed by the local museum. I would like to think the weather will warm up but gut feel says it is unlikely to.

4.41pm. A relaxed afternoon. It seems in the winter a lot of Gisborne shuts down on a Sunday. But we had a great drive around. Viewed a few of the sights.

Last visit was to the Gisborne Wine Centre which represents the local vineyards. All partook in a wine tasting except for yours truly who opted to stay with the coffee. Plus in all honesty I need stay a sober driver. Haha

We did visit the local museum. Not my kettle of fish but a good history of the region.  Nothing wrong with it as a museum and if you are into that sort of thing you should visit.

Tonight some of the group will visit a local cinema which the local tourism centre recommended then we will all head off to the Smash Palace Restaurant for dinner.

Tomorrow back to driving a little more as we explore more of the region before we head to Opotiki for the final night

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com