New Zealand's tallest point and Queenstown

Monday morning we set off on our last driving leg of our trip, from Lake Tekapo to Queenstown.  It was another sunny and clear morning and the drive was supposed to be about 2 ½ hours long.  We stopped at a visitor center at the bottom of Lake Pukaki to see if we could see Mt. Cook.  Mt. Cook is the tallest point in New Zealand at around 3700 meters.  There were some clouds around the peak and we couldn’t see the entire thing.  So we continued on our way.  But then we decided to take the drive north to the Aoraki National Park as it was only a 55 km road.  We were so glad that we did!  The road winds along the lake and the base of the mountains until you get to the little village at the end.  We stopped at the visitors center to see what there was to do.  We saw a nice road that was an 8 km drive to a view of a glacier so we took that.  Turned out to be a gravel road with lots of twists, a few one way bridges and a steep uphill section.  Those are the roads I would normally close my eyes on, but we made it to the end!  My dad would be proud.  At the end of the road is a picnic area, with toilets and then several walks to different sights.  We took the walk to view the Tasman Glacier.  It was a mostly uphill walk with a clear path until we got to a pile of large rocks.  Then we had to pick our way to the top.  The view was great.  The glacier is the largest in New Zealand and looks like a pile of gravel.  I think the sign said the gravel part was 2 meters thick and then it was ice underneath.  The small lake had a few little icebergs floating in it.  We had a great view of Mt. Cook with no clouds to cover the top.  It was beautiful!  In this area, as with most of New Zealand, the mountains pretty much just rise up from the valley floor.  There don’t seem to be foothills like you find out by the Rockies.  We ate our lunch on a picnic table next to a small rushing stream with the mountains surrounding us.  It was the best lunch spot!  Unfortunately we had to get back in the car and head back to the main road.  The rest of the drive to Queenstown took us along the flat areas and then up through the mountains.  This was the only day we hit a traffic jam and it came in the form of a herd of cows heading up the road!  So I had to stop to let them go by as they pretty much took over the entire road.  Some were smaller ones that were trying to have a drink on the way and some had their tongues hanging out from the walk.  Very exciting! 

Queenstown is set along a lake that is surrounded by mountains.  We have another lakeview room and it has a pretty great view!  We have 3 whole days in this area and will be taking a Lord of the Rings Tour on Tuesday and then 2 days to do whatever.  Hopefully the weather stays nice!

Whales or no Whales

No whales!  Tour was cancelled due to rough seas:(  We woke in the morning on Saturday to clear skies and little wind.  The waves were a lot smaller than they were the day before and it looked great.  We went to the tour place to check in and they said there was a sea sickness warning for our tour.  I bought a pill and took that and then we waited outside until it was time to go in to the briefing room.  We sat down and then the announcement came that the tour was cancelled.  The wind had picked up and we could see white caps out on the ocean.  We got in the line and re-booked for the next tour at 1:15.  Drove down to the end of the road in Kaikoura where there is a seal colony and ate our lunch by the seals.  Went back to the tour office and waited in the briefing room.  Another announcement came that the tour was cancelled as well due to the rough seas out by where the whales were.  So we did not get to see any whales.  Insead we went back to the seal colony.  There is a walk around the Kaikoura Peninsula and we walked up to the lookout point at the top of the hill.  There were some great views of the snowy mountains that provide a backdrop to the town and also views out over the water.  Then we spent a good hour or so sitting by the seals.  Some very rude young boys were walking right up to them and poking them with sticks.  We were hoping a seal would bite them, but no luck.  Most just swam off to find other places to sleep.  There was a smaller looking one and we were waiting for it to get up, but it didn't and we were getting cold so we headed back to the hotel.  Ended up getting a nice dinner of toasted cheese sandwiches and chips which we ate by the water.  The sky was clear and we saw a few stars.

This morning when we woke up, it was pretty chilly.  There was ice on the windshield and the car said 2 degrees.  That's Celcius, not Farenheit so not below freezing!  But the sky was clear and it eventually warmed up as we headed inland.  Our route today took us along the coast for a bit, then headed in and south to Christchurch.  There we found the Pirates Cove Mini-Golf (yes, for all you campers, it's the same kind as the one in Sister Bay!) and we played a round there.  No pirates hanging in trees, but still a nice mini-golf.  Once around Christchurch, we headed west to Geraldine and then to our stop at Lake Tekapo.  The road became hillier and windier and we could see snowy mountains in the distance.  Then we came around the curve into the town and there was the lake surrounded by beautiful mountains!  Our hotel room has a lake view, which is excellent.  We walked on the path that leads to a small church and then down by the water.  The lake is a turquoise blue color due to the rocks that are ground up by the glaciers at the top of the lake.  It's pretty nice!

Tomorrow we head southwest to Queenstown where we will spend the last 4 nights of our trip.  Hopefully the weather remains as nice and we are able to take in all the beautiful scenery.  I'm getting very good at driving on these mountain roads, but I still don't like all the twists and turns!

Traveling to the South

Yesterday (Friday) Renee and I said goodbye to the North Island and hopped the ferry from Wellington to Picton.  The journey takes about 3 hours and goes out of the water by Wellington, across the Cook Straight and into the South Island.  As it was very windy and rainy, we did not sit on the top deck.  Instead we found a seat right at the front of the ship in the food court.  Our ferry was the largest of the ferries and had 10 decks in total and could hold 1200 passengers.  The scenery was awesome, but I did discover that the open water caused some motion sickness!  But I popped on my iPod and did some puzzles and waited for land again.  The entrance to the South Island was beautiful and the sun chose that moment to come out of the clouds!  We glided along past towering hills, small houses along the shore, saw a few dolphins and lots of sea birds.  We arrived in Picton at 11:30 and picked up our rental car (a red Mazda 3!) and continued our journey south.  Stopped in Blenheim to get some drinks and then at a wayside further along to have our PB&Js.  This area is big on wine and we went by many vineyards with nice fall leaves.  Heading south, we went through rolling hills until we came to the coast.  Then our road followed right along the shore with towering hills to the right.  The waves of the Pacific were crashing against the shore and it was beautiful.  Stopped at a pull out to let some cars pass and there were a bunch of seals!  They were just lying around on the rocks and you almost had to watch where you were walking because you could step on one sleeping in the grass.  They did not seem to mind the people taking pictures and would raise their heads every once in awhile to check you out.  Further along we stopped at Ohau Lookout where there is another colony of seals.  There were some cute baby ones playing in the surf and making cute seal noises.  Renee has some great video that we'll post probably when we get home. 

We arrived in Kaikoura and checked into our motel.  We have a small kitchen area and a bathroom with a shower that's just kind of in the corner.  Renee discovered that the water basically ends up all over the floor so we know now not to wear our socks as the floor is all wet!  We got back in the car and headed into town.  Kaikoura is a small town, but I could stay here forever.  The visitor center directed us to a cheap fish n chips place and gave us info on a walk we will take today (Saturday).  We went back to the supermarket to get some lunch supplies.  Then back to the fish n chips place where we got it to take away and ate by the water.  It was the perfect setting to enjoy the fish.  Then Renee decided that she wanted to put her feet in New Zealand water.  So she took her shoes off, rolled up her pants and stood by where the waves were.  Unfortunately, the next wave that came went crashing a little further up and she ended up with water all up the front of her pants!  It was quite funny!  Next time she was more prepared and stood further back.  After all that excitement, we headed back to the hotel for the night.

The good thing about vacation is we are on our own schedule.  So who cares if we have been eating dinner at 4:30 and in bed by 8!  It's nice!  Today is bright and sunny and we have a whale tour to catch at 10!  Hopefully we see some.

I would also like to point out that everyone in New Zealand is very friendly and, other than a few impatient people, they are all happy to wait until there is a passing lane or I have a place to pull over if I'm the pokey one, which I usually am!  The roads are only 1 lane and there is usually not much traffic so it's not hard for me to drive. 

Well, our hotel has a nice computer in the office with free internet, but Renee is probably ready to head towards town.  The sun wasn't out yesterday and it will be nice to get pictures on a good day.  There are some snowy mountains visible from our room!  My favorite place so far!

Glowworms, Mordor and Driving like a Kiwi!

Part one: Auckland to Tongariro National Park.  Today was the first full day of driving like a Kiwi!  And it was a successful one!  No turning onto the wrong side, no getting lost and no accidents.  Traffic around Auckland was not bad and once we were outside the city, it was pretty light.  The scenery outside Auckland was mostly rolling hills with lots of cows and sheep.  The speed limit on the main roads is 100 km/hr (about 60 mph) and in towns is 50 km/h.  So even though the distances are small, it takes longer to get places due to the slower speed and winding roads.  Our first stop was the Waitomo Glowworm Cave.  It took us about 2 and a half hours to get to the Cave and we arrived in time to take the 11:00 tour.  You start with a walk through parts of the cave, learning the history and about how the cave was formed.  The cave was first discovered by a Maori leader in the 1880s.  Since that time, the cave has slowly been made accessible to visitors.  The main draw is the glowworm population.  They are basically teeny tiny flies that spin a sticky thread and sit inside it.  Then they glow to attract other insects for food.  The brighter the glow, the hungrier they are.  The cave tour ends with a silent boat ride in the dark along the river at the bottom of the cave.  It is amazing to sit in silence staring up at the hundreds of little glowing lights that look like stars.  Renee and I truly enjoyed the tour and it was worth the slight detour off the highway and the entrance fee.  We had a nice lunch of PB&J in the parking lot and then continued on our way.  The road became windier and the scenery more and more beautiful.  It was nice that the traffic was so light as I wasn’t rushed and was able to drive the speed I was comfortable at.  By the time we got to our hotel at the park, it was cloudy and starting to drip.  We were able to check in and then took a drive into Tongariro Park.  The goal was to take the road to see Mordor.  Unfortunately, the clouds blocked all views.  That was fine with me because the road was so steep and windy and I usually have my eyes closed when driving on such roads.  This time I was the driver and had to watch where I was going.  Renee was disappointed that we weren’t able to see Mount Doom or any Orcs.  We also did not see any Kiwi birds, but did see a sign on the road warning to watch for them at night.  Our hotel, The Park Travelers Lodge, was more geared towards the backpackers who frequent the park.  We did have a room with two twin beds and a tiny bathroom.  We had dinner at the Lodge and shared an order of bruschetta and a bacon cheeseburger and fries.  It was delicious.  Then we settled in for the night.  Unfortunately, the other residents didn’t seem to want to go to bed and were out in the hot tub outside our room from probably 1 AM to who knows when.  So it was probably good that we went to bed at 7 since we were awake for several hours in the early morning.

Part Two: Tongariro to Wellington.  We woke up to pouring rain and gusty northerlies (saw that in the newspaper and I love that description!).  Luckily it was down to a drizzle when we had to load up the car.  The drive to Wellington was lots of up and down hill, tons of curves and, since it was raining most of the time, I was going pretty slow.  The good thing is that New Zealand drivers are pretty polite and I never felt too pressured to go faster.  There are lots of places to pull over and let others pass and we also stopped at a few scenic waysides.  One was a nice waterfall and others were just nice lookouts over valleys.  Eventually we descended out of the hills and the road became a little straighter.  The rain was around most of the day and varied from a light mist to a full on downpour.  Luckily, the downpours were after we were out of the winding mountain roads.  About an hour outside of Wellington, we came around a curve and there on the right was the Tasman Sea!  The waves were huge and the road went right along the coast.  I was hoping for a place to pull over, but they were on the other side of the road so we weren’t able to get any photos.  It was such a sight when we rounded that corner!  You then head back inland and come into Wellington, which is in what looks like a bay.  Our hotel is up on a hill and our room faces a garden area.  After we checked in, we put on our rain gear and headed down the hill into the city.  Went to the Te Papa Museum, which is a free museum with lots of exhibits about New Zealand.  There was a special exhibit with an actual colossal squid!  It was pretty gross.  Then we headed out to find the way to the Mt. Victoria lookout.  I guess this is also featured in LOTR.  Luckily for us, it required a very steep uphill walk.  The walk was labeled easy and if that was easy, I would hate to see the moderate kind!  We only went halfway because it was just too far and I could not go up anymore.  So we walked back down, back to the center of town, got McDonalds and walked back to the hotel.  I am glad we are taking a 3 hour ferry ride tomorrow as my feet cannot take much more walking!  Hope to post again in a few days!

NZ part 1

Hello all from Auckland!  It's day two of our visit to New Zealand and our last night in Auckland.  We arrived after a seemingly never-ending flight yesterday morning a little before 8 AM.  I did not get much sleep on the plane, but the ride was uneventful other than a few bumpy spots.  Quantas has great amenities, even in the economy seats.  We had dinner, breakfast and snacks throughout.  Got into Auckland, cleared customs and biohazard security and were on our way to our hotel.  The room was ready right away, which was nice.  We were able to drop off all our stuff and refresh after the loooooong day to get here.

A visitor center is located right across from the hotel so we stopped there first.  Decided to take the harbour cruise so we booked that.  Got lunch at Subway and then took the ferry ride.  It was a nice way to see the city from the water and check out the other islands.  After the ferry, we walked around a little, got ice cream for dinner and went to bed at 6!  We were exhausted.

This morning we picked up our rental car.  Quite an adventure heading back to the hotel, but I managed to stay in the correct lane.  Just a little tricky staying far enough away from the curb!  Not used to that yet, but we'll be out of the city tomorrow so driving should be easier!

Walked from the hotel to the Auckland Domain and visited the Auckland Museum.  I don't think it was that long of a walk, but it was mostly uphill so that wasn't much fun.  The museum has tons of different exhibits covering all areas of New Zealand.  Types of wildlife, plants, history and culture.  It was worth the $10 donation.

Headed back to the city and took the ferry to Devonport.  The ferry ride there was included with our Harbour Cruise from yesterday.  We were done walking so we spent our time there sitting by the water, watching the boats and the birds.  Took the ferry back and rested in the hotel.  Now dinner and probaby bed early again.

So far, we are enjoying our time, but will be glad to be out of the city so we can check out the scenery!  Hope to post more soon!

New Zealand Itinerary

Ok, so Renee and I are only a few days away from starting our New Zealand adventure! I thought I would post a short summary of our trip in case anyone is wondering where we are on what day. Just remember that New Zealand is 17 hours ahead of us!

We depart O'Hare on the 21st for Auckland via LAX. We arrive in Auckland around 8 AM on the 23rd.

Hotel Stays:
• May 23-24 - http://www.millenniumhotels.co.nz/copthorneharbourcity/index.html
• May 25 - http://www.the-park.co.nz/about-us/
• May 26 - http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1991-mercure-wellington/index.shtml
• May 27-28 - http://www.willowbankkaikoura.co.nz/
• May 29 - http://www.tekapo.co.nz/
• May 30-June 2 - http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-1994-mercure-queenstown-resort/index.shtml

Tours we have planned
• May 28th - http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/
• May 31st - http://www.infotrack.co.nz/lord-of-the-rings-fullday.html

We depart Queenstown around 9:30 AM on the 3rd and arrive back at O'Hare around 3:30 PM on the same day!

I'm hoping to be able to post several times during our trip about all the fabulous things we are doing and the beautiful scenery. There will probably be tons of pictures after we get back, but maybe a few along the way. Enjoy!