NZ Pictures

Ok everyone.  Here is the big album of pictures that we took on our trip.  There were about 1000, but I cut that down.  Some are pretty similar so just look at what you want to.  Enjoy!

Photo Album

Wrap-Up

We made it back home to O'Hare after a very long day of travel.  Temperature in Queenstown was -1 degree when we got to the airport!  Our flight was supposed to leave Queenstown at 9:55, but was delayed due to traffic at Auckland.  So, we arrived in Auckland about 45 minutes before our flight was supposed to leave for LA.  We arrived in the domestic terminal and had a 10 minute walk to the international terminal.  We had to get our bags and re-check them in the other terminal.  So there was lots of quick walking outside and inside the airport.  A nice lady guided us quickly from the check-in desk to our gate, passing us through security as quickly as possible.  Renee and I had the third to the last row in the plane and a set of 3 seats to ourselves so we were able to rest our legs on the seat and be a little more comfortable than the flight from LA to Auckland.  There was a bit of turbulence on the flight and one point when it was pretty scary.  But we arrived in LA finally a little before 6:30 AM LA time.  Left LA at 9:30 and arrived at O'Hare a little after 3.  So about 24 hours of travel all together for us.  Other than the turbulence, the flights were ok, but very long.  And the running between terminals at Auckland was not fun.  And here in Itasca it's in the mid-80s so pretty warm for us coming from chilly Queenstown.

I'm pretty exhausted after our day of travel and am sure it will take a few days to get back on track.  Photos will be coming tomorrow!

Lord of the Rings Tour and other stuff

Tuesday Renee and I took a LOTR tour.  Our guide picked us up a little after 8 and there was one other girl on our tour who was from London.  She was spending the entire year traveling around and had come from South America, was going to Austrailia next and then Asia.  Very interesting to talk with her about her travels!  We drove around Queenstown first to view a Korean fort that was built for some Cold War movie.  It was supposed to be a shell, but the director made an actual fort so you can still see it on a hill.  Then we headed north to Glenorchy.  There are lots of LOTR sites that we stopped at, but I have no idea what they were.  I only know the scenery was amazing!  Glenorchy is a tiny town and we stopped there before heading off on a gravel road into a forest.  Our guide pretty much knew everyone so we got to meet Choppy the pig and a few brown sheep!  In the forest area, he made us put on some kind of cloak and swing around swords.  Renee found it to be exciting as she knew what the sword and dagger were for.  We stopped back in Glenorchy for tea before heading back towards Queenstown.  The road was pretty windy and I was glad to be a passenger for a change!  The other girl was only along for half the day so we dropped her off back in Queenstown before heading out to see more sites.  We stopped to watch some bungy jumpers.  That is about the stupidest thing I have ever seen.  I was getting sick just watching!  We drove on another very windy, very gravely road to view something about the Pillars of the King.  Then ate lunch in Arrowtown, which is an old gold mining town.  It is along the Shotover River, which is the second highest gold bearing river after the Yukon.  Lunch was delicious!  Then we went up to Coronet Peak to see the ski field.  There wasn't any snow and the ski season starts on the 6th.  No idea what they will do when the hundreds of skiers show up!  Our guide took us to see the only uninsured road in NZ.  You have to have a special permit to drive on it and he did have that.  But we did not go down the road as I would not have liked it at all!  Then we headed back to our hotel and got back about 3:00.  Renee and I decided to have dessert for dinner and so she had the Baked Alaska and I had the plum and apple crisp.  Delicious!

Yesterday we walked through the Kiwi Birdlife Park here in Queenstown.  Got to see Kiwi's up close and lots of other native birds.  New Zealand does not have any native mammals other than 2 small bats.  All other mammals have been introduced and are destroying the native birds.  The Kiwi are especially threatened due to the stoats eating their eggs.  At the park, they have 2 breeding pairs.  The one pair are both 10 years old and will be released into the wild at the end of the year.  The other pair is a 3 year old female and a 5 year old male.  They haven't had any successful eggs yet, but one was in the incubator.  We got to see a Kiwi feeding and listen to the conservation show.  It was a really nice park.  Then we took the gondola ride to the top of Ben's Peak.  It was a pretty steep ride, but I did not have a problem with it.  At the top is a cafe with a wonderful view of the city and was a perfect lunch spot.  After the gondola, we walked around the gardens and watched some dogs playing in the water. 

Today we decided to drive south for a bit as we didn't have anything else to do.  Good thing we did because we came across a ton of sheep moving up the road.  They were much more orderly than the cows that were on the road and moved pretty quick.  Very cute!  Stopped at a little town that has a steam engine, but it wasn't running.  We came back to Queenstown to do some shopping and have lunch.  The big place to go here is Fergberger and so that's where we went.  It was delicious!  The burgers were huge and I could only eat half.  I had a regular burger with brie cheese and Renee had the same, only with blue cheese.  Amazing!  It had been closed for some renovations and just reopened on Wednesday so we had great timing!  We got there when it wasn't busy, but by the time we left there was a huge crowd.  Did some shopping and sat by the beach for a bit.  Now it's time to repack the suitcases and rest up for our long day of travel tomorrow.  Plane leaves Queenstown at 10:00 and we get back to Chicago at 3:30. 

This has been an amazing trip and I will get pictures sent out soon.  Only one hotel had free wi-fi and that was only available for 30 minutes so not much time to upload anything.  I hope to be able to come back one day, but if not, at least we had a great sample of what New Zealand has to offer.  I highly recommend it as a holiday destination for anyone who doesn't mind flying a long way!

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!