The day dawned crystal clear over New Zealand today. So much so that we could see Mt. Tapuaenuku and Mt. Tarahaka in Marlborough on the South Island clear as a bell. As you can see we chose to try a…
Te Papa Museum, a Sunday Market, and off to Palmerston North
A word about beer in New Zealand. You can order a stubby, a glass, a Handle, or a stein. Alan at dinner ordered a stein. This was definitely the biggest stein I have ever seen and could have sated all…
Art Deco, Anyone? And..Why Man was not Meant to Fly!
This morning we left Palmerston North and were quite surprised to almost immediately enter the Manawatu Gorge. It was a beautiful mountain pass between the plains in the west and the Pacific coastal regions in the east. In addition at…
As They Say in Maine… Ya’ Can’t Get there…..From Here!
Giddy Mates ( we finally leaned the proper spelling), After a beautiful sunrise in Napier it was breakfast and then off to Taupo and the volcanic and geothermal area of the country, by heading over The Southern Alps again. There…
Geothermal Indulgence
Breakfast is delivered to our room daily in the hotel we are at in Taupo. Not a bad way to start the day. Just to keep the trend going this morning we tempted the geothermal area by heading to DeBretts…
How Do You Celebrate Alan’s Re-election? Go to a Maori Hangi Feast of Course!
This afternoon Alan was emailed that he was re-elected to the Guilford Board of Education by a wide margin. Time to celebrate NZ style. We went to a Maori Traditional Hangi Feast and cultural experience. It was out first real…
Wai-o-tapu! Why Not?
After this morning’s brekky (NZ term) in bed we took off for Wai-o-tapu Thermal Park. First stop was the Lady Knox Geyser which goes off once a day. The time of eruption varies from 22 to 30 or so hours…
Auckland Offshore – Waiheke Island
Some of Auckland’s true gems are its islands in the surroundings bays. The most popular of these is Waiheke Island to the east. It is about 20 miles long and fringed with gorgeous beaches and crystal clear hidden bays. This…
Around Auckland
Gidday Mates (we won’t get to say that too much more!) This morning we took the loop bus ($0.50 per ride or slightly higher) to the various neighborhoods around Auckland and then we walked around. We started in Parnell which…
G’Bye Kiwis…Cheryl is Going Out in Style!
Did you really think that Cheryl would Bungy Jump? But we did say goodbye to Auckland and New Zealand in the best way we know how. We went for a sail on the harbor in a ketch rigged Scow. There…