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Spring 2025 Trip
  • Mark E
  • Janine Westlund
  • Mark E
  • Janine Westlund

Spring 2025 Trip

LA, Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, New Zealand Read more
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  • Spring 2025 Trip
    1Let's start with a video of a school of fish

    Day 7 - Afternoon snorkel

    February 13, 2025 in Fiji ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    The afternoon snorkel was the BEST reef I have experienced in my life. The only issue would be the lack of any larger fish. A simply awesome reef!!

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    The night snorkel was managed by our first scuba dive provider.
    Jelly fish. I think we were stung a couple times during the snorkel.Synapta maculata, the snake sea cucumber, is a species of sea cucumberPuffer fishTwo sharks swam by, fortunately not too interested in us.Took this photo of a crab while waiting for our boat to pick us up

    Day 7 - Night snorkel

    February 13, 2025 in Fiji ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Went on a night snorkel to in search of different nightlife as well as a bioluminescence experience. We learned that the bioluminescence in Fiji is different than in other parts of the world due to the species of algae. Mark found it interesting to play with the different settings on his camera lights (wide, narrow, and red light). When our local leader had us turn off our lights so he could turn on his blue light, we were disappointed with the lack of night critters. Overall, it was a nice snorkel. Luckily, the rain held off because our ship seemed to have forgotten about us: after receiving a call from our snorkel lead, they had to put a tender back in the water; so we waited over an hour to be picked up. 🙄Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip

    Day 8 - En route back to Denarau

    February 14, 2025, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Today our cruise/exploration of the Yasawa Islands comes to a close. The surrounding view is speckled with islands; and our last cruiseship sunrise was no less beautiful. We head back to Port Denarau and spend one evening on land so we can catch the (1x/d) flight to NZ tomorrow.Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    The hotel has 7 pools.Can you tell it's the slow season...?The 'adult pool'.1It's the wet season and it rained; so we swam.Just when we thought it couldn't rain any harder...Valentine dinners 'in the sand' (ie. on the volleyball court) were rained outOur boat (left) heading out; Capt Cook boat (right) currently not in service.Captain Cook (boat on the right) is currently not being operated

    Checked into our hotel Room

    February 14, 2025 in Fiji ⋅ 🌧 82 °F

    Without a guarantee of when our boat would arrive in port and allow us to disembark, we couldn't be 100% sure we could catch our 12:55p flight (and there's only one flight per day); so we stayed one more night in Fiji at the Hilton Fiji beach Resort on Denarau Island.

    The hotel was beautiful; the black-sand beach was darker than expected, it looks downright dirty. Fortunately, the resort had plenty of other areas to explore and enjoy.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Farewell Fiji 😞
    Leaving our Hotel Room in FijiHello New Zealand!Our new accommodationsThe perfect size. One bedroom, kitchen and living room with a viewJanine picked a beautiful location

    Travel day

    February 15, 2025 in Fiji ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Travel Day from Fiji to Auckland New Zealand

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    The Manu Dive-Bomb Contest; essentially a big splash contest.354' (103m), Benetti-built superyacht IJE; amazing.A number of historic boats are lined up; significantly smaller than the IJE.Descriptions of some of the boatsThe actual 1988 (unsuccessful) American cup challenger, on elevated display o/s the Maritime MuseumNew Zealanders' sense of humorBeautiful sunset view from our patio!Panoramic view from our deck.

    Walked the boardwalk

    February 16, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Walked the boardwalk walk. We enjoyed how the New Zealanders are proud of their boat building history. Stopped at historical landing and admired the boats. Then, we watched the 'Manu Dive-Bomb Championships': basically a local splash contest.

    The 354' (103m), Benetti-built superyacht IJE information can be found at link.
    https://www.yachtcharterfleet.com/luxury-charte…
    It is an amazing site to behold.

    Afterwards we picked up some supplies and enjoyed dinner and sunset at our unit.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    1

    Movie take 3 and 4

    February 16, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 68 °F

    Movies always make the landing. Not so much today.

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Sky City Tower
    Art GalleryNewmarket - Upscale retail districtNewmarketView from Auckland MuseumAdditional views from the museumAuckland MuseumWe didn't get off the bus as there was a line waiting to get on the bus & we had great seats.Wintergarden (a Botanic garden structure)Eden Park: home to Auckland RugbyRandom tennis courtsHoly Trinity CathedralParnell Village - Boutique shopping, cafes, upscale artist venues.New Zealand has more boats per capita than any other country.City ViewPortCruise dock

    Hop on hop off bus

    February 17, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    We started our day by taking the Hop On Hop Off Bus Red And Blue routes for a ~2.5 hour tour. A nice way to get an overview of Auckland.

  • Spring 2025 Trip

    Queen's Roof Top Restaurant

    February 17, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    To get an overview of Auckland, the Roof Top Resteraunt was perfect. We went without a reservation and were told there wouldn't be tables available. When we arrived we simply sat at a table at 5:45pm for a table reserved for 7pm.Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    1View of Auckland
    Westerly viewBowl shape crater

    Mount Eden

    February 18, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

    Took the Hop On Hop Off Bus to Mount Eden, a dormant volcano for an enjoyable walk. Afterward, we walked 3 miles down to the museum, where we boarded the last bus back to town.

    Mount Eden had amazing views over Auckland and the impressive bowl-shaped crater of the volcano, which is 50 meters or 164 feet deep.Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    He has problems taking down his sail, so not everyone is a top sailor

    Auckland Tuesday sailing

    February 18, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    From our deck, we watched sailboat races in the bay. Since New Zealand is winning the Americas Cup, I have to assume we're watching some of the best local racing in the world.

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Passing the portCloser look at the portLonely lighthouse in the channel

    Waiheke Island - Ferry

    February 19, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Today, we're going to Waiheke Island, a 40-minute ferry from Auckland.

    It is the most populated island in the gulf, with 9,100 permanent residents, and the third most populous island in New Zealand (behind the two main islands). An additional estimated 3,400 people have second homes or holiday homes on the island. It is more densely populated than the North and South Islands. It is the most accessible island in the gulf, with regular passenger and car-ferry service.

    In November 2015, Lonely Planet rated Waiheke Island the fifth-best region in the world to visit in 2016.

    Otherwise, it feels like being in Door County. 😄    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip

    Waiheke Island - 1st stop

    February 19, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Our 1st stop was at the halfway point of our Hop On Hop Off western side of the island.

    It seems there are 2 separate Hop On Hop Off routes. One for the East side and a second for the West side. The ticket office didn't seem to mention this when we purchased our ticket, so when we found out about the difference it was to late and we could not visit the WW2 tunnels on the east side of the island :(
    Making the best of the day, we first stopped at Charles for lunch then went for a 2 mile walk.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip

    Waiheke Island - Batch Winery

    February 19, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Our 2nd stop was the Batch Winery. Instead of the customary winery tasting, we both simply sampled a single wine and enjoyed hanging out on there deck. After our wine, we went on a short 1 mile walk near the winery.Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Location in New ZealandMain ticketing area31 of our 2 guides had this incredible tattoo (see his calf)

    Hobbiton (post 1 of 2)

    February 20, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    We visited Hobiton, the site used in The Lord of the Rings film series. It includes facades for 37 hobbit holes and associated gardens and hedges, a mill and double arch bridge, and erecting a 29-ton oak above Bag End that was cut down near Matamata and recreated on site, complete with artificial leaves. 

    To create the illusion of the Hobbits' small stature, the village houses were built to 60% (some 90%) scale.

    It is one of the largest tourist attractions in New Zealand.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Welcome to a tour of a hobbit home
    1This house was built in 2023Would you like to join us for dinner?Additional pictures of the areaWelcome to Janine's cheese homeLooking through the window into the cheese house....Otherwise, behind each door was only framingThe Hobbit MillLet's check out the pub...Finished the tour with a beer at the Green Dragon Inn (Dragon above us)

    Hobbiton (post 2 of 2)

    February 20, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Welcome to a video of a hobbit home.

    This site requires more than 20 pictures.

    Due to overwhelming guest feedback, in 2023 they built this home for the tourists to give an experience of the complete inside of one Hobbit house.

    Ending the tour, we received our complementary beer at the green Dragon Inn.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Located on banks of the Waikato RiverYes, its an apple tree

    Hamilton Gardens

    February 21, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Hamilton Gardens is a public garden park in the south of Hamilton. The 130-acre park is on the banks of the Waikato River and includes enclosed gardens, open lawns, a lake, and a nursery.

    The site features 28 gardens representing the art, beliefs, lifestyles, and traditions of different civilizations or historical garden styles. These gardens are grouped into the Paradise, Productive, Fantasy, Cultivar, and Landscape garden collections

    Starting tomorrow they start a festival for the next week.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    The final score: Chiefs 49, Crusaders 24.

    Local Rugby Game

    February 21, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    We attended a local rugby game Hamilton (Waikato) Chiefs vs Christchurch (Canterbury) Crusaders. Janine rented a room within walking distance to the FMG Stadium Waikato which made the experience enjoyable as we were able to walk to the stadium with the local fans. Tickets were inexpensive, and we had great seats in the middle of the field.
    No one knew we were from out of town till we spoke. The local team (The Chiefs) won, which made the experience even more fun.    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    Incorrectly they call these glow worms, but it's the main reason to go on this experience
    We put on wet 5ml wetsuits; ick.First a practice area to work on our 'tube jump' & get water inside the wet suit (for warmth).Demo laterJanine passesGreat action pictureUntil Mark got water up his nose 🤭Practicing our 'tube formation'Off we go into the caveOne little last-minute pep-talk...Cave entrance1Prior to entering the cave1Inside the caveGlow worms in the caveUnique cave experienceWalking, tubing, but no swimming required1Isn't that worth the trip to New Zealand?Proof-of-life post-caving

    Blackwater Rafting

    February 22, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Our Blackwater Rafting experience is best experienced by this youtube video
    https://youtu.be/E0PmnrsRp7Q?si=FKz0KSRaJjNd4f4d
    Or you can view our pictures :)

    Fun fact: Glowworms are not actually worms. They're larvae of fungus gnats, an insect that looks like a mosquito.Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip

    Sanctuary Mountain - Maungatautari

    February 22, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Very interesting place. We didn't have time to go for a walk.
    Because the traditional methods of pest control (ie. poisons and trapping), have limited success and seldom last long, the creators of the plan here decided to enclose the 34 square kilometers of bush with a 47 km pest-exclusion fence to create an ecological island.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_Mountai…    Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    It was funny watching some locals enjoy the river.
    The clarity of the water was amazing.Waterfront home -- just needs a little TLC.Well, maybe a bit more than a 'little'.A clearly-retired tractor.Our brief excursion.

    Blue Spring (Te Waihou Walkway)

    February 22, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Stopped at the local watering hole where children of all ages were jumping into the moving stream. (Notice the same splash technique used in the Auckland splash contest.) Since we spent the morning in the water, going back into cold water wasn't even a consideration for us. But we enjoyed the walk to it instead.Read more

  • Spring 2025 Trip
    If your looking for a J9 happy face, just take her Rafting on GRade 5 whitewater
    3Unload the raftsEntry pointAt times you buckle up and hang on.Within the first 5 minutes we got a face full of riverToday there also were kayak racing trials on the river

    Kaituna Cascades - Grade 5 Wairoa River

    February 23, 2025 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    This morning, we are white water rafting on the Wairoa River. It's a Dam release river on Sunday mornings and only happens 26 times a year.

    They say it's grade 5 (on a scale of 6), but we had a great leader who made the day not just safe but also a lot of fun.

    They gave me a GoPro chest mounted harness that I used to take the pictures and videos.    Read more

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