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New Zealand
  • Janet Taylor
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  • Janet Taylor

New Zealand

First trip to NZ to see my cousin Katja, her husband Steve and the beautiful country we've heard so much about. For security reasons, only close friends can see our location in real time. Others will see a 24 hour delay. Read more
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    🇳🇿 Wellington, New Zealand
    Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Brief view of a blue sky.
    Beautiful scenery - impending rain.LocalsMore localsRousing game of mini putt during a break in the weather.Looking out toward Chile!Windy, wet dayView from our hotel room.A couple of old gnarly dudes 😁Church Road WineryMission Winery - the oldest winery in NZCable car ride in WellingtonView from the topAnother cloudy cool dayWellingtonCable car museumA grove of something? No signs around. 🤷2My excellent tea matches my shirt!!

    Waimarino to Napier to Wellington

    January 20 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We had a lovely drive to Napier in spite of the weather which was wet and cold. Our hotel was right on the coast with lovely views. Once again we had to change our plans because of heavy rain. We decided against the planned e-biking winery tour and instead went by car. We also explored the town, played a game of mini putt during a brief break in the weather and ate at some charming restaurants.

    After a couple of nights in Napier, we made our way south to Wellington, exploring some small towns along the way. Once we were settled in our hotel room we walked to the cable car terminal and rode the car to a viewing point above the city. We explored the Cable Car museum and did a short walk through the botanical gardens.

    We couldn't decide where to eat so we had an appetizer at the Dockside restaurant where we watched boats coming and going and finished off with salads at Charley Noble. At both establishments we received excellent service in lovely surroundings.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    This place is at the start of the ride.
    Started the ride with coffee from a trailer outside an auto wrecking place.Interesting auto graveyard!Acres of auto parts inside the building and out.Taking a break at an affordable old train tresselAn old train tressel along the road.The tressel from below.On one of the trestles.Katja and Steve our amazing Kiwi hosts.Spending a bit of coin at a local clothing maker.Mountain bike keener a.k.a. as Steve!Found this huge tree along the trail.The lads went for an extra ride while the Katja and I had tea!More Hobbit Hills.Hobbit HillsAnimal lover a.k.a. Katja, with her buddie Orla!Someone left a hat at the after ride bear place!!

    Taupo to Waimarino

    January 16 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    On January 15 we drove from Taupo to Waimarino. We had planned to do a little hiking in Whanganui National Park but it was absolutely bucketing down rain. We almost had to stop at the side of the road because visibility was so bad. Luckily the rain let up enough for us to get to the hotel without incident. We checked in and spent the afternoon chillin' while watching the rain and thunder from the comfort of our room!

    Katja and Steve drove down from Auckland that evening so we could all bicycle the Old Coach Road the next day. They joined us at our hotel for supper then carried on to Ohakune about 25 mins farther south to the Airbnb they had rented.

    The next morning we all met at the bike rental shop in Ohakune and then took a shuttle to the farther end of the trail. We spent the best part of the day cycling through beautiful country. As mountain bike trails go, it was very easy but it was enough for me as I've never done mountain biking before.

    At the end of the trail in Ohakune, we stopped at a small shop where they make and sell merino/possum wool shirts, sweaters, hats, etc. The clothing made here is absolutely beautiful and the epitome of locally made.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Lake Taupo
    1Redwoods TreewalkThe Treewalk is extensiveFernsGlowworm CaveHuka Falls from one sideHuka Falls from a bridge2

    Rotorua and Taupo

    January 14 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Had a great bowl of porridge and a latte at a local cafe then drove a few minutes to the Redwood Forest. Redwoods are native to California but were planted here in NZ as an experiment. The idea was to find a species that would grow more quickly than native species and could be used for lumber. Unfortunately redwoods grow too quickly here and the wood ends up being too soft.

    We enjoyed the Redwoods Treewalk which was very interesting and finished our visit to the forest with a short tour of the man-made glowworm cave.

    After the Redwood Forest visit we drove to Taupo, had some lunch and went to explore Huka Falls on the Waikato River just north of town.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    View from the hill behind Katja and Steve's place
    Fantastic way to start the day.Not Hobbit sizeAttention to detail is remarkable.Jon is Gandalf size!Even details like clothes on washing lines which they clean and repair regularly.Again the detail with flowers in the window.The Shire2Ginger beer at the Green Dragon Pub

    Hobbiton

    January 14 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    In the morning we walked up the hill behind Katja and Steve's house. It was a good workout and we were rewarded with fantastic views.

    We left Auckland by about 10:00 am heading to the Hobbiton Movie Set for our tour at 1:30 pm. I had been so looking forward to seeing Hobbiton and the tour exceeded my expectations. It is so well done and the attention to detail is phenomenal. The tour finishes with a drink at the Green Dragon pub including alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.

    After the tour we drove to Rotorua, picked up some salad stuff and ate supper at our hotel while watching Lord of the Rings!    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    NZ countryside
    Feels like CanadaBack in Auckland - largest marina I've ever seen

    Ahipara back to Auckland

    January 12 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We spent the day driving back to Auckland, arriving at Katja and Steve's place about 3:00 pm. It was a lovely drive through beautiful countryside. From a distance it feels so much like Canada, except for the driving in the opposite side thing.

    Katja made us a fabulous dinner which we ate looking out and the view. We finished the day relaxing in the hot tub.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Self explanatory
    Haruru Falls - quiet in the summertimeNZ campgroundMangonui - stopped for lunch in this town.View from the Ahipara Bay Hotel90 Mile BeachDeserted beachSandy place1Born to be wild!Locals fishing for snapperAfter dinner walk to watch the sunset

    Paihia - Taipa - Arhipara

    January 11 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After breakfast at a local cafe we packed up and checked out of the Austria Hotel. Only a few minutes out of town we stopped at Haruru Falls and walked a short way along the Waitangi Track. We carried on to Mangonui where we had lunch and wandered through town.

    After lunch we drove to Ahipara, a very small town at the southern end of 90 Mile Beach. We stayed at the Ahipara Bay Beach Hotel where we enjoyed fantastic views of the beach. We rented two quads and ripped a few miles up 90 Mile Beach. The beach is amazing and considering it's summer holidays for kids, it was weirdly deserted.

    Because it was Sunday, the only two restaurants in town were closed. We heated some tins of lamb stew in our kitchenette and ate it with slightly stale naan bread. While the cuisine wasn't great, the views made up for it.

    We wandered down to the beach to watch the sunset and then called it a day.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Bay of Islands cruise boat
    Another beautiful dayOld lighthouse and keepers cottageVolcanic rockHole in the rockWe drove through - skipper was amazing!Ocean waves have carved this holeThe dolphins were very friendly.Two of the four friendly dolphins1Lovely dolphin send-off!Lunch placeOldest church in Russell, NZ - CatholicNot sure what type of tree this is but it's cool!

    Boat Cruise in Bay of Islands

    January 10 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Today we decided to take a boat cruise out to Hole in the Rock, in the Bay of Islands. It was an absolutely stunning day.

    We cruised out to the Hole in the Rock stopping along the way to see the islands and hear about Captain Cook arriving in the area. Hole in the Rock was very cool but the highlight of the day was seeing four dolphins playing around our boat. The skipper slowed down for a photo op and as we were leaving the dolphins gave us alovely send-off. We cruised to a little island for a delicious buffet lunch which was included in the cruise.

    After lunch we left the cruise at the town of Russell. It's a lovely charming town with shops and restaurants set along the shore. We explored the little museum, stopped by the the oldest church in New Zealand and quenched our thirst at one of restaurants along the beach. We cooled off with a swim and then had another delicious meal at an Italian restaurant. We took the ferry back to Paihia just as the sun was going down.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    1Beach in PaihiaThe Austria Hotel in Paihia is not Austrian in any way!!By George for supper.

    Auckland to Paihia

    January 9 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    After breakfast we packed up and started our 3.5 hour trip to Paihia in the north. It was a beautiful if somewhat nerve-wracking drive. The roads are narrow with no shoulders, drivers follow way too closely and everyone is in a hurry! Because of the narrow roads, the guard rails felt like they were six inches from scraping the side of the car. In fact we did see an accident where that very thing had just happened. It looked like the guy hit the guard rail, spun around a few times and went into the side of the hill on the other side of the road. Luckily he didn't hit any oncoming traffic!

    We checked into the Austria Hotel and spent the afternoon and evening exploring the village and local restaurants. Unfortunately, we found out over supper that Jon's credit card got hacked so we spent an hour on the phone locking down our accounts and his credit card. What a pain.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Bike ride on the coast
    2Just finished lunchOn a volcanoes with views of Auckland in the backgroundOne Tree HillDifferent viewAn old canon on the top of one of the volcanoesA beautiful city

    Exploring Aukland

    January 8 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    This morning Jon and Steve took Steve's car to the dealership for some repairs and came back with a loaner car. Meanwhile, Katja took me to see the neighborhood where her mom and dad, my aunt and uncle, used to live and we had coffee at a local cafe.

    When Jon and Steve returned we loaded up their bicycles and took them to a local park for a ride along the coast. We stopped at a little cafe for a lunch of meat pies, a NZ staple.

    After the bike ride we had a tour of Auckland. We walked up three of the over 50 volcanoes in the city to see the spectacular views. We finished off our tour with supper in Devonport, an older, quaint part of Auckland.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Morning coffee on the patio
    Katja on Vivi exercising Cossack who wasn't really liking the idea.Kassie is a Moody 41 DS sailboat.Captain SteveWaikopua BayCovered up to prevent burning.Katja, hostess extraordinaire!Fabulous dining experience as The Oyster Inn.Volcanic rock

    Oneroa By Sailboat

    January 8 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    In the morning over coffee, we watched Katja exercise her horses. After a leisurely breakfast, we packed up and went to the marina where Katja and Steve keep their sail boat. We left the marina under beautiful blue skies and headed towards Waiheke Island and the village Oneroa. The wind was not in our favour so we ended up motoring there and back.

    We anchored in Oneroa Bay and jumped in the ocean for a very refreshing swim. Steve had made a lunch reservation for us at The Oyster Inn so we tendered to the beach and walked through the village to the restaurant. It was an amazing meal in an amazing setting with amazing company.

    We meandered home, had a bite to eat and finished the day watching the sunset from the hot tub.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    1The view from Katja and Steve's house.
    Katja making us supper in her beautiful kitchen/dining room/ living room.Katja and her horse Vivi.Katja and CossackExploring Katja and Steve's property. Their house at the top of the hill.Pre-dinner drinks on the patio.

    Auckland

    January 6 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    The pods were very comfortable and came with lots of amenities. I watched a few shows and slept a somewhat interrupted sleep. Turbulence got really bad during the night and that woke me up. The time seemed to go by quickly and then breakfast was being served. We landed at 10:00 am under warm sunny skies.

    Getting through customs is a bit of a process because NZ is very careful about biohazards entering the country. My one litre bottle of maple syrup passed muster and we were off to find our rental car.

    I activated my eSIM card and so with full cell and data service we made it to my cousin Katja and her husband Steve's place with no problems. In New Zealand they drive on the left side of the road. Jon did a great job of driving right from the get go. I, however, was not a good passenger. I felt like we were driving too close to the shoulder and my feet kept looking for the brakes!!

    We had a lovely afternoon and evening catching up with Katja and Steve, had a swim in their pool and finished the day with an amazing BBQ lamb and roasted vegetable supper.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Beautiful, blustery morning in Victoria!
    Definition of grit is paddling on the ocean, into a strong wind in January in Victoria Harbour!My favourite travel buddy!I can highly recommend Flow Massage! Not sure what the limp plant graphic is about though.🤷

    On Our Way

    January 4 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Went for a long walk this morning as our flight didn't leave till the evening. It was a blustery morning but beautiful. We had an issue with authorizations for New Zealand so Jon went up to the airport to sort it out.

    We had a five hour wait in Vancouver. Jon booked a couples Thai massage at a place near the airport. It was a great place and a great way to start our trip.

    We boarded the flight on time at 11:00 pm and settled into our pods for the 14 hour flight.    Read more

  • Janet TaylorNew ZealandJanet Taylor
    Songhees Walkway looking south across the outer harbour and Juan de Fuca Strait
    Middle and inner harbour and downtown Victoria2Outer harbour and Juan de Fuca Strait with Olympic Mountains in background1A particularly gnarly Arbutus tree1Floating homes in Esquimalt.

    One Sleep to Go

    January 3 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We are organized, packed and ready to go. After all the chores were done, the sun was trying to shine through so I decided to get out for some fresh air. I walked along the Songhees Walkway to Esquimalt. This is a beautiful path along the shore with lovely views of Victoria's Harbour. On a clear day you can see the Olympic Mountains across Juan de Fuca Strait in Washington.Read more

    Trip start
    January 4, 2026
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