New Zealand 2019 | FindPenguins

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New Zealand 2019
Blue Sky Kayaking in Kenepuru Sound
February 26, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F
We woke to a beautiful morning with great views from our room and no wind or waves on the water. Perfect for the kayak portion of our 3-day adventure in Marlborough Sounds.

After breakfast we met George, our kayak guide for the day. We were set up with spray skirts and flotation jackets and set off to paddle around the part of the sound. We stopped at a green-lipped mussel farm, where they grow on short, thick ropes dangling down from horizontal ropes stretched between floating canisters. Darryl and George harvested some mature mussels for part of our lunch later.

After a couple of hours of paddling, we stopped at Weka Point, named for a native flightless bird that’s about chicken-sized. Like the kea, you need to watch your belongings around them—they’ll steal sunglasses, sandwiches, anything really.

We kept our sandwiches and paddling gloves close and didn’t have any trouble. A fantail bird was flitting around us inquisitively for awhile. George made tea, then boiled the mussels. The air temperature was perfect, and Matt decided to take a dip. We didn’t think it was that warm.

After the lunch stop, the wind came up and the next couple of hours of paddling were not as placid as before. We bounced around on 1-foot swells, but the skirts kept our boats from getting filled with water. By the time we reached shore we felt like we’d had a good workout—something to compensate for all the legwork yesterday.

Another great dinner with Matt at the hotel restaurant, sampling some of the local Sauvignon Blanc. A warm sunset over the sound completed the evening.Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Mountain Biking Queen Charlotte Track
February 27, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F
The last day of our Marlborough Sounds adventure was to mountain bike the last 12 miles of the 40-mile Queen Charlotte Track. Everyone told us that the first hour we would be pushing the bikes up the 10-25% grade trail for about 2-1/2 miles. There was an easier option, which was to go along the road, but we wanted to see the views, and our fellow traveler, Matt, was up for the bike-hike.

So off we went, up the rocky steep trail -- difficult to walk, even without a bike. But since we were somewhat fresh (though still a little tired from the hike two days before), and we could stop and see the views from time-to-time, we all felt it was well worth it.

After the big climb, we could get on the bikes and ride through the forest, with occasional lookouts over two of the sounds. It was really cool to see how the Kenepuru was turquoise, and the Queen Charlotte Sound was deep blue, because of the difference in their salinity.

The trail was still root- and rock-filled, and sometimes we had to walk on the down-slopes, but overall it was manageable and enjoyable for us. We had a 4pm deadline to meet the water taxi, and so after 5-1/2 hours of riding, with short stops for rest, views, and lunch, we got in at 3:58 p.m., whew!Read more
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New Zealand 2019
First day in North Island!
February 28, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Today was a packed day. We started with a 6am flight from Blenheim (Marlborough Sounds) to Auckland. We picked up a rental car and drove (on the left) for a couple hours to a hike to see one of the largest Kauri trees in the region -- estimated to be over 1,000 years old. Kauri were once plentiful in the northern parts of New Zealand, and the Maori used the timber for boat building, carving and building houses. But once European settlers arrived, most of the Kauri trees were logged, and now there are few trees left.

Next, we drove to the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves. We weren't able to take photos, so we include one here from their website to give you an idea of the sights we saw while in the cave. The caves are operated by the Maori descendants of the original owner and discoverer of the cave and land. A really nice carving commemorates the centennial of the discovery of the cave in 1887.

At the end of the day, we arrived at "National Park," which is the name of the Tongariro National Park village. This is the site of Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings. A fine sunset sky completed our eventful day.Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
March 1, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F
This is a hike we'd hoped to do from the earliest stages of planning this trip. Weather can be very changeable in the mountains, as we've discovered, but thankfully Mother Nature was on our side this time. The Crossing is usually done as a one-way, 12-mile hike, using a shuttle bus to get back at the end.

We caught the first shuttle of the day, and got on the trail at sunrise, with views of Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom). There is a climb of 2,700 feet over the first 5 miles, followed by a descent of 3,500 feet. Because of the wind and cold, we wore multiple jackets, gloves, thermals, and knit caps for most of time we were hiking -- even uphill!

There are literally thousands of people doing the hike on any given (good-weather) day. It was strange at first, hiking with the hordes, but the scenery was so dramatic that the crowds didn't detract from it. It was kind of like a shared adventure, and the enthusiasm was catching. The trail traverses Mt. Ruapehu, over lava flows as recent as 2007, and steam vents were still visible. Once arriving at the peak, we got a stunning view of the blue-green crater lakes and the other nearby volcanoes, including "Mt. Doom."

We were glad we took the first shuttle, since it would have been stressful to worry about making the last return shuttle of the day. As it was, we had time to take in the views, take breather stops, and enjoy breakfast by a spring-fed waterfall, and lunch near the summit. A tiring, but rewarding day!Read more
That is truly awesome Darryl...good for you!
3/11/19Reply
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New Zealand 2019
Hike to Taranaki Falls
March 2, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F
After the big hike yesterday, we stretched our legs on an easy 3.5 mile hike to Taranaki Falls. Along the way, we could see views of the volcanoes we hiked around yesterday on the Tongariro Crossing. Heather and other wildflowers were in abundance!Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Art Deco in Napier
March 3, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Leaving Tongariro National Park, we drove about 3 hours to the east coast (on the Pacific Ocean), through rolling sheep and cattle farmland, and across small mountain passes.

Our destination was Napier, in Hawke's Bay -- a port town notable for its art deco architecture. An earthquake in 1931 leveled the town, and so rebuilding was done in the predominant art deco style of the time.

We joined a guided tour of the town, which was really helpful in identifying some of the primary characteristics of art deco -- ziggurats, sunbursts, speed lines, and so on. What was unique about some of the art deco buildings in Napier is that they incorporated some Maori motifs in their decorative flourishes.Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Bike riding in Hawke's Bay wine region
March 4, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F
Hawke's Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand and its second largest, after the Marlborough region. We rode the free bikes available at our lodgings (‘latte bikes’—so upright you won’t upset your latte on your ride). They weren’t our usual preference, but being able to look around at the scenery was nice.

We rode a levee (without our Chevy) to the Pacific Ocean for about 10 miles, to Elephant Hill winery. Some of their vineyards are located within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean (something we don’t see in California). We tried several of their wines, then ate our packed lunch sitting by the ocean.

Later, we rode back to two other wineries nearby our lodgings. The bike trail passed apple orchards, vineyards and “frisky cows.”Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Nature's Colors on Display in Taupo
March 5, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F
From Hawke’s Bay we drove 2+ hours to the Lake Taupo area to see Huka Falls and a thermal area that is only accessible via a short ferry ride.

Turquoise-colored Huka Falls only drops 9 meters, so it appears more like a river cascade than a falls, except that it is thunderous! The amount of water flowing is enough to fill 5 Olympic swimming pools every minute. As you’ll see, tourists get a thrill in jet boats that go right up to the falls.

Then we moved on to a quieter, almost contemplative setting at Orakei Korako thermal area. Very few tourists come up to this hidden valley, preferring some of the more mainstream sites around Rotorua. We saw a small geyser, and many beautiful colors made by algae growth in the thermally-heated water, and by minerals and chemicals picked up from the surrounding rocks.

We ended the day on the shores of Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake—the caldera of an ancient volcano.Read more
Just catching up on all your adventures. It all sounds, and looks amazing! -Lora
3/8/19Reply
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New Zealand 2019
Thermal Wonders and Charming Hobbitton
March 6, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 63 °F
Driving north from Taupo, the Thermal Explorer Highway took us to Wai-O-Tapu, with colorful thermal pools and a single geyser. The Lady Knox geyser bubbles beneath the surface until it is induced to erupt once a day when they pour soap in the vent to break the surface tension. It draws a huge crowd, and we came away thinking we preferred some of the serendipity and open spaces of Yellowstone. Still, the colored pools in the rest of the park, and crusts that formed around them were pretty.

By far the highlight of the day, and big on the list for the trip overall, was our tour of the Hobbiton movie set. At the Olson’s recommendation, we opted for the evening banquet tour—thank you, Mike & Teresa! Our tour guide provided colorful stories of the making of the films and quizzed us on trivia about scenes set in the Shire. We had plenty of time to wander among the Hobbit dwellings, each with its own characteristics identifying the occupant’s trade — cheese maker, fisherman, woodworker, etc. The daytime tours had ended, so our relatively small banquet group had the place to ourselves. The feast in the Green Dragon Inn was bountiful, and the attention to Shire period detail would make a Hobbit proud.

The walk back through the lantern-lit Hobbiton was charming, and the clear, star-lit sky added to the evening’s splendor.Read more
Wow, that looks like a lot of fun!!
3/11/19Reply
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New Zealand 2019
Karangahake Gorge, and on to Coromandel
March 7, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F
Today was mostly a driving day, so we broke it up with a hike through a beautiful gorge that was once the site of a huge silver and gold mining operation. Luckily the evidence of that is now mostly overgrown. The hike took us alongside the river, through a 1 km former train tunnel, and into mine tunnels with ‘windows’ carved out the sides.

Further along, we stopped at Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own hole with rented spades to sit in your own personal hot tub. However, on this day the underground warm springs must have been dried up from lack of rain. No hot tub for us! Still, it was nice to sit by the Pacific Ocean in the warm sand.

We arrived at Hahei, a very small beach town for the night.Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Sea Kayak Trip Canceled by Storm
March 8, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
No photos from today. We had hoped to kayak for three hours into some coves and caves along the shoreline. There are some nice rock formations and Cathedral Cove is one of the filming locations for the Chronicles of Narnia. But stormy weather canceled the trip, so we drove on to Auckland.Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Auckland, City of Cranes, er Sails
March 10, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F
We knew that the city of Auckland, with coastlines on both the Pacific and the Tasman Sea is called the City of Sails, but it also became immediately apparent this is a city in a frenzy of construction. We were told there are 90 active cranes in the city, more than in any city in the U.S. as of last count (Seattle is the highest, at 65). For one thing, they are getting ready to host the Americas Cup in 2021.

It’s a little hard to fully capture the flavor of a city with a barely-started sure subway tunnel bisecting the main boulevard, and some boarded-up shops as a result. However, we got to see beyond that on our guided city walk through an Airbnb-organized experience.

Our guide walked us through some of the small shop- and restaurant-filled pedestrian lanes, and pointed out architectural and historical highlights. We saw where the Maori had come to fish and gather shellfish, long before that part of the harbor was filled in for building. We hiked up a steep grassy hill that is just one of the 53 ancient volcanoes of the Auckland volcanic field.

After morning tea hosted by our guide and two fellow tour members from the UK, we spent the rainy afternoon in the Maritime museum. The museum features exhibits on early Maori wakas (dugout canoes), all the way through time to the winning New Zealand yacht in the 1995 Americas Cup.Read more
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New Zealand 2019
Waiheke Island, Last Day in New Zealand
March 10, 2019 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F
On our last day in Auckland, we decided to get out of the city and visit one of the nearby islands in the gulf. Waiheke Island is just a 40-minute ferry ride away, and features vineyards, olive groves, beaches and hiking trails with 360-degree views.

With clearing skies and perfect temperatures, it was a great way to wrap up an amazing journey in this beautiful country.

The Kiwis have a lot of pride in their country and they really enjoy sharing it with visitors. They also are dedicated to restoring and maintaining its indigenous plants and birds, and their environmental stewardship is in evidence everywhere.

New Zealand’s natural features are so spectacular, the country is so clean and the roads were in fantastic condition for driving and biking. We feel lucky to have had a chance to experience so many of the natural wonders of this country and meet its people. As Courtney would say, “so good!” and “sweet as!”

As we head to Hawaii for a few days on the way home, we’re signing off of this travelogue. Thanks for sharing with us!Read more
Nance and SandeThank you for taking us with you!
3/10/19Reply
yes thank you for doing such an amazing job of annotating!
3/11/19Reply
Thank you! It's been fun reading all your posts and seeing your great pictures. -Lora
3/12/19Reply
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Trip end
March 10, 2019