New Zealand: January 19, 2020 – March 11, 2020
January 19 – 24: We had a relaxing week in Auckland. Maggie and CJ loved surfing camp at Orewa Beach. Despite the wipeouts, sore muscles, and even getting hit in the face by a surfboard, they are both clamouring for more surfing time! Looks like Chris and I are going to have to join in for the next round of lessons. In addition to surfing, we enjoyed strawberry picking at a local farm and hiking at Kitekite falls.
Since we were lucky enough to see some races from the 2017 America’s Cup when it was held in Bermuda, we decided on our last afternoon to venture down to the viaduct to check out the New Zealand base for the 2021 America’s Cup. Construction is in full swing as the city is dredging the channel in the harbour to make it deep enough for race boats. Sections of the wharf are also being extended. We managed to pick up some Emirates New Zealand team gear from the shop. Maybe we can make it back here in March 2021 for the race?
Pictures from Surfing Lessons Day 1:
January 24 – 28: We stayed at Sunnybrae Cottage on a farm near Taihape. CJ had a go at Gumboot Throwing and we watched a round of the sheep-shearing finals at the Taihape A&P Show. We also got to see the sheep-shearing process up close thanks to our lovely hosts at Glencrest Farm. On our last full day we had a fantastic afternoon of river rafting on the Tongariro River. While CJ insists that the rafting isn’t for him, we have video evidence that proves otherwise. Here are a few photos from the last few days…
January 28 – 30: We stayed near the Botanical Gardens in Wellington, but wish we’d had a few more days to explore this great city. We took the kids to Te Papa Tongarewa, a fantastic museum right on the waterfront. The exhibits on New Zealand’s native flora and fauna were really well done, and the information about New Zealand’s geology was especially interesting and accessible for the kids. We also went through “Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War”, a very well-designed and powerful exhibition covering the experiences of New Zealanders during WWI. Overall, it was probably one of the best museums we’ve ever been to.
After only one full day in Wellington, we caught the Interislander Ferry to Picton on the South Island the next morning. It felt more like a cruise, and with multiple decks, kid-friendly areas, plenty of places to get snacks and view the beautiful scenery, three hours actually went by quite quickly.
January 30 – February 3: We’ve had a great few days in the Marlborough region of the South Island, where we stayed at a great homestay in Blenheim. The owners had a fantastic garden, where Maggie and CJ loved spending time playing with their golden retriever (we had to drag them out of the house some days). We managed to squeeze in a wine tasting at Wither Hills, some playtime at The Vines Village, and a 5K Parkrun.
One of the highlights was a visit to the Pelorus River, where we did some hiking before jumping in for a swim. This was after a semi-successful attempt to rent mountain bikes and tackle the Linkwater Track. Unfortunately, CJ’s biking skills weren’t quite strong enough so Chris and Maggie tackled the track while CJ and I stayed behind to practice at the base on easier turf. It was hard to say goodbye to Blenheim and Heather and Bruce, the owners of the homestay, as they made us feel like part of the family. It’s definitely a place we’d go back to.
February 3 – 6: After a rainy night in Greymouth we headed to Franz Josef where Maggie and CJ got a taste of hostel living at the YHA. On the way we stopped in Hokitika to explore the beach covered with driftwood sculptures and formations. We also braved the rain and rapidly swelling river at Hokitika Gorge.
During our stay in Franz Josef we spent a fantastic morning kayaking on Lake Mapourika. The day started with flat calm water and a bit of sunshine, and the views were stunning. By the end of the tour, the wind had picked up and our arms were definitely feeling the burn. We saw a bit of the glacier from a distance on our hike along the Franz Josef Glacier trail, but the cloud cover made for poor visibility.
March 1: The month of February was full of adventure, but not always reliable wifi, so we fell behind on our updates. We made our way back to the North Island and stayed near Wellington. We’ve been rafting, tubing, kayaking, wall climbing, and more. We’ve had to rethink our next travel steps due to Covid-19, but our extended stay has meant that we’ve seen more of this beautiful country and gotten to meet some wonderful people.
March 11: It’s time to say goodbye to New Zealand, a country we explored for 7 weeks. We ended our trip with the Ports of Auckland Round the Bays – New Zealand’s largest fun run. Chris ran the 8K while Maggie, CJ, and I walked and soaked up the atmosphere and beautiful bay views. From learning how to surf to bungy jumping (check out the video here), to kayaking with seals and exploring caves with glow worms, we can’t say enough about the fantastic time we had in New Zealand.
