Farewell NZ, Hello America

Here's that wonderful Kiwi humor again.  Their famous rugby team is called All Black, so Air New Zealand has painted some of their planes all black.  We flew this one from Wellington to Aukland.

We absolutely LOVED New Zealand and hated to bid it adieu.

Catching a few hours of horizontal sleep on the 11hr journey from Aukland to L.A. was worth the upgrade price.

Our first glimpse of America was through L.A.'s far reaching smog.  Oh my.  The contradiction to New Zealand's clean air, water and environment was immediate.

Next stop - Dallas/Fort Worth - the 4th busiest airport in the world.  It is considered an airport city and has its own zip code.  Our sleepy, swollen eyes found this sight to be equally unattractive.

Back home in Chapel Hill now, we share a continued appreciation for what we have right here in our own backyard.

Birds sing courting songs while trees burst with buds and blossoms, and the forsythia proudly announces that spring has sprung!

May the joys of the new season come your way soon!  

Thanks for traveling along with us on this grand adventure.

James, Jane & Judi

Wellington, NZ

March 19 - Wellington, NZ

Accommodations were top notch for our last night in New Zealand.  I was delighted to not have to sleep on another sofa bed!

Delicious breakfast at Joe's Garage.  Jane had "The Local".

 The modern and children-friendly TePapa Museum proved educational and fun.  New Zealand's national museum similar to our Smithsonian.

Our last walk was enjoying the sights along the extensive Wellington waterfront.....

Then it was off to the Wellington airport for the first leg of our long journey home.  Kiwi's have a wonderful sense of humor and play....

On to Picton for ferry ride to Wellington

Sun - March 18

5hr Coastal Pacific train ride up the east coast to Picton at top of the island. Rain that began last night continued through this day so we were delighted someone else was driving us through it. Not much to see in the wee hours of mourn except our reflections.

Picton is a lovely small town on the edge of picturesque Marlborough Sounds.

Overnight at historic Gables B&B, in heart of Picton. Our hopes to hike around the islands were dampened by non-stop rain -- a blessing for the entire country which has been in 5-wk drought. We'd had visions in our heads of a green New Zealand but it's all brown and dusty dry. Fire hazard warning boards are pegged in the Extreme zone everywhere we've been.

Mon - March 19 - Still raining.

Boarded Interislander ferry from Picton through Queen Charlotte Sound, into Cook Straits and on to Wellington.

As soon as we entered Cook Straits the sea and our stomachs started to rock and roll. James said he'd not been that seasick since being a Naval Officer in 1974.

 

 

 

Mt Cook back to Christchurch

March 18, Monday

Left Mt Cook shrouded in clouds to travel through the Mackensie Basin. Mt John is the predominant feature in the landscape, formed by glacial ice flowing over it 14,000-17,000 yrs ago.

A steep but not rocky trail to the top.

Lake water bluer than a swimming pool's.

Judi's favorite pasttime - moving carrion to easier access point for birds of prey.

 

As the glacier retreated melting ice and rain filled the scoured out valley resulting in Lake Tekapo (30 km long and 120 meters deep) with the bluest water we've ever seen.

Fence crossing is much easier in this country.

Mt John observatory sits at the top of our trek offering a gorgeous 360 degree view. One of the world's premiere observatories due to its altitude of 1,000 meters which means less atmosphere between telescopes and the stars. They have a special project which uses gravitational microlensing to detect planets around distant stars. One observatory was a US spy station in the 1960s.

Our departure was hastened by screaming babies in the cafe where Jane wanted to enjoy a scone and cup of tea.

A fast encroaching rain storm caught up with us a little further down the road. First rain we've had in 15 days travel and much needed on both islands.

 

Mt Cook trek

A look back at our lodging site before marching forward on the rocky trail.

It's a rocky trail

Numerous suspension bridges cross over Mt Cook's roaring glacial river.

Shelter in case of storm

 

Jane gets to see her first floating iceberg!

A welcome boardwalk crosses an alpine meadow full of these flowers.

Happy to give our tired feet a brief break.

Queenstown to Mt Cook

Fri - March 16

A glorious sunrise begins our day as we leave Queenstown enroute to Mt Cook, the highest mountain on the Southern Alps range on the South Island.

 

Heading north following Southern Alps through MacKenzie Basin we have to see where the bungie jumpers take their leaps of faith off the 1870's Kawarau suspension bridge.

Fun field sculptures, abundant fruits in roadside stands, and vineyards galore in the Cromwell valley.

 

Beauty is everywhere in NZ

Dairy herds are enormous!

Black swans are a common sight

 

Then we see Mt Cook. The mountain Sir Edmund Hillary trained on for his Everest ascent and Antarctic explorations.

Our accommodations, a funky A-frame with too mnay light-seeking moths, affords us a spectacular view of glaciers hanging above the glacial valley floor.

 

Milford Fiord

Real Journeys outfitters are big operators in New Zealand. They run a "tight ship" so to speak in many towns/ports, ie TeAnau, Queenstown, Milford Sound etc. They employ enthusiastic personnel most of whom have had plenty of personal experience in the field for which they've been hired.

Views on our way through the fiord heading for Tansman Sea.

A lengthy stop in a calm cove for recreation - swimming, kayaking or boat ride with naturalist.

James happy for calm seas

Fog was lying low on our way pack to port next morning.

Foggy heading back next morning

Sun broke through just as we passed this 50-story high waterfall.