First time to New Zealand March 2011 Trip Report.

<we debated going out vs. going to bed, and going to bed won>

I can certainly relate to that.

>Someone on the boat was quite ill and threw up multiple times>

Been there.

Lovely report britomart. I hope the SI had more hits than misses. Looking forward to your next installment with bated breath.

This is wonderful, britomart. I am trying hard not to be envious!

Lee Ann

I am so glad to see you went to the Lost Gypsy Gallery. We were driving to Curio Bay and saw the gallery on the way. Unfortunately it was closed for the day, but we played with all the "found object" sculptures out front. Loved the skeleton on the bicycle! Very clever stuff. We were too late in the day for the Caves, it turned out. Did you make it on time? Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Great info! Looking forward to more!

Thanks guys! I realize it sounds like I'm not having a good time, even though I am. But things definitely improve on the SI. Melnq8, it is only occurring to me now how much more I preferred the SI to the NI. Susncrg, we did make it to Cathedral caves on our way to Te Anau. Too bad you missed the Gallery, it is so awesome inside! Next time

Day 7 Wellington to Picton

The next day we were up at 6:30.We had arranged for a taxi to take us to the ferry dock at 7:30; our sailing time for Picton was 8:20. At 7:25, we left our hotel and the taxi was already there. We just beat a busload of people checking in so we didn't have to wait in line for long. We went upstairs to the open deck seating but most of the seats were taken, so instead we went to the "reclining lounge" section. We checked a map and figured the scenic stuff would be during the first and third hours of the cruise, and this was pretty accurate. We had a clear day for our crossing, and although it was cold and I should have worn every article of warm clothing I had brought, I stayed outside most of the time, taking tons of photos.

While on the ferry, the Apex terminal called twice. I had put a pick up time of 10:00, since I had booked it before I knew what the ferry times were, and this apparently created some havoc at the agency since he expected us at 10:00 and had to deliver a car somewhere at the same time... I called him back using a phone on the ferry since we had no bars on the iPhone and told him we were on the Interislander, and apologized profusely for the confusion when we finally did make it to the terminal in the ferry. Soon after landing, we were off in another Nissan Sunny.

It was noon-ish when we arrived at our hostel, Tombstone Backpackers. We had booked the only apartment for $110 per night. It had a full kitchen, separate bedroom, another tiny bathroom and had a lovely view over Picton. Everything looked new, as if it had been remodeled recently. I was a bit worried about street noise, and also the fact that the apartment was by the hot tub and some outdoor lounge seating, but we had no noise from other hostel dwellers and the street noise was minimal. The kitchen was fully equipped and as an extra bonus, the hostel has two resident cats. The owner, Lynn, was also friendly and informative; she recommended wineries with scenic views and excellent lunches, and also recommended a company that has kayak/hike full-day trips along the Queen Charlotte track. We took the brochure and map of Marlbrough, and by 12:30 we were headed off to wine country.

Lynn had recommended a winery called Wither Hills for lunch; we arrived at 1:00 and were impressed with the extensive views and the lovely outdoor seating. Unfortunately, they were fully booked for lunch (it was a Sunday), but an employee recommended the closest winery with lunch service and even called for us so we could book a table. We got to Highfield at 1:20, extremely hungry, so hungry in fact that I didn't even grimace at the high-priced menu. Appetizers were $16-20, and mains were $28-35ish. I ordered the fish and cous-cous, Marc ordered the pork belly for $28 each. Both came with a salad. I had a glass of Riesling ($6.5) with mine, Marc had the Chardonnay ($10) and we had tiramisu for dessert ($8). Marc's pork was really good, my fish was also good, but the portions were small. Also, except for my Riesling, I didn't really care for the wine; the waitress brought a few tastings for us, and all of them had a medicinal/licorice undertone that I found unappealing. The grounds were exceptionally nice, and they had a "tower" in the "villa" that afforded excellent views. We bought a bottle of the Riesling for $20 before we left.

After lunch, we sat in the car for a good 20 min, until I felt ready to drive. My next priority was to get some good pictures of the area rather than tasting wine; the waitress had recommended Cloudy Bay winery for having nice views, but we didn't find that to be true. However, we did happen across a field of picturesque sheep standing close to the fence, so I pulled over and approached with my camera. Those sheep... They legged it from the shady bits of their pasture and wouldn't pose for me no matter how nicely I pleaded, but I got some pictures of their fuzzy derrieres.

Cloudy Bay was extremely crowded, so we left and headed to the next place, Allan Scott, which also didn't have any views (we didn't taste) and then to Hans Herzog. Inside, we asked the "hostess" where we could drive that would have a nice view, and she looked at us like we were speaking another language and said she'd have to find someone else to help us... She then continued to pour for the three people in the place. We left without tasting. Finally, I checked our Lonely Planet guidebook, and the only place of the 20 or so "suggested" wineries that talked about the scenery rather than the wine was Auntsfield. We pulled up at 4:15-ish, and although the guidebook said they were open until 5:00, they had a "closed - winter hours" sign up. Still, we drove around the grounds and got some nice photos. The Marlborough area was interesting to us in that one-half of it reminded us of Napa (verdant hills) while the area directly opposite reminded us of Yakima (brown, dry hills). By now, I was ready for one last tasting, so we headed to Villa Maria, which was close by and open until 5:00 (supposedly).

We got to Villa Maria at 4:40. We were the only ones there. The "hostess" had an American-tinged-with-Kiwi accent, and it turns out she was from Portland, OR (we live in Seattle)! We chatted about things like the "Portlandia" show (put a bird on it) and other odd things we had in common like a mutual love of the name Seamus. She also let us know why Auntsfield had closed early; their grapes had ripened and they were busy harvesting. At 5:00, we said good-bye to Kate, armed with a bottle of the cab sauv ($20--I pretty much always buy the cheapest bottle) and were on our way back to Picton.

Along the way, I realized we hadn't booked our day on the Q.C. track. The brochure Lynn had given us was from Sea Kayak Adventure Tours. They had an independent kayak/hike, full-day option priced at $85 per person. The same thing, guided, was in the $130-$140 range in some of the other brochures I had looked at on the ferry, so we decided to call them and see if we could go the next day. We called from a field in Blenheim and the guy we talked to felt pretty certain they could fit us in, although he said he had to check with another guy to see how many bookings he had taken. Later he called us back and said we were good to go, and to show up at 8:30 am. I realized after we hung up that I hadn't asked him how far the hike was.

Because lunch was such a bank-buster, we decided to have dinner in. We also needed to buy stuff for lunch tomorrow since we would be on the Q.C. trail at lunchtime. We stopped by the "Fresh Choice" market in Picton and I bought the following:

Frozen hoki: $8.47
2 Royal Gala apples from NZ: 0.87
Smoked Havarti from Kapiti creamery: $10.21
Triple cream cheese with chili pepers, also from Kapiti: $8.88
Ham and pastrami: $8.42
Coleslaw with dressing: $4.79
NZ pumpkin: $1.82
1 loaf multi-grain bread: $3.49
1 bag of 10 tomatoes for $1.99, such a bargain!
We also bought a "chiller bag" and frozen pack for it for $8.

For dinner we had mashed pumpkin, cole-slaw with tomatoes, fish and half of the Riesling. We ate at the little kitchen island in our apartment; although we had a small table on our small deck, it was very windy outside. After dinner, we relaxed in the hot tub for awhile, and then went to bed early, knowing we had to get up early, yet again.

Day 8 Picton

We had to be at the office of Sea Kayak Adventure Tours by 8:30 for our unguided kayak/hike ($85 per person). Guided kayak/hike tours were $120-$130, and Marc has sea kayaked before, so we thought we would be okay. It was located up the Queen Charlotte Drive on Anikawa Drive, and I had asked Marc to figure out how long it would take to get there. He thought 20 min. We left at 8:00, after helping ourselves to some of Lynn's (the owner of Tombstone) freshly baked scones. As we headed up the Q.C., we realized it was 26 KM along the twisty road to Anakiwa Drive. I had horrific images in my head of us showing up late, keeping a dozen people waiting, but when we made it exactly at 8:30 am, we were the only ones there. One other couple was going, two guys from Ireland, who were doing the kayak/mountain bike. It occurred to me to inquire how far the hike was, and I was told it was 12 KM. How far is that in miles, I wanted to know. We were told it was 3 KM to a mile... I wanted to believe him more than I actually believed him... If I had known we would be walking that long, I probably would have worn different shoes. Both of us were wearing Keen sandals that we wouldn't mind getting wet in the kayaks.

We got an extremely thorough briefing on kayaking, then headed out. They launched us from Anakiwa, and we had been told to keep eyes on each other, but the Irish guys met up with a solo kayaker whom they knew, and then they headed far out from the shoreline, whereas Marc and I wanted to hug the shoreline, knowing we'd see more stuff that way, and after an hour we'd lost sight of them.

The first half of the kayak was marvelous. Calm waters and no wind. There were tons of jellyfish in the water, and at one point Marc exclaimed "Holy sh*t!" and I looked into the water. It was a sea of fluffy white jellyfish. We also saw lots of birds perched in the rocky crags who didn't fly away at our approach.  Then we turned into Onahau bay and the weather made a dramatic turn. The wind was blowing into us, making the water extremely choppy. We started to kayak against the wind, and I questioned Marc about whether he had navigated us the correct way... I couldn't imagine why they would have us kayak in these weather conditions, or why they hadn't at least warned us about the wind. As we continued to battle the weather, it seemed to get even windier and the waves were a foot high--which was rather frightening to me since I had never sea kayaked before. I began to worry that I wouldn't have the energy to get to our destination, Mistletoe Bay. And if we had made a wrong turn, I definitely would not have the energy to get back. My arms and shoulders and back were so sore and I think at one point I began to cry. If we stopped paddling, the wind would immediately blow us backwards. It was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. After 1.5 grueling hours, we finally made it. When we got to Mistletoe Bay, there were kids in mini sailboats in the bay, so I figured this area was known for its windiness.

We ate lunch on a picnic bench, sandwiches that we had packed in our cooler. I was covered in saltwater and cranky. Then we started the hike. A signpost said this section of the track would take 4 hours to hike... And that's exactly how long it took, because 12 KM = 8 miles. It was an extremely beautiful walk, but I know Marc was not prepared for such a long hike. By the end of it, he had several blisters on his feet and he was also extremely sun-burned from kayaking. My ankles were also extremely sore and I wished I had brought a different pair of shoes to wear. I felt guilty for suggesting it and not doing enough research on it, and knew this wasn't his idea of "vacation." We also didn't bring enough water, my aluminum water bottle ran out 1/4 of the way into the hike. Along the way, we ran into Dan, the guy from the kayak company, who was leading a group of mountain bikers. When he asked how the kayaking had been, I said, "It was rather windy," and he said, "Yeah, it's a bit windy today."  A bit windy today...

Although I hated the kayaking and Marc hated the hike, it was a very memorable day. I absolutely loved the hike and there were so many picture perfect moments. A return trip to NZ will definitely include walking the entire length of the Queen Charlotte track, even if I have to walk it sans spouse... We drove back to the hostel and although we had been consoling ourselves along the trail with talk of fish and chips and Guinness at the local pub, we suspected that after showering off the sweat and saltwater, the only thing we would have the energy for would be dinner in. We decided to stop and get cake for dessert, and at the grocery store I bought a carrot cake and some Kapiti Coast hokey pokey ice cream. I made the same thing for dinner I had made the night before, more fish and cole-slaw and sliced tomatoes. When Marc was done eating, he put his fork down and exclaimed, "That was the best meal ever!" He was right, it did taste pretty darn good after all that exercise. We each had a fat slice of carrot cake and I had 2 scoops of hokey pokey without any guilt. Marc turned in early and I stayed up late reading, knowing we'd be sleeping in the next day.

Day 9 Picton to Motueka

We set our alarms for 8:40 so that we could get breakfast, cereal and more home-made scones in the Tombstone kitchen. We checked out and I let Lynn know I had broken one of their glasses and she said, "Don't worry about it." I told her there was half a litre of Hokey Pokey in the freezer as compensation and she laughed. We got on the road about 10:00. Since we had already driven up most of the QC Drive, we decided to take the less scenic route through Blenheim. On the way out of town we stopped at "The Fudge Factory," Marc's idea, I hate fudge, and there was a tasting room next door so did a quick tasting at Bouldevine and bought a bottle of Gewurtztraminer for $25, their cheapest wine. Marc also bought 200 gm of fudge for $12.

We got to Nelson at 12:45, and Marc had looked in the guide book for a place to eat lunch. We still had fish and chips on the brain after talking about them so much on the trail yesterday, so we stopped at a place called Haven. It was definitely a loved-by-locals type of place. Many were hanging out waiting for their orders. We ordered 3 pieces of fish, fries, a diet coke and their "homemade tartar sauce" and it came to $19.70. I dug into my purse to discover we had only $15 cash left and they didn't take cards... I apologized and asked her to take off the coke and the tartar. She was all, "No worries, no worries," and re-rang us and it came to $14.70. Then as we were waiting for our food I realized we wouldn't have any tartar sauce, which in my opinion is the best part of fish & chips. She called our number and I had dug up enough change to buy an extremely small package of Heinz tartar sauce, and she waved my hand away, reached into the fridge and handed us a fat container of the homemade tartar. I could have kissed her. We thanked her heartily and then took our goodies to a bench by the water, and dug in. The salty greasy goodness of it hit. the. spot. YUM.

Back in the car and we reached Motueka by 2 pm-ish. We stopped at the grocery store and I bought more breakfast items, bread, meat and local cheeses for sandwiches, and some lovely salmon (which the "butcher" said was from Mt Cook?), pumpkin, purple potatoes, and corn on the cob. Next we looked in 3 shops to find a hat that Marc would wear (he finally bought a black baseball cap that said New Zealand). We also picked up a ton of brochures on the park at the I-Site. Then we headed to our cottage rental in Riwaka.

The cottage cost $100 a night. We got there and were greeted by the owners. It's a 2 bedroom cottage up on the hill in Riwaka, and it has lovely valley views and the gardens surrounding it are kept up well by the owner. Everything inside looked new as if it had just been built or at least, remodeled. And, they have a tailless puss named Gray Kitty. We chatted with the owners about the area and I asked their advice about kayaking and tramping the Abel Tasman. They recommended we drive to Kaiteriteri beach where many of the companies have booths.

We drove to Kaiteri beach, a 10 min drive. Maybe because it was overcast, and maybe because the pictures I've seen of it made it seem like a beach in Hawaii, but I was a bit disappointed in it. Perhaps it's because it was late in the season, but no one was on the beach and no one was swimming. We went to the restaurant across from the beach and had coffee and Marc had the green mussels appetizer ($14). They were good, but drowning in a marinara sauce that seemed like overkill.

We drove back to the cottage and looked over the many brochures we'd picked up and tried to decide what to do for the next 3 days. We decided that since it was supposed to rain the next day that we would go to Golden Bay. The next 2 days we would spend in the park, one day kayaking and another day I would hike while Marc would do his own, non-hiking thing. I cooked up the salmon and the purple potatoes (which were only purple on the outside) and made a salad with veggies from their garden, plump ripe tomatoes and cucumber. The poached salmon was so good and so moist, and the purple potatoes were sweet, more like sweet potatoes. For dessert we had leftover carrot cake and I spent the rest of the evening pouring over the brochures trying to decide which activities would be best for us.

Day 10 Abel Tasman

The next morning we decided to book the kayak trip with Kaiteriteri kayaks. The one we chose was the "Royale with Cheese." We chose this one because it looked like it covered the most distance so that we would see most of the park. And we were also supposed to see sea lions. It was $180 a person, slightly cheaper than other full-day kayak trips that ranged from $200 - $240. I couldn't believe we were spending so much money just to go kayaking... But from what we could tell, the only independent kayaking we could do would have to originate from Kaiteriteri beach, and we wanted to start up north and go southward with the wind at our backs. We would be paying a lot to start far into the park. I called the kayak company and booked it and asked about the weather/wind forecasts, and she said it was looking better to go on Thur rather than Fri, so we booked it for the next day.

Since we had slept in, it was almost noon by the time we left for Golden Bay. We stopped to get gas, and the station was selling fresh strawberries for $3 a pint. We should've bought two, they were so sweet and ripe. The drive to Takaka was along a twisty road with some amazing scenery. Our first stop in Golden Bay was at Te Waikoropupu Falls. We ate sandwiches in the parking lot, and our delicious strawberries. The depth of clarity of the springs holds a record for freshwater, and they are considered a sacred place to the Maori. There were strict rules about no pets and about not touching the water. It took about an hour to do the loop to the springs and back through forest to the parking lot.

Next we went to the town of Takaka, which is known for its “hippie vibe” and local art scene. We browsed through various shops, and I found some beautiful glass necklaces for my nieces. They were heart-shaped, blown glass and $30 each. The shop owner thanked us heartily for supporting the arts in Takaka. Takaka was an adorable little town that felt a lot like Friday Harbor.

After visiting the town, we headed out to Pohara and the Abel Tasman monument. The view from the monument was spectacular. We went to one of the beaches along Golden Bay but I'm not sure which one it was. We beach-combed and took many pictures of the lovely scenery. Marc found what looked like a dead baby shark on the beach; it was a foot long but had a lot of tiny, sharp teeth. Poor thing!

On the way back to Riwaka we stopped at the Harwood Lookout. The day had been mostly overcast, but suddenly the sun began peeping through the clouds and the landscape turned into a magical thing. It felt like we were in the Shire! We took a lot of pictures and enjoyed the beauty of the moment.

Between Kaiteriteri and Riwaka, we stopped at a “food bus.” We bought a piece of carrot cake and decided to try one of their lamb and potato pies. It was DELICIOUS. Flakey, delicate crust and yummy savory meaty potato-y bits... Heaven! We also stopped at Motueka to get some more groceries. Marc said he was craving a steak, and so we bought some. Later that night when he tried to cook them, he almost burned the place down and we got into our one and only argument of the trip. He was upset about ruining dinner (the steaks were still good and perfectly edible), and I was upset about having to do most of the cooking. Our compromise was to agree to eat more dinners out! We spent the rest of the evening admiring a beautiful sunset, playing with Gray Kitty, doing laundry and sipping wine from our lovely terrace.

Day 11 Abel Tasman

We set out early for our full day of kayaking in Abel Tasman park. Guesstimating from the map in the brochure, we would be doing about 16 KM of kayaking and I was beginning to worry I wouldn't have the strength to complete the entire trip, especially if the conditions were bad. We got to Kaiteriteri beach and 8:00 and met our guide and the other people who would be kayaking with us: three Danish girls and an English guy who was spending 3 months traveling around the world.

We got a full safety briefing and got suited up in our life jackets and skirts. This took about 30 min. I realized that I had left my hat in the car, and asked our guide if he happened to have one I could borrow. What he gave me was some sort of a torn, fabric water frisbee that could, in case of emergency, be used as a hat. I recognized the challenge when he handed it to me with a mischievous look on his face; if I refused to wear it, I would be deemed a snob. If I did wear it, I would look like a fool. I decided to wear it. Anything to keep the age spots on my forehead from getting darker!

We took a water taxi to our starting point, Bark Bay, going by the famous “Split Apple Rock” along the way. At Bark Bay, we quickly launched our kayaks into the water. It was overcast, but didn't look like it would rain. As we headed to our first “stop,” Pinnacle Island, where the seals hang out, I realized what a long day of kayaking this was going to be. But at least the water conditions were ideal. So far...

At Pinnacle Island, we saw lots of seals lounging on rocks. They were so cute! It was a leisurely day of kayaking, so much so that our guide had to go get the Danish girls who were either really taking their time or struggling to keep up. We hugged the coast line and paddled between various rock formations. We also saw a lot of different birds hanging out on the rocks. It was hard to get good pictures of them, and it was difficult to always be pulling out my camera from its waterproof bag. The views as we paddled were all amazing, and the clarity and color of the water was astounding.

After a couple hours of paddling, we pulled into Anchorage Bay for lunch. There were sandwiches, muffins, cookies, hot tea, water, and fruit. The sandwiches were pretty good, ham and cheese and veggies with sliced hard-boiled eggs. It was very filling and good fuel for the rest of our trip. As the guide put the sandwiches on the tarp, he turned away just for a few seconds and some seagulls managed to fly over and dig in to one of the sandwiches. Luckily there was enough extras. Lunch was leisurely, and we explored the beach afterward. I had worn my swimsuit under my shirt and shorts, but it became apparent no one else was going to swim. Oh well! I HAD to swim in the Abel Tasman sea, so I did. It was cool, but refreshing.

Soon we were back on the water. After an hour or so, I was beginning to get tired. So, I was glad when the guide had us line our 4 kayaks up. We each held on to the kayak next to us, and those of us on the outside held onto a huge sail. We caught some wind and sailed along! The Danish girls started singing some Danish drinking songs. It was a lot of fun. I had wanted to walk the entire length of the park, which is a 3-4 day hike and involves staying in the park overnight, but this was turning out to be a good compromise. Near the end of the day, we stopped at another beach and explored some caves. It was a great trip and our guide was both fun and knowledgeable. I was also very thankful that the conditions had stayed so favorable. It was a very enjoyable kayak trip and we were able to see a lot of the park.

We went back to our cottage and showered up. We decided to go to Motueka for dinner, and chose a pizza place. After that, it was back to the cottage for more time with Gray Kitty and enjoying the peace and quiet of the countryside. It was St. Patrick's Day, and the Irish bar in town was packed. I wished we had the energy to be more social, but we were both tired out from the long day of kayaking.

Day 12 Abel Tasman

Today, Marc and I split up to do our own thing. I wanted to see more of Abel Tasman park and wanted to do a hike. I took a water taxi from Kaiteriteri beach to Medlands Park and walked to Torrent Bay. It was an easy 5 KM hike with amazing scenery. I also saw a lot more of the park on foot than I was able to see via kayak, so I’m glad I did the hike. I listened to the new Iron & Wine album as I walked, but spent most of the walk chatting with a couple from England. They took 3 months off from work to travel!

Someday, I would love to walk the entire track. A return trip will definitely have to involve walking both the Abel Tasman and the Queen Charlotte tracks in their entirety. It was nice to have some time to myself and I loved my time in the park.

For dinner, we got fish and chips and another pie from “The Bus.” We spent the evening as we had all of the others, playing with Gray Kitty, sipping wine and relaxing. We packed very reluctantly; we would be sad to be leaving the peace and beauty of Riwaka Heights cottage.


Day 13, Motueka to Kaikoura

We had to be in Kaikoura by 12:45 for our Dolphin Encounter in Kaikoura. We estimated it would take 4.5 to 5 hours to get there, including stopping for gas/bathroom breaks, so we realized we would need to be up at 6:00 to leave at 7:00... As we were packing the car, Gray Kitty came by to wish us farewell. We gave her a few good pets and then she scampered off into the bushes.

It was clear on the way back to Blenheim, but as we got into the Awatere valley, it turned to lots of rain and clouds... As we drove, we came across several cars pulled over on the side of the road; they were looking at the many fur seals scattered over the rocks. I think this was the Ohau Point lookout... There were several very close to the lookout, including one who scratched himself lazily with his flipper for a good 2 minutes. We continued on to Kaikoura and made it there at 11:15, plenty of time to eat lunch. I was disappointed that it was so rainy and cloudy that we couldn't see the mountains or the rolling hills that Kaikoura is famous for. The weather was just as lousy in town as it had been on the way there.

We paid for parking (50 cents for an hour) in the town center and looked at a couple of restaurant menus, but nothing enticed us. I checked the guidebook and it recommended the cafe in the Dolphin Encounter building, so we drove there for lunch. Marc had the open-faced steak and bacon sandwich with onion jam and a salad ($17) and I had the brie, "bacon" (Canadian bacon) and onion jam panini with a salad ($13). Marc had a Chai latte ($4) so lunch came to $35.

After lunch we checked in for our Dolphin Swim. We'd been watching the board which advised that there was a moderate sea sickness warning for our swim. Marc decided because of the weather that he didn't want to swim, and when I asked if he could "downgrade" to being a spectator, they really tried to talk us out of it. I said he suffers from seasickness, although he doesn't, and they offered to sell us seasickness tabs. Eventually, she had to talk to a manager to see if we could be downgraded and eventually we were able to. The cost of the dolphin swim was $160 but the spectators only pay $85.

Next I was suited up in a full-body wetsuit and fitted with flippers. Someone in the changing room who was coming back from an earlier trip said it was very choppy out on the water and that many people (including her) had been seasick. I was glad I had remembered to put on a Transderm patch earlier, and hoped it would take effect since I had only put it on a couple of hours ago. Next we watched a safety briefing that quite funny in a few places (for example, it's better to slide into the water than to bellyflop from the boat, and that some swimmers have a swimming style that looks like they are in distress). Then we were off on a bus that would take us to the boat.

On the boat, it became quite apparent that the swells were really high. Looking out the side of the boat, at times I couldn't even see the water. I know if I hadn't had on my Transderm that I would have been literally sea sick, but thanks to the patch I managed to only feel seasick without throwing up. Everyone made it out without any puking. It took FOREVER to get to a pod of dolphins because they don't use any equipment to spot them, other than the eye. Finally after about 45 min, we were called to the back of the boat and we sat on the steps and waited for the horn to blow which was our signal for when we could slip into the water. There were about 15 people swimming. The water was extremely choppy still. As we were seated, the boat took off again, sending cold water splashing over our exposed ankles. A few minutes later, it stopped again, then took off again, then finally stopped and the horn blew.

We had been advised to make "dolphin noises" and to "sing to the dolphins" to draw their attention to us. As one swam up to me, I did this and he whipped around me. I started turning in circles as fast as I could, humming my "dolphin song" and he whipped around me, challenging me to match him. It was a really amazing thing. Over and over again, dolphins would swim by me, and some would just do a quick "swim-by" to check me out, and some (sometimes 2-3 at a time) would swim in circles around me as I spun as quick as I could to keep up. The waves were so high I kept getting seawater down my snorkel, and at one point my mask started leaking, but we had 3 different "dips" with the dolphins and it was so much fun. During the third "dip" people went back early but I stayed in the water until the horn blew.

Back on the boat, several of the swimmers were puking into their buckets. Being in the water contributed to the feeling of seasickness, and accidentally drinking all that salt water didn't help... Then we tried to get into our regular clothes with the extreme rocking of the boat... Now was the time for the spectators. They were out on the bow, watching dolphins swim underneath. I managed to get into my clothes and also managed not to throw up. Many swimmers were miserable on the ride back, clutching their buckets and not moving. I was extremely cold even in my layers and couldn't wait to check into the hotel and take a hot shower. I nursed a cup of hot chocolate and wolfed down some ginger cookies.

I think the Dolphin Encounter was worth the price, but as someone said on the boat, it was an amazing and a horrible experience all at the same time... For those who suffer from seasickness, be prepared to have to vomit in front of strangers, or, get a prescription for Transderm patches. Also it helps if you've snorkeled before and are comfortable in the water, especially cold water, so you definitely need to be able to swim.

We got to the motel at around 5:00 pm. We stayed at Bay Cottages. The owner greeted us and showed us to our cottage. He asked if we had any questions about the area and we asked for a recommendation for dinner. He recommended a place called "Tuti's." Marc wanted to get crayfish. As we were chatting, a ginger tabby showed up; his name was Pedro. He was a very sweet kitty, who accepted being settled into my lap, where he sat for a good 5 minutes enjoying lots of pets and kisses. The cottage cost $100 a night and it had a kitchenette, queen bed, two singles and bathroom. I took my hot shower while Marc immediately fell asleep. As he slept, I walked down to the beach which was right across from the cottage. It was a dark gravel/sand beach. The clouds hadn't cleared yet and so the view was limited.

I went back and woke up Marc. We called Tuti's and made a reservation for 7:00. We got there and it was a nice place inside, warm, inviting, etc. We had the salmon cakes for an appetizer, which were a bit too crunchy on the outside, but we got 4 of them for $15 and they were a decent size. For dinner, Marc had the 1/2 crayfish with mashed potatoes and veg ($60). I had the lamb shank in "Tuti's Sauce" for $28. Mine also came with mash and veg. The lamb was quite good, very tender, and the sauce was a rich tomato based sauce with a hint of spice. Marc decimated his crayfish, pulling meat out of every little crevice. I think it was the first time he finished his dinner after me... Marc had a Black Mac beer for dinner and for dessert we had the sticky toffee and plum pudding with butterscotch sauce ($10) and it was also really good. Dinner came to $122, yikes!

It also took a long time for anyone to wait on us, for the appetizers to arrive, for the drinks to arrive, and we had to finally ask for our check, but I've noticed this tends to be the way things go in all of the restaurants we've been to. Normally this doesn't bother me, but tonight we were sooo tired. We went back to the hotel and crashed, the owner of the cottages had advised us to leave 2.5 - 3 hours early for the airport, and our flight out of Christchurch was at 12:40. I tried to talk Marc into us leaving at 9:00, but he thought we should leave at 8:00 to be safe.

A enjoyable read indeed. I appreciate the work involved in writing such a detailed report and I'm sure those planning trips to NZ will greatly benefit.

<Yeah, it's a bit windy today." A bit windy today...>

That's Kiwi understatement for you!

I'm surprised you went on a second kayak adventure after that one, but glad to hear it was better the second time around.

Some random info...

There's a salmon farm near Mt Cook - we visited it in June. It's an interesting stop.

http://mtcookalpinesalmon.com/history.aspx

I loved the tartar sauce story. I've found Kiwis to be genuinely helpful and nice. Glad to hear you liked Takaka too.

I also enjoyed this bit "it was an amazing and a horrible experience all at the same time...".

Just a note for future reference...bringing a check to the table isn't common practice in many casual NZ and Australian restaurants/cafes. In fact that's one of the things I enjoy most about dining out here. When we're ready to leave, we just get up, walk to the register and pay the bill. And tipping isn't customary in NZ either, hence the surprised shuttle driver.

And if it's any consolation...in all my visits to Kaikoura, not once have I seen the sun!

Really enjoyed the report. We did a kayak trip out of Kaiteriteri and your description brought back my experience, both enjoying the trip but fearing I would go overboard, as DH and I quarreled over how to row the double kayak! Also brought back memories of how expensive the food is...we did lots of dinners on takeout from the New World grocery. We stopped at Alan Scott for tasting and it was pretty good. Across the street from the winery is his son's brewery where they put on beer tastings. DH really liked the Moa beers they make. We too, would like to do the Queen Charlotte track next time.

>>For those who suffer from seasickness, be prepared to have to vomit in front of strangers, or, get a prescription for Transderm patches.<<

Oh, my, this brings back memories of our dolphin trip in the Bay of Plenty and my good friend Red Bucket.

Lee Ann

The thing I loved about fish & chips lady is that she was really genuinely nice. You know how in the U.S. if you have to ask a checker to take something off how they huff and puff and act like you are SUCH an inconvenience? She was just so laid back. And giving away free condiments? No way would that happen here. Even people who worked at the gas stations were upbeat. It was so great. We only met one irate person, and he was irate with me for a fairly good reason... coming up...

It didn't even occur to me to ask if the salmon was farmed or wild!

Normally it doesn't bother me that we have to ask for the check, but I was so tired after dolphin swimming. I didn't know we could just go to the register to pay, good to know for next time.

I was so thankful for the Transderm... I can't stand feeling motion sickness. And I still felt it even with the patch on, I probably would have been violently ill if I hadn't had it.

Part 3 of 4 coming up...

Day 14 Kaikoura to Christchurch, flight to Queenstown, drive to Owaka (Catlins)

We woke up at 7:00 to leave at 8:00. The day was still cloudy and overcast and I was bummed that I hadn't seen the glorious views of Kaikoura that I'd seen in so many pictures... We stopped at the Kaikoura bakery on the way out of town and had difficulty choosing... They had an ENTIRE HOT CASE full of pies...! They also had soooo many pastries and rolls and cookies and croissants and muffins and cupcakes... Oh boy. I ended up having a ham, cheese, tomato and egg "panini" and the bread had pumpkin seeds on top. It also had some sort of fruity, savory jam in it. It was $5.50 and was worth every penny. One of the best breakfast sandwiches I've ever had. Marc had a cinnamon roll ($4) with blueberries and we got a date scone ($3.50) to share for later.

We seemed to be the only ones on the road that day... I never caught up to anyone on the way to CC, and had one semi-truck behind me, and each time I could see him in my rear-view I knew it was time to speed up and go the speed limit. The road was fairly easy and straight. I finally talked Marc into putting his seat back and napping. We stopped in Amberley for gas and another nasty gas station cappuccino. We made it to the CC airport plenty early, at 11:00.

We arrived at Apex and immediately were "accosted" at the door... Apparently, I had put that we would be dropping the car off at 8:00 am. I have no idea why I put this, knowing we would be leaving from Kaikoura and that there was no way we would make it at 8:00. The guy at Apex gave me a lecture in the nicest way possible, well, as polite as you can be when you're lecturing someone, and said that luckily they had enough cars but if someone had had to wait because we were late he would have been yelled at and he's been yelled at plenty before... Talk about passive aggression, Kiwi style! I apologized several times and that was that.

We caught the shuttle to the airport and got through security and were waiting at our gate at 11:45. We arrived in QT at 1:45 and it was sunny and clear. We had been planning on grabbing sandwiches at a Wishbone, but didn't see one. There was a huge cafe area next to some floor-to-ceiling windows, and it had a circular bar that looked nice... We got our luggage and then got the car. The guy at this Apex was very nice. We asked about upgrading to a Corolla, we were so sick of not having any music on the long drives, but it would have been $20 a day so we declined. Then it turned out our car was a Nissan Tida, which had a CD player and an outlet for MP3 players! He walked us out to our car and explained how to downshift to 1st and 2nd gears when going down hills... He also gave us a recommendation for a cafe close to the airport.

The cafe was in a shopping center almost directly behind the airport... I had a chicken/brie/tomato sandwich and Marc had a panini, a roasted vegetable salad, and a Chai latte. We ate at an outside table and the day was lovely. Lunch was $22. We ended up buying a cable for the MP3 player at Dick Smith's when we couldn't find ours ($17).

 It was so absolutely lovely in QT, the sun was shining, it was fairly warm, and the mountains around us were so beautiful. We lingered over our lunch and discussed skipping the Catlins and staying in QT for a few days...Finally we got on the road and headed south along the scenic highway route. My goodness, we stopped so many times to take pictures. I hadn't been expecting QT to be that beautiful. We passed a green field filled with sheep, with the blue blue water of the lake beyond that, and the mountains beyond that, and I had to turn the car around to get that picture. The entire drive was so beautiful, it was hard to keep my eyes on the road. We turned off the scenic highway and drove towards Baraclutha and it was still amazing. Also, the roads were very straight and I was able to maintain a speed of 100 for most of the journey.

We got to Owaka at 7:00. We stayed at the Split Level Hostel in a double ensuite for $74. The hostel is right on the street, but our ensuite room was the only one in the back away from the main road. It had a small kitchen with mini-fridge and microwave, a queen bed, and a small bathroom with the type of shower where the water drains into a hole in the floor. There's also a large main kitchen for cooking meals. Our first night there, we were the only ones staying in the entire hostel; the second night, there were several more people staying and the next day we didn't have any hot water for showers. No hot water is a deal breaker for me... I wouldn't recommend this place. We could also hear them walking around upstairs and we could hear our neighbors in the “suite” next to ours talking.

There were only a few restaurants in town, and one in the guidebook, the Lumberjack Cafe, was right across the street. We walked there and I expected to have a cheap meal, probably a sandwich or burger or something, considering how small the town was. Boy was I wrong... All the mains were in the $27-$33 price range! Goodness, were we ever going to find an inexpensive restaurant? Marc ordered the venison in a berry sauce, I had the lamb "rump" with mint sauce. Mine came with kumara mash, Marc had red potatoes and we both had veg with a sort of hollandaise-y sauce. It was actually rather good, the type of homey food that your Kiwi grandmother would make you for Sunday dinner. Marc had another dark beer and I had a yummy Shiraz. For dessert we had the citrus cheesecake, it had coconut and citrus fruit in it and chocolate pieces on top. It was good. The check came to $90, yikes! The cafe did have a homey ambiance, with a huge fireplace that was going and we sat right next to it and were quite toasty. It was good, but oh so expensive! We walked back to the hostel and went to bed, looking forward to sleeping in the next day.

Catlins Day 15

We slept in the next morning until 10. Woke up and couldn't find any towels... I went to the grocery store and bought 2 towels for $20. They left little bits of blue towel fuzz on us. We went to the Catlins Cafe for breakfast. I ordered the quiche and had wanted the one with eggs and ham, but got the vegetarian one (I should have realized this when he said the "vegetarian quiche," and Marc got the pancakes with bacon and eggs. My quiche was okay, the pancakes and canadian bacon were good but the eggs tasted like they were powdered. I got a cappu and Marc got a Chai and b-fast came to around $30. The guy at the cafe was very friendly and said he was glad we were staying in Owaka for 3 nights and he said that most people stay in Invercargill. We left him a tip for his extra friendly service.

Next we went to the i-site in Owaka. It was a very nice little info center/store with very helpful and informative volunteers. We realized we wouldn't be able to go to Cathedral Caves since low tide that day was at 9:00 and it was already 11:00 Then we went to the grocery store and got sandwiches ($6) to eat for later. The plan for the day was just to wander. Marc noticed he had no cell phone reception; I wanted to eat at the recommended Niagra Falls restaurant for dinner, and the guidebook said reservations were essential. We also wanted to be back at Nugget Point at 6:00 pm to watch for yellow-eyed penguins, and we guessed that the time between both places was an hour. We decided to stop at the restaurant and make the reservation for later that night and go to the point the next day.

The first stop on our wandering was the multi-tiered Purakaunui falls. The falls were nice since it had been raining (according to the I-Site volunteer) and they were very full. It was a nice 30 min walk through forest with lots of birdsong. Next we continued up the road looking for the beach, and ended up driving 45 min on an unpaved road that lead us back to the falls parking lot. Oops. Next we went to Jack's Blowhole, which wasn't high on my priority list but Marc was interested. We had to travel another 1/2 hour down an unpaved road, and when we got there found out it was an hour long walk. I was a bit irritated at how the day was panning out, and Marc did the hike on his own while I ate lunch and waited in the car, admiring the pretty beach by the parking lot. Marc returned and said it had been quite  a hike.

By now it was 2:00 pm and we hadn't done much. We continued up the scenic route and saw a metal sign in the street with a cow on it. We thought we might come across some cows being herded in the street. A little later we went to turn left and saw a car just sitting on the side of the road, and when we looked to the left we saw it. A cavalcade of sheep being herded by sheep dogs taking up the entire road!!! We turned left and pulled up behind another car on the side of the road. The mass of sheep was about 30 yards ahead of us, and we thought that they would be herded into a field up to the left. But no, they came down the road RIGHT BY OUR CAR!!  We were suddenly being passed on our right by a massive herd of sheep. I took a video and it was by far the most awesome thing to happen to us on the trip... For the next 1/2 hour we exclaimed how awesome that had been.

Next we came to the town of Papotawai where we refueled the car. While looking for the bathroom, I went by their tidy motel units behind the store, which looked vacant and nice. They also had a friendly tuxedo kitty. I wish we'd stayed there! Next we went to the Lost Gypsy Gallery, also called the Curios Museum. Our guidebook recommended it as being "worth the trip to the Catlins." It consists of a bus that is filled with all sorts of oddities created from "found objects" by the resident genius... Things that you wind and twist and press together and things happen. For example, a Charlie Brown doll where you press his hands together and a light bulb attached to his head flashes. It also has huge sculptures that you wind and various parts of them move. Beyond the van is the "museum" ($5 admission and worth it) that has more wondrous creations. My favorite was an old piano where the keys are hooked up to all sorts of different things. Press one key and a record player starts, or a bell rings, or a baby doll cries or a speaker hisses. It even had foot pedals that worked. It was way cool and was one of our favorite places of the trip.

Next we stopped at the Whistling Frog Cafe for coffee and snack. I had a cappuccino, Marc had a soda and we split a date scone with butter and jam. It came to $13. I got the impression that the service was top-notch.

It was 6:00 pm when we finally made it to Niagra Falls Restaurant, and their only reservation was for 7:00 pm, and we wanted to go to Curio Bay and didn't know if we'd be back in time. We decided we'd try for lunch the next day. Next was Curio Bay. The tide was in but we were still able to see some of the petrified wood. As we were sitting on the rocks, someone spotted a penguin coming up on the rocks, about 30 yards down. We borrowed some binoculars and were able to get a good look. As we were leaving, some people were creeping closer but kept their distance and the penguin just sat there the entire time.

By then it was 7:00 and it seemed like we'd been driving all day... We didn't know how long it would take to get back to Owaka. I guessed an hour, but Marc thought it would take 1.5 hours and that the 2 restaurants would be closed by then. We decided to stop at the Whistling Frog Cafe for dinner. There were only 2 other couples dining. Marc had the blue cod in a curry coconut sauce with jasmine rice and a salad ($32). I was feeling overwhelmingly tired and although I was craving something light, I ended up ordering the seafood chowder ($20). It wasn't a heavy chowder though, it was a fairly light, creamy broth, and it had corn, mussels, scallops, fish and potatoes in it. It was quite good and so was Marc's main. He had chardonnay with his and it came to $64.

We had to drive back in the dark. We decided to time how long it would take to get back to Owaka from Cathedral Caves, since we didn't believe it would take the 20 min. the volunteer in Owaka had said. It took me 40 min to drive, but because it was dark I drove under the speed limit. We decided to get up at 8:00 the next day to leave at 9:00 for the caves.

Day 16 Catlins

No hot water the following morning for our showers. We were cranky, cold, and covered in blue fuzz from our cheap, unwashed towels. Our first priority was getting cash since we had to pay for our hostel room that night. We went to the grocery and realized it only took cards from NZ banks. The guy at the Four Square told us the closest cash machine would be in Balclutha or Invercargill, depending on which way we were going. We must have looked disappointed at the prospect of a drive a "big city," since he then told us it was only a 20 min drive to Balclutha. We bought "savory scones" from the day old bakery rack that my inner-Scrooge couldn't resist at 0.50 each, some OJ and 2 yogurts ($6) and more sandwiches ($13). I also bought a bar of soap ($2) and some facial cleanser ($7). We decided to go to Balclutha, since we only had $6 cash and didn't have enough for the entrance fee at Cathedral. On the way to Balclutha, I mentioned how I hoped we'd come across another herd of sheep being moved, and a minute later we caught the “tail” end of a transfer!

We made it to Balclutha in 30 min. We got cash and I saw a thrift store and found some thermal tops and bottoms for $4 each. I had not packed enough warm clothes for the cooler Catlins weather, and had some short sleeved tops and an extra bathing suit that I hadn't even worn yet... This was my biggest packing mistake of the trip. It was 10:00 am and we were in the car wondering what to do next when Marc said, "Want to go to Dunedin?" Heck yeah I did. I hadn't suggested it earlier since it didn't fit in with “taking it easy” and “spending less time in the car,” but I really wanted to get a look at their castle. I asked him if he was sure about ten times, and how long did he think it would take to get there? He estimated only an hour and that "fate seemed to be sending us north." I happily concurred.

The road to Dunedin was straight and even with 2 stops for construction, we made it there in 1 hour. The road to the castle took another 1/2 hour, and we were inside the castle by noon. The gardens were almost better than the castle itself, and we spent a good 2.5 hours touring the grounds and the castle. There were some amazing views from the "South Seas" walk and the trees were filled with birdsong. There was also an awesome cafe, set in the ballroom, with huge, roaring fireplaces and gleaming hardwoods and ambiance galore. We had our sandwiches though so made-do with those.

Next we headed to the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Sanctuary. I had called from Balclutha and they said none of their tours were filled. We got there at 3:00 and the next tour was at 3:15. Our guide was a Chinese guy named Kevin and the 4 other couples were Dutch. The tour was $45 each and well worth it. We got briefed on the yellow-eyed penguin and then took a bus to the viewing dens. We ended up seeing 4 penguins, and the closest one to us was only 20 feet away. It was awesome. Then we went to look at fur seals and got as close as 10 feet to some fat, lazy, slumbering seals. The tour was 2.5 hours and really great and all of the fees go to funding the work that they do to protect the penguins. And Kevin was a hoot.

By then it was 4:00 and we didn't know if we should try for Nugget Point or go to Dunedin, which had Speight's Brewery tours, Cadbury chocolate tours, and some great architecture. We debated the merits of a lighthouse vs. beer + chocolate + old cool buildings on the 1/2 hour drive from back to the city center. Nugget Point barely won, as we have an especially soft spot in our hearts for lighthouses, considering we were married at one. We made it there by 6:30 and it was as amazing as it looks in the pictures. We contemplated stopping by Roaring Bay, where they have closed-in areas for penguin viewing, but figured that nothing could top the tour. By then it was 7:30 and we were hungry.

We made it to the Catlins Cafe by 8:00. I ordered the special of the day, blue cod pie and veggies ($16) and Marc ordered the seafood platter ($23). Unfortunately, this was our worst meal of the trip. I had asked if the pies were made there and was told they were had them made by someone in town, and I'm sure at one time it was a beautiful thing of flaky goodness... But mine tasted like it had been reheated in a microwave, which turned the crust into a plasticine, mushy mess of ickiness. I ate the inside and the mediocre vege and 3 boiled red potatoes, thinking wistfully of the flaky pie we'd got for $4.5 at the bus in Riwaka.... Also, Marc's seafood platter turned out to be a plate of heavily breaded, deep-fried seafood that was not what he had been expecting. This was also his 4th meal of fish and chips and he had declared himself sick of fish and chips after the 3rd meal... It also took FOREVER to get our food (at least 45 min) and when it arrived it was so hot we had to wait 5 min to eat. I really wish I could recommend the place, but I wouldn't recommend it for dinner--only for breakfast, despite its small-town charm. We got back to the hostel at 9:00, too late to do laundry. I took advantage of the hot water and got my shower in. The owners came by to collect the “rent.”

Day 17 Catlins to Te Anau

We set our alarms for 8:00 am, planning to eat breakfast at the cafe at 9:00 and leave for Cathedral Caves at 10:00. I would have preferred skipping the caves and heading straight to Te Anau, but Marc really wanted to see them. We had breakfast at the cafe, pancakes and bacon for me ($12) and french toast and bacon for Marc ($12) and a large Chai ($4.5). I think there was simple syrup or agave syrup used instead of maple syrup... But it was still good and we set off at 9:40 for the caves.

Along the way, we happened across another sign in the road with a picture of a sheep on it and hoped we'd run into another sheep herding. As we drove, I looked across the valley and saw a huge flock of white where sheep were being herded. We pulled over and turned off the car and rolled down the windows. We could hear the farmer calling to the dogs and he was driving around on an ATV. Even from a great distance, it was fascinating to watch the dogs working to round up the flock. I could have watched for days and even suggested we try to drive around to catch the moving of the herd, but Marc talked me out of that foolish plan.

We got to the caves at 10:30. The walk down is 30 min and I knew it would be much tougher coming back. Low tide was at noon. The caves were really neat, and I thought we would get our "iconic photo" and be on our way. But oh no. Marc had to go beyond the first 2 caves, and beyond that, and beyond that, and so on. There was one really cool cave that had a lot of dark pink rock in it, and I took lots of pictures of the black mussels and the various colorations of the rocks. I thought I was going to need the bathroom soon, and realizing it was at least a 45 minute walk away, I left Marc to his perusals while I set off for the parking lot. The walk back up the trail was steep but it felt good to be getting a workout. Marc showed up about 30 min after me and it was 12:00 when we left the caves.

We figured we'd eat in Invercargill, so I gave the guidebook to Marc to find a place. At 12:20, we got to the road that leads to the Niagra Falls Cafe. We laughed as we realized it was the perfect time to eat there... It's funny how things work out. So we went there for lunch, even though we were still not entirely hungry. Although I had been craving a big salad, and they had one on their menu that sounded yummy, I had to order the lamb burger and Marc ordered the same ($16.50). It occurred to me that I had fallen off the diet wagon—not sure when it had happened, but it had definitely happened and I realized I no longer cared. The burger was on a soft poppyseed roll that was toasted (home made?), and had cheese on it, aioli, iceberg lettuce, hummus, cucumber, tomato, and carrots. It was difficult to get your mouth around, there was so much on it! The burger itself was so moist and flavorful. Deliciousness. We shared a coke and lunch came to $36.

We got to Invercargill at 2-ish, and then managed to reach Te Anau by 4:00, skipping the scenic route in favor of the faster 6, which was straight and not busy and not under much construction. Te Anau was beautiful, blue skies and fairly warm. We checked in at the Lakeside Backpackers and our room was quite hideous... Painted concrete walls, a bedspread straight from the 80's (and the mattress too?), wood paneling, yellow linoleum in the kitchenette... And it overlooked the parking lot, not the lake. It was $86 a night. The person at reception was very helpful though, and recommended a place called Redcliff for dinner and offered to make a reservation. Marc sorta wanted to do a glowworm tour, and the last one left at 8:15. We decided to have dinner at 6:30 and then if he had the energy for the tour, he would try to go. The person at the hostel didn't think it would be full.

We set off down the Te Anau lakefront. What really struck me about the town was how clean it was. It's extremely tidy. The pay toilets were in a beautiful new building with nice landscaping--and this was the public bathroom! We found a place called the Pop In Cafe for coffee and chose it for its lakefront location. A large cappu, a large Chai and a piece of carrot cake cost $12. We sat for a good 45 min soaking in the sun and ambiance. Then we kept walking down the lake. Marc wanted to take a seaplane tour over the area, and I encouraged him to do so, but he would only go if I went and I argued it was too expensive for both of us--$540 per person for 1.25 hours? Yikes. We also admired the many new-looking, modern, spiffy, comfortable hotels lining the lakefront. I explained to Marc that they would be at least twice what we were paying, and besides, how long would we be in the room?

At 6:00 we headed back to town, stopping at a few souvenir shops along the way. Then we went to Redcliff for dinner. It's in a really cute building that used to be an old settlers' cottage. We had the option of eating outside, but sensing it would cool down quickly we opted to eat inside. For our appetizer, we split a "Salmon 3 ways" plate ($20); it came with homemade crackers, a salmon spread, and 2 kinds of smoked salmon. It was really delicious and the presentation was very pretty. We were both wanting the hare for dinner, but we usually order 2 things so we can share, a dilemma we explained to the kindly waitress. She advised us to both order the hare since it is so good, and so we did ($37). It came with an Israeli couscous risotto with mushrooms, baby beets, and a Parmesan crisp that wrapped around the "risotto." We had asked where the hare comes from, and she said the Otago peninsula, where the hares feed on wild thyme which makes them extra delicious... As the waitress explained the origin of our Otago hare, Marc and I smiled at each other. We were both thinking of the Portlandia episode where Fred and Carrie get a full dossier on their chicken and decide to visit the farm where it was raised.

Our hare (we decided his name was probably Donald) was really excellent. I thought the Parmesan crisp was a bit of overkill and not necessary on the plate, but everything else was perfection. It was also a hearty portion of food, not like those fancy-schmancy places where you get 5 bites of food and leave hungry still. We were stuffed after that meal. But, Marc had to order dessert anyway, a mascarpone and citrus cheesecake with a passion-fruit sauce. It was phenomenal. This meal was so far the best meal of the trip, and when we compared it to what we'd paid at the Lumberjack, seemed like a good deal as well. We also had 2 pints of beer ($7) and dinner came to $122. We left the exceptional waitress a fiver.

Marc decided to skip the glowworm tour. We headed back to the hotel, stopping at another souvenir shop along the way. I started our laundry and was thankful we didn't have the room right next to the laundry room... Guess it could have been even worse at our hostel! I needed to exchange some $1 coins for $2, so I popped into the communal kitchen to see if anyone had the right coins. A large group of people were watching The Fellowship of the Ring. I think everyone there was in their early 20's, and I felt incredibly old all of a sudden. I felt like joining the movie viewing but all the seats were taken. Although we'd had a wonderful day, I felt a little wistful for my early 20's. I didn't start traveling until I was 30, and my first backpacker trip was to Italy. I wondered how my life would be different if I'd started traveling 10 years earlier, but didn't let the feeling of regretfulness overtake me--it had been a lovely day.

Wishbone?

I understand your wistfulness. I didn't do any traveling until I was in my 30's either. I wish I had done a lot more before getting locked into a career with limited vacation time. One of the things I like best about this travel forum is that I feel like I am getting to travel a little bit everyday vicariously through others. Thanks for such a detailed and wonderful trip report!

Wishbone was at the Auckland airport, it's sort of like Pret a Manger in Europe, fresh sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads. We really liked the one in Auckland.

luvtravl, thanks! It's nice to know others can relate.

Here's the last of the report. Thanks to all who read it!

Day 18 Te Anau to Milford Sound

We got up at 8:00, hoping to have breakfast at 9:00 and leave for Milford at 10:00, which would give us plenty of time to do some of the small walks along the way. We gassed up the car and went to the Sandfly Cafe for breakfast, recommended in the guidebook. Marc got the pancakes, which were light and fluffy and I ordered the muesli, thinking it would be "low calorie..." Their homemade muesli had  chunks of white chocolate in it and dried fruit, and came with what looked like whole milk and what tasted like whole fat yogurt... Needless to say, it was delicious, even with the canned peaches on top. Yum yum yum! We also went to the Countdown market and bought fixin's for sandwiches, including more Kapiti smoked Havarti, yum yum yum!

Then we were on our way to Milford. The guidebook had said to leave at 8:00 or 11:00 to miss the tour buses, and the road was chockers with them. The first stop was at Mirror Lakes, which was very beautiful since it was clear. I particularly liked the sign which is placed upside down in the lake, so that you see read it in the reflection. Clever! There was a huge row of buses and tons of people admiring the view. Next we stopped at Cascade Creek to Lake Gunn walk (45 min return). We spent over an hour here, the trees by the lake were also chockers with birds, and we spent a good 1/2 hour listening to them and watching them. We ran into only 2 other couples doing this walk.

Next we went to what we *think* was Pop's Viewpoint (again, no tour buses--no room for them to park) which overlooked the Hollyford valley. We were going to have our sandwiches outside, but some giant killer bumblebees were after our Havarti and we had to eat in the car--still a pretty view. The day was remarkably clear and I was hopeful we would have excellent weather for our cruise.

A side note about the cruise... I had been checking the Real Journeys website from home months before we left, watching to see if it was close to filling up. Then I had meant to book it once we arrived in NZ. I finally booked it on our drive to Owaka. When she gave me the final price, it was about $380. I asked if we had been booked for the right one, because I know the Real Journeys website would have charged me $480. She said they were having a special, so I was extremely glad that I had waited!

Next we stopped at the area right before the Homer Tunner. There is a short walk that allows you to study the sub-alpine flora and fauna, and I saw some interesting plants that I've never seen before. That took about 20 min. Next we did the Chasm walk, where the Cleddau river winds through some deeply gouged boulders, creating a deep waterfall pit. We didn't see any beggar keas there, although our guidebook said they would be hanging out looking for handouts. We got there 1.5 hours early, at 2:30 pm. We went to the Blue Duck cafe and had coffee and split carrot cake... I got an awesome picture of my cappuccino with Mitre Peak behind it.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect--clear and sunny and I was too warm in my long underwear. At 3:30 we walked over to the boarding area and by 4:15, there were only about 20 people waiting to board. After we boarded, Marc and I were both directed to "Cabin C," which I assumed would be an area of cabins rather than one particular cabin. Then we got to Cabin C and realized it was a specific cabin with a double bed and two twins bunk above it--huzzah! We got to have our own cabin! Marc was so happy then... He had been worried about having to share a small cabin with a bunch of strangers. And so was I, after seeing how crowded they were...

Next we went up for a safety briefing.  I counted the number of people at only 20 passengers and the boat has a max capacity of 60. I was also surprised that there were so many young people on the boat, I had been expecting it to be mostly older people, but I would guess that 13 of the 20 were under 30. The “old folks” consisted of Marc and I, and one group of five 50-somethings traveling together. They had just finished hiking the Milford Track. We were fed veggie lentil soup and bread as we headed out on the sound. We had a couple hours of cruising and as I mentioned, the weather couldn't have been more perfect. We felt extremely lucky that the weather was cooperating, that we had our own cabin, and that we'd got it at a discount.

Then we pulled up into Anita Bay to commence our "afternoon activity." We had been planning on going kayaking, but hadn't brought an extra change of clothes (the kayaks had no skirts) and frankly were rather sick of kayaking... We went out on the "tender craft" in the hopes of seeing some wildlife. No such luck though. And the guide, whose name was pronounced either "Key nay" or "Fee nay" wasn't very enlightening... We really didn't see much and it was the only dud of the trip. Also the sandflies were particularly bothersome in the tender craft.

Next it was back to the main boat, and since the kayaks were still out exploring, I decided that if I didn't go swimming in Milford Sound that I would regret it. So I suited up and slid into the frigid water from the back of the boat. Marc got some great pictures of me with the fjord behind me... The water was 13 Celsius I think...? It was SO COLD. I spent maybe 15 min in the water and that was all I could take. I took a hot shower and helped myself to some hot chocolate when I was done showering. They had a "help yourself" coffee bar with instant coffee, lots of teas, cream, sugar, milk, and hot choco.
Next was dinner. At dinner I further appreciated our small number onboard... The cabin has 10 tables, with a long, low center table with maps and pull-up seats. But if the max capacity was on board, that would put 6 at each table... Marc and I had our own table, of course. Dinner was beef with stuffing, scalloped potatoes, gravy, roasted pumpkin and veggies with a hollandaisey-type sauce. It was SO GOOD. And the portions were HUGE! They also had a big mixed green salad with more veggies and even potato salad, not that I had room for that. I was really impressed with how yummy and hearty the food was. There was even extras, and many of us went back for more taters and pumpkin (well, that's what I went back for). With dinner we both had Monteith's Black for $6 a bottle.

As it got dark, a lot of people stayed inside after sun set, but we stayed out until the cold forced us inside... Even with my 3 layers on top and two layers on bottom, I was too cold. They served up dessert, again, it was surprisingly good--a freshly baked brownie with vanilla ice cream and berry sauce. The brownie was extra moist (and huge) and had coconut in it. The crew had put various games out, and I was bummed that Scrabble had already been claimed, so we made do with card games and I taught Marc how to play gin rummy as we had a second Monteith's. "Fee nay" pulled up to the table with the young girls and started making his moves. He also hooked up his MP3 player to speakers and we had to listen to his unfortunate playlist of bands like AC/DC, Journey, and Queen (Egad).
By 9:00 we were really tired, but I was determined not to be the first to go to bed... The 50-somethings went first and we followed soon after, turning in at 10:00. Hot breakfast would be served from 7:00-7:30 so we set our alarms for 6:50. At about 11:00, I regretted my second beer... The W.C.'s are in the back of the boat, so I had to get up, put on shoes, walk upstairs in my t-shirt and long underwear bottoms to go to the bathroom. And then I had to do this again at 1:00 am, where the only 2 people up were "Fee nay" and another girl who was talking his ear off. Poor Feenay, I don't think he got lucky that night.

Day 19 Milford to Queenstown

At 6:45 am, we were awoken via loudspeaker by the crew. We trudged upstairs for breakfast, not nearly as good as dinner. It was cheesy herby scrambled eggs, a hashed potato wedge, fried tomato, Canadian bacon, and sausage. There were also a few cereals and yogurt put out and bread for toast. We had the hot breakfast. There was more sight-seeing after breakfast and the highlight was seeing some fur seals on some rocks and also going up close to the Stirling waterfalls. It was another clear day out on Milford Sound.

We got back sharply at 9:15 and we set off for Queenstown at 9:30 am. There was very little traffic going up and down. Marc put the seat back and took a nap. He woke up shortly after Te Anau and after about 3 hours of driving I began to feel overwhelmingly sleepy to the point that I began to nod off. We pulled over and I took a 20 min power nap then we set off again. It felt like the longest drive of the trip. We finally got to Queenstown at 1-ish and the rental car was due back at 3:00. We decided to go to the cafe where we had had lunch before, in the Remarkables Shopping Center. The day was overcast and there were men working on a building using loud electric tools. I was extremely cranky and tired and it was amazing what a difference our lunch was compared to the the delightful experience it had been a mere few days earlier... Lunch took forever, Marc ordered a chicken sandwich and I had the chicken, brie and thyme pie which for some reason came with a side of sweet chili sauce.

We left for the hotel at 1:45. The plan was to drop the bags off at the hotel and then drive the car to the agency in downtown QT. We got to the hotel at 2:00-ish. We stayed at Earnslaw Lodge and got a lake-facing room without a kitchenette. It was $144 per night and was one of the best accommodations we stayed in thanks to the exceptional hospitality of the hosts. Also the room had a beautiful, sweeping view of Queenstown from sliding glass doors off of our deck. We were extremely pleased with it, despite it having the same painted concrete walls that the hostel in Te Anau had--it's amazing what a great view can do!

It was apparent we wouldn't have time to nap, so we took showers and made it to the car rental agency exactly at 3:00. We felt extremely lucky to have found street parking in downtown Queenstown, which happened to be right in front of Fergburger, which our guidebook recommended as being extremely popular, and there was a large line in the front. We turned in the car and then walked back to the hotel, where I took a much needed 2 hour nap. Then we set out for dinner at 6:30-ish.

As we walked, we noticed a large number of people heading towards town from the various hotels along the lakefront. Many of them were dressed up and I began to worry that we wouldn't get a table and that I was under-dressed.  I remarked to Marc that it felt like zombie hordes heading out and he said, "Foooooood" in his best zombie voice. We stopped at a place called Halo that the guidebook recommended, it's by the little stone church (on Church street) and had reasonably priced entrees ($20) and plenty of tables, but it was lacking the ambiance I was looking for... We continued on to the main part of town and went to Solaro Vino, a French restaurant. They had a sign advertising $20 salmon and lamb specials and it was so adorable inside! Hardwood floors and roaring fires. The hostess said she should have a table available at 7:30, which was only 1/2 hour away so we decided to come back.

At 7:30 we were seated at a lovely window table in the upper floor of Solaro Vino. I ordered the Akaroa salmon with mashed potatoes and veg ($20 special) and the cream of cauliflower w/blue cheese soup ($10.5). Marc had the pot au feu ($32). I also had 2 glasses of Chardonnay and Marc had a beer and it was around $90. Everything was perfectly cooked and delicious and the waiter was particularly helpful. Great ambiance, food and service--we were pleased. We went back to the room and the city was filled with a strong party atmosphere. After getting back to the hotel, it began to pour down rain, it was very loud on the rooftop and was still going strong by the time I fell asleep.

Day 20 Queenstown

The plan for the day was simple--gondola, Sat AM craft fair, and maybe the T.S.S. Earnslaw/Farm Tour with Real Journeys. Also, Marc wanted to go paragliding. Other than that, I wasn't interested in any "extreme" or "adventure" type activities... They seemed overpriced and a waste of money, and besides, I am afraid of heights. Our alarm went off at 8:30 and I rushed to the sliding glass doors to see what the weather was doing. It was beautiful! One long white cloud in the sky and a few small scattered clouds, but that was it. I was so glad the rain was gone!

We decided to eat breakfast at the gondola, thinking it would have great views. We got up there at 10:00 ($50 for the ride up) and I had smoked salmon quiche ($7) and a cappu ($4) and Marc had a cinnamon roll ($4) and a Chai ($4). I asked for the quiche to be heated up and even though there was no one ahead of us, it took 15 min to get the warmed quiche and our coffees. As we ate, I noticed some clouds streaming across the viewing area from the cafe (which didn't really have much of a view from inside). I went out on the deck and was horrified to discover that it had clouded over! I legged it to the proper viewing area, but it was too late. The views were gone. I couldn't believe it, it had been so clear and sunny just a mere 30 minutes earlier!

We waited around for a good 45 minutes, hoping the clouds would go away but they of course did not. I was very disappointed about not getting to see the panoramic views of QT. We went back down on the gondola--Marc didn't want to paraglide through clouds. Next we checked out the Bird Sanctuary, which we hadn't known about but which sounded interesting. It was 11:05, and a conservation talk had just started at 11:00, and the next Kiwi feeding wasn't until 2:30, so we decided to skip it. Next we went to the craft fair on the waterfront. There were lots of pretty things for sale. Marc brought my attention to some silver rings with a modern design... We had bought our wedding bands at a craft fair in Seattle, and he had lost his a few years earlier during a freak hail storm at a music festival. We decided to buy new bands ($75 each).

By then it was only 11:30 and we were wondering if Fergburger might have a short line... It did! We both ordered the regular burger, which comes with a tomato jam, lettuce, tomato and red onion. We also ordered onion rings and a Coke. Lunch was under $30. All the tables were full, so we took our burgers to a park across the street and ate there. It was a very good burger, but not as good as the one we'd had at the Niagra Falls cafe.

Next we booked our T.S.S. Earnslaw tour with Real Journeys, who have a booth on the waterfront. We had some time to kill before it left, so we sat near the harbor. While we were there, a boat came tearing into the harbour and did a 360 degree spin. Everyone was screaming and looked like they were having a fun time. We decided to inquire about how much at ride would be. The company was called ThunderJet. Normally, it's supposedly $100 per person, but we were told we could go on the next trip for $80 pp. I was on the fence about it, but we decided to go anyway. I regretted it. The spins at the beginning were exciting, but then it was just a fast ride down the river with the boat driver occasionally stopping to give us some history on QT. It wasn't really worth the money.

However, the trip to Walter Peak farm was worth the money. We took the T.S.S. Earnslaw, a steam-powered ship that runs on coal, to the farm. The boat ride was pleasant, they had a bar and a piano player.

Then we got to the farm. There was a sheep herding demonstration and then a sheep shearing. We also had two opportunities to feed sheep!! We also had “high tea” lakeside. It was a lot of fun and I loved petting and feeding the sheep. There were a lot of Japanese tourists who talked during the entire time the tour leader was talking and at times it was hard to hear him.

After the tour, we walked around the lakefront and did a loop that had some really beautiful scenery. Some guys were playing frisbee golf. The day was overcast and I was a bit disappointed that the weather hadn't been better, but at least we'd had one day of sun when we'd passed through earlier in the week.

We ended up downtown after our walk. The thing I liked about QT is that it is fairly compact and very pedestrian friendly. There were some street performers performing, a juggler and a tightrope walker. They had a large crowd and we watched the end of their show.

For dinner we decided on a Thai place recommended in the guidebook called @Thai. We ordered Phad Thai and a curry and everything was very good. It was very dark in the restaurant and hard to get good pictures! We went back to the hotel and packed for our flight home the next day. I had thought by the end of this trip that I would be ready to go home after being gone for so long, but I would have been happy if we had more time to explore NZ. Turns out my wish would be granted.................

Day 21 Queenstown to Seattle

Our journey home was supposed to start at 3:15 pm in the QT airport... Check-out at our hotel was 10:00, and they kept our bags for us as we wandered around town.We had breakfast at Halo, which our guidebook recommended for breakfast. I had the Eggs Benedict ($15) and Marc had the French toast ($15). Both were delicious. After that, I bought the rest of the gifts for our relatives (an extremely stressful process that made us vow we would never buy for so many people again). As we started back to the hotel, it began to pour down rain. We got back to the hotel at 1:15 for our shuttle pick up at 1:30.
When we went to our departure gate, the waiting area was extremely crowded. Several flights were delayed due to the weather. We were worried our flight to Auckland would also be delayed--we only had 1 h 15 min to make our connecting flight to SFO. At 2:55, we were supposed to begin boarding, and precisely at 2:55, Air New Zealand made an announcement that they were canceling all of their flights for the day due to weather!!  I think we sat there for a good minute in a state of shock... This was the first time we'd ever experienced a flight cancellation, and it was such an important flight... Via overhead speaker, they instructed people to pick up their luggage and call an 800 number to rebook flights for tomorrow.

As were waiting for our bags, we heard someone say that they couldn't get through on the 800 number. We went to the information counter, which had a good 50 people in line... Eventually a representative who was making her way through the line got to us and advised us to go to a hotel and call the 800 number, and that they couldn't rebook anyone at the airport (which seemed odd to me). We called Earnslaw and Lynne answered and said she thought we might be returning and she had a room available for us, non-lake-facing for $124. We got our bags and took the shuttle back to the hotel.
When we finally got thru to Air NZ, the only flight they had for the next day was for the following:

Queenstown to Christchurch
CC to Auckland
Auckland to LAX
LAX to SFO
SFO - SEA (on Virgin America)

FIVE FLIGHTS! I ran this by Marc and from the look on his face, asked the Air NZ rep what she had for the day after (Tuesday). She was able to book us on QT - Auckland, Auckland – SFO, our original flight itinerary. We took this option.

Then I had to call Virgin America, we had booked our SFO - SEA flight through them and thank goodness I had bought insurance! However, they had NO flights for Tuesday, the next available was for Wednesday! So we would have to stay one night in SFO, meaning we wouldn't get home until mid-day Wed instead of Sun. 3 days late. It cost $300 to re-book the VA flight and were told we'd have to get reimbursed by the insurance co. We were eventually reimbursed this and also for the hotel in SFO.

We asked Lynne if she had a room for the next night, and she said she had put us down for 2 nights, just in case. What great customer service! By then, it was almost 5:00 pm. We realized we had no toiletries and no clean clothes. The hotel had full-size washers and dryers downstairs and even supplied the laundry detergent--nice! We started some laundry and hit the hotel bar, where Lynne hooked us up with some Speight's. After our laundry was done, we contemplated going to town for dinner and buying toiletries. It was still very windy outside and pouring down rain. We decided to order a pizza from Hell Pizza ($26 for a large "Wrath") and it was very good. Lynne brought us some plates and we ate in the bar and watched TV. As I paid the pizza delivery guy, a couple came down, dressed up for going out to eat--I must have looked pretty pathetic! But then they sat in the reception area and waited 15 min before they were able to muster the courage to set out--it was really nasty out. Back in our room, Marc watched Top Gear and then I watched Master Chef NZ. Then we went to bed with no alarms set and no plans for the next day.

I was surprised that I didn't freak out about our flight being canceled... I think part of what made me not stress out was the ease of getting back to QT-town, the niceness of our hosts, and the realization that there's no use crying over spilled milk...

Day 22 Queenstown (extra day due to flight cancellation)

We set our alarm for noon, but alas, could only sleep in until 8:30. We woke up to a stunningly beautiful day, clear as a bell (of course)! We set out at 9:30, planning to get to the Kiwi Bird Sanctuary by 11:00 for the conservation talk. We went to a bakery and bought 2 muffins for breakfast ($7). Mine was dry and tasted day-old.

Next we went to the Kiwi Bird Sanctuary ($74 for 2 people). Got there at 10:30 and heard the conservation talk at 11:00. They talked about how the introduction of non-native species such as stoats, rats, possums and housecats have had a devastating impact on native birds and vegetation. It was very informative and they showed us Red Crowned Parakeets and Tuatara. After that we went into the Kiwi house and were thrilled to see not one but two Kiwi!!  We even saw them up close, they were right next to the glass of the darkened viewing house. It was amazing to be two feet away from the Kiwi bird and we spent a good 15 min watching them. Other species of birds that we saw were: Morepork, Kea, Black Stilt, Blue Duck, Paradise Duck, New Zealand Falcon, Tui, Brown Teal, and New Zealand Pigeon. This is a must-visit for any bird lover, and for any tourist who wants to support the preservation of NZ native species. All of their funding comes from the price of admission.

We finished up there at 12:30 and wandered to town for lunch. We noticed there was no line for Fergburger and decided to give them a second try. This time we orderd the Lamb Burgers ($28 including a coke) and they were much better than the beef burgers. We ate at the waterfront and admired the lovely view. Although it was sunny, it was still cool out and I was way too cold in my t-shirt, convertible pants, sweater and rain shell. Marc had the same layers on and was plenty warm.

After lunch, we discussed how incredibly clear it was, and how we would be able to get great views from the gondola. I managed to talk Marc into hiking to the top rather than taking the gondola. After 10 min, I was ready to turn back but he trudged onward. It was a tough climb that took 1h 15 min due to several stop-and-complain breaks. We admired the views from the top and then, remembering that no one had checked our tickets when we exited, took the gondola down without buying a return ticket.

After that, we went to Patagonia for coffee ($10). I had a mocachino and Marc had a Chai--it was the best coffee of the trip, probably due to the fact that I forgot to order it trim, and also because of Patagonia's delicious chocolate.

After that, it was 5:00, so we went to the Irish pub next door for their "office" happy hour and got two Guinnesses for $10. At 6:30, we went to the Kebab place for dinner. This was the same place we went to lunch on Sat. Marc got falafel this time and I stuck with the lamb--it was delicious, again. After dinner we went to the grocery store and got breakfast items and toiletries. Went back to the hotel and packed for our return trip home for the second time.

Britomart, we have really been enjoying your wonderful trip report. We especially liked your list of "Bests" and activities worth the price and v.v. We could just experience your anxiety when your return flight was cancelled! Wonderful to meet people like Lynne who helped you out in that situation. So glad that that extra day in Queenstown turned out to be clear.

We are leaving on February 8 for nine days in Sydney and Port Douglas, followed by a couple of weeks in the South Island, NZ. We hope to take advantage of some of the restaurants and activities which you described in your detailed report. Thanks again for sharing so many of your experiences.

Hi tomarkot, I am glad my report has been an enjoyable and informative read. Yes, if our flight hadn't been canceled, we never would have seen those amazing views of Queenstown from the gondola. Sometimes things happen for a reason Have a great trip!

Thanks Britomart. Your report brought back happy memories. But my vote for best cappuccino in QT and yummy treats is the Vudu Cafe on Beach Street. I still judge other ones against it.

Thanks for all the details britomart, I remember your questions on the Forum.

In a way it's good that your flight was cancelled, you got more days in Queenstown!

Did you mention whether those prices were in NZD or USD. Although they are getting close to parity. I remember on one of my first visits it was getting close to two to one in our favor. Now it's almost too expensive to visit, for me.

Thanks susncrg and mlgb for reading. Mlgb, all the prices are in NZ dollars. I was going to mention that we chose NZ partly because the US $ is stronger than the NZ $, and yet this ended up being one of our most expensive trips because of the high cost of the car rental, gas, airfare, food and excursions. When we go back someday, it will probably be in off-season.