Hi,

After much thought we have, what we think, is a great itinery for our honeymoon in Nov/Dec. When we strated planning this, it was just a holiday, but as the OH proposed in December, it's now our honeymoon!

We plan to use the 'Great Escapade' fare using Virgin to fly to Sydney and from LA to London and Air NZ for the rest. To give you some background, we actually plan to emigrate to NZ (Auckland) next year and this was originally a fact finding trip which has now been extended somewhat. So if you thought it was odd spending most of our time in Auckland, that's why.

Travel is in Nov/Dec

Well here it is:

Fly London - Hong Kong, 2 night at the Peninsular
Airport transfers by hotel Rolls Royce. Quite fancy doing a helicopter trip.

Fly Hong Kong to Sydney, 5 nights Grand Harbour View at the Intercontinental. General sight seeing, poss a day trip to the Blue Mountains. Maybe an evening dinner cruise?

Fly Sydney - Christchurch, 3 nights at the Crowne Plaza. Day trip of WW rafting and TransAlpine train journey.

Fly Christchurch - Auckland, 10 nights in a BB in Devonport (The Garden Room). General fact finding with a trip to the Bay of Islands.

Fly Auckland - Raro - Aitutaki, 5 nights Pacific resort. This works out quite well because it'll be my 30th B'day on our last night in Auckland and also on our 1st night in Aitutaki! lol Lots of drinking and 'relaxing' ....well it is our honeymoon! We've been offered a great rate via our travel agent but will book the meal plan direct with the hotel (NZ$95pp pn).

Aitutaki - London (via Raro & LA)

Any comments/thoughts/suggestions welcome.

Milliemoo

1/ forget the dinner/cruise - they are dreadful, overpriced and the food is disgusting. You can do the same thing yourself for a couple of $ and eat at one of the many wonderful restaurants on the harbour.
2/ Don't book anything for Sydney i.e. the Blue Mountains until you arrive and then just take the train. Sometimes at that time of year the Blue Mts are not pristine due to lack of rain and anyway nothing has to be set in concrete till you arrive.
If you are interested in cricket you could perhaps check out what may or may not be playing in Sydney at the time as the SCG is a terrific buzz if you are a fan.
Perhaps think of playing boat-postie up the Hawkesbury River for the day as that is a nice trip with lovely sight-seeing.
Other than that you have chosen the best hotel in HK and I think its in the World's top 10 - great spot but perhaps you have not got enough time there? Take a double decker bus to Stanley Markets on the HK side - which will mean you taking the Star Ferry over to the mainland - all nice! Actually I hope I am right in thinking that the Pen is in Kowloon - or have I got my geography wrong?

Thanks,

Yes, on the Kowloon side. It's a bit of a treat that stop over, and we'll probally spend more time on our next visit (on route to NZ). I'm kinda hoping for an upgrade in room, but with it being peak season, we'll just have to see.

I wasn't overly sure about the dinner cruise...I love the sound of it....but in reality, as you say, it's probally very disappointing. I'm hoping we won't have to pre-book too many things, and I'm sure I can remember seeing a good thread on catching the train to the Blue Mountains. I think we'll have to book the ww rafting / transapline trip as we have such little time in the South Island. Again, we'll be able to see lots more on our next trip (when we move to NZ).

Any recommendations for top restaurant on Sydney Harbour?

Milliemoo

Yep! Visit the David Jones food hall and buy one of their hampers.... secondly go to one of the bottle shops and get some great Aussie wine a cheap opener and glasses and take yourselves down to either the Botanical Gardens with a view of the Harbour OR hopefully Margo will tell you where they went with some US Fodorians and had the best meal and view you can get and watch the sun set over the harbour whist eating your heart out with whatever.

What a great idea!

BTW - just been to the travel agent and we're thinking of the Heritage in Christchurch now. Need to do some digging.

Thanks again

The Heritage would be a good choice, right on the centre square in Christchurch. If you book there try and secure a room that looks out over the Cathedral and square. From memory there are two sections to the Heritage, about a 10 story 'normal' type hotel and just across the way, still facing the square an older two to three story building. I have never stayed in that part of the Hertiage but colleagues who did said it had an older charm about it.

Right next to the Hertiage is the Millennium (ph 64 3 365 1111....still have the number saved in my phone). This is an excellent hotel. Same requests for the room apply but because they have more rooms that face the square you are a better chance of securing one. Its a little more expensive (NZ$175 per night) but it is your honeymoon!!

One of the best things that we ever did out of Christchurch was to hire a car and drive out to Akaroa on the Banks Pwninusula. That is some of the best scenery in NZ and Akaroa is a beutifull spot with French influence.

Enjoy Auckland. We lived there for 3 and a half years and loved it. We were based in the eastern bays at St Heliers, a terrific spot. Misson Bay and Kohimarama I would also recommend.

I think that you will like Devonport. Takapuna on the 'shore' is also a suburb worth a look.

Ned

Hi Ned,

Yes, we've been discussing Takapuna, and will certainly be taking a closer look while we are there. I've heard the East Coast Bays are great!

Back to the Heritage, we're thinking of the 1 bed suite, which looks a bit like a small apartment! Thought the washing machine in the kitchen may come in handy at that stage of the trip (sorry, can't help being practical). As far as I'm aware, the suites are all in the older building. Thanks for the tip, I'll ask the agent to request a room looking over the square.

Milliemoo

With Auckland its best to live near where you work as the traffic is so bad. I presume you will be working on the shore. a good property site is www.realenz.co.nz Takapuna is a great place. Devonpoint is too.Welcome!

cheers
www.geocities.com/go2nelson

Thanks,

OH will be job hunting when we get there so hopefully he'll be able to secure something on the Shore. Neither of us drive at the moment (have to do something about that) so we'll be scooting about on Ferrys and buses when we visit in Nov.

I have realenz.co.nz on my favourites, although I've heard it's not really a good guide to houses. Don't quite understand why, but if they put properties up for auction under a daft guide price, it could be misleading I suppose. We'll be taking the opportunity to look at a few properties and sections while we're out there....can't wait.

Milliemoo