New Zealand

Apr 8-17, 2011
Apr 8 AC793 YYZ-LAX, NZ5 LAX-AKL, NZ8361 AKL-NSN,
Apr 14 NZ8146 NSN-WLG,
Apr 17 NZ8 AKL-SFO, AC756 SFO-YYZ  

New Zealand is one of my favourite countries, and although I had only spent two weeks there in the past I definitely wanted to return and experience more.   Unfortunately for all its beauty, New Zealand is difficult to get to and has traditionally been hard to find free business class seats.  When I found available points flights to Auckland, I was quick to grab them and to build a vacation around them.  Our last time around we did not have enough time to see the north part of the South Island so made that the focus of this trip, while still covering new areas of the North Island and some of our favourites.  In addition to the always enjoyable Air New Zealand service, hiking (or trekking as the locals say) the Queens Charlotte was a highlight as was enjoying the wine and food.

Apr 8-10
Full travel days to Nelson via LA and Auckland and head out

Suspension bridge over Buller Gorge

Testing the bridge before a quick hike to a 1929 Earthquake fault line

Looking up river from the bridge

New Zealand Weka Bird at the side of the road

Seals on the West Coast of the South Island

A few of the 40 million sheep in New Zealand

Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki at the end of long day

More of the rocks at dusk

An island off Punakaiki

Apr 11
Punakaiki to Blenheim

Farmland with mountains along the West Coast

Crossing the South Island

Mountains along the way as the clouds lift and we head further east

Waiau River valley

More of the River valley

Looking North to some of the taller mountain ranges

Snow covered peaks of the Inland Kaikouras mountain range

Seal colony in Kaikoura on the East Coast

Looking down at Whalers Bay from Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway

Looking back at the coast from the Kaikoura Peninsula

Vineyard near our cottage outside Belheim

A small plane we watched take off and land a few times prior to checking in for the night

Apr 12
Drive to Picton and catch boat to Queen Chartlotte track hike to hotel

Very foggy start to the day in Picton, were worried that we would be hiking in fog

After we get out of the bay, we leave the fog behind

Looking back at Queen Charlotte Sound

Look out after a brief hike at Motuara Island Bird Sanctuary

Looking across the sound to Long Island

A particularly friendly bird hung around us as we waited for the ferry to start our main hike

Another bird on the Queen Charlotte Walking Track

Looking back at the sound from the Track

Some of the higher elevations on the trek

Seemed to be more beauty around each corner and perfect weather

Close to the end of our 15km hike along the track

View of the beautiful sky from our inn after a gourmet dinner with our fellow trekers

Apr 13
Leave the trail on boat and make our way to Nelson

No Road Inn, small hotel we enjoyed on the track

Oystercatcher on the beach outside the Inn

Picton with a lot less fog then when we left the morning before

More of Marlborough Sounds on the drive to Nelson

Beautiful mountains keep the drive interesting

View of downtown Nelson after an evening stroll before dinner

Apr 14
Morning flight to Wellington on the North Island and drive to Napier

Martinborough downtown in our favourite wine region of New Zealand

Stonehenge Aotearoa near Martinborough modern adaptation of the original

Me in the middle of the structure

Some of the art deco buildings in Napier’s historic downtown

More of the art deco theme in the old city centre before a nice meal

Apr 15
Napier to Rotorua

View from my cousin Danny’s beautiful house where we started the day with breakfast

After a short hike we found Huka falls

Some of various volcanic features from Craters of the Moon park

Orakei Korako Thermal Park near Rotorua, a new park for us

Minerals and fungi make for colourful outflows in the thermal park

Minerals and fungi make for colourful outflows in the thermal park

Standing in front of the colourful pools

Some of the pools bubble quietly

The Redwoods Whakarewarewa Forest near Rotorua

Apr 16
Stayed along Lake Rotorua and made our way to Lake Taupo

Entrance to Waitomo Glowworm Caves, unfortunately no photos inside

Apr 17
Overnight in Lake Taupo under somewhat rainy weather and then on to Aukland

One of the many interesting corrugated steel structures in Tirau

Obelisk on top One Tree hill in Auckland (one tree no longer included with hill)

Final look back on the city before the long flight home

Apr 17
Home to Toronto via San Francisco and a very long day