Tag: new zealand
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NZ Day 14 & 15: Dim Sum, Downtown Auckland, Departure
Writing this last NZ travelogue post means that the trip is really really over, so I’ve been putting it off even though I’ve now been back from the trip for as long as we were gone. Goodbyes are hard. Our last full day in New Zealand we took it easy: we slept in and were…
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NZ Day 13: Lake Taupo
The weather was good for the majority of the trip, so we couldn’t really complain on day 13 when it rained and rained and paused and rained some more. After talking about some alternatives over another breakfast at McDonald’s in Roturoa, everyone finally settled on white water rafting since they would get wet during that activity…
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NZ Day 12: Waiotapu Thermal Park, (Luge), Rotorua
After our most busy day on the trip on New Years Day, January 2 found us limping along. Or at least I was limping along. We were all tired and cranky, and Mr. Q and I started the day of pretty tensely because of some petty disagreement the previous day whose origins I can’t even…
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NZ Day 9 (actually day 11): First Sunrise & Sunset of 2017 Hobbiton, Rotorua
New Year’s Day, probably our busiest day of the whole trip, we got up at 4am to drive from Auckland to Hobbiton, which is really the only reason I saw the sun rise. Seventeen of us including Melanie (our ever patient host) and her sister Gloria tetrised into 3 cars with luggage enough to last…
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NZ Days 7-8: Ninety Mile Beach, Waitangi National Reserve
On our 7th day, we loaded into 2 cars and headed for the far north, to Ninety Mile Beach and the dunes there. After some car sickness, lunch, and a stop at the famous Hundertwasser Toilets, we arrived. Ninety Mile Beach is actually 55 miles (88 km) long. The sand is hard & stable enough that…
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NZ Day 6: Auckland Botanic Gardens & Melanie’s Other Garden
I’ve seen so many flowers today I think I have flower fatigue. (I know I have people fatigue – I’m snappy – and need some quiet time with my BFFs: me, myself, and I.) I tried to keep the pictures interesting and hope you enjoy them. I have my favorites but will leave you to…
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NZ Day 5: J Chillin
My oldest son & his girlfriend arrived today and we planned, shopped for, and prepared a big American-style BBQ, so I stayed back to help with some of that. The other group went for dim sum and then to One Tree Hill, and a beach. Taking advantage of this time, late in the afternoon after…
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NZ Days 3 & 4: The Boat
We left Auckland Harbour and headed out for an island with property owned by our hosts Bill’s friend, who was also with us along with his wife. So on the boat we the four of us (Ky & I, Ethan, Henry), Bill, Bobby & Regan & Ronald (Bill & Melanie’s sons), 4 of Bobby’s friends,…
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NZ Day 1
NZ day 1: Customs let us into the country! And we stayed awake *all day* despite jet lag & a crappy night of sleep sitting up in a plane. I’m jet lagged and basically cribbing this post from a Facebook update. If you’re not into words, scroll down for today’s meager pics. Our generous hosts…
Little Golden Notebook 