After a great week on the North Island with Kelly, I'm on my own on the South Island...well kinda...I met two Americans on the flight from MEL to CHC and have been their best buddy since ;) Upon my return to Christchurch, Katy, Ryan and I hired a car for two days and used it to travel to Akaroa, Lyttleton and Arthur's Pass National Park.
After recovering from a fantastic New Year's Eve celebration, our first stop...Mt Eden, Auckland's highest natural point, for a birds-eye view of Auckland. I saw the Sky Tower, One Tree Hill (no not the television show) and Rangitoto. Look Mom!!! I'm on top of a volcano!!!From Mt. Eden we moved on to the Sky Tower for another birds-eye view, but from 328-meters in the sky! Views of TVNZ, the Harbour Bridge, the marina, Rangitoto and Eden Park were all stunning!My last and most favourite part of touring Auckland...the Auckland Harbour Cruise! As we left the harbour, I saw this really impressive building and was waiting for the guide to tell me...then I realized it was a hotel?? Really?? But really!! The Hilton is quite grand and with it's two wings perfectly set aside the Sky Tower, makes for a wonderful harbour picture. We cruised along harbour and saw other sights, such as the shipping cranes, the Harbour Bridge (actually cruised right under it), naval ships, the Maritime Museum, Devonport, Mt Victoria, North Head and of course my favourite "The Big Baby", Rangitoto!! Rangitoto is the youngest of the islands in the Hauraki Gulf, popping up about 700 years ago. The island's ground was like black rock/slate...you'll have to look at the photos to see what I'm trying to describe.Last sight but not least...Devonport/Mt Victoria. Just across the harbour and another view, but from a different perspective. The climb up was definitely worth the spectacular view and the silly selfies of Kelly and I!To end this spectacular day, Kelly treated me to a true Kiwi style dinner...Fish&Chips! With a bottle of L&P and Jelly-tip ice cream!!
My dear friend Kelly was so gracious to invite me to her parents home to meet her lovely family. Her mom, dad, brother and two beautiful pups were a pleasure to meet! Her father grilled lamb and chicken and her mom made salad, kumra (like a sweet potato, but not as sweet) and a beautiful yummy dessert!The next morning I woke to breakfast from the BBQ, my very first! Just before we took off for Auckland we took a stroll along Papamoa Beach and it was a beautiful day with a ton of jellyfish on the beach! Yikes!On our way to Auckland a quick stop in front of the giant L&P softdrink bottle was a cheesey must on my trip to NZ!!NYE...well what can I say?? I'm fortunate to have been one of the first people in the world to ring in 2011!! We went out for dinner at dine by Peter Gordon! Whoa! What a feast!! I can't recall how many courses we had but each one was scrumptious!!! Dinner was followed by staring in awe at the fireworks that were shot off of the Sky Tower!! Yeahhhhhh!!!! Happy 2011!!! What a way to start my new year!! Thanks to you Kelly for a wonderful evening!! (Sorry everyone no photos from our night out ;))
Rainbow Springs Wildlife Park is where I met my first Kiwi...the actual bird, that is. So cute, but so endangered. Here at this park they are rescuing and breeding the Kiwi. They are really interesting little creatures. Two facts of many: 1. They have wings but cannot fly and 2. They have marrow in their bones like humans!
In the photo above, note that Kiwis are not that gigantic!
Holy Sheep!!! At the Agrodome I learned about 19 breeds of sheep, sheep dogs and saw a shearer shear a sheep (try saying that three times fast)!! I was even able to bring a bit of that little guy's wool home! What a show! Even Romney showed up! ;)
The next morning Kelly drove us to a traditional Maori village with geothermal springs...Whakarewarewa! There is a smell of sulphur that rises from the geothermal springs, but it doesn't taint the flavor of the food and it really wasn't that strong.I saw a traditional meeting house, dancing and listened to traditional Maori singing! The people in this village use the geothermal springs to cook sweet corn and other veggies! They utilize the steam as an oven and cook their meals in the ground!The best surprise was a natural geyser shooting upwards in the distance! I haven't been to Yellowstone yet, so my first geyser experience was pretty cool!
