New Zealand: South Island

Two years ago in Queenstown, we had only a single, drizzly day to explore its charms. We vowed to return, never thinking we actually could. And yet here we were again for 4 lovely nights, not a rainy day in sight!

We checked in to our 2-bdrm apartment at Best Western Cranbury Court, an easy walk to the center of town. The first afternoon we spent lunching on tapas, shopping, and strolling through Queenstown Gardens. My kids discovered a playground by the beach, a fabulous climbing tree, and two different rope swings that we returned to many, many times!

We began the next day with high thrills on the Shotover jetboat. Zooming through a river canyon, narrowly missing rocks, spinning again and again in 360 turns, this was 25 minutes of pure fun! We were excited to follow in the footsteps of previous celebrities, including Prince William and Princess Kate. Our ride got full smiles from everyone on board, though unfortunately for some riders a few days later, their boat hit a rock and flung everyone out into the freezing water, resulting in multiple injuries.

We packed some lunches for the afternoon and hiked to the top of Queenstown Hill. There were many complaints from my kids on the steep hike up, but once there we were rewarded with a lovely picnic spot and amazing views! Here's my family in the "Basket of Dreams". =)

The next morning we visited Kiwi Birdlife Park and enjoyed a rare opportunity to see these birds up close during feeding time at the two kiwi houses. Later during the conservation show, we were introduced to the incredible tuatara, endemic to New Zealand and resembling a lizard, though not in the same category. A true "living fossil", the tuatara is the only surviving member of its order, having flourished 200 million years ago. Unique features include spines down its back, a third eye, the ability to lower its body temperature and hibernate for years, and a lifespan of well over 100 years!

After, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch and wine tasting at Amisfield Winery and Bistro. Sipping wine at our table in the shade was the perfect, indulgent treat!

We spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the charming, gold-mining town of Arrowtown. My kids tried their luck with panning for gold in the nearby streams, but no-one struck it rich this time.

Abigail and I spent the next morning in Paradise, literally! I had booked a "Ride of the Rings" tour through Dart Stables, and after arrival and orientation, we enjoyed a 1.5 hour trail ride through the protected lands of the stunning Dart River valley. We rode through the forests of Lothlorien, saw the tree where valiant Boromir died, and marveled at the valley spread out below, backdrop to the great fortress of Isengard.

The rest of my family met us for the afternoon. We took an easy, forest trail to Lake Sylvan and enjoyed another picnic. How I love the outdoors when the weather is fine!

The next day we drove over the mountains to Wanaka to spend our last two nights. We visited the Toys and Transport Museum, and my kids played on the rotating gunner while mom and dad sampled beer from Wanaka Beerworks at the cafe.

Lake Hawea Hotel was the perfect retreat for us: only 15 minutes from Wanaka, an upstairs bedroom for the kids, delicious food at the restaurant, and a private balcony overlooking gorgeous lake/mountain views.

I had planned a 10km hike the next day (Rob Roy track), but due to rain we changed our plans and did the Diamond Lake/Rocky Mountain summit hike instead. This was the third mountain I made my kids climb in the last two weeks, and by far the tallest, but the views from the top were spectacular!

We ended the day with a bit of fun at Puzzling World (our second visit, but Abigail was dying to do the maze again!) and dinner at Speight's Ale House. (Looking forward to spending less on meals back home, but you can't beat the beer selection here!)

Our last full day in New Zealand was mostly transportation, driving back to Queenstown then flying to Auckland. We did manage to squeeze in a girls trip to the Bead Shop, where we made some necklaces to take home with us. After two weeks in kiwi country, it was finally time to return to work/school/daily life, but our happy memories and love for this beautiful land will never fade!

New Zealand: North Island

"There and Back Again", an apt way to introduce our second holiday spent in lovely New Zealand! (Avid fans will recognize this to be the subtitle of The Hobbit.) These lovely, enchanting isles lured us back again, and I'm still dreaming of mountain highs, valleys low (and full of fruit and wine!), exciting adventures, amazing food, and sheep!

Arriving in Auckland, we rented a car and headed to fun-loving Hamilton for New Year's Eve. Though jetlag forced us to bed early, we toasted 2014 over dinner in Mexico (the name of the restaurant), and my kids thought breakfast at Dunkin Donuts was a great way to start a new year!

We enjoyed a short hike at Arapuni Dam/swingbridge in Putaruru, then hoped to visit Over the Moon Cheese Factory. It was unfortunately closed for the holiday, but we enjoyed a yummy lunch across the street at Crazy Cow Cafe.

Next up was high thrills at Zorb Rotorua, an original New Zealand invention! What better way to ring in the new year than to roll down a huge hill in a water-filled, giant ball?! My family quickly voted me as the guinea pig, so I made my way up to try the zigzag track, which was great fun and left me soaked and giggling! Then everyone had their turns (and more turns, and more turns . . .), and we all loved it. Once I even tried the "dry" Zorb; I was strapped in and pushed down the hill flipping over and over--so scary!! Hours later we left with great memories, adrenaline in our veins, and a hole in our pockets (totally worth it!)!

We then checked in to Millenium Hotel Rotorua. Its central location was perfect: right next to the Rotorua Museum and just a short walk away from "eat street" with numerous restaurants, a pop-up carnival, and amazing treats at Lady Jane's. (Happy cows make good ice cream!)

The next day, we headed towards Taupo, stopping first at Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland to see the eruption of Lady Knox geyser. Later we wandered over the boardwalks, marveling at the many geologic wonders throughout the park such as sulphur vents (fumeroles), bubbling mud pits, and steaming craters. Most spectacular was the technicolor mineral lake called the Artist's Palette.

Before stopping to witness the power of raging waters at Huka Falls, we enjoyed lunch at a cafe while our kids played in an attached helicopter converted to playroom. In the afternoon, we explored Craters of the Moon, another stunning geothermic area. Wandering amongst the steam and craters was quite surreal; it really felt like we could be on the surface of the moon, though much greener.

We spent the next day at Skyline Rotorua riding the luge and had great fun speeding down the tracks on a perfect, sunny day! That night, I had booked a cultural tour and dinner at a local Maori village called Te Puia. We began with a tour of the thermal grounds and of their woodworking and textile handicrafts. Next we were introduced to various ceremonies of the tribe, including the pressing of noses, followed by a song and dance performance in their tribal meeting house. Finally we enjoyed a buffet dinner, including foods that had been specially cooked in a hangi, an underground oven where steam from the vents slowly cooks the food. Our memorable evening ended with storytelling in front of an erupting geyser, with a cup of hot cocoa in our hands. =)

The next day we headed to Tauranga, stopping to do a short hike at Okere Falls along the way. (I would have liked to have seen the river rafts plunging down the falls, but we weren't there at the right time.) We then drove onwards to Te Puke and stopped at Kiwi360, enjoying a wonderful tour of the kiwifruit farm. In Tauranga, we took the famous hike to the top of Mt. Maunganui and were rewarded with breathtaking coastal views!

After checking out of our hotel in the morning, we arrived just in time (yikes!) for my pre-booked tour of The Shire. Being huge Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fans, the film set Hobbiton was top on my agenda for the North island, and our trip to Middle Earth did not disappoint! We stood in front of Bag End (Bilbo's house), Sam's house, ate fresh strawberries from the vegetable garden, saw the 100+ year-old party tree, and drank a mug of beer at the Green Dragon. It was amazing to walk in the footsteps of Gandalf and the hobbits and to discover many of the secrets that made this magical world come to life onscreen. I marveled at the meticulous attention to detail that the director took in filming these movies!

In the afternoon, we enjoyed a lovely hike through the gorge at Karangahake, then drove back to Auckland and up to the top of Mt. Eden, an inactive volcanic crater with spectacular views of the city skyline. A fabulous dinner followed at The Garden Shed near the base. Then late to bed, in order to catch our morning flight to Queenstown . . .