Last night of vacation

A few things as I ponder the last evening of our vacation:

- windshield wipers and traffic cones are laugh out loud funny

- about 35% of the visitors to Hobbiton are not fans, but are tag-alongs (thank you, Becky!)

- although nervous about many things, I tend to enjoy them once I relax (caving / rafting!)

- street markets are a good place to get an inexpensive tat (henna, of course)

- geysers can be induced with soap

- Paul Hogan used to be a painter on the Harbor Bridge in Sydney before the Crocodile Dundee films (there are other funny things about Crocodile Dundee too)

- Hard Rock Cafe ('nuf said)

- I have not snorkeled in WAY too long, making it challenging to do, but it was still fun (just breathe)

- no amount of sunscreen, nor frequency of application prevents sunburn (for me)

- surf shirts and wide brimmed hats DO prevent sunburn 

- There are a LOT of sheep in NZ as well as cattle and deer!  Pastured deer raised on farms for venison.

- New Zealanders are very friendly

- Everyone is caught up in US politics, we were constantly asked about it.

- I am still a klutz and can get (very minorly) hurt doing pretty much anything including walking across the hotel room and while dumping rocks out of my swim fin, and while cave tubing. Lol. (I went to take a picture after coming out of the water from snorkeling only to hear Becky say, "Did you get hurt? I think you are bleeding!"  I didn't even feel it!)

- The architect who designed the Sydney Opera House, though alive many years after, never saw it completed in person.

- good friendships can overcome time and distance

Wrapping up

We arrived in Honolulu this morning (Monday) around 10am or so.  We got some lunch then headed to Hanauma Bay for some snorkeling.  (I am really out of shape!).




It was a lot of fun.  I have not gone snorkeling in over 17 years, so I needed a refresher on some things.  Since I have a waterproof camera, Becky was able to get some cool shots of the coral and fish (I was busy remembering how to breathe!)






Tomorrow we have the last of the flights home.  Becky has one hop from here to Phoenix, I will continue on from Phoenix to Philly via Atlanta (red-eye).

Again - many thanks to everyone who made this trip possible - Becky, Chad, Ken, my parents & children and various friends.

Thank you, Mahalo & Kia ora.

Last Full Day Sydney

Today is our last full day in Sydney, as we leave tomorrow late afternoon for Honolulu where we will be for one night then on to Phoenix where Becky will get off and I will continue on to Philly via Atlanta with what ends up being all red-eye flights.  The fun thing tomorrow is that we fly out at 9:20pm Monday from Sydney and 10 hours later we land in Honlulu at 10:30am Monday.

We went to the Toronga Zoo this morning and got a photo in the Koala Experience as well as other photos in the Australian Walkabout area of the zoo.


We spent the afternoon at Watson's Bay, then Manly Beach. At Watson's Bay, we took a walk out to a light house where we could see both the Sydney Harbor and the Pacific Ocean and where they come together.  At Manly Beach, we listened to the ocean then strolled through the open air market and shops.

Sydney has been fun.  We didn't watch a show in the Opera House, although we considered it, but we do plan to spend some time at the spa tomorrow before getting on the long flights home.

Catching up

Friday was a busy travel day; so no blogging then.  We got up and made the 3.5hr. drive to Aukland by way of Hamilton Garden.  We didn't have much time there (20-30 minutes); but it was good to stretch our legs during the drive and before the 4 hour flight to Sydney.  By the time we got to our hotel last night, we were very tired and just went to bed after looking at the poppies on the Opera House from the hotel balcony.

Saturday morning - we had a lovely breakfast then headed to the Circular Quay (pronounced "key") then to the Sydney Opera House for a tour.  It was lovely!

Then we used the hop-on-hop-off bus to tour Sydney & Bondi Beach.  That was a great deal of fun as well and an easy way to see the sights.

Finally, we got hungry and, thanks to the passes that we have, we went to Hard Rock Cafe Sydney for a late lunch.  It was a lot of fun looking at all the memorabilia, etc. and eating our lunch overlooking the water. I was loving all the AC/DC stuff as they are Aussies.  :)

This afternoon, we are doing some computer work, then tonight we plan to walk along the harbor to see it at night.  Another thing we have been doing is looking at the Aussie newspapers and reversing the election questions we keep getting to get a feel for how people here see our election results.  Some of it is quite interesting!

Wednesday in Mordor

We had a relaxing day today.  This morning, we drove out to Tongariro National Park & World Site.  Here is a link to what Wikipedia has to say about it:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tongariro

Once we got up there, we discovered a very full, overflowing carpark, and dozens of hikers ready to head out on the Alpine Crossing.  We took a few photos and headed back to Lake Taupo.  But, we did go to Mordor and we saw Mt. Doom up close and personal.  The volcanoes truly are breathtaking and beautiful.



We stopped along Lake Taupo for a picnic lunch, then headed back to the apartment for a bit.  Next up was a soak in a thermal pool and a scrub & massage at the spa.  After that, Becky, the high adventurer, took a ride on a bungee swing as I looked on.



After that, we walked to a natural thermal pool & soaked for a few minutes before heading back to the apartment for dinner & to watch the election returns.

Everywhere we went today, people asked us about the election.  And now we are just astounded by the returns as they slowly come in!

Tuesday in NZ

Kia ora!!!  (Greetings in Maori)

Big day today!  We started out at the Wai-O-Tapo Thermal Wonderland, where we learned that geysers will erupt when induced by adding soap!  As the story goes, some prisoners were clearing bush and found a small hot pool.  They decided to wash their clothes in said pool.  When they went to rinse the clothes, the geyser erupted sending the unclothed prisoners running into the bush and the clothes into the air.

Next up was Hobbiton!  I was giddy to go to this one!  The sign when we got close said "Hobbiton Movie Set Tourist Farm".  haha.  At Hobbiton, we saw 44 Hobbit holes and learned that the NZ Army actually built the access road into the area of the sheep and cattle farm where Hobbiton was build.  As a reward, the NZ Army was cast in the movies as the Orc Army!!!! I thought that was pretty cool.  I took so many pictures that I ran two batteries dead and had to switch to my iPad for photos!

Lastly, we attended a Maori Hangi (presentation and dinner) which was also a lot of fun.  It was similar to a Hawaiian Luau, but different.


To clarify on yesterday's list - there are Subway (the sandwich chain) restaurants in every little town here.

Update on driving - Becky is doing a great job driving on the left.  Our only recurring issues are that Crystal has a difficult time remembering which side is the passenger's and Becky REALLY likes the windshield wipers.

Photos at:  https://goo.gl/photos/bp4mA7159QkE1vQSA

A couple other notes

Some things we noticed in the first full day in New Zealand:

1 - If you give a mom a kitchen, she will cook.
2 - There is a Subway in every larger town in NZ
3 - Traffic cones are very amusing
4 - "Way Out" = Exit
5 - "Give Way" = yield
6 - Becky does a great job driving on the wrong side of the road.
7 - Kiwis are very friendly
8 - There are cattle & sheep everywhere.
9 - "Bacon" here means "Canadian bacon".
10 - The scenic route is breath-taking.

Monday - New Zealand

Thanks to jet lag, we have been getting up between 5:30-6:00am.  So, Becky was able to be at the rental place when it opened and we were on our way from Aukland by 8:30am.  She is doing a great job driving on the left side of the road!!

New Zealand is breath-taking.  We gasped and exclaimed its beauty every few kilometers as we drove to Mount Maunganui on the Bay of Plenty.  We stopped at a bakery for breakfast and another for lunch.  Bakeries here carry all kinds of sandwiches and pies (mincemeat, chicken and bacon pie, quiche, etc.)

A few blocks from where we picked up lunch was Papamoa Beach - perfect for eating our sandwiches.  We could see Mount Maunganui  from the shore as well (South Pacific Ocean).

We stopped various places along the road to take photos.  A couple times, one of us would read a roadside sign for a nature reserve or the like and we both got excited and decided to "just do it".  One of those was a set of waterfalls and rapids.  We saw some daring kayakers come down a couple of the falls!  Check out the photos on the photo page link.


Finally, we checked in at our hotel in Taupo.  Thanks to Chad's hotel status, we were upgraded to a phenomenal apartment complete with patio overlooking the lake, a full kitchen and laundry!  We are thankful!  We ended up going to a grocery store and picking up some things for dinner and snacks and such, so we ate out on the patio enjoying the view.

Waikiki

We had a nice breakfast on the patio overlooking the beach.  It was fun watching the early morning surfers.  Then we took a walk down the beach and through a shopping area, and are now preparing to head back to the airport.  We leave Honolulu around 2p Saturday (today) and arrive in Aukland, New Zealand around 10p Sunday (!) after a 10 hour flight and crossing the international date line.  Stopping in Hawaii first is convenient in that there is a 23 hour time difference between the two, so we have already started adjusting to New Zealand time while in Hawaii. The jet lag on the way back might be quite a bit more challenging. 

Hawaii

Becky & I are in Hawaii!  When Ken and I were here 17 years ago, we weren't able to get to Pearl Harbor. Becky & I went today.  It was somber and meditative.

If you click on the photos tab above, then on the link to see our photos from today.  Tomorrow, we have the long flight to New Zealand.  Flying with a friend is MUCH better than flying alone!  I had a bit of panic when we were landing today and it was quite choppy, but we made it. :)

Well, I know this is short, but we are pretty tired, so good night.

28 hours

I am 28 hours out from my first trans-continental adventure.  One of my packing priorities is that I do not check a bag.  Everything, both ways, must fit in my carry on and purse. The airline restrictions are tight.  The carry on must be quite small (22"x14"x9") and weigh 25lbs or less.  I did it.  Barely, but I did it!  The old sneakers I packed for two specific adventures in New Zealand will be left in the trash there as I only need them for two things: walking the thermal wonderland and hiking Mt. Doom. I was going to toss them anyway, and this will make more room for the return trip.

It looks like mostly good weather for New Zealand.  We have a lot of outdoor adventures planned, so hopefully the weather will cooperate.  It is spring/summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

On the Homefront, everything is in place for Ken and the children.  My parents are coming to help with the children while Ken is at work during the day.  It is a lot of work, and I really appreciate them coming to help out.  

Three more days

I have been organizing our trip in TripIt.  Today, I got this in my email:

😀

10 days & counting

South Pacific - here we come.

The final preparations are being made.  Schedules and contacts lists are ready for my husband, children & parents.  Decisions on wardrobe are almost final.  Last minute shopping and preparation is almost finished.  The nervousness and excitement are building.

Six weeks and counting

In approximately six weeks, I will be embarking on yet another adventure!  This time, I am headed Down Under with one of my dear friends.  This will be my first intercontinental trip and the first time I have flown in over 17 years.  I plan to use only a carry-on and personal bag so that I do not have to check any luggage.

Here are some of the items that I needed to prepare for my trip:
 - passport (this required a new birth certificate since my original is "no longer valid due to 9/11 security changes")
 - a credit card with no foreign transaction fees
 - the electronic visa attachment to my passport for entry into Australia (apparently one is not needed for New Zealand)
 - a health check to verify that I do not need any additional immunization or medications for the trip
 - a plan in place for the care of my children while I am away
 - flight bookings
 - hotel reservations
 - advanced bookings for things we plan to do in country  
- a blog for my adventure (blogging is an easy way to keep all interested persons informed about how the trip is going.  We discovered this "trick" this past summer while traveling cross country for 5+ weeks, See brothersbrt.blogspot.com)

 Note:  I am a rookie traveling with a very seasoned traveler.  Much of the prep work for the trip is being managed by my friend.  She is amazing!!!