New Zealand – The North Island
March 13, 2019
After countless hours of extra work at PGE, multiple ‘to-do’ lists, packing, re-packing, shopping, google mapping, planning, and more planning… the day has finally arrived. Nevermind that we both came down with awful colds a couple days ago. Nothing can dampen our spirits. In fact, most people might say it just balances everything – since if we are extra healthy on top of being this happy, well you might way “it just doesn’t seem fair.”
We lost March 14 – aka pi day (as in 3.14159) – in my first ever crossing of the International Date Line, landing in Auckland on Friday March 15th. We navigated customs and car rental quite easily, Tom was superb navigating the driving on the left, driving us to our first lodging, the Art House Bed & Breakfast, just outside Matamata.
We arrived around 1:30 PM completely exhausted with jet lag and lingering colds, so we napped in the car until the B&B owners arrived. We checked in, then opted to find a bite to eat in the cute town of Matamata and explore a bit. Suffering with our colds and jet-lag, we found Ronnies Cafe & Bakery and scarfed down a meat pie, then proceeded to walk around the little town exploring. We found a cute Information Center, designed to appear as though right out of The Hobbit, very “Shire-ish”. Once inside, I realized I no longer had my backpack! After a brief ‘freak-out’, I sprinted back to the bakery where I found my trusty bag right where I left it. But a reminder to doublecheck our belongings before leaving any site and to check on each other as well.
During all this excitement, a kind-faced man witnessed my panic and was searching for the backpack to help us. When he approached us, he told us that we seemed happy, so he figured we must have found the bag. Tom and I were impressed by his warm concern and generous though of our safety and happiness. What a lovely land we are visiting! So much charm and courtesy, with an easy friendliness. It seems to be infectious, extending to tourists as well.
We arrived back to the Art House and relaxed in the quite lovely backyard sitting area. Bruce and Denise have an eclectic and interesting art collection. Tom especially appreciated a piece by a local artist that depicted birds in the Maori design. Most interesting was the use of house paint as the medium. We also appreciated the placement of this cute house in the middle of fields, comfortable outdoor seating, and our only neighbors being a smattering of lonely trees and the occasional cow. The first morning, Bruce prepared a most delicious breakfast with fresh fruit and homemade croissants. YUM!
March 16th we had a lovely visit to Hobbiton, which was a grand experience, just as charming and adorable as you could ever hope for. FYI – I am a HUGE LOTR fan. Tom indulged me on this adventure which I truly appreciate. That said, I am pretty sure he was quite impressed with the grounds. We took the Hobbiton tour and enjoyed the day, even though I was not admitted to Bilbo’s home, Bag End.
The next day we drove to the east coast town of Napier, the Art Deco capital of the world, which did not disappoint. We stayed the Masonic Art Deco Hotel, which was filled with beautiful art, furniture, & design. Here’s a pic from across the street, pointing out my favorite artist. And photo evidence of an outstanding Cup of Coffee.
As we continued our explorations south toward Wellington, we found the path to Rivendell. As I already stated, I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan/geek, so we HAD to stop and pay homage to the timeless love story of Arwyn and Aragorn.
We landed in Wellington and had to return the rental car, then we took the ferry across to the South Island, where we rented another car. Apparently they don’t allow rentals to cross on the ferry. Anyway, the ferry ride was about 3.5 hours and quite relaxing. We shared a compartment with a Kiwi chap named Warren. Another friendly, NZ person. When we stepped out onto the deck to enjoy the sunshine, we were rewarded with a dolphin pod frolicking along side the ferry.
New Zealand - The South Island
Once back in the car, we continued our drive to Kaikoura, and our Bed and Breakfast at Manakau Lodge. This is probably one of the most lovely, comfortable B&B ever. Our host was Neil, a very talented published photographer, who regaled us with tales both harrowing and hilarious from the earthquake.
Manakau Lodge had the cutest butter dish. Someday I’ll find one for myself.
After a few days in Kaikoura, we drive further south to the town of Geraldine. This was our base while we explored the vast landscape surround Mt. Cook. It was foggy on our way so we stopped at a bakery in Fairley for coffee and treats, which did not disappoint. In hindsight, we agreed this would have been a better place to stay than Geraldine.
Initially the fog hid the beautiful mountain, but the sun finally won out and we were rewarded with a stunning view. Okay, that photo of the mountain isn’t mine. But isn’t Mt Cook majestic?
On our way to Christchurch, we stopped at the Tin Shed, a world famous yarn store. Here we bought some of the luxurious possum products for gifts and a throw blanket for us, as a reminder of our honeymoon. And yes, Opossum World is a real thing!
We arrived in Christchurch just as the memorial was happening, one week after the horrific shooting. It was heartbreaking. The entire country banded together in love and solidarity. They all voiced “Today, we are all muslim.” This huge group listened intently, as the community leaders shared immense grief and empowering words.
On our last day, we met with friends Pip and Jenny for brunch. Then off to the airport for the next leg of our journey: Fiji!
