Epilogue - Blackfoot, Idaho

EPILOGUE

We didn’t have much opportunity to readjust to the Eastern Time Zone before we had to start traveling again.

On the morning of Friday 28 February, while we were standing on the curb at LAX waiting for the rental car shuttle, Nancy saw Michael’s jaw drop as he checked messages on the phone he had just turned back on. Two hours earlier, while we were still en route from Australia, his sister Julia had sent a text: “Sorry. You’re in the air so I can’t call. Grammie died during the night.”

Saturday - Cincinnati

Back at Thrifty Car Rental, we returned the car and then waited and waited and waited and waited for the shuttle to take us to the airport. Thrifty obviously has some real problem at LAX. When we and other disgruntled customers complained about the extremely slow service, the staff was equally slow to explain or apologize.

Friday - Fullerton

Not all days have 24 hours in them. Today, for example, had 39 hours. Night came in the middle of the afternoon, and we arrived in Los Angeles six hours before we left Sydney.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Thursday - Sydney and Mosman

When we pulled our blackout shades open this morning, we couldn’t see much sunshine filtering through the heavy clouds above the airshaft outside our window—but we couldn’t see any raindrops, either. In other words, it looked like a perfect day to visit the zoo.

Wednesday - Sydney and Manly

Last night as we were getting ready for bed, it was a relief to know that this morning we wouldn’t have to get up until we felt like it, and that we could look forward to a more or less unscheduled day. So we got up about 7:30, put our swimsuits and towels back in our daypacks, and got on a bus to Circular Quay.

Tuesday - Sydney

BEHIND THE SCENES AT A MAJOR LANDMARK

Today’s action-packed day started early—again—with a tour of the Sydney Opera House. We wondered why the only backstage tour available started at 7 a.m., but soon learned that the SOH is a very busy place, so in order to go behind the scenes without getting in the way, we had to start early. There were ten other people on the tour and we had a very enthusiastic guide.

Monday - Sydney

We decided that in order to make our 8 a.m. flight from Auckland to Sydney, and to avoid rush-hour traffic on the way to the airport, we had better leave the apartment at 6 a.m. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time to spend our last fifteen dollars in New Zealand currency on breakfast.

Sunday - Auckland

Although Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest, it’s not always the most restful day of the week for Mormons because, in addition to simply attending church for three hours, most of us have Sunday assignments to fulfill: we speak in the worship service, we administer the sacrament, we lead the singing, we play the organ, we teach adult lessons, we teach youth lessons, we take care of the children in the nursery, we organize service projects for the coming week, and so on. And if, like Michael, you preside over a whole congregation, you also conduct administrative meetings and hold individual counseling sessions for several hours.

Saturday - Doubtful Sound

Nancy—uncharacteristically--was the first one to rise on the bunk-room deck this morning, and thus got into the shower room before anyone else had left puddles on the floor.

The breakfast buffet included all the usual choices, plus the flakiest and butteriest croissants we have had on our trip.

Friday - Manapouri and Doubtful Sound

Breakfast on our private patio

We had purchased today’s breakfast last night from a Starbucks we passed on the way back to the hotel—the default choice for people who were too tired to look for anything better—but eating on the pleasant patio outside our room made the day-old scones seem a little fresher.

Thursday - Fiordland National Park

Making lunch

Tomeo's super sandwich

The morning drill for our third day on the Routeburn Track was very similar to that of the previous day: make our lunches, eat breakfast, load our packs, and start hiking by 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday - Fiordland National Park

BACK ON TRACK

Making and packing our lunch

The generators were turned back on at 7 a.m., but by then the sun had already awakened most of us. It was like waking up in heaven: peaceful, fresh, and well-rested, even though we were still a little sore from hiking nine miles yesterday.

Tuesday - Fiordland National Park

The day we went kayaking, we had thought that having to meet a bus at 7 a.m. was brutal, but this morning we left our room at 6:00, deposited our luggage (containing everything that we would not need on the Routeburn Track) with the hotel porter, shouldered our backpacks, and headed down the hill into the dark.

Monday - Lake Tekapo and Queenstown

Mackenzie basin cloud cover

This morning the skies over the Mackenzie Basin were covered with clouds, proving that the weather in New Zealand can change just as drastically as that in Cincinnati.  Fortunately, today was a transit day for us: nothing on the schedule that might be hampered by a little wind and rain.

Sunday - Lake Tekapo

Today we woke up to ominous gray clouds; no sunshine or blue sky at all. We were relieved that it was not raining, because we had to haul our bags all the way across the Botanical Gardens to a bus stop next to the Canterbury Museum.

Saturday - Christchurch

We said goodbye to Accents on the Park about 8:30 this morning when our shuttle arrived to take us to the airport. Our check-in and boarding experience in Nelson was very much like it had been the second time in Auckland: no ID checking, no security scanning, no TSA. The only difference was that the agent actually weighed our checked bags. Go figure.

Friday - Tasman Bay

Pick up time: 7 a.m. 7 a.m.?! Since ours was only the second stop on the AquaTaxi route, we got to see most of Nelson’s hotels and hostels as the full-size bus rounded up more tourists headed for a day of adventures in Abel Tasman National Park. Apparently, all the outfitters that operate in the park hire AquaTaxi to transport their clients from Nelson to their bases, and then take clients back to their various lodgings at the end of the day. It's an efficient, incredibly cooperative way to do business.

Thursday - Nelson

Sadly, our time with DeEtte as our traveling companion has come to a close. She has been a real trooper, spending untold hours behind the wheel--and a few more at the kitchen counter—to make sure we had many memorable experiences on the North Island. We’ve enjoyed sharing stories with her along the way as much as we’ve enjoyed sightseeing.

Wednesday - Tiritiri Matangi

Until the 1980s, the island of Tiritiri Matangi was used primarily for farming and sheepherding, but after a few centuries of such use the land was worn out. Some conservation-minded New Zealanders (and there are many) decided to buy the entire island and turn it into a bird refuge.

Tuesday - Paihia and Bay of Islands

Cruising

When we woke up this morning and looked out the window, we could see two gigantic cruise ships at anchor far out in the bay. By the time we had eaten breakfast and walked to the wharf, cruise passengers had started to invade Paihia. The local artisans were ready for them, having set up booths of handcrafted jewelry, leather work, paintings, and other wares on the village green. DeEtte had been looking for a jade pendant for some time, but although we saw some very nice ones, she decided that none of them was "calling to her."

Monday - Auckland

A-sailing we go

How can you go wrong sailing around Auckland harbor on an America's Cup yacht?

Sunday - Rotorua and Waimangu

Sunday morning, we got up in time to attend church in the Fairy Spring Ward, which was not far from our motel in Rotorua. Other than the fact that the congregation was primarily Maori and the accents were Kiwi (which means that accent would be pronounced as ecksint), it was pretty much like attending an LDS worship service anywhere in the English-speaking world.

Saturday - Waitomo and Rotorua

Out of our comfort zone

Today's adventure took us to Waitomo, about two hours southwest of Auckland, for the Black Labyrinth Tour through Ruakuri Cave, billed as "climbing, blackwater tubing, leaping and floating." As most of you know, both Michael and Nancy have done a lot of whitewater rafting; blackwater tubing is so-called because it happens underground, in the dark.

Friday - Auckland

Hurstmere Street, Takapuna's main shopping district.

After a leisurely breakfast of toasted multigrain bread with absolutely fantastic Manuka honey, DeEtte directed Michael to a store on nearby Hurstmere Street where he could purchase a SIM card for our mobile phone that would allow us to make calls within New Zealand. And then ...

Thursday - Auckland

Our flight out of Los Angeles was delayed because we could not land in Sydney before 6:00 am. We landed at 6:02 am. Since we were the first flight in, we got through immigration and customs fairly quickly. Australia is a bit picky about travelers bringing in soil from foreign countries on their shoes and sports equipment. Michael had taken time before we left California to clean the soles of his hiking boots, but since Nancy had neglected to do so, she had to take her boots into the bathroom for a scrub before we went through customs. (The toothbrush from her airline care kit came in handy.) When she explained to the customs agent what she had done, the agent thanked her for trying and then took the boots away to be disinfected. Nancy was relieved that they hadn't been completely confiscated. However, we did have to relinquish the apples we had not yet eaten.

Wednesday - Pacific Ocean

Today is the day that wasn't. We departed LAX Tuesday night and arrived the next morning in Sydney. Except that it was Thursday morning, not Wednesday, when we arrived. Wednesday didn't vanish; it just never was. Intellectually, we can wrap our head around the whole International Date Line bit. In practice, however, we still find it a little weird. But who needs Wednesday anyway?

Tuesday - Fullerton

Ready for a boring report?

While Nancy took her dad to the dermatologist to remove a growth on the top of his head, Michael did laundry and caught up on some emails, found out how to check LA freeway traffic, and determined what gas stations were close to the rental car return so they could fill up. He also figured out the closest location to his sister's place in Auckland where they could buy a travel SIM card so they can have mobile service while in New Zealand. No official "training" today, though there will be opportunities once they arrive at LAX to log some walking time.

Monday - Fullerton

The Lost Trail

Yesterday, Mormon congregations all over Southern California employed the LDS Church's regular first-Sunday-of-the-month Fast Day to unitedly pray for rain. So when we looked out the window this morning, it was gratifying to see shiny streets and little rivulets in the gutters. The clouds were clearing, however, so after we finished our oatmeal, we decided to go on a "training" hike while Doug went off to dialysis.

Sunday - Fullerton

Doug Tubbs is an amazing man. And not just because he is an amazing dad and father-in-law. And not just because he is almost 95 and still going strong. He is just amazing! By the time you get to the end of this post, we think you'll agree.

Saturday - Fullerton

Last night before going to bed, Nancy remarked that she did not feel stressed out as she usually does before leaving on a long trip. Michael's first thought was that this time we aren't bringing along any children--but since we haven't been accompanied by children on most of our trips in the past several years, that can't account for the difference. It may be that we are now in the digital age. Although we've never been to New Zealand and therefore have no past experience to guide us, we feel like we have a good idea of what's ahead

Welcome

Welcome to Michael and Nancy's New Zealand 2014 travelblog!

This blog will serve as the official historical record of our trip, so you may find yourself facing way more information than you have the time or inclination to absorb; therefore, feel free to just skim or look at the photos. We promise not to be offended.


First, some background. A trip to New Zealand has been at the top of Michael's bucket list for probably fifteen years. However, every time he broached the idea with Nancy, she would identify some household project or other practical endeavor that seemed more necessary to spend the money on: renovating the family room, installing a paver patio, updating the master bedroom and bathroom, celebrating a child's wedding, getting the whole family together for a week in the Poconos. These were all things Michael wanted to do as well, but he never forgot his desire to visit New Zealand.

Why New Zealand? Michael thought it sounded attractive even before Peter Jackson used its stunning landscapes as the setting for his Lord of the Rings movies. Michael had never been assigned to do a report on Maori culture in grade school, nor had he ever read a novel set in "the land of the long white cloud." Perhaps he had been inspired by a National Geographic article sometime in his past, because images of New Zealand's varied geography and cultures have occupied his mind for years. Nancy claims the idea was planted by Cathy Stokes, a well-traveled friend who had raved about her visit to New Zealand in the 1990s. So when Michael's sister DeEtte and her husband Art moved to Auckland last year for a three-year assignment, Michael and Nancy realized that it was time to seize the day and make the trip happen.

The first task was to contact Delta to find out when redeemable SkyMiles seats were available. February 2014 was open. Game on.

Michael had been considering early retirement from his corporate job anyway, so he began exploring options that would allow him more flexibility to travel. When he announced his intention to retire last fall, his supervisors asked him to stay longer--which he agreed to do, as long as he could take February off for the trip. They agreed to use that month as a test of their ability to manage without him--knowing that he would be back in March to help fix or rework anything that did not go smoothly while he was gone.

This was starting to look doable.

Throwing out the copy of Fodor's New Zealand Travel Guide he had bought (too optimistically) eight years earlier, Michael made a trip to Barnes and Noble to pick up the latest version. While there, he also grabbed a copy of Top 10 Sydney. After spending a week reading through them both, dog-earring the pages that described places that appealed to him, he spent a few more weeks doing online research, keeping track of every site he visited and noting details such as operating days and hours, the duration of each activity, and prices. He solicited suggestions from family and friends who had made similar trips, while DeEtte asked her Kiwi acquaintances for recommendations. Eventually Michael sent a compilation of suggested activities to Nancy and DeEtte for input. Surprisingly, there weren't many things either one nixed. (Even though DeEtte's daughter Robyn assured Michael that her mother was really looking forward to bungee-jumping, that didn't make it onto the list.) The only problem was that Michael had identified enough activities to fill six months instead of just one.

Michael had to buy a bigger suitcase for a month's worth of gear.

After spending several nights with Google Maps and the relevant air and bus schedules, Michael began crafting an itinerary that included as many adventures as possible, while providing enough downtime for recuperation and "mundane" things like eating, sleeping, and laundry. (Debbie Loftus would be so proud of him!) Once this Tetris puzzle was complete and had been approved by Nancy and DeEtte, he started making reservations, creating PDFs of every online confirmation and receipt, and entering every piece of pertinent information (daily schedules, addresses and phone numbers, links to websites and Google Maps, etc.) into an Excel spreadsheet. He imported that into a Google calendar for access from his mini-tablet and Nancy's notebook. His company-issued Blackberry (yes, some people still use them) will provide international coverage for email, web, and IM, and--to avoid paying AT&T's international rates--he plans to install a prepaid travel sim card in an old cell phone when they reach New Zealand. (Michael seems determined to make this not only the trip of a lifetime, but also a demonstration of his mastery of modern digital devices.)

One reason we are eager to leave Cincinnati.

January has been as brutally cold in Cincinnati as in much of the U.S., so we are really looking forward to packing shorts, swimsuits, and flip-flops. The journey begins on 1 February 2014. Our plan is to post an entry describing each day's events and experiences. Depending upon internet access, we may not be able to post entries until a day or two after the fact, but we'll try to keep up as much as possible.

We anticipate a month full of exciting adventures to write about. We hope you'll enjoy following along.