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