Australia and
New Zealand

Today we started our adventure. It is cold and rainy in Spartanburg and the limo driver was late. We still made it to the airport with time to eat and relax. The flights have been uneventful and I have finished my first book already and there are two more hours before LA

Today we woke up in a cute boutique hotel in Beverly Hills. We took our time getting up, showered, and down to breakfast. We ate leisurely and the food was delicious. We talked to both children and then took off to explore. Our goal for the day was to walk until we were tired in hopes of sleeping well on the flight. We covered Beverly Hills and after a late lunch we drove to Santa Monica. We strolled through the town and then took the boardwalk to the beach. It was a lovely day but now we are at the airport waiting to board a very long flight. Next entry should be from Sydney. Well maybe not. Sydney is still a few hours away but we are hours from LA. This has been a great flight. A small dinner, a sleeping pill, a window seat and ten hours past so fast that the next thing I knew they were waking us for breakfast on Sunday morning. The Lord truly looks out for me. We are about two hours out of Sydney and as soon as I can get to the lavatory and wash my face and brush my teeth I'll be ready to hit the ground running.

Sydney. Well we're here and have just met our group. Our bus driver is Rocky and he will be with us for our Sydney stay. The hotel is lovely and I wish you could see the bath. We have time to shower before we start our busy day. Eleven and we are off for a lunch tour of Sydney harbor. The harbor is incredible. Our group is going to be fun. After a breathtaking harbor cruise we meet Rocky for a tour of the city. We begin our tour at the Rocks where the first settlement was. The government house, the botanical gardens, Hyde Park, the Opera House, circular quay, and the harbor bridge all fly by us as we weave our way around the city. This is a very clean city. We traveled to Kings Cross, the red-light district, and the only part of the city where it might not be safe to venture. We saw where Nicole Kidman lives and other wealthy areas with unbelievable views of the city and harbor. Then we were at Bondi Beach, the famous surfer paradise. The weather was beautiful but the waves were not impressive. Next stop the entrance into the harbor. The pass was narrow and the cliffs ragged and high. According to Rocky this is a favorite suicide point for young Aussie men. This is also evidently a climber’s paradise although I can’t imagine climbing anything so vertical and jagged. We then circled the city enjoying the views and arrived back at our hotel. After some relaxation and a shower we met for lovely dinner at the Waterfront restaurant. During dinner we were all fading fast and were tucked into our beds by nine.

Today Hugh and I were up early to schedule our Harbor bridge climb. We could not get anything earlier than four so after a delicious breakfast we were off to the opera house for a tour. This was fascinating and we thoroughly enjoyed the tour. After that we spent the morning exploring the city center including the Victoria Building, several churches and public buildings. The weather was a bit iffy with off and on showers but we still enjoyed our exploration. At three we arrived at the bridge climb and discovered we were climbing with a group of college sophomore from Arkansas. They were terrific and a little surprised that we could keep up with them. The prep time for the climb was over an hour and boy was I surprised by all the gear and how much it weighed. Our guide was Leica and she had the funniest Australian accent and sense of humor. We started our climb and were surprised by the ferociousness of the wind. At the summit it was sixty two kms per hr. Along the way up we stopped for several happy snaps and of course at the end we had to buy some. The climb was not over until seven thirty and we rushed back to the hotel for a shower and back to the Rocks for a great dinner at Fish on the Rocks. We took a leisurely stroll back to the hotel and closed out a truly wonderful day in Sydney.

We were up early today for our flight to Cairns. The flight was delayed then cancelled. A smooth talker in our group convinced the Qantas ticket agents that our group was extremely important and needed to be on the next flight which was full. They upgraded all of us to business and it was quite lovely. No one wants to go back to coach. When we arrived in Cairns we went to the Aboriginal Cultural Center for the shows but we missed the Royal Flying Doctors. The Tjapuki Aboriginal Cultural Park reminded the people from NC and SC a little of the Cherokee Indian Reservation. The shows were nice and we enjoyed the didgeridoo demonstration and the Creation Theater. Of course we had to hit the gift shop before leaving. The ride to our hotel was along the coast and made the time pass quickly. We then checked in to the hotel and removed several layers of clothing due to the heat. Hugh and I explored the beach and had a nice stroll. We then took a dip in the pool to cool off but found the water to be bathtub warm. After unpacking and getting things ready for tomorrow we took the bus into town for dinner. We met five of our group at a sidewalk cafe. Waiter troubles continued to plague our group. By the time we arrived they had already placed their order three times. The food when it arrived was good and after dinner Hugh and I explored the town. Most things were closed but we did find a great little art gallery and enjoyed all the exhibits. After the short bus ride we had a great nights sleep in preparation for the Great Barrier Reef tomorrow.

Up early for the trip to the reef. We had a great breakfast and checked our email. The bus arrived promptly and we made the short drive into the marina. We boarded the Quicksilver for our trip. This was a modern catamaran that traveled fast but the trip still took almost 21/2 hours The trip was fun and our group sat around in comfortable seats, had tea and biscuits (cookies) and just told stories and got to know one another better. Hugh checked out the dive procedures as did John and decided to make the afternoon dive after a morning of snorkeling with me. When we arrived on the reef we moored on a permanent platform, disembarked, and immediately put on our fins for a long snorkel out to explore. We saw a lot of dead coral but overall the reef was thriving. We saw a lizard fish, angel fish and my favorite thing, several clown or anemone fish. The weather was warm but cloudy and there was some water turbulence and for the first time in our history we had to go in because Hugh wasn’t feeling well and I was going strong. At lunchtime we had a nice buffet and Hugh did the afternoon dive. I took the submersible trip around the reef. After comparing notes I don't think Hugh saw anymore than we did but the Great Barrier Reef is now a notch on his diving weight belt. The trip back seemed longer because we were tired and it was raining with high wind. Once back we walked around the marina until our bus for the hotel was ready to board. We showered and met our group for dinner in town. As usual for our group the restaurant we chose had wait staff problems and our group seemed a particular challenge for the young women waiting on us. The food was good as it has been everywhere but we had to head back to the hotel for another early departure.

Today is Valentines day and time to move on to Melbourne. We had nice breakfast and checked our email. Our bags were out and the bus was on time to take us to the airport. We drove in along the coast and our driver gave us a little history as we drove. We suddenly drove past the airport and Sandy immediately asked where we were going and to our surprise AIMS had rescheduled our visit to the Royal Flying Doctors Service. We were greeted by to real comedians, Julie and Ellie. They showed us a film on the day in the life of a medical team. It was very interesting and showed us that this job would keep you on your toes since they have to treat from the cradle to the grave. They have an average of three emergency evacuations a day but often go days without any. They make regular clinic visits to outback communities to keep them up on immunizations, well checks and ob visits. It was fascinating. We then traveled to the airport for our flight to Melbourne. We were back to coach class and our flight was on time. We were greeted in Melbourne and transported with running commentary to the Meridian Hotel. We checked in and 7 of us decided to meet for dinner. We strolled down to Southgate along the river. Because of the holiday it was crowded with people out for dinner and fun. We stopped to watch a large group of young people swing dancing and then tried to find a restaurant that could seat our group. We were beginning to think it would be Burger King for Valentine’s when Sandy Wexler found us a lovely restaurant called Simply French. We were seated at two tables and our waiter/actor immediately started his floor show. Although he could not get our order taken or our drinks served he kept us in stitches the whole bungling time. Once when we asked about the time frame for our meal being served, he apologized for the delay and in his most theatrical voice said “What do you want me to do, Whip the Chef?” You truly had to be there to see the motions but we laughed so hard we were surprised when the meals were served. The food was fantastic and we all agreed this would be an evening we would not soon forget. It was late when we finished and we missed the laser show but we enjoyed a moonlight stroll back to our hotel.

This morning we had a leisurely breakfast and then joined everyone for a tour of the city. Melbourne is a busy city and it looks to be a city you could easily live in. This morning our bus ride took us to a lot of different parts of the city. On our way to the harbor we were able to see the workers putting the final touches on Albert Park where the Australian Grand Prix formula 1 race will be in a week. We also passed the Aquatic Center that was built for the 1996 Olympics and the Rod Laver Tennis arena. Port Phillips Bay is 23 miles across and has some of the prettiest beaches in Australia. It also has the busiest port in Australia. Across from the Harbor were communities of Victorian terrace homes with beautiful ironwork circa 1860. As we headed back to the heart of the city we saw a beautiful Victorian train station (Flinders Street station), and stopped at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest in Australia, and the Fitzroy Gardens where we saw Captain Cooks Cottage circa 1755, which was transported from England and rebuilt first one built of bluestone. Next stop was on this sight in 1955. As we traveled through the city we made a stop at a market area for some shopping but this time very few purchases were made. We stopped at the Botanical Gardens for a while and walked along the Yarro River where we saw black swans. On our way back to the hotel we saw the Parliament House, the Shrine of Remembrance which commemorates fallen Australians from all the wars and Melbourne University with its 30,000 students. Our afternoon was free for exploring and everyone took off with camera in hand. Hugh and I walked down to the train station, had lunch in the shopping district, explored the bank with its Victorian interior that we had been told about, and then ended back at the river area. Melbourne is known for its changing weather and this afternoon it became cloudy and windy with little notice. We decided to go back to the hotel and rest for a while before we met the Wexler’s for dinner at Daniels. Daniels was a superb restaurant and restored our belief in fine service. It was a lovely evening and we retired to watch the Olympics and pack for our trip to NZ tomorrow.

Auckland Today is a travel day and we had to leave for the airport at 6:20 am. We were at the airport a long time before our flight and like good tourist we hit the shops and duty free. We flew to Sydney, changed planes and then on to Auckland. We were met by Alan who would be with us for the next several days. We took a lovely city tour on our way in from the airport. Auckland is the “ City of Sails” and on our way in Alan pointed out a modern art piece depicting this. From his description it seems to be appreciated by only a few of the residence. Auckland is the 3rd largest city and has one third of the countries population. It is the commercial and banking center. The city is surrounded by volcanic mountains and this gives a beautiful view of the peaks from the city, and a beautiful view of the city from the peaks (we checked several of these out). We saw very expensive homes overlooking the city and the beautiful Auckland Yacht Basin home of the Americas Cup. The New Zealanders will defend the cup in this harbor this summer. We checked in to our hotel at dinner time and 7 of us met for dinner at Toney’s a seafood restaurant close to the hotel. The food was good and the service was slow (we seem to attract this type of waiter). After dinner we took a walk around the city and checked out the bungee that was close to our hotel (we found out later one of our group bungeed and thought it was a lot of fun). The city was beautiful at night. We all retired to watch the Olympics and prepare for a road trip tomorrow.

Up early this morning to make the trip to Rotorua. After a nice breakfast we boarded the bus and settled in for the ride. Our driver Alan takes us south through the industrial region of So. Auckland. Soon we are driving through some of NZ’s most productive farming areas. Within the hour we enter the Waikato Valley and travel along the Waikato River. This is New Zealand’s longest river. We pass coal mining towns and eventually arrive at Hamilton, the largest inland city. It is a beautiful city with well kept homes and gardens. We stop for our first of many ice cream stops, as this area is noted for its dairy products especially ice cream. The raspberry ribbon and the kiwi seem to be the favorites. Back on the bus we soon find ourselves at the famous Waitoma Glow Worm Caves. We are first escorted into a cavern with spectacular natural decorations of stalactites, stalagmites, and sculptures that have developed over thousands of years and are a result of water dripping from the roof of the cave or flowing over the exposed limestone walls. Next we travel in the dark to acclimate our eyes to the dark of the caves. We board a small boat that is pulled through the grotto. As we were gliding silently through the starry wonderland of the glowworm grotto, our way was lit by a multitude of tiny glowworm lights glittering, glimmering and reflecting off the water. This grotto has the perfect habitat for the glowworm to survive, humid with a hanging surface with space for their sticky feeding lines, and of course adequate food. We spent a little time in the gift shop, we had to go through it to get out and then we proceeded to Roseland Farms where we were to have lunch. This was a large private farm that the owner has opened to visitors and provides a very nice cooked to order lunch. They have a choice of cooked to order fish or steak and a salad bar with rice and veggies. The best part was the all you could eat desserts which were made from scratch. We walked around and saw kiwi’s growing. After lunch we rode a short distance to the Shearing Shed where they shear Angora Rabbits. The proprietor was nice enough to shear a very large rabbit for us and it was amazing to watch this rabbit all stretched out and secured with bungee just relaxing and actually yawning. I thought the rabbit would look pitiful after shearing but it was still a large bunny. From here we had about two hours before we made it to Rotorua. After checking in the hotel and checking our email, Hugh and I decided to walk the several miles into town. It was a lovely walk and the weather was terrific. We strolled along the main street and had a delicious dinner before the walk back. On our walk back we met some local children and they were anxious to show us were they lived and tell us they had traveled to Auckland in the big rig their father drives. They were very cute and friendly as they waved goodbye. We attempted to watch the Olympics but fell asleep before the completion of the bobsled.

After breakfast this morning, Alan drove us to the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. He told us not to be surprised but our greeter would rub noses with us instead of shaking hands. We were not sure about this but it proved to be painless. Our guide showed us through the crafts area where young people are trained in craft techniques that would die out. He also showed us housing and told us of customs and legends of New Zealand’s indigenous people. We boarded a train and traveled to see boiling mud pools, geysers, steam vents that erupt periodically through the day and night. Because of time constraints we next visited Rainbow Springs. Scattered throughout the park, natural springs daily pump millions of litres of pure water. These springs and their streams are home to the largest of Rainbow, Brown, Brook, and Tiger trout. Here we also saw a kiwi, the bird not the fruit, exhibit and a tuatara, known as the living dinosaur, this reptile is believed to live as long as 300 years ago. As we are traveling about town, we see a game of cricket. We never were able to understand the game and Alan assures us that explaining it to Americans is much too difficult. Next on our agenda was the Agrodome. The first show of the day was the 19 breeds of sheep, each represented by a champion ram. They were so cute and personally I wanted the merino. Next they had audience participation and Sandy W. was called up on stage to feed a baby lamb. The sheep shearing demo was next. It was amazing how fast this job could be done. We were told that champion shearers can shear a large ewe in 45 sec. We then saw a demonstration by Huntaway dogs. Outside we saw a border collies herd sheep into a pen. We had a tight schedule so we did not spend much time looking around. We boarded our flight to Queenstown early afternoon and we were surprised that we did not arrive until 4:30. We were met By Simon and transported to our hotel,The Heritage. The people attending the medical meeting had to rush to check in, freshen up and get back on the bus. After the meeting was over Hugh, The Dupuys, and I went into town and had a lovely dinner. We shopped for a short time and then road the local bus back up the hill to our hotel.

Today is a busy one, so we are up early for breakfast. We start our trip with Simon giving us a true travelogue as we leave Queenstown. We travel along Lake Wakatipu before reaching Gorge Hill Pass. As we travel the whole valley is shadowed by the Takatimu Range. Simon scheduled several stops for ice cream and of course shopping. One of our stops was at the Mirror Lakes. The view was beautiful but crowded. There was a nice boardwalk along the lakes and we were there on a great day for the view. Shortly we reached Te Anau, the gateway to the Fiordland National Park, which is the largest in the country. The drive through the beech forest of the magnificent Eglinton Valley to Milford is considered to be one of the finest in the world. We stopped at a swinging bridge over the river and it was so peaceful and we had time for a little trek into the woods. Simon timed this so we were the only ones there and it was great. We arrived at Milford sound just in time to board the Milford Haven and find our reserved table. The boarding was easy and we had a lovely view. They served lunch immediately after we embarked and we had trouble eating because we wanted to see the sights. After lunch we braved the wind and went to the top of the ship. Everywhere we looked were snow capped mountains, steep rock ledges, and beautiful waterfalls. We made a turn around an islet and found ourselves in the Tasman Sea. On our trip back we had, The Heritage a show by bottlenose dolphins and saw fur seals sunning on the rocks. It was a great cruise and the bus ride back was quiet as everyone was tired. Back at the hotel we met Michael and Sandy for Dinner. We had a great time with good service; our waitress was from the states.

This was a very welcome free day. Hugh and I slept in and had a leisurely breakfast. It was great just taking our time with no schedule. After breakfast we walked into town and the view was incredible. Looking out over the lake to the mountains and strolling through the lakeside park made the trip very enjoyable. We stopped in a cyber cafe for coffee and email. Then we spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon just exploring the outdoor center, ski shops and tourist shops. We had a Thai lunch late and then decided to take the TSS Earnslaw Steamship on a cruise around the lake. The Earnslaw has been in continuous operation on Lake Wakatipu since 1912. At the end of the lake we came to this lovely old inn where a group of passengers got off for dinner. On the way back we sat inside and had a sing a long. It was funny because there were people from around the world, one Japanese man sang Sukiyaki for us. After our cruise we walked around the wharf and had a late dinner. We took the bus back to the hotel and watched the Olympics while we packed

This morning it is back to a schedule as we depart Queenstown and travel to Mt. Cook and on to Fairlie. On our way out of Queenstown we saw the Kawarau Bridge where the Bungee craze originated. As we traveled through the Lindis Pass we saw vinyards and stopped a lovely fruit stand. In Twizel we stopped for a break and of course ice cream and shopping. From there we traveled alongside Lake Pukaki and on to Mt. Cook Village. Today was a great day to view Mt. Cook and its glaciers. We stopped at the visitor’s center and had lunch and then we had time to walk the trails and make pictures of the mountainous terrain. Clouds were boiling over Mt. Cook by the time we left and the sight was spectacular. From Mt. Cook it was on to Lake Tekapo and the Chapel of the Good Shepard and the Monument to the Collie dog. This area was very lovely and it was so clear we could see the mountains in the distance. As we entered our last phase of travel we were entering farming communities. There were sheep, deer, and cattle on the farms. We were all surprised at the size of Fairlie, very small. We met our host families on the side of the road in the parking area for a small park. John, Judy, Hugh and I went with one family and the Dupuys and Wexlers went together. Our hostess Leila talked to us about the area on our drive to her farm. She and her husband, Ian Summerville, own their farm and have 2300 acres. They raise sheep, 2500, and are putting in new fence for their new enterprise, raising deer and hosting hunting expeditions on their property. Their home is lovely and we were made to feel right at home. Leila showed us around and fixed us tea. We roamed through the fields to the barns and shearing sheds. Leila said they were shearing this weekend if the weather held out. They had to postpone twice already because of rain. Judy and John napped and Hugh and I caught up on journal writing and meeting info. It was so peaceful beside the fire that I really didn’t want to move but the smells from the kitchen drew me to the table. What a feast. We started with a delicious soup, next lamb, potatoes, and broccoli with cheese peas, and I can’t remember what else. Ian assured us that he usually cooked but Leila liked to impress the guest. After all that food we were served Pavlova, fresh fruit, and ice cream. I could hardly make it to the bed, but when I did it was heavenly. We had sheepskin bed liners and huge goose down duvets. I can’t remember sleeping so well.

Woke up in Fairlie today and it was very cool. I really didn’t want to get out of my down cocoon. We had a great breakfast and drove into town with Leila where we met our bus and the rest of our group. Today we travel to Christchurch, the garden city. As we travel through the farming communities we have to stop for the sheep to be mustered down the road to a new field. When we arrive in Christchurch we are surprised how "English" it looks. There are beautiful home with lovely gardens and a town made up of Gothic Buildings. Our first stop was at the International Antarctic Center on Simon’s recommendation. This exhibit was terrific. I had no idea that almost all the research trips to the Antarctic leave from just across the street including the US. Inside we experienced the living conditions including the snow and wind. They put you through the seasons with the varying light conditions from total darkness to continuous sunlight.. It was a great experience and we had lunch at the cafeteria there. Simon then checked us into our hotel for a quick freshen up and then we drove to a roadhouse that was built to look like a castle high overlooking the city. The view was wonderful a panorama of the city. We then drove to the other side of the mountain and had a view of Governor’s Bay, crater of an extinct volcano, and Lyttelton and Diamond Harbor. The peninsula is all hilly with no flat land at all. This side gets almost constant prevailing easterly wind. Back in the city Simon took us by the botanical gardens and let us out at the Arts Center. Hugh and I decided to go off and explore so we left the group and just walked around the Art’s Center and enjoyed all the shops and exhibits. We then walked along the Avon River and slowly back to our hotel. We cleaned up and decided to walk some more before dinner. We walked along the river to a popular street filled with restaurants and decided on something besides seafood or lamb. We made MAITHAI our choice and they said 15 minutes wait. Almost two hours later we were seated and gave our order. We enjoyed talking to the bartender during the wait. The food was slow but delicious when it arrived. The meal finished off our evening so we strolled back to the hotel. We repacked our bags for the trip home so that we could have as much time as possible on Saturday to explore before we start the trek home.

Up early today and off to breakfast. Our goal is to explore and walk until we are tired. First we head to the Art’s Center for a sidewalk craft fair. This was a lot of fun and they had some beautiful glass pieces that we could not get home. We then took a power walk through the Botanical Gardens and saw people punting on the river (boating in gondolas). We walked through the museum and then back to the hotel. After retrieving our luggage we boarded our bus for the airport. It was sad saying goodbye to Simon; he was a lot of fun. Our flight to Auckland was short and we then had a layover of 3 hours before our flight to LA. We walked around in the shopping area and had our last NZ ice cream. Hugh and I were split up on the flight but I was next to Sandy Wexler. The flight was long but I fortunately slept some of the time. In LA customs was a breeze and we were rushed to Delta to make an earlier flight than we had booked we made and arrived in Atlanta, changed planes, and on into Spartanburg a mere 31 hours after we had gotten up in Christchurch. Boy will we sleep well tomorrow! /susan