Australia, New Zealand, Fiji 2024

 Australia, NZ and Fiji May 2024

We took this trip with Go Ahead Tours.  We travled with 3 othe couples from Lake Kiowa, Ronnie and Lisa, Steve and Mary, and Mike and Lori.  Joining our group was Steve's sister Debra, and two couples that are friends of Mike and Lori, Chris and Wendy, Michael and Cindy.

Our group

Sunday, May 13

Our flight to LAX was delayed. After talking to an AA rep, she said it is a mechanical issue and the planecould take off earlier so we picked up the Bohannon’s and headed to DFW. Lisa and Ronnie had different flights that left around the same time. Halfway to DFW the flight was delayed again, which would cause us to miss our connection at LAX. Next AA rep was worthless so I hung up. I called back and got a good rep and we rebooked for Monday. After dropping Lisa and Ronnie at DFW we headed home to rebook our connection in Sydney, our Uber reservation in Melbourne, cancel our hotel in Melbourne. Geez. It wasn’t weather related,wasn't mechanical, just stupid delays that kept snowballing. and very bad advice from the first rep. If we had just changed to a later flight to LAX, all would have been fine. So much for arriving early and joining the others for private tours in Melbourne.

Monday, May 14 

Our 2:00 flight to LAX was delayed until 3, but that was the only delay. We arrived at LAX, retrieved our luggage and went to check in at Qantas only to be told it was actually an AA flight, so back to terminal 4, checked in and headed to the AA lounge where we spent 5 hours waiting for our flight to Sydney. We rebooked on the same flight that left at the same time as our flight from night before.  Last night it was on Qantas, tonight is was on American.  Stange.....

Flight to Sydney was uneventful. They served dinner even though we departed at 10:45 pm. Greg passed on dinner and I ate a little bit of the entree, friend chicken and mashed potatoes. We both were able to sleep this time.

Wed May 15th

We arrived in Sydney at 6:45 am. Exiting the plane we immediately hit a wall of people at the passport control kiosks. It moved pretty quickly. You received a ticket then you proceeded to step 2 where you had to do facial recognition. Next we went to baggage pickup and waited for our suitcases. As we exited they took our immigration card. Because we checked the box that we had been on a freshwater lake in the past 30 days we were sent to a different line. After that line Greg was sent to line 2 and I went to line 4. Greg walked right through line 2 but it took me awhile because they were training dogs in line 4. They placed a suitcase in between the lady in front and me that contained plant bulbs. Sure enough the dog spotted the suitcase. It was interesting to watch.

We then left that terminal and walked next door to the domestic Qantas terminal where we stood in a long line to check our suitcases to Melbourne. Then a long line through security then a long line to catch the bus to take you to the departure gates. Once inside the building we had coffee and a coke while waiting for the gate to be assigned. After the gate assignment we moved to the gate because the seats had to be more comfortable than where we were sitting. We had a two hour wait for our flight which was short and sweet. Our two suitcases were literally the last two to come out. We had prearranged for an Uber transfer to our hotel, the Rendezvous. Luckily, our room was ready when we arrived at the hotel. We unpacked a bit and took a much appreciated shower. The bed seems comfortable but the shower is an open design and water runs everywhere. The bathroom light is on a motion detector and shines brightly at night.

Hotel

Hotel lobby

Hotel bar

Train station across the street from the hotel

 

                                     

Train station at night.  The colors changed

We met for our welcome drink, info meeting and dinner, meeting our tour director Clint. The dinner, in the hotel restaurant, was served family style with starters, main and dessert. Some was good, some ok and some not so good.

Clint, our tour director

Thursday May 16

We were given a suggested wakeup time and usually a wakeup call.  I  set the alarm clock 15 minutes earlier.  Breakfast started at 6:30 am and we went down a little before 7. It was a nice breakfast buffet with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, baked beans, waffles, cereals, fruits, and pastries.

The group, which was comprised of 37 people,  met at 8 am for the city tour. It was a bus tour with a couple of stops. We saw the sport's area, theater district, St Kilda beach area, drove through the botanical garden, stopped at St Patrick’s Cathedral which is the largest Catholic Cathedral in Australia and stopped at The Shrine of Remembrance, a tribute to the fallen service members.

St Patrick's Cathedral is known for its basalt columns

                               

Beautiful stain glass windows

running waterfall 

Beautiful white roses

Stop at a beautiful park with a view of downtown Melbourne

                                        

                                        

                                        

Mike and Lori

                                         

Greg and Susan

                                           

       

       

Magpie

      

 

The Scenic Railroad (aka wooden roller coaster) which opened in 1912.

The Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne's National Memorial honoring the service and sacrifice of Australians in war and peacekeeping.  It was started in 1934 giving visitors a peaceful reflection and breathtaking vistas of the gardens and the city.

Entrance

Views from the balcony on top of the monument

The tour ended at Queen Victoria's Market where we chose to stay and return on our own.

Front entrance

First stop was lunch. Greg had prawns and I had mussels, mine being a better choice. Greg’s were dry.

Greg's first Australian beer

It would take all day to see every booth at the market

                                         

                                             

We walked around with Mike and Lori then headed to China Town via the tram and some wandering to meet up with the others (they skipped this morning's tour since they had seen most of it on their private tour yesterday) for a mid afternoon snack at Fortune Dumpling. 

                                        

2nd Australian beer

Walk around China town

We returned to the hotel via the tram.

The group left for our reservation at a speakeasy, Eau-De-Vie, straight out of the 1920's prohibition days. The bar was recommended by the group's Viator tour guide the day before. It was a fun, unique experience. I had a Giant Killer and Greg had a gin martini followed by a shot of MacAllen. 

In an alley with no signage.  You have to know it's here. 

Waiting for the door to open

Touch of Tinto and Old Fashion

Kitty at the Cocobongo and 2 Old Fashions

Angry Maria and Mulberry Blend

Giant Killer and Martini

We took the tram back to the hotel area and walked under the river to our restaurant, The Waterfront. Dinner was awesome, waiter entertaining, and view fantastic. We called it a night.

                                        

Friday May 17

Wake-up was 7 with breakfast downstairs and off at 8:30. Today's itinerary: the Yarra Valley where we rode the “Puffing Billy” Steamtrain, Ferguson winery, and the Balgownie Estate & Winery and ended the day at the Yarra Valley Chocolate & Ice Creamery.

We started with a bus ride to our steam train ride, the Puffing Billy. The Billy Puffing was built in 1900 to serve the local communities that lived in the hills carrying passengers, timber, livestock, and produce. The railway now serves as a major tourist attraction. 

We boarded the train for our ride to Lakeside. 

Our conductor

The train was covered with open windows. Many sat on the window seal with legs hanging out. 

                                   

our group

The train passed through the Dandenong Rainforest thick with Eucalyptus trees, ferns and firs. We did see a wallaby on the side of the track.. 

Signs of fall

our first Wallaby

                                                 

                                                 

mid point stop.  Many passengers departed here.  We continued to Lakeside

                   

               

cockatoos

              

           

    

 

End of the line

Getting the engine ready for the return trip

                                        

We left the train at Lakeside and traveled by bus to Ferguson Winery in the Yarra Valley. Here we had a wine tasting and lunch. We preordered our lunch and could choose a wine from the 5 tastings. I ordered trout and picked the Sauvignon Blanc for my wine. Greg’s entree was sirloin steak and Shiraz wine. 

                                                   

After lunch we went to Balgownie Estate for our 2nd tasting. It was a hotel with 70 rooms and an event center.  Nothing stood out about the wines but the Cabernet Sauvignon was probably the best. No one appreciated the sparkling Shiraz.

The host was very chatty and entertaining.

We had  a bonus stop at Yarra Balley Chocolaterie and ice creamery but we only had 15 min. Hard to choose in that time frame. Greg went to the ice cream line and I went to the chocolate counter. After this stop we headed back to Melbourne.

                                     

Since we have a 4:30 am wake-up call and we had a lot of food and wine, we called it a day when we got back to the hotel.

Sat May 18

Early morning wake up (4:20 am), out of the room,  and loading our luggage on the bus at 5:15 am. We flew Jetstar which is the commuter line for Qantas (think American Eagle). We had to weigh our hand bags and $75 AU dollars if you are over the 11 kg (15.6 lb). No jet way, back to the old days of stairs, but we did board quickly. We had $15 food credit so Greg had coffee and I had a breakfast bread and Diet Pepsi. When we landed in Sydney we had to get our luggage and recheck it for our flight to Uluru. Luckily, we were able to go to the service desk and the assistant helped our whole group because we arrived 30 min late and had a tight connection. It went fairly quickly. After a potty break, the airplane was being loaded for our three hour flight to Uluru, the Outback country. Flight was uneventful and baggage came out quickly.

                                       

                                       

Another new beer

Uluru airport

First glance out the window, my thought was we are landing in Midland-Odessa.

landscape as we left the airport

                                    

                                     

Our drive through the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park started with a stop at Kata Tjuta (The Olgas, which means many heads) which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. This natural wonder, is comprised of 36 domed red rocks looming up from the desert plains. 

We then stopped at the Uluru Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre which described the local Indigenous communities and their deep connection with these lands. 

The rest of the time was spent viewing and walking around Uluru, also called Ayers Rock. The mammoth red rock was formed over 550 million years ago. The traditional owners of this land, the Anangu have been living here over 20,000 years. Uluru holds great significance to the Anangu and holds many cultural secrets. There are many sacred sites around the monolith and ceremonies are still held today. 

Eroding rocks

We quickly found out why our leaders bought us all nets to wear.  The flies didn't bite but they were awful, trying to get in your ears, nose and mouth.

Donning our headwear, except for Ronnie who seemed immune to the pesky flies.

Another stop around Uluru was Mutitjulu Waterhole. The presence of this permanent water means the area is particularly lush and shady. 

A bit more exploring.

Aboriginal drawings

                                      

Our last stop was watching the sunset. We had a table set up with nibbles and mimosas made with sparkling wine and pineapple juice. 

Perfect backdrop for photo ops

Group photo

The girls

                                     

Greg and me

                               

Mary and Steve

Lori and Mike

        

Lisa and Ronnie

As the sun set the color of Uluru changed and made a nice photo background.

We then checked into our hotel, Desert Garden Hotel, around 6:30 pm. The hotel is very nice with a huge room. 

                                      

We opted to eat immediately and joined Lori and Mike at a table for 4. We all had kangaroo kabobs and they were really good. The room was nice with two queen beds. Only negative was a wall mounted hair dryer that stopped long before my hair was dry.

Sun May 19

Some of the group took a morning place ride over Ayers Rock.

For the rest of us, breakfast buffet at 7:30. Lots of choices but nothing really warm. We loaded up the bus at 8:30 am for the short ride to the airport. Qantas today to Cairns. The airport had one check-in desk and one gate. The plane was smaller with only 2 seats across so no middle seat for me today. 

I was lucky enough to sit by the window and see the awesome scenery from above.

approaching Cairns

                                         

We arrived in Cairns which is North Queensland (FNQ), Far North Queensland. This is the most dangerous place to swim in the ocean mostly because of crocodiles but there are also venomous snakes and deadly jelly fish. We had a 10 min drive to our hotel, Pacific, where we will be for four nights.

Views from our balcony

 After checking in, we met the others downstairs for a walk and in search of drinks and snacks. We stopped at the Salt House. After lots of negotiation between the bar and hostess about whether they were serving food then or not, the manager stepped in and we received great service.

a huge Banyan tree

Bench made a great photo op

marina area

restaurant

When we finished, Mike and Lori went walking, Greg went back to do laundry and the rest of us walked down the Esplanade, stopping at the public pool, watched the pelicans and then Lisa and Ronnie joined me on the Ferris Wheel (The Reef Eye). 

large pelicans

                                     Public pool.  Because of the dangers of swimming in the ocean,                                there are many public swimming pools

The Eye Reef

Views from the ferris wheel

sun was setting as we departed the ferris wheel

After the ride we walked through the Night Market and then back to the hotel through the lighted park.

Night market wares

our hotel

Mon May 20

Breakfast downstairs and off for our day tour. We started on the Captain Cook Highway with mountains on the left and coast on the right. We saw a field of small wallabies and stopped at Port Douglas for a walk about. Clint recommended the mango smoothies which Greg and I shared. It was a good recommendation.

Port Douglas

Next was Mossman Gorge located at the southern end of Daintree National Park. It is part of the oldest rain forest, 180 millions old, as compared to the Amazon which is 20 million years old. The Mossman Gorge is an area of spiritual and cultural value of the original inhabitants the Kuku Yolonji people. 

                                                

                                       

Before the tour started we were treated to hot tea and scones, dobbers, made by native ingredients

we walked around the fire pit twice which was to ward off bad spirits and to pay respect to the ancestors. 

The fire was fueled by bark from Australian pines which we have in Sanibel.

Angelina was our guide through the gorge area. After the tour we had lunch at the visitor’s center, ham and cheese wraps.

Our guide Angelina

The guide for the other group

                                    

                                              

                                                

                                            The nuts are poisonous until they have been washed many, many times.                                               After several cleanings, they are crushed to powder and made into bread.

indentation is from cutting out a boomarang.  One cut per root

                                          

                                      

                                      

vine forming a noose.  Hopefully used as a swing and not other purposes

                                      

                                       

                                     

                                     

                                        

                                      

Shelter from the rain.  4 - 5 people would sleep here

                                       

Cheesy photo op but we all participated

                                             

                                              

                                                 

Dr Steve extracting a tooth.  A job for the professional

As we left the rainforest and headed to the Daintree River, we passed field after field of sugarcane that is no longer harvested.  The sugar mill went out of business and it is not a profitable crop any longer. It is a 6 million crop loss plus the loss to the economy of the surrounding communities.

127 year old mill was closed in early 2024

                                       

Old age, high maintenance costs and a dwindling supply of cane were hurdles to it being an appealing investment.

                                   

                                 

The next stop was the Daintree River which is in the lowland of the tropical rainforest. We took a river cruise looking for crocodiles. We saw only 2 crocs, both small, and a few small birds. The one time on this trip that we felt was a tourist trap, but still a calm ride on the river with a couple of croc sightings.

Our boat

our group ready to roll

our captain and guide.  He was very informative

                                  

first sighting

periscope snorkel roots for the mangrove trees. Very different from our mangroves in Sanibel

                     

We headed back to Cairns. On the way home we drove by the coastline, made a photo stop and a second stop to see the wallabies.

We had one hour to freshen up and meet in the lobby to go to dinner at Dundees. We were treated to a beautiful sunset from the room.

The dinner was an extra excursion that Clint organized so we could have the opportunity to sample kangaroo and crocodile. The kangaroo again was very good. The crocodile a bit dry. 

pavlova in honor of our Aussie friend Marilyn

Our group went next door for a nightcap and then off to bed.

Tues May 21

Today is the Great Barrier Reef. We met in the lobby at 8:30 after a breakfast downstairs. 

Laughed at the name, tasted the same and heard the snap, crackle, pop

                                       

We walked to the marina, then Clint picked up the tickets for our ride to the reef. We loaded up after 8:15 with the Sunlovers Reef cruises. It was a large vessel with others besides our tour group onboard. 

It was a windy day with very rough seas. We had been warned about taking sea sickness medication and I did fine but it was very bumpy and there many using their barf bags. 

Barf bag duty

Riding the waves

Beautiful water

                                   

The ride was close to 1.5 hours long. We docked to a stationary floating dock with a platform for snorkeling and a glass bottom boat. They had wet suits available as the water was about 75 degrees. 

                                                   

Ready to snorkel

rocking the wet suits

                                                    

                                           

                                            

our leader joining in the fun

                                         

Lisa, the fish are under the water!

                                        

It was low tide so the glass bottom boat could not go over the top of the reef, only along the edge.

glass bottom boat

enjoying the viewing in the glass bottom boat

Views from the water, the glass bottom boat and the viewing area in the big boat
                                        

                                             Lunch was included but no drinks besides water. 

but a new beer was found

A little play before heading back.

who said slides are for kids?

                                           

It was a cloudy, windy day so not a lovely day to be outside. The ride back was equally rough and we returned around 6.

One way to make the 1.5 hour ride pass quickly

Our group opted to stop for food as we departed instead of going back to the hotel, stopping at Ochre’s and we had a lovely meal. Greg ordered octopus and I had coconut prawns and we shared an order of fries. Off to the hotel.

Wed May 22

Same routine and off at 8 am. First stop was Karunda Scenic Railway which was started in 1887 to get supplies from Cairns to the gold fields. By the time it was finished the gold rush was over. The train runs through the Barron Gorge National Park in the hills of the Atherton Tablelands. The train passes through 15 hand carved tunnels with one photo stop at Barrons Falls, 

                                      

                                               

watching the train arrive

                                                 

                                               

                                             

our group ready to go

View from the train

                                   
                                   

                                               

     

                                       

Greg and me

                                               

Lisa and Ronnie

Steve, Mary and Debra

                                               

                                            

                

ending at Kuranda, a small old hippie village. We had two hours own our own to wander and eat lunch

Some of the group went through the small zoo

others wandered and enjoyed the quaint village.

another new beer

 Greg and I ate at Birdwing for a BLTA sandwich and hamburger.

Mike and Lori enjoying their lunch

We gathered at 1 to catch the bus to the Pamagurri Cultural Center to watch some crafting displays of Aborigine Culture. We saw how they make the didgeridoo, make and throw spears and throw boomerangs. Greg was pretty good, I sucked. We then watched 5 dancers and two guys playing instruments perform native dances.

                                       

glad we didn't have to figure out on our way which way to go

The didgeridoo is thought to be one of the world's oldest instruments, dating back some 1,500 years and was developed by Australia's Aboriginal people. The cylindrical instrument is made from a hollowed-out tree

                                                    

Demonstrating spear throwing

                                                    

                                   

the musicians providing the music for the dancers

   

                                          

                                         

                                             

Lisa joining the fun

                                                  

 Q & A, giving us an opportunity to ask about the customs and rituals.

                                                   

 A bus then took us to the Skyrail Tram. Going down we had a stop to see the waterfalls again. Then we continued down into the rainforest. 

                                                  

The train from our gondola

foggy on the way down

After a short bus ride, we were back to the hotel.

Greg and I went in search of somewhere to eat. We walked toward the night market and end up on the waterfront at Piato, a Mediterranean Restaurant. I ordered Moreton Bay Bugs which are also called flat head lobsters. They were excellent. Greg ordered octopus and pork belly. He said the octopus last night was slightly better but they were both good. It started raining before we finished but we were in no hurry to leave and only got a bit wet on the walk back. We both packed a bit before hitting the sack.

                                             

                                               

Moreton Bay Bugs

octopus

The reef eye lit up from our balcony

Thursday May 23

No wake up call this AM but of course we both woke up early. After breakfast we walked around looking for the lorikeets. They were spotted last night across the street but not this rainy morning.

Check out was at 11 am.

While waiting to check out we asked where we could mail a postcard to a friend back at home.  Who need this red thing was a mailbox!

We had a 10 min ride to the airport with plenty of time to eat a Whopper at Hungry Jack’s. 

When Burger King tried at come to Australia there was already a burger company with that name so they came in as Hungry Jack. Same logo and same Whopper. We were glad we ate because the sandwich served on the plane was nasty. Qantas does not win the onboard food award. Also only beer and wine were served because they didn't have ice, but the can soft drinks were cold.

We arrived in Sydney, gathered our bags, and arrived at our hotel, Mercure at 6 pm. Big downtown hotel which means a small room. Cost of a shirt to send out for laundry is $14. Guess we will use the self serve laundry downstairs. 

our hotel

hotel lobby

There was a group dinner tonight.  Again, disorganized and food not that good.  But, it was Monique's 30th birthday.  She was by far the youngest and was traveling alone.  We celebrated her birthday Kiowa style.

Friday May 24

Sydney Australia is the capital of New South Wales and one of Australia's largest cities. It is best known for its Harbour front Sydney Opera House, with a distinctive sail-like design and the Sydney Harbour Bridge connecting downtown to the North shore. The Bridge nicknamed the coat hanger was completed in 1932.

We visited the Darling Harbour and the smaller Circular Quay, stopping along the way for photo opportunities. 

now we are seeing the red mail boxes all around

We drove through the botanical garden and stopped at Mrs Macquarie's Chair, a Sydney landmark. The chair was carved out of a sandstone rock ledge by convicts in 1810. Specially commissioned by Governor Macquarie for his wife Elizabeth who was known to love the area. This is one of the best vantage points to view the sights of the Sydney Harbour.

Clint dropped us off around 11:30 at the Circular Quay. We were on our own until 1:15 pm for lunch. We ate at the Wing Station and then walked toward the Opera House where we had a guided tour.

Guys enjoying the local beers

nachos Aussie style

our group before the tour

Designed by the Danish architect Jorn Utzon, its unique and innovative design represents a breakthrough in modern architecture. The iconic sail-like structures have made it a symbol of Sydney and modern Australia as a whole.

                                        

After the tour Clint walked us to the Opal Museum for a brief talk and walk through the showroom . We then took a taxi back to the hotel for a quick cleanup before the Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise. Clint got us there early because he was concerned about extra traffic due to opening night of Vivid. We grabbed a quick drink while we waited for Clint to get the tickets. There was a long line to get on the ferry which held a lot of people. We had assigned tables. Greg and I enjoyed the entree (which is the appetizer) of ravioli but neither of us enjoyed our main course. Desserts were good but the service at our table was ridiculously slow but the real show was Vivid Sydney which had its opening night tonight. Vivid Sydney is Australia’s largest festival of light, music, ideas, and food that happens twice a year. What an awesome experience! 

Pre dinner drink

line waiting to get on the ferry

Mike and Lori

We were back at the hotel around 10.

Saturday May 25

Today was a “free day”. We chose to do an optional tour with Clint of the North Beaches in the morning which ended at Manly Beach. 

first stop was under the bridge

Opera house, downtown and the bridge

the whole gang

Balmoral Reserve in Mossman is a very tranquil beach area. Rocky Point Island. It is its own little island located along the stunning foreshore of Balmoral.

                                                     

                                    

bridge to Rocky Point Island

                                                    

Long Reef

Golf course at Long Reef

                                      

and a wedding

Narrabeen Beach

cockatiels were everywhere but this one was posing for us

                                         

a quick overview stop

A stop for lunch. We first walked down to the ocean and back to a sandwich shop, West End for lunch.

                                                  

catching a wave as we wait for the ferry

Greg found another mailbox

The village where we ate.

 We met Clint for the 12:30 ferry back to Circular Quay. 

Our ferry arriving

sailboats everywhere

                                     

some from our large group were doing the bridge climb

We walked from there to our meeting point for our Rocks Pub Tour which started at 2 pm. Our guide with Tours By Locals, Rowan, was purchasing beers when we arrived at Fortune of War which claims to be the oldest bar in Sydney but not the oldest continuous bar which we went to later. 

Our group with Rowan

Look who we found having a beer, Clint our tour guide

After our drink, we walked out of the Rocks area into the Financial area for a bit of history, including a stop at Macquarie Place. Macquarie Place was the first formally laid out public space in Sydney in 1810, functioning as the town square. Along with Hyde Park, it is the oldest public park in Australia. Its size has been greatly reduced since colonial days. An obelisk from 1818 and designed by the New South Wales Government Architect, Francis Greenway, is located in the park and records the distance to various locations in New South Wales along the earliest roads developed in the colony. Later an anchor from the wreckage of the first ship to land in Australia, HMS Sirius, together with a cannon from the ship, were placed in the park.

Our next stop was the Australian Hotel. We ate outside and ordered a coat of arms pizza with kangaroo and emu toppings.

Google says that the Australia Hotel and Pub is one of the oldest continually licensed pubs in Sydney.The hotel still retains many of its original features, including the saloon bar, etched signage and pressed metal ceilings.   

Third stop was Lord Nelson’s which our guide said was the oldest continuous bar in Sydney, established in 1841. Hmmm, is Google correct or is our guide. One of  the beers is Quale Ale, named after Dan Quale who visited the bar. The bar is across from the harbor and has lots of naval pictures on the walls. 

Our last stop was the Hero of Waterloo, established over 170 years ago. It is a very small bar and was standing room only. 

After our last drink, Rowen escorted us through the train station and back to our hotel.

Some pictures along our walk this afternoon.

We were done for the night, except for Greg doing a load of laundry.

Sunday, May 26

Early wake-up call at 6 am with bags downstairs at 6:20 and a quick breakfast. We were on the bus by 7 am and at the airport at 7:30 for a 9:30 flight to Queenstown, NZ. The kiosks would not check us in so we had to go to a line that was not moving. Finally Clint recruited help and we were sent to a desk around the corner to check us in. There was basically one lady and she was slow as molasses. She got two other people to help and it finally started moving. We had to go through security then to a gate, then we were sent down stairs where a bus took us to our plane. Geez. But we all made it on the plane. Flight was uneventful, with lunch provided with choices. Going through immigration and customs was easy and the bus was waiting on us.

We had a two hour drive to Te Anau, passing along Lake Wakatipu, the 3rd largest lake in New Zealand. We saw lots and lots of sheep (not surprising) and herds of red deer that are farm raised along with cattle. NZ has no native animals, only birds which became extinct except for the kiwi bird, when the Maori tribes settled here750 - 800 years ago. The largest city is Auckland and the capital is Wellington.

Lake Wakatipu

                                              

                                                      
                                                

red deer

After arrival at the hotel, Discoveries, we went to our room and then down to dinner. We didn’t have dedicated long tables, instead a dedicated section and three choices for entree, main and dessert. A nice change. With a two hour time change we were ready for bed. The hotel is older but very clean, service is good and a great bathtub!

                                              

Monday May 27

Early wake-up with breakfast at 6:30 and a 7:30 departure in the dark. The high today is going to be 44 degrees so we are all bundled up. We have a 2 hour drive to the start of our tour through the Fiordland National Park to our to cruise to Milford Sound. The mountains were spectacular. Mt Cook is the highest peak at 11,000 ft. We stopped for a photo op at Eglintin Valley.

our route today

                                                   

                                            

                                            

Next stop was Mirror Lakes which was beautiful with the reflection of the snow topped mountains on the lakes. 

                                             

                                         

We made a potty break next followed by a photo op of Falls Creek with falls on both sides of the road.

                                             

                                          

                                          

                                              

                                              

We stopped at Monkey creek and then traveled through the Homer Tunnel. 

Keal Kea

We passed through the 45th parallel south on the way to Milford sound.

Our boat ride on Milford Sound was on the Milford Sovereign. Lunch was already on the table, a sandwich, pasta salad, cheese and crackers, apple and a brownie. Not bad but the scenery was better. Several nice waterfalls but it’s been dry the past few days so we didn’t see the 1000 waterfalls. The sun was shining and great weather for seeing the scenery.

brrrr

Two hour trip back by the same road we traveled this morning.

We had a small break. Greg walked across the street and used the ATM and bought me a coke.

We met Clint downstairs and walked across the road to the ferry that would take us to the Glowworms. Wasn’t sure what to expect but it was pretty cool. When we got to the caves we watched two films and then walked through the cave having to bend under in places so not to hit our heads but it wasn’t too bad. Then we boarded a boat that took us in total darkness to see the glowworms, which are really larvae that are hanging from a thin thread similar to fishing wire or a spider’s web. They produce a blue-green bioluminescence. We could not take pictures.

After the boat ride back we stopped at Red Cliff Bar and Restaurant. Greg and I both had the venison salad which was really good.

We decided to walk back to the hotel for a nightcap but the bartender said they were closing at 8:30 but the door said open late. Guess we looked disappointed and she said we could order one round. Then they brought out this huge cheese board which was nice.

Tues, May 28

Up early again. Breakfast at 7 and luggage on board by 7:45. We are headed back to Queenstown, stopping at Arrowtown, an old gold rush town, located on the banks of the Arrow River where it joined with another river to look like an arrow. The town was formed in 1862 and today is surrounded by wineries and multimillion dollar homes. Average price of a home is 2 million. We wandered for an hour buying a t-shirt and magnet.

 

Back on the bus headed to Bob’s Peak where we rode the gondola to the top and enjoyed the beautiful views and a tasty lunch at the cafe. Many of us enjoyed the potato and leek soup. Part of the group elected to take the luge ride. 

                                         

At 2 we met back at the bus and headed to our hotel, Holiday Inn Express, which is located at the top of a very tall hill. Clint offered to do a walk orientation through town but we weren’t interested in walking down then climbing the hill back, walking down to dinner then climbing back again so we passed. Plus a little down time seemed like a good idea. Mary, Greg, and I Ubered and met the others at an Irish Pub, Pog Mahones. The pub was built in Ireland, shipped and assembled in Queenstown. Very authentic. Greg had Guinness and beef pie with a Kilkenny beer and I had Lamb stew. Both were excellent. After a couple of drinks we headed back to the hotel.

Guinness and Beef Pie

Wed May 29

Greg signed up for the Milford Sound scenic plane ride but it was too windy and cloudy and was canceled. Greg went with Lisa, Ronnie, and Steve to town and ate at Fergburger’s to have their highly touted hamburger.

                                             

   

    

ice cream for dessert

                                                   

                                                

Lisa, Ronnie and Steve went white water rafting

Mary and I  joined 8 others on a 6 hour wine tour, visiting 4 wineries. All the wineries are in Gibbston Valley the heart of Otago wine country, most noted for their award winning Pinot Noir. The first winery in the valley was started by an Irish gentleman. The original vines were planted 1983 and today 80% of the vines are Pinot Noir.

We made a quick stop at Kawarau Bungy Center and saw a jumper. The view from here was beautiful but it was very cold and windy so quickly back to the van.

                                            

Our first winery was Gibbston Winery and was the original winery started by Allan Brady. Here we had a tour of the facilities. The wine is aged in a cave that they blasted out side of the hill. We tasted three wines in the cave, a Reisling, a Rose and a Pinot Noir.

                                              

                                          

 

They had a great selection of cheeses

                                                 

The 2nd winery was Kinross which represented 5 different wineries. We tasted a Fume Blanc which is the name for a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Blanc which many liked but me not so much, a Pinot Noir Storm Cloud 2023 by Kinross which is a blend of grapes from different fields, a Pinot Noir by Valli which isn't a blend, each wine is unique to the vineyard. The one we tasted was from the Bannockburn vineyard which is the warmest and driest region. The 2022 vintage needs 4-5 more years to age to its full potential. Mary and I bought one bottle to share but we will have to drink it before we go to Fiji! So much for aging. The last was a Pinot Noir by Wild Irishman which is from Allan Brady’s retirement vineyard. The 2023 Tuturi Pinot Noir costs 99 NZ dollars and less than 7000 bottles were produced.

We reported our lunch to our guide Do and ate at the cafe at Kinross. Mary and I split a mushroom pizza and order of fries. It was way too much food but very tasty.

Third winery was Mt Rosa which began in 2000. We tasted a Rose, Gamay Noir, 2 Pinot Noirs and a Mulled wine, which was the best of the 5.

                                    

The last winery was The Church Cellar Door, the building was a Presbyterian Church built in 1894 and moved to the site in 2000. We tasted a Stronsay Chardonnay, Mt Edward Gruner Veltliner 2018, Mt Edward Riesling, a Ted Pinot Noir 2021 which is blended from all 4 of their vineyards, and Mt Edward Pinot Noir 2020.

After much wine we headed back to Queenstown where our guide dropped us at the wharf where we were meeting Clint for our tour, Walter Peak, Lake Cruise and Dinner. We boarded the 1912 Edwardian twin screw steamship TSS Ernslaw which is the only remaining commercial passenger-carrying coal-fired steamship in the southern hemisphere. We cruised across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak, one of NZ most famous sheep and cattle stations. The steamship had a bar and piano player on the top floor. We had a very entertaining trip over with a young couple taking hundreds of pictures of themselves in very sexy poses. We may have gotten a bit silly imitating them.

The TSS Ernslaw

scenery on the trip over

                                                                     

Our sexy couple taking a break from their posing 

Restaurant at Walter Peak

waiting to get into the restaurant

                            

After arriving at Walter Peak we were directed to the dining room where we had a wonderful buffet with lamb, beef, pork, chicken and lots of sides and tasty desserts. 

We were curious what was under the large serving piece and the answer was ....nada

                                                

Following dinner we watched a sheep shearing demonstration.  It was outside but blankets were provided.

After the ride back we Ubered to the hotel and called it a night.

Thursday May 30

A bit of a sleep in and off to the airport at 9:15 am for a 11:45 flight to Wellington connecting to Rotorua. The first flight left a bit late but arrived on time. We had 1.5 hours between flights so we stopped for lunch at a hamburger cafe. They sure like their catsup, mayonnaise and special sauces on their burgers and I miss the lettuce, tomato and pickles! Our flight to Rotorua left almost 2 hours late and was a turbo prop but was a comfortable ride and the altitude was lower so we saw the snow covered volcanoes with the craters frozen with ice then followed by a very green valley and lots of tall trees. California redwoods were planted here and have done really well. Our hotel is Novotel Lakeside. We were a little worried about this hotel as our two prior experiences with Novotel have not been good, but the room is very nice, large with a chair, sofa and long desk and a tub. We did not sign up for the excursion tonight so we had a drink in the bar and then walked across the street to “Eats Street” and ate at Lone Star Restaurant. I had the Green-lipped Mussels which are native to New Zealand. They were excellent. Greg was missing home and had tacos.

Mr Brindle grabbing a ride

Friday May 31

An 8:45 start to Whakarewarewa Village which is home to thermal springs, bubbly hot pools and a geyser. It is a Māori village that has been sharing their way of life for over 200 years. We had a native guide show us her home, described their traditions and lifestyle and how they have adopted and survived to live on top of a geothermal plateau.

                                    

Gate to the community

village shops

                                      

our guide

                                           

our group

                                               

geyser

church with cemetery next door

cemetery

food cooked in the ground with steam

we tasted the steamed sweet corn

                                    

communal bath

Lots of statues with tongues sticking out

Our next stop was the Mountain Jade and Jade Carving Studio. A sales stop but did learn a bit about jade carving. Jade in New Zealand is only found in the South Island and is called pounamu. However, the carving studio is in the North Island. In the early history of NZ jade was used to create weapons for fighting and defense. Pounamu is valued and passed down through generations and carries with it rich histories, stories, and the spirit of previous owners.

                                                    

Skyline Gondola was our next stop. The mountain was not as tall as the previous gondola ride but gave us a nice view of Lake Rotorua and the town. After lunch at our leisure, we met at 1 for a wine tasting. The wineries in Queenstown have nothing to worry about. After our gondola ride down the bus dropped us off at the hotel. 

                                     

gondolas

                                     

eating al fresco

Steve luging again

   

entrance to the wine tasting

                                                 

Some chose to go to the thermal spa and mud baths.

Lori enjoying her mud bath

Greg and I walked to a souvenir shop for a magnet and a coke. Back to the hotel to clean up for tonight's excursion.

Tonight’s dinner was included. We visited Rika Whanau, a traditional Māori village for a private home hosted dinner. Maria and her family have been hosting and sharing their traditions for two years. We started with chips, dips and beer or wine social time then a welcoming ceremony. Dinner was lamb and chicken with lots of sides. After dinner the younger family members shared traditional Māori songs and dances along with a delicious dessert, moist cake and ice cream. Everyone enjoyed the evening.

Beautiful sunset as we arrive at the host's home

Lisa with our hostess

hostess's parents

hostess's son and daughter-in-law

hostess and Clint

                                                    
                                     

Sat June 1 first day of winter in NZ

Our bus left Rotorua for Auckland at 9:00. We made a coffee and potty break at Matamata around 10. Matamata is the drop off point for the Hobbiton Village, the movie set for the Hobbit movie, thus a busy little stop. It is also known for its thoroughbred horses.

Passed these structures in a small town, Tirau, made of corrugated steel.

busy coffee shop in Matamata

owner of the shop 

information office made a great photo op

                                      

A couple of hours later we stopped in Mission Bay, a seaside suburb of Auckland, named after a mission that was settled in 1840’s, by an Anglican priest.

We had 1.5 hr to eat lunch. We chose Mission Bay Tap Room which was on the second floor. Greg and I shared an order of Paella and it was excellent.

After lunch we drove toward the hotel, making one scenic stop at a park named for the first Labor Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage.

Our hotel for the next two nights is Rydges Hotel, a typical downtown hotel, a bit bigger room than a normal high rise hotel. Greg joined several others to attend a Rugby game. I passed on going and enjoyed a quiet evening in the hotel.

Sunday June 2

Early wake-up and met downstairs at 8:15 am to walk to the ferry to take us to Waiheke Island which is the 2nd largest island in the Gulf of New Zealand. The island has over 9000 residents and over 3000 vacation homes. Wineries and Olive trees are abundant and we visited 2 wineries and one Olive oil producer.

Our ferry ride over

                                          

Our guide today.  Good sense of humor with lots of information

our route today

Our first stop was Allpress Olive Groves where we sampled 5 different oils, olives, a jam and honey butter. The views from the property were very nice as well. 

view from Allpress

Next we stopped for a photo op overlooking a gorgeous beach, 

                                        

                                                

then on to our first winery, Batch Winery. Here we tasted a very light dry sparkling rose, a Chardonnay and a red bland of Merlot and Malbec. Most everyone preferred the Chardonnay which was light in color but had a buttery flavor. 

                                     

                                    

After the tasting, we toured the processing room. They used steel vats and French oak barrels for aging.

 After the tour we walked outside and enjoyed the hilltop views.

We had an hour and a half for lunch where we took Clint’s suggestion of fish and chips at Oyster Inn. The fish was excellent. 

                                    

                                          

We walked around the small town after lunch and bought our magnet.

We had one more tasting at Mudbrick Winery. The grounds were gorgeous and our wine host was Gabby from the US. She had worked in California and Finger Lakes before coming to NZ. Our first wine was a Pinot Gris which surprised us all as being very nice. 2nd was a Sauvignon Blanc which was not the best we have had, third was a rose which surprised us as well with a creamy taste and last was a Syrah which was pretty good. 

                                      

                                     

After the tasting we walked up the stairs to the terrace and again enjoyed the gorgeous views. 

After this it was time to head to the ferry. 

views from the ferry

After departing the ferry I walked back with the group but Mary and Greg grabbed an Uber.

a protest made walking back interesting but it was faster than the Uber!

We met Mary and Steve at 5 to share the bottle of wine Mary and I bought in Rotorua. Greg and Steve agreed it was good. We met in the bar at 5:45 for a meeting with those who are going on to Fiji then we had our farewell dinner.  

Guys hamming it up

Monday June 3 Auckland to Fiji

Up stupid early and off to the airport for a 9:45 departure. Again Air New Zealand makes checking in super easy. All digital and everything works perfectly. It was a huge plane, Boeing 787. We had row 49. Flight was 3 hours. 

Treated to a beautiful sunrise on the way to the airport

Luggage was off when we finished with immigration which was a slow process. Walking through customs was easy where we sent our luggage through X-rays again. 

Musicians welcoming us to Fiji

Elizabeth, the EF rep, met us as we departed and on the bus to Rendezvous Blu which runs on very slow island time. Elizabeth was new to EF and definitely over her head.  Every thing was super slow and totally disorganized. We were one of the last ones to get our room key. The resort is under reconstruction and the swim up pool is closed as is the pool grill. Not too impressed yet, but James did hang with us to get our room keys to us as soon as our room was ready and took us and our luggage to the room. The room is large and is pretty nice and the grounds of the hotel are very pretty,

hotel lobby

hibiscus petals on the bed each night

 After getting into our room I quickly put on my bathing suit and went in search of Mary. We spent the rest of the afternoon at the adult pool. Many of the ladies joined us later.  

As the sun was getting close to setting we went in search of a bar and watched the sun going down with Bloody Mary and Jameson in hand. Time for dinner but not many options. Italian, Thai, Lebanese (not really a choice) and the grill which is where the families were. We asked at the Italian, Basilica, and surprisingly they seated our group of 7. It was an excellent meal with good service.

cocktails before dinner

hotel grounds were very pretty at night

                                        

Tuesday June 4

Breakfast in the Asian restaurant which is adults only and over looks the waterfall. Nice selection with omelets which was a nice change.

We met Elizabeth at 8:30 to go to the marina for our cruise to Tivua Island with Captain Cook Cruises.

                                      

                                              

Definitely island time but eventually we set off for our 90 min ride to the island on the Spirit of the Pacific. They serenaded as we left port. Seas were calm for a nice ride. 

                                         

                                           

We reserved a cabana for the stay which had 2 loungers and 2 chairs. The beach and water were beautiful. Some snorkeled and some went in the glass bottom boat and some just relaxed on the beach. There was a lunch buffet at 1 and we headed back at 3:30.

                       

                                          

                                    

                                                   

View from our cabana

View of the island and our boat from the glass bottom boat

                     

a pick up volley ball game

snorkelers

After the boat ride we came right back to the hotel. Greg had found a Mexican Restaurant right outside the hotel but we wanted to clean up first. After a much needed shower we walked to Mamacita which is part of the Wyndham Hotel next door. Food was really good and as we were finishing there was a native dance show. Not terribly professional but a nice touch.

Wed June 5

A totally free day for us. We decided not to do the optional village tour. After breakfast Mary and I went in search of a Bloody Mary. One bar didn’t open until 10 and the other at 11. Hmmm

We settled in at the adult pool where most of our group joined us at some time in the day. Drinks, food, sun, and deep conversation was had by all. 

Tonight was the farewell dinner but we were separated by two restaurants. Many went early for a pre dinner drink and watch the sunset. We were back in the Italian restaurant but with a set menu it wasn’t anywhere as good as the first night. Both groups met after dinner at the ocean deck for a farewell drink but while the space was reserved there seemed to be a disagreement about whether a drink was included or not. After much deliberation we were offered a house wine or beer.