Auckland, Parnell, New Zealand
World Trip Two
Thursday, April 3, 2009: Kona, Hawaii
I really need to lose a few pounds.
We visited an actual sandy beach. It was fantastic to swim in the blue, clear Pacific Ocean and be pushed about by
the surging waves.
The weather was warm but not too humid, which added to our pleasure. We took a shuttle ride out to the beach and walked back to the hotel.
I must say, I really enjoyed our last day in Kona.
Friday, April 4, 2009
A fantastic sunrise over the mid-Pacific.
We spent the morning at the pool and the rest of the day traveling from Kona to Honolulu and then on to New Zealand. We
met a group of army folks at the Kona airport and chatted with one for a while. She
noticed my Australian cap and wanted to know if I was from Australia, sharing how much she wanted to visit.
It turned out her group was not scheduled to be sent into harm's way any time soon. I was glad to hear this because they all seemed so very young.
The rest of our day and evening was spent, as so much time is when traveling,
waiting to get on an airplane. Of course, once on the airplane, you end up waiting
to get off it.
Saturday, April 5, 2009: Over the Pacific
Thank you Google Maps.
You can see from this photo that New Zealand sits right on top of a junction
of two tectonic plates. This is why there are so many volcanoes, geysers, and
tall mountains in New Zealand.
I really like Air New Zealand. Everything about this airline is friendly,
professional, and good. Even flying in the cheap seats, as we were, we had
personal video screens, good food, and drinks. It is my favorite airline.
Sunday, April 5, 2009: Auckland, New Zealand
I am a happy camper at lunch on Parnell Street.
New Zealand has always been one of my favorite places to visit. Over the years, I
have been here five or six times, for business or skiing. In all of my visits, I
have never really come here just to see the place. I have fit some
sightseeing in between work and ski trips, but never a dedicated sightseeing
visit.
Julia and I landed in Auckland, missing a day and many hours of sleep. But the
sun was warm, the sky was blue, and the air was cool. We felt very tired but at
the same time compelled to take a look around.
Julia had found a terrific serviced apartment in Parnell for us to spend our
first night. It was a great place equipped with a small kitchen and a
washer-dryer. These two things are of high value during extended travel, as the
kitchen enables you to make your own meals, and clothes just keep getting
dirty. After a shower and brush-up, we extracted ourselves from our
comfortable abode and took a walk down Parnell Road. It reminded us
of so many streets in San Francisco, filled with open restaurants and chichi
shops. After a cappuccino, we headed for Auckland Domain, a park containing the Auckland Natural
History Museum. We soon found ourselves on a hiking path that meandered
through a native forest. We could not have had a better experience. The path led
to the museum, which was fine, even though its collections were a bit of a
hodgepodge. But the erupting volcano exhibit was worth the price of admission.
New Zealand Plan Video
Trip Stats
Miles Flown: 7,111
Miles Hiked: 16