Saying Goodbye to New Zealand

My sky dive was over Abel Tasman National Park and I got the best views of the Park from 16 500 feet. However, kayaking the next day was also amazing and offered spectacular views as well. At low tide, when we went out, you have to take a tractor out to the water (it's a fair way from the boardwalk). We kayaked around Fisherman Island, where we debarked for some morning tea and to stretch our legs.

We then continued on to Adele Island, home of fur seals, but sadly didn't see many. We continued onto Akersten Bay where we stopped for lunch and a sunbathe. I went for a short hike and saw some terrific views of Adele Island. There's the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, which I would love to explore one day when I have the right equipment. On the way back the tide was in, so we had that much farther to kayak in to shore. It was a bit of challenge, especially since our boat seemed to have a mind of its own when it came to directions! We did, however, manage to get back safely. That night we went to Fat Tui's for dinner and had the largest burgers I've ever seen (I had the veggie option, which was fantastic) to cap off our last night on the South Island.

The next day it was off to Nelson for a hike to 'the Centre of New Zealand' and lunch. Nelson is wonderfully situated by National Parks, which makes it a great jumping off point. I think next time I'm in New Zealand, I will spend more time there as well. The Centre of New Zealand was a short hike up Botanical Hill to a viewpoint that overlooked Nelson. You could see Abel Tasman National Park from the top, which was beautiful. Here we said goodbye to our guide Emma, as she was going on holidays with her family. Thanks for the memories!

We said goodbye to Grant in Picton after visiting Forrest Wines. That evening we took the ferry from Picton to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. The ferry ride offered gorgeous views of the sounds as we passed through.

A couple of us decided to stay at the YHA in Wellington, which was a good choice, as it was clean and quiet. The following day was a public holiday (Wellington Day) and most shops were closed. We did manage to find a restaurant open that served us breakfast before heading to the railway station to meet our new guides.

Back on the bus, we were heading north, up to the Bay of Islands. Unfortunately, the clutch on the bus gave out and we ended up spending an afternoon in Levin, where there wasn't much to see or do. We did end up at a very nice camp site that was off the itinerary, so that was a bonus. The next day we continued our journey North, stopping at Waitomo Caves to see the glow worms. They looked like constellations on the cave's ceiling! That night we were in Auckland again before heading to Paihia in the Bay of Islands. That night was a cultural show at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It was excellent. Told through music and dance, it featured a grandfather telling his granddaughter the story of New Zealand and how the Maori people came to be.

The following day we took She's a Lady, a beautiful sailing boat, out to Stingray Cove on one of the bay's islands. I hiked up the hill to have awesome 360 degree views. Our skipper also made us lunch to order, which was delicious. Carol and I went for a swim in the sea as well, which was fantastic! The water was cool, but you got used to it fast. We swam around the sailing boat before returning to the beach. It was a lovely afternoon.

The next day, my last day with Flying Kiwi, saw us hop on and off the bus quite a few times to see big Kauri trees, similar to the ones in Pemberton, where I worked when I was in Western Australia four years ago. They were quite impressive and pictures can't do them justice, they were indeed massive. This is a picture of Tane Mahuta, the largest Kauri tree in New Zealand. Without someone standing in front of it for perspective, it's hard to appreciate how big it truly is.

Our last night was spent at a holiday park. Carol and I went for a long walk along the beach. It was an uneventful end to such a terrific holiday. Our Flying Kiwi guides were awesome and the stops we made on our tour of New Zealand were, for the most part, outstanding. I had an amazing four weeks with many highlights, including kayaking Cathedral Cove and Abel Tasman, parasailing in Queenstown, sky diving, glacier hiking, swimming in the sea.... It was a wonderful holiday and I'm so happy I got to spend four weeks in New Zealand. I will definitely be back to explore some of New Zealand more in depth, including Nelson, the Abel Tasman Coastal Track and the Routeburn Track.

While the recounting of my Flying Kiwi Ultimate Adventure is now over, I hope you stay tuned to read about my teaching exchange in Karratha, Western Australia, the real purpose of this blog. Entries to be posted soon!