Started this journal entry on my flight home on April 20th. Just finished it and am now posting!...
So here I am on a plane almost to Austin. Can't believe it's all said and done. Seven countries explored and approximately 11 of the most amazing weeks of my life have been lived. What experiences and adventures that will forever be on my mind and in my heart. All began after an eventful year of witnessing the miracles of life and health. I thank God every day that I was able to do this trip and that I and my family stayed healthy and happy. What a blessing it has been!
Now on to continuing life's celebrations, marriages coming up (whoop whoop Megan-can't wait for this BIG WEST TEXAS DAY!!!), Eli's baptism, gathering with friends and family, oh and yeah, finding a job to continue a career that I love. On to making the most of everyday with a smile and a positive attitude as these passing moments are precious. I found that all of these people in all of these different places with all of these different backgrounds, religions, relationships, jobs, etc. are doing what we are all doing...just living life day by day finding their own joy, making their own happiness, embracing the good and their own Gods, families, friends...we have that in common and it's a beautiful very small world when you think about it...all thriving off of love...without it we'd have none of the above.
The end of the NZ trip couldn't have been any better. We spent the night in Christchurch in jail of all places...a hostel that was in an old jail house;). Cool building, but a little creepy to sleep in a cell. The weather kind of went with the mood there, dreary and rainy, only had the evening to walk around the garden city, and saw remnants still of the significant destruction caused by the earthquakes here in 2010 and 2011. There was a whole section in the center of town called the "red zone" still fenced off as it's deemed unsafe to walk through. Next to this we walked around a cute little street with shops and cafes and by the earthquake museum, although most were housed in shipping containers since the quake. Saw the old gothic style church still with scaffolding and fencing around it, but the botanical gardens across the street were green and happy...and wet;). Had dinner at a joint down the street for a pizza/drink deal and swing dancing followed, but we didn't stay for that. We were exhausted from a day on the bus (with lots of nice stops in cute little coastal towns along the way) and also decided to plan out an escape from 2 more days on the bus. They were basically going to backtrack from Kiakoura to Wellington and then Auckland. The bus rides have been a fantastic way to really see and experience the country, but we wanted to shorten the travel time before jumping on our long flights home.
The next AM the bus was on it's way to Kiakoura, but it was decided whale watching should be cancelled as rain was present and we had word waters were rough and the whales weren't really out. We stopped in Hamner Springs to enjoy the natural hot springs spa, and me, Ria and Nicola just decided to stay. It was a nice relaxing day in the quaint town nestled down in the mountain valley. The trees were shades of red and yellow, I watched the sunset as I walked though the little mountain neighborhoods, and Nicola and I dined on some exquisite Indian cuisine that was just what the doctor ordered. Also enjoyed a bottle of NZ Sauvignon Blanc. We stayed in a cozy house with a yard, living room, kitchen!, 2 bedrooms for an amazing price and it just felt like home.
Next day caught the 2 hr bus ride back to Christchurch airport and flew direct to Auckland (only 1.5 hr flight)-so great. Had same type of hotel there-apt. style-and had drinks and food on the harbour. Went to the top of the Sky Tower that night to watch Auckland sparkle and laughed all the way home being giddy and silly.
Next day Ria wanted to get some trip planning done (she's headed to AUS, then back to NZ, and has already been to Bali), so Nicola and I took a ferry to the spectacular Waiheke Island for an afternoon of winery tours and indulgence;). Ferry took 40 minutes and made friends with the westie who enjoyed lounging on Nicola's jacket. Weather initially was awesome with sun shining and blue skies.
The island was very picturesque with rolling hills and small lovely beaches and coves. Lots of trees, twists and turns, ups and downs on the roads, and laid back village-like seaside communities. It's known for it's art galleries, sculptor gardens, jazz festival, National park with bush walks, horseback riding, sea kayaking, mountain biking, beaches, musicians, olive groves and wineries...my kind of place!;). Only 8,000 live on the island, but of course this number swells during the tourist season which is coming to an end there in NZ with autumn now in full force. Our timing for our trip was just perfect and overall the weather has really cooperated with us.
First stop was Mudbrick Winery overlooking the Matiatia Ferry Warf and harbour with great views of downtown Auckland. Learned about the young accountant couple that took the risk approx. 20 yrs. ago to open a tasting room in their own 1992 home made from mudbrick; and soon enough they were expanding and buying more land to keep up with the demand for their wines. There's 1-2 weddings held there daily during the high season and the views were just tranquil and spectacular all at the same time. A helicopter came in with a tour, as we were on ours, up on the hill, and we sampled a fantastic Chardonnay (I normally don't care for Chardonnays, but this one was delicious-now wish I bought a bottle), a Boudreaux blend that was excellent and a young 2012 Syrah that was pretty good. Nicola and I also treated ourselves to a purchase of Chardonnay soap...can't wait for a proper bath!
Next stop was The Goldie Room. The first winery established on the island in 1979. The lady was so sweet and served delicious breads, NZ honey, NZ olive oil, walnuts, Brie and Blue cheese. Decor was a shabby chic and really appreciated all of the old furniture in the barn-like tasting room. Bright pink bougainvillea draped across the front which faced 2 hills covered in grape vines. We walked to the top of the hill with views of the rugged island, coves, boats and colorful autumn trees-so beautiful! Sampled a citrusy, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc and bought a bottle, another Chardonnay and a smoky red...with dark chocolate chips!!! Mmmm Mmmm!
Final stop was Te Whau (pronounced "tee fow"-in Maori the w's are pronounced with an f sound), which I think means "The Point". It was obviously out on a point with magnificent views, although rain did end up rolling in while we were there. It's also well known for its fine dining restaurant. A resident cat found its perch in my lap and we sampled a delicious red blend from different years. The "father" blend was accidental as that year (I think it was 2008) the owner explained how the weather was strange, but the wine turned out to be fabulous. He was fabulous. A little pretentious, but just enough to make you believe he must be someone special. He's a retired psychologist and I enjoyed all of the information he shared about his prized blend (I bought the younger cheaper version;) and I admired his cool spectacles (he designed them himself-they were crescent shaped-very interesting).
Now on to continuing life's celebrations, marriages coming up (whoop whoop Megan-can't wait for this BIG WEST TEXAS DAY!!!), Eli's baptism, gathering with friends and family, oh and yeah, finding a job to continue a career that I love. On to making the most of everyday with a smile and a positive attitude as these passing moments are precious. I found that all of these people in all of these different places with all of these different backgrounds, religions, relationships, jobs, etc. are doing what we are all doing...just living life day by day finding their own joy, making their own happiness, embracing the good and their own Gods, families, friends...we have that in common and it's a beautiful very small world when you think about it...all thriving off of love...without it we'd have none of the above.
The end of the NZ trip couldn't have been any better. We spent the night in Christchurch in jail of all places...a hostel that was in an old jail house;). Cool building, but a little creepy to sleep in a cell. The weather kind of went with the mood there, dreary and rainy, only had the evening to walk around the garden city, and saw remnants still of the significant destruction caused by the earthquakes here in 2010 and 2011. There was a whole section in the center of town called the "red zone" still fenced off as it's deemed unsafe to walk through. Next to this we walked around a cute little street with shops and cafes and by the earthquake museum, although most were housed in shipping containers since the quake. Saw the old gothic style church still with scaffolding and fencing around it, but the botanical gardens across the street were green and happy...and wet;). Had dinner at a joint down the street for a pizza/drink deal and swing dancing followed, but we didn't stay for that. We were exhausted from a day on the bus (with lots of nice stops in cute little coastal towns along the way) and also decided to plan out an escape from 2 more days on the bus. They were basically going to backtrack from Kiakoura to Wellington and then Auckland. The bus rides have been a fantastic way to really see and experience the country, but we wanted to shorten the travel time before jumping on our long flights home.
The next AM the bus was on it's way to Kiakoura, but it was decided whale watching should be cancelled as rain was present and we had word waters were rough and the whales weren't really out. We stopped in Hamner Springs to enjoy the natural hot springs spa, and me, Ria and Nicola just decided to stay. It was a nice relaxing day in the quaint town nestled down in the mountain valley. The trees were shades of red and yellow, I watched the sunset as I walked though the little mountain neighborhoods, and Nicola and I dined on some exquisite Indian cuisine that was just what the doctor ordered. Also enjoyed a bottle of NZ Sauvignon Blanc. We stayed in a cozy house with a yard, living room, kitchen!, 2 bedrooms for an amazing price and it just felt like home.
Next day caught the 2 hr bus ride back to Christchurch airport and flew direct to Auckland (only 1.5 hr flight)-so great. Had same type of hotel there-apt. style-and had drinks and food on the harbour. Went to the top of the Sky Tower that night to watch Auckland sparkle and laughed all the way home being giddy and silly.
Next day Ria wanted to get some trip planning done (she's headed to AUS, then back to NZ, and has already been to Bali), so Nicola and I took a ferry to the spectacular Waiheke Island for an afternoon of winery tours and indulgence;). Ferry took 40 minutes and made friends with the westie who enjoyed lounging on Nicola's jacket. Weather initially was awesome with sun shining and blue skies.
The island was very picturesque with rolling hills and small lovely beaches and coves. Lots of trees, twists and turns, ups and downs on the roads, and laid back village-like seaside communities. It's known for it's art galleries, sculptor gardens, jazz festival, National park with bush walks, horseback riding, sea kayaking, mountain biking, beaches, musicians, olive groves and wineries...my kind of place!;). Only 8,000 live on the island, but of course this number swells during the tourist season which is coming to an end there in NZ with autumn now in full force. Our timing for our trip was just perfect and overall the weather has really cooperated with us.
First stop was Mudbrick Winery overlooking the Matiatia Ferry Warf and harbour with great views of downtown Auckland. Learned about the young accountant couple that took the risk approx. 20 yrs. ago to open a tasting room in their own 1992 home made from mudbrick; and soon enough they were expanding and buying more land to keep up with the demand for their wines. There's 1-2 weddings held there daily during the high season and the views were just tranquil and spectacular all at the same time. A helicopter came in with a tour, as we were on ours, up on the hill, and we sampled a fantastic Chardonnay (I normally don't care for Chardonnays, but this one was delicious-now wish I bought a bottle), a Boudreaux blend that was excellent and a young 2012 Syrah that was pretty good. Nicola and I also treated ourselves to a purchase of Chardonnay soap...can't wait for a proper bath!
Next stop was The Goldie Room. The first winery established on the island in 1979. The lady was so sweet and served delicious breads, NZ honey, NZ olive oil, walnuts, Brie and Blue cheese. Decor was a shabby chic and really appreciated all of the old furniture in the barn-like tasting room. Bright pink bougainvillea draped across the front which faced 2 hills covered in grape vines. We walked to the top of the hill with views of the rugged island, coves, boats and colorful autumn trees-so beautiful! Sampled a citrusy, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc and bought a bottle, another Chardonnay and a smoky red...with dark chocolate chips!!! Mmmm Mmmm!
Final stop was Te Whau (pronounced "tee fow"-in Maori the w's are pronounced with an f sound), which I think means "The Point". It was obviously out on a point with magnificent views, although rain did end up rolling in while we were there. It's also well known for its fine dining restaurant. A resident cat found its perch in my lap and we sampled a delicious red blend from different years. The "father" blend was accidental as that year (I think it was 2008) the owner explained how the weather was strange, but the wine turned out to be fabulous. He was fabulous. A little pretentious, but just enough to make you believe he must be someone special. He's a retired psychologist and I enjoyed all of the information he shared about his prized blend (I bought the younger cheaper version;) and I admired his cool spectacles (he designed them himself-they were crescent shaped-very interesting).
That night Ria, Nicola and I went out for our last supper;) at a pub down the street. Enjoyed hoegaarden beers the size of our heads and I had my last fish and chips dinner.
Next day we had lunch together and then I was on my way to see the Auckland War Museum. I teared up as I said goodbye; knowing that I was really going to miss the girls and that my trip was coming to an end.
In the museum I focused on the Maori and Pacific Islanders cultural exhibits which were excellent. I walked the park and got caught in some rain. Came back to the hotel to then catch my flight home on that eve of April 20th which brings me back to when I started this entry on my final flight from LA to Austin. I went back in time during my jump across the pond while watching The Hobbit; both in that I gained a day back in life;) and I got to see the magnificent beauty of New Zealand yet once again. What an amazing ride this has all been! Until the next time...cheers!
Sara
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