Have you ever traveled backwards? Since Alan and I boarded the Regent ship, Mariner, in Auckland, we have done exactly that. In 2005, we sailed on the Voyager from Los Angeles to Sydney via French Polynesia where we fell in love with the gentle South Pacific Islands and warm, lazy sea days. Now, we are retracing our steps through the area on a cruise from Auckland to LA. Today the ship is anchored in Bay of Islands, New Zealand. On our last stop here, we explored the quaint town of Russell plus attended a Maori cultural experience at the Treaty House. [View Full Entry]

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After saying goodbye to our guide, Robert, Alan and I exchange the sunny South Island weather for a rainy weekend in Auckland. We are meeting a group of cruisers that we know from the internet. On Monday, we board the Regent ship, Mariner, for the trip back to Los Angeles. Our rooms at the Sky City Hotel offer a central location in the heart of Auckland. Since this is our second visit here, Alan and I spend the first day catching up on sleep and resting from our South Island adventure. What do you do in Auckland when the weather is [View Full Entry]

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This morning’s drive from Wanaka to Queenstown takes us along the Crown Range Road and gold mining country. Our route follows the Cadrona River through a Montana-like landscape of hills and grasslands as we listen to folksinger, Martin Curtis, sing “One Up, Two Down” on the car’s cd player. A cloudy view of the Remarkables waits as we approach Queenstown. When the road descends to flat land, Robert turns left towards Gibbston Valley wine country. Although it’s too [View Full Entry]

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I should have known it. The first time our Maori driver spins the jet boat around, Alan says, “I gotta get me one of these.” The wind whistles around the corner at Wanaka Springs Lodge this morning. Will we be able to take our jet boat ride today? While Lynn and Murray cook a breakfast of poached eggs, broiled tomatoes and mushrooms, we sit at the dining room table discussing our options. Robert assures us we will be sheltered from the winds in the river valley. So, we walk down the hill into town beside gardens that flourish on the edge [View Full Entry]

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“This is the most scenic drive in all of New Zealand,” Robert says as we start our journey from Franz Joseph to Wanaka. The route winds along the West coast through the mountains then dips into valleys with wide riverbeds full of glacial debris and water so clear that it reflects the deep, blue sky. When it’s time for a “flat white,” we stop at a combination restaurant and salmon farm. A wooden boardwalk wanders through the trees and beside four tanks holding salmon that are swimming round and round. Our coffee break over, Robert drives a while longer then s [View Full Entry]

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After a hearty breakfast at Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat, Robert drives us to Fox Glacier for another walk. This time, he doesn’t have to remind Alan to stay behind the ropes. It’s too cold for any mishaps. Fox Glacier is much steeper than Franz Joseph. The ice takes a sharp dogleg to the right making it hard to see the upper reaches of the glacier, especially on a cloudy day. I’m not sure if it’s the v-shaped valley or the low clouds, but we really feel the cold. The easy hike is along a low ridge that hugs the riverbed [View Full Entry]

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At Franz Josef Glacier, Robert parks the car, then walks with us on the paved path to the viewing area. It seems odd to be traveling through a temperate rainforest to reach a pile of cold ice. Trees arch overhead forming a green tunnel while birds entertain us with their songs. At the end of the pavement, Robert encourages us to walk the path in the riverbed to the foot of the glacier. “It will take about 45 minutes but be sure to stay behind the ropes,” he says. “It’s dangerous to go any farther.” When Alan and I enter the [View Full Entry]

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When planning our trip with Robert, we asked for interesting walks during our driving journeys. So, on our way from Nelson to Hokitika, we stop at an abandoned rail line to walk through Kalwatiri tunnel. Stepping through the tunnel’s dark mouth, water drips onto our heads and I’m relieved to see light from the other side. To return, we take a short walk through a natural beech forest and across a bridge where crystal clear water reflects the yellow shrubs that line the shore. At Murchison, we stop for lunch at Rivers Café, a combination restaurant, gallery and internet café. The [View Full Entry]

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Our guide, Robert, has planned a day to satisfy both the shopper and nature lover. But first, we linger over breakfast , which our host, Wayne, has prepared. After cereal, fruit and granola, Wayne’s wife, Val, serves the hot dish, Mediterranean tomatoes - broiled tomatoes with Canadian bacon accented with herbs and cheese, all served over toast. We walk into Nelson’s town center to sample the Saturday market where Robert seems to know everyone. Rows of tents house produce and fl [View Full Entry]

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Flying into Nelson from Auckland on a prop plane makes our long awaited New Zealand land trip feel like an adventure. Peering down from the sky, we see black sand beaches and miles of farms neatly parceled out into the landscape as the plane crosses over the North Island. Then, we’re over water on our way to the South Island where the turquoise water off the Nelson coast reminds me of a South Pacific Island lagoon. After exiting onto the tarmac at Nelson, we walk to the small terminal. Our guide, Robert Panzer, says hello, then leads us out onto the [View Full Entry]

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