I woke up this morning feeling a bit sad that we were already leaving the North Island. We had so much fun there! We were off to an early start, having to drive four hours to Wellington to catch our afternoon ferry. We made it in plenty of time, stopping for lunch at Subway on the way down. Familiarity is good when you don't have much time. It was an intermittently rainy, sunny, foggy day. It was actually chilly enough on the ferry that jeans and a rain jacket felt good - weird in summertime! The ferry was beautiful despite the low visibility. Aaron really wanted to go find a comfortable seat inside where it was warm and dry, but I couldn't bring myself to go inside when 1. I can sit inside all winter in ... read more

Yesterday was such a great day! We arrived at Tongariro National Park early in the morning, and spent the morning and afternoon enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Staff at our lodge recommended the Taranaki Falls Loop for a great hike...how did she know I love waterfalls?! It was such a beautiful day outside, 70 degrees and sunny with a gentle breeze. It just doesn't get much nicer than that! The views were spectacular, too. When we arrived at the falls after about an hour of hiking, we sat on the boulders near the plunge pool and relaxed, cooling off in the spray. Both of us were in awe of the beauty of the place. We made it back to the lodge around five last night, cooked dinner in the community kitchen, and did laundry. New Zealand is ... read more

Day two started very early for us! We were up at 4:15am and eating breakfast in the room at 4:30. That sounds really early, and it is, but you must know that after our fun morning at Ambury Regional Park yesterday morning, we checked in to the motel, had lunch, shopped for a few breakfast items and snacks, and decided to take a nap before a planned night out for dinner and a stroll in Auckland. We laid down for the nap at 3pm, and woke up this morning at 4:15am. Yes, we slept for over 13 hours! We were wiped out! We each woke up from time to time during that long stretch, but we were both so tired we didn't bother to wake the other for dinner. If you know me at all, you ... read more

Hello from New Zealand! We are so excited to be here! Flight was great, seats were comfortable, and we slept some - not enough, but some. I timed our flight, and it took us just over 12 hours to get here. A few bumps as we crossed the equator, but we expected that. Passport Control at AKL was so simple and we were out of the airport in no time. Since we are a bit sleep deprived, we were really struggling with the New Zealand accent at the rental car counter. The staff was incredibly patient and kind with us, and we are now proud renters of a brand new Toyota Corrolla. I hope it looks brand new when we are done with it. Whew. Getting used to driving on the left side of the road ... read more

So I have no clue what that pic was. Trying again. Hmmmm....... read more