New Zealand

So today were on our way back home after a full day in Queenstown just killing time and enjoying some amazing weather and tons of visitors — or at least were flying to Los Angeles and then home the next day.  We really have a great feeling about this trip to New Zealand.  Now for […]

You know how it goes, sometimes you book a sightseeing side trip on a holiday and you get second thoughts just before you go. Well, that exactly happened with Paula and I. Not only second guessed but third and fourth and not to mention we can probably double that because Paula was yapping in my

So this is a difficult one.  Which cover image represents our last 2 days?  Hmmm, hard, trust me.  Of course I could have chosen the cute calf suckling its mother in the foreground with hundreds of dots of sheep in the background as you see in the image on the left.  Too easy.  Click on

Crossing the South Island east-west, west-east, their are 3 main roads known as Passes which carve the mountains to complete the journey.  We left the west coast and traveled east through one of those passes, Arthur’s Pass. We had stopped to go for a 3 hour hike up and through forest, open areas and streams.

Mount Cook is the largest mountain in New Zealand at 12,217 ft which is not the biggest in the world — but its base is about 2,460 ft — so a good 10,000 ft elevation from base.  The token picture of Paula and I in the foreground of Mt Cook [with the clouds carved out

A couple of days ago we went on the Abel Tasman National Park.  In a nut shell its a 5 or 6 hour hike on a very large island which is owned by the New Zealand conservation authority.  I’m just catching up now on my blogs but it’s actually good I delayed so I can compare

Yesterday was just one of those days that you don’t forget.  So different, so exciting and so fun.  Paula and I really like hiking in nature.  If you looked at me or me looking at me for that matter, you would not expect that from my personality.  But I just love it.  We’ve climbed mountains

Graham [aka “Grum”] Frith.  Don’t even know where to start. How ‘bout a 62 year old fella who has just returned 2 months ago from a 2 and one-half year bike ride around the world. No kidding, this guy Graham rode a bicycle and a small trailer around the world and has a million stories in

So today we hiked the 6.5 hours, 19.4 km Tongariro Alpine Crossing inside the national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site — that alone is awesome.  Check anywhere, this is among the worlds great hikes and no doubt, it deserves its high ranking.  Tongariro is an active volcano with most recent eruptions in 2012 but

Meet Kath, our guide for the Northern Island part of our trip.  I thought that I would introduce her since she is somewhat permanently attached to Paula and myself for the first portion of this trip.  Well, we’ve actually blown her off a bit in the last day but hooking up again today. Kath is —

No kidding, its mine.  And yes, that’s Paula carrying it.   We’re in the Lake Tarawera Forest. If you look on the other picture here on the left, I’m wearing a petite 15 liter pack.  So how does this happen?  Ok so I will work the day activities backwards.  Our last ambitious activity was to

Not a huge amount to say about today.  Its now November 17th.  We landed in Auckland, New Zealand at 8:45am on November 17th.  Don’t get me started, but two days ahead of when we left Los Angeles on November 15th.   Suffice to say, Paula and I are real tired although we do have a

Oh yah, heading down to New Zealand.  The city of Auckland on the north island to be specific.   21 full days of hiking and abuse to my slightly jello-y body. I’m of course with my wife, the Marine Drill Sargent to keep me on the straight and narrow – no folding or complaining.   Just do