Sharing Our Journey
  • Home
  • 2020
    • Oct - Dec 2020
    • Jul-Sep 2020
    • Apr-June 2020
    • Jan-Mar 2020
  • 2019
    • Nov - Dec 2019
    • Oct 2019
    • Sep 2019
    • Jun - Aug 2019
    • Mar-May 2019
    • Jan-Feb 2019
  • 2017-2018
    • Hiking/Biking Sept-Dec >
      • December 2018
      • November 2018
      • October 2018
      • September 2018
    • Moving to Vermont
    • Cambodia >
      • Intro Phnom Penh
      • First Days
      • Temples & Drumming
      • Organic Farming
      • Khmer New Year
      • On the Beach
      • Royal Palace
      • Siem Reap
      • Water Sanitation
      • Teaching
      • Bits and Pieces
    • Super-Blue-Blood Moon
    • Great Allegheny Passage
    • Texas Motorcycle Trip-1
    • Texas Motorcycle Trip-2
    • Short Travel Videos
  • 2014-2016
    • Azerbaijan >
      • Nakhchivan May 2016
      • Quba Apr/May 2016
      • Museums Feb 2016
      • Friends & Gatherings Baku
      • House and Plants
      • Around Baku
      • Qax June 2015
      • Billy's Decade Party
      • Ganja & Goygol Oct 2015
      • Lahij Feb 2015
      • Yanar Dag/Ateshgah
      • Petroglyphs/Mud Volcanoes
      • Oguz, Xal Xal: Oct 2014
      • Absheron Park: Sep 2014
      • First 2 Wks Baku: Aug 2014
    • Turkey >
      • Cappidocia Nov 2015
      • Trekking Lycian Way >
        • Overview
        • Kayaköy
        • Ovacik-Faralya
        • Faralya-Alinca
        • Alinca-Gey
        • Gey-Sidyma-Gey
        • Patara Day 1
        • Patara Day 2
        • Patara Day 3
    • USA >
      • Amtrak Cross US Nov 2016
      • Summer 2016 >
        • Vermont 2 Trips
        • Long Island, Connecticut
      • Summer 2015 >
        • OR, WA, IN
        • Long Island, Connecticut
      • 2 Birthdays: Jan/Feb 2015
      • Long Island Winter 2014/15
  • 2011-2014
    • Germany: 2011-2014 >
      • Berlin & Koblenz 2014
      • Year End Summary 2013
      • Romantic RoadOct 2013
      • Jan - May 2013
      • Ahr - Blankenheim Oct 12
      • Aug - Dec 2012
      • Trier, Luxembourg: 2012
      • Nov 2011-March 2012
      • Mainz Frankfurt: Feb 2012
      • Windeck: Oct 2011
      • Eifel Park & Ahr: Oct 2011
      • Vineyard Tour 2011
      • First Impressions
    • France: April 2014
    • Netherlands: May 2013
    • Ireland: July 2013
    • X-Country Motorcycle: 2012
    • Paris: Oct 2012
    • Spain: Oct 2012
    • USA >
      • Summer 2014
      • Motorcycle MA & VT: 2014
      • Mom Memorial: Feb 2014
      • Wedding & Ft Wayne: Feb 2012
      • Greg & Jess Wed: July 2011
      • Summer 2011
  • 2008-2011
    • 2011 Video
    • Xian, Chengdu, Leshan
    • Yang Shou: Apr 2010
    • An Hui Province: Apr 2009
    • Harbin: Jan 2009
    • Singapore: Dec 2008
    • Nanjing: 2008-2011
    • Habitat Humanity: Nov 2008
    • Chinese New Year
    • New Zealand: 2009-2010
    • USA >
      • Road Trip to Florida 2010
      • Motorcycle Trip: 2010
      • Long Island Winter 2009
      • Summer 2009
  • 2006-2008
    • Zambia >
      • Northern Zambia 2006
      • Zambia Travels 1
      • Zambia Travels 2
      • Vic Falls & Chobe: 2007
      • Vic Falls & Chobe Videos
      • Zambia Thoughts
    • South Africa Hiking
    • Kenya & Congo
    • Romania
    • USA >
      • Summer 2008 Book Video
      • Summer 2007 Around USA
  • 2003-2006
    • Hong Kong >
      • HK & Macau: Aug-Dec 2004
      • NY Visitors: Oct 2004
      • Jon's Visit: Aug 2004
      • New Flat: May 2004
      • Spring 2004
      • Butterfly Hike
      • Nov 03 - Jan 04
      • Richard's Visit: Oct 2003
      • Mao Ping: Spring 2004
      • Intro to Hong Kong
    • Guilin Tour: Spring 2004
    • London
    • Northern Thailand
    • Malaysia
    • Mekong Delta Bike Trip
    • North Vietnam
    • USA
  • Cars & Motorbikes
    • Cross US Trip 2012
    • Honda Goldwing GL1800 >
      • Goldwing Details
      • Goldwing Extras
    • BMW K1200GT
    • 1984 Honda V65 Sabre
    • Chang Jiang 750
    • Rocky SX Daihatsu
    • Honda NightHawk 750cc
    • Nutmeg: 1971 Super Beetle
    • Volvo C70 T5
  • Mom & Dad

NEW ZEALAND: Dec 2009 - Jan 2010

3500 km on the car in 2 1/2 weeks and we don’t get below Lake Taupo and only do a small number of the many, many activities available. I guess this means that there are opportunities for returning - especially to experience the South Island.


It’s vacation! We catch a bullet train to Shanghai and then Maglev to the airport - 430 km per hour! Landing in a world of vibrant green hills, deep blue skies and clean air takes our breath away. The homey airport in Auckland greets us and we instantly know that we are away from the crowds of China, indeed the entire population of New Zealand is about half of the “small” Chinese city where we live. 

We start driving south in our rental car - on the LEFT side of the road! A four hour drive takes us to Lake Taupo at Oreti resort. This amazing resort is right on the shores of the lake’s sparkling waters. We stay three days enjoying the countryside and getting over some jet lag. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is an incredible 19 km hike up an active volcano - wow! 

North to Mangonui is an all day drive that takes us up to the beaches of the far north. We have a lovely little room in a five room, home style B&B - all to ourselves. We explore the north beaches and travel up to Point Reinga where the Indian meets the Pacific Ocean and stop at the gum fields and the huge Te Paki Sand dunes. 

We make a short stop for kayaking and sight seeing in the beautiful Bay of Islands (to be returned to!) This area has every activity that you can think of from helicopter rides to parasailing - you have the money, they have the experience for you!

It’s great to see friends in Warkworth for a night and get a quick tour around the area with huge Kauri trees and beautiful silver ferns.

The next day sees us traveling down to see other friends in Mount Maunganui where we enjoy the resort town, walk the beaches (cold at night), visit with our friends and climb up the extinct volcanic hill at the point.

Rotorua, thermal sulfur spring area, sees us stay for three nights. The colors, odors and strange sites of the thermal park - bubbling mud and green lakes makes us wonder what planet we are on. Xmas day we hike in a beautiful redwood forest - yes, these are real redwoods transplanted from California, US to see if they could be timber trees for NZ. It’s a magnificent hike enhanced by the fact that we just about have the forest to ourselves. This is a huge mountain biking area, but time runs out for this activity.

It’s on to Gisborne for three nights and enjoy the amazing beaches, vineyards and the arboretum. 

Our final stop is at a holiday park near the Waitomo Caves. On our last day of vacation we experience the exciting black water rafting through some caves. Then it’s on to the airport and back to China.

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Photo Gallery: click on each to see a larger image.

Maglev train - 430 km/hr
Brilliant blues and greens
Wildflowers on the hills
Orate resort on Lake Taupo
Night snowfall greets daylight
Top of the climb - feeling volcanic warmth.
Getting higher and higher
Herding sheep with motorbike and dog.
Beautiful secluded beach
All colors of blue
90 Mile Beach
Giant Te Paki sand dunes
Cape Reinga - Indian Ocean meets the Pacific
Where do we go?
Heather and Gordon - ring around the Kauri tree
Beach walking
Rotarua thermal area with green lakes.
Colors and smells in the thermal area.
Redwood forest
Pahutukawa - New Zealand "Xmas Tree"
For the younger crowd
Black water rafting - down into the cave.
Great experience in the caves

New Zealand Book Video

Here is the book that we put together from our New Zealand trip over our holiday break. We toured part of the North Island over a 2 1/2 week period. Winter here in China while it was early summer in New Zealand : )