New Zealand ~ Sydney
On Friday, February 16, 2007 we flew from Dallas to Los Angeles and then boarded a 12-1/2 hour international flight to New Zealand. Because of the international dateline, we arrived on Sunday February 18 in Auckland. Afterwards, we took a two and one-half hour domestic flight to Queenstown on the South Island.
New Zealand is comprised of primarily two large islands—North Island and South Island—and numerous other smaller islands. The climate throughout the country is mild. Temperatures normally range from freezing to the upper eighties. The southern hemisphere seasons are opposite of ours. In other words, February is late summer.
Queenstown is a resort town in the southwestern area of South Island. The town is built around an inlet on Lake Wakatipu (pronounced Wack-a-tee-poo), a long thin lake shaped like a staggered lightning bolt. Views were spectacular of the nearby mountains known as the Remarkables.
Upon arrival at Queenstown airport, I arranged for Jeannette and baggage to be escorted to the hotel. I went off to board my private helicopter charter for a scenic flight of Queenstown and the neighboring Southern Alps. Nigel, the pilot for the helicopter line, took me on a two-hour private tour of mountain beauty. Several stops on mountain glaciers offered panoramic views.
Modern New Zealand is world renown for being geologically active with high mountains, frequent earthquakes, geothermal active areas and volcanoes. This is due to New Zealand's modern position on the boundary of the Australian and the Pacific Plates. The collision of these plates has shaped New Zealand and also defines its geology.
Bungy jumping was invented in 1988 by A.J. Hacket at a bridge over the Kawarau (pronounced Koo-warr-ah) River near Queenstown. Our Intrav tour director, Susan Rose, was the only one to brave the jump.
We rode a vintage steamship that has been transporting goods to remote settlements and conveying passengers on beautiful Lake Wakatipu (pronounced Wack-a-tee-poo) since 1912. What better way to view the magnificent scenery than by taking a cruise aboard the coal powered steamship
Our cruise included a ride across the lake to Walter Peak Station where we enjoyed a dinner buffet and witnessed a demonstration of sheep shearing.
The next day we boarded coaches in the morning for a scenic drive from Queenstown to Milford Sound. The drive was quite long but we stopped for lunch and scenic views of the countryside. One of our stops was at Mirror Lake national park with a view of the Southern Alps.
Since the dock at Milford Sound would not accommodate larger ships, we were ferried to our ship waiting in deeper waters after a short delay because of gusting winds. After the mandatory safety drill, we cruised through the fjord to Stirling Falls and then out into the Tasman Sea.
In overcast weather with some rain, we explored the various areas of Dusky Sound in zodiacs looking at the flora and searching for fauna. This temperate rain forest supports southern beech trees, orchids, mosses, ferns and other various plants. We landed at Astronomer’s Point where the famous English Captain James Cook rested and repaired his ship from an exhausting journey through the Southern Ocean. We saw seals, various birds including the little blue penguin, the world's smallest penguin.
In Dunedin, through tinted windows of the Albatross Center lookout building, we were able to view and not disturb the albatross sitting on their eggs in nests. At a yellow eyed penguin sanctuary, we were lucky to observe a male returning from sea.
After a harbor cruise, we explored the picturesque town of Akaroa, which was the first French settlement in New Zealand. Some fellow passengers chose to swim with the dolphins.
New Zealand is noted for their blue pearls harvested from the local abalone species.
We toured the Antarctic Center, the Mona Vale landscape gardens and the center of Christchurch.
Wellington, the capitol of New Zealand, is located on the southern tip of the North Island. We toured the city and visited a museum and botanical gardens. New Zealand is not an independent republic but it is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The monarch of England is also the monarch of New Zealand.
Unfortunately we had to select from one of three wonderful tours of Hawke Bay wineries, Art Deco impressions or Gannet safari. Although it was a morning excursion, we opted for the winery outing. We visited two interesting wineries and, of course, tasted the wine.
On our way back to the ship from the winery tour we stopped at a road side fruit and ice cream stand. We enjoyed ice cream with freshly picked fruit. Before returning to the ship port, I got off the bus to take photos of the Napier's art deco buildings. An earthquake in the 1950’s necessitated rebuilding the town in then the popular art deco style.
White Island is New Zealand’s most active volcano. There is intense thermal activity on the surface of the island with boiling pools, holes of sulphuric acid, steam and natural gas vents.
In Tauranga, we were entertained with Maori (pronounced Maw-ree) folkloric customs and lunch. The Maori occupied New Zealand when Captain Cook arrived. Today the Polynesians comprise about 15 percent of the 4.1 million inhabitants. European descent accounts for 78 percent.
Our journey through the Waimangu thermal valley, created by an eruption 1886, consisted of a cruise on the lake and walk down the valley. We saw volcanic activity of boiling water, erupting steam, sulfur stained rocks and colorful bacteria successfully living in scalding water.
In the morning we disembarked our ship and set off for a look at New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland. Our tour included visiting a museum. In the afternoon, we boarded a flight to Sydney.
Our Sydney post-cruise visit began with a land tour of this vibrant city followed by a cruise of its immense harbor area. In one of Sydney’s largest parks known as the Domain, one is impressed by its serenity and vastness dominated by giant fig trees. One could see the famous Sydney harbor bridge from this park.
Our land tour took us to Bondi Beach where we found a TV camera crew and actor (one posing as a beach inspector) recording humorous interviews with some people at the beach.
Perhaps the most recognized icons of Sydney are the Harbor Bridge and Opera house. The long and complicated construction of the opera house began in 1958 but completion took 14 years. The Sydney Opera House cost some $160 million to build and was paid for by the public who bought $10 tickets in a series of lotteries with a first prize of $1 million. The Opera house actually has five theatres-- two large ones and three smaller ones. Peter Kalina, formerly from the Czech Republic, was our excellent guide during our tour of the opera house.
The Concert Hall, with 2,679 seats, contains the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ, the largest mechanical tracker action organ in the world with over 10,000 pipes.
This view from our room at the Four Seasons Hotel overlooked a dock area known as circular key and the opera house.
| Name |
Comment |
Date |
| Martha |
Wow!! Getting better and better... when the earrings and pendant floated out of the picture... that was a nice touch! Need more pics of you and Jeannett! |
Apr 18, 2007 |
| Alan |
So many awsomly beautiful places to see on this planet that you two have been able to personally see. |
Apr 17, 2007 |
| Bartlett Betty |
Frank..this a very good slide show the way it is presented...I love seeing the grouping of pictures..another job well done...what a beautiful place to be! |
Apr 17, 2007 |
| Kathy |
I kinds liked "your" written comments versus this "lady." Remember, some of us are hard of hearing so written words are much better. But good job with the website overall! |
Apr 17, 2007 |
| Becky |
Frank, what happened to YOUR voice? |
Apr 17, 2007 |
| Larry |
Beautiful and entertaining! |
Apr 5, 2007 |
| JEM |
Absolutely incredible!!! |
Apr 1, 2007 |