| | June 2, 2010 What can I say….it’s Day 9 and my last day in Queenstown and New Zealand. It has been a wonderful trip, one that I will always remember. This is a destination that I would definitely return to again and hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to visit its neighbor--Australia. I don’t know how to explain it but there is just something special about this country that touched me, parts of it remind me of the U.S. and others remind me of countries in Europe.
We had breakfast at our hotel the Sofitel Queenstown, checked out of the hotel and departed for our last excursion before leaving for the airport. A few miles outside of Queenstown is the Shotover River and our last adventure in Queenstown was to ride the rapids on the Shotover Jet Boat. The temperature was in the high 50’s, bright and sunny, so it was a great day to do the Jet Boat. The drivers provided us with long raincoats, hopefully to stay dry while as we ride the rapids, but there are no guarantees!! We were told by our tour guides to bring a rain gear with a hood as extra protection. We had already packed our bags and checked out of the hotel, so most of the group (women) brought plastic shower caps from the hotel (yes I said shower caps)….they at least provided some protection and anything was better than getting our hair soaked from the water spray. I have to say that we looked silly but fashionably outdoorsy with our shower caps, but they did help and I have the pictures to prove how cute we all looked!!! This is an exhilarating ride so when you go flying down the river over the rapids---you are so close to the mountain ledges that you could actually reach out and touch them as you wind your way down the river. The Shotover River is full of twists and turns so when you are racing down the river at high speeds and all of sudden do the 360 degree spins, you feel like you are going to fall out of the boat and into the cold water….talk about adventure---it is such a blast! Yes, we did get wet, but we were lucky that the Sofitel Hotel decided to give us 2 rooms so that we could come back to the hotel, dry off and change clothes before we headed to the airport. If you ever have the chance to do the Jet Boat excursion, go for it—it is one big THRILL and you will love it! I give this ride a thumbs up on the rating scale.
We flew from Queenstown to Auckland about 1pm that afternoon and had a 3hour layover in Auckland before our return flight back to Los
Angeles and then our home cities. We left New Zealand on Tuesday-May 4, crossed the International Dateline and arrived home on Tuesday evening, so our trip back was about 30 hours or more total air and ground time. It was a long trip, one that I would do again, but I must confess that it was great to get back home and sleep in my own bed!! We packed so much into this trip that it boggles the mind…remember that we only had 9 days, but what days they were!
Some of the things that I remember are the farms where you saw hundreds of farm-raised deer in paddocks next to the sheep and cattle. They were almost intertwined ---you just don’t see that here in the United States. The deer are farm-raised and not wild…they are raised for food and the farmers sell the anthlers to the pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs! Did you know that there are no reptiles or wild animals in New Zealand (unless you are at the Zoo) because the only animals that are there, are the ones brought in by man! You don’t really see fences on the farms except for the ones that run along the roadside. They plant large shrubs or trees close together, so as they grow—they grow together –thus a living and breathing fence that provides shelter from the winds for the animals…it is so unique and natural…and along with the deer, sheep and cattle, you see large beehives in the middle of the paddocks that produce honey for use in food and cosmetic products. New Zealand makes wonderful cosmetic lotions and creams with the honey…so HONEY is a major export for New Zealand along with the wool products. I bet you did not know that the Kiwi bird is about the size of a cornish hen---I always thought that it was a small little bird....WRONG!! Another thing that I love is listening to the Kiwi’s talk, their accents are fabulous, I could be happy just closing my eyes and listening to them talk! They are warm and friendly people, love the tourists, and they really work hard to make you feel at home.
I encourage everyone to visit New Zealand---it will be a trip to remember forever---it has everything from awe inspiring glaciers, beautiful lakes, mountains, farms, vineyards, thermal springs, stunning fjords, great fishing, boating, snow skiing and much, much more. I ask you---What is there not to like about New Zealand??? There are just not enough adjectives to describe this country---except that if you visit New Zealand, you will love it! Call me and let me help plan your trip, and don’t forget to checkout the pictures on my Facebook page. My trip is over and it was just too short, but I have some wonderful memories of New Zealand and the Kiwi’s! As they say in New Zealand---- KIA ORA----hello and goodbye. Thanks for coming along on my journey and I hope that you enjoyed the ride! You can reach me Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm at 901-754-9300 or by email: Debbie@gulliverstravel.com. I can’t wait to hear from you!  | June 2, 2010 What can I say….it’s Day 9 and my last day in Queenstown and New Zealand. It has been a wonderful trip, one that I will always remember. This is a destination that I would definitely return to again and hopefully one day I will have the opportunity to visit its neighbor--Australia. I don’t know how to explain it but there is just something special about this country that touched me, parts of it remind me of the U.S. and others remind me of countries in Europe.
We had breakfast at our hotel the Sofitel Queenstown, checked out of the hotel and departed for our last excursion before leaving for the airport. A few miles outside of Queenstown is the Shotover River and our last adventure in Queenstown was to ride the rapids on the Shotover Jet Boat. The temperature was in the high 50’s, bright and sunny, so it was a great day to do the Jet Boat. The drivers provided us with long raincoats, hopefully to stay dry while as we ride the rapids, but there are no guarantees!! We were told by our tour guides to bring a rain gear with a hood as extra protection. We had already packed our bags and checked out of the hotel, so most of the group (women) brought plastic shower caps from the hotel (yes I said shower caps)….they at least provided some protection and anything was better than getting our hair soaked from the water spray. I have to say that we looked silly but fashionably outdoorsy with our shower caps, but they did help and I have the pictures to prove how cute we all looked!!! This is an exhilarating ride so when you go flying down the river over the rapids---you are so close to the mountain ledges that you could actually reach out and touch them as you wind your way down the river. The Shotover River is full of twists and turns so when you are racing down the river at high speeds and all of sudden do the 360 degree spins, you feel like you are going to fall out of the boat and into the cold water….talk about adventure---it is such a blast! Yes, we did get wet, but we were lucky that the Sofitel Hotel decided to give us 2 rooms so that we could come back to the hotel, dry off and change clothes before we headed to the airport. If you ever have the chance to do the Jet Boat excursion, go for it—it is one big THRILL and you will love it! I give this ride a thumbs up on the rating scale.
We flew from Queenstown to Auckland about 1pm that afternoon and had a 3hour layover in Auckland before our return flight back to Los
Angeles and then our home cities. We left New Zealand on Tuesday-May 4, crossed the International Dateline and arrived home on Tuesday evening, so our trip back was about 30 hours or more total air and ground time. It was a long trip, one that I would do again, but I must confess that it was great to get back home and sleep in my own bed!! We packed so much into this trip that it boggles the mind…remember that we only had 9 days, but what days they were!
Some of the things that I remember are the farms where you saw hundreds of farm-raised deer in paddocks next to the sheep and cattle. They were almost intertwined ---you just don’t see that here in the United States. The deer are farm-raised and not wild…they are raised for food and the farmers sell the anthlers to the pharmaceutical companies to produce drugs! Did you know that there are no reptiles or wild animals in New Zealand (unless you are at the Zoo) because the only animals that are there, are the ones brought in by man! You don’t really see fences on the farms except for the ones that run along the roadside. They plant large shrubs or trees close together, so as they grow—they grow together –thus a living and breathing fence that provides shelter from the winds for the animals…it is so unique and natural…and along with the deer, sheep and cattle, you see large beehives in the middle of the paddocks that produce honey for use in food and cosmetic products. New Zealand makes wonderful cosmetic lotions and creams with the honey…so HONEY is a major export for New Zealand along with the wool products. I bet you did not know that the Kiwi bird is about the size of a cornish hen---I always thought that it was a small little bird....WRONG!! Another thing that I love is listening to the Kiwi’s talk, their accents are fabulous, I could be happy just closing my eyes and listening to them talk! They are warm and friendly people, love the tourists, and they really work hard to make you feel at home.
I encourage everyone to visit New Zealand---it will be a trip to remember forever---it has everything from awe inspiring glaciers, beautiful lakes, mountains, farms, vineyards, thermal springs, stunning fjords, great fishing, boating, snow skiing and much, much more. I ask you---What is there not to like about New Zealand??? There are just not enough adjectives to describe this country---except that if you visit New Zealand, you will love it! Call me and let me help plan your trip, and don’t forget to checkout the pictures on my Facebook page. My trip is over and it was just too short, but I have some wonderful memories of New Zealand and the Kiwi’s! As they say in New Zealand---- KIA ORA----hello and goodbye. Thanks for coming along on my journey and I hope that you enjoyed the ride! You can reach me Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm at 901-754-9300 or by email: Debbie@gulliverstravel.com. I can’t wait to hear from you! | June 1, 2010 I hope that everyone had a great Memorial Day, I took a vacation day and so I had a long weekend and it was great just being lazy and taking it easy. My husband grilled on Sunday and then cooked a big Pork Shoulder on Memorial Day--you just gotta love a Man and his grill! I hope that everyone put their Flag out and prayed for our military on this special holiday! Well it’s Day 8 and our last full day to enjoy Queenstown. Today we had the option to take one of the 4 great sightseeing tours that you, as the client would be offered complimentary if you were taking this tour. Our choices: Safari of the Scenes Tour—based around several sites where the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was filmed; Skipper’s Canyon, which is san exhilarating adventure by 4WD Land rover following the Shotover River Valley, offering a view of the cliffs and breathtaking river gorges (a miniature Grand Canyon); Wine Tour where you could visit several of the leading Queenstown vineyards and sample the different wines that are produced in Queenstown; or a Lakeshore Forest and Bird Walk—which is pretty self explanatory—where you will see some of New Zealand’s famous species of birds. My choice for the tour….Skipper’s Canyon…(if my husband had been with me, we would have taken the Wine tour)! We started our tour with a light rain, just enough to make the road into Skipper’s Canyon—muddy and treacherous—the road is only about 7 feet wide and it is one lane only--- no two cars can pass except in the wider portions of the road, so when I say you literally hug the road or the mountain, that is exactly what I mean! One side of the road is a straight drop and the other side is the mountain, so guess which side we hugged as we motored thru the Canyon. We saw several spots (holes) where the road had washed out from previous rains, but we just hugged the mountains and got around the holes….scary but so, so beautiful. You just closed your eyes and prayed that the Driver was both competent and experienced! By the time that we had made it halfway thru the Canyon, the rain had stopped and a beautiful rainbow along with the sun had popped out, so it turned out to be a glorious drive. The Canyon was spectacular and the scenery alone was worth the tour. Our tour lasted about 3 hours and we had a great driver/guide…at the halfway point we stopped and had hot chocolate and cookies and had an opportunity to take some great pictures. When the tour as over and we arrived back at the hotel, we had the afternoon free to eat lunch, shop and have some Spa treatments….Can you guess what I did?
For our last night in Queenstown, we took a ferry over to the Walter Peak High Country Farm for dinner and the Colonel’s Homestead Show. After dinner that evening, which was awesome---it was in a big beautiful old farmhouse with antiques and large dining rooms, we went outside to the barn and watched an old sheep Shearer do a great comedy routine as he SHEARED the sheep. He was quite the entertainer and sheared the wool off the sheep in 2 minutes! Later we watched as the sheep dog worked the sheep down from the hillside into the paddock. It was amazing to watch the dog round up the sheep in the dark. We had one last chance to shop and buy some special wool products before we boarded the ferry and went back to our hotel for the night. We had a late night meeting when we got back to the hotel, to get last minute instructions about our departure the next day. What we did not know is that our tour leaders were able to work a miracle and got us a reduced admission to the MINUS 5degrees—Ice Bar in Queenstown for a late night drink. If you have never been to one of the Ice Bars, (there are 2 or 3 in the U.S.) it is a very unique experience. The normal cover charge is $35 NZ and includes the admission and 1 alcoholic beverage. You are only allowed to stay 20 minutes due to the small size of the bar…and they provide you with a Heavy polar coat and gloves, since it is below zero temperature in the bar. Everything inside is ICE, the walls, the bar and even the glass that your drink comes in. It has all sorts of ice sculptures and colored lights…I had my picture taken on a horse…can you imagine! When you have 30 people it is very crowded, and because it is so cold, you keep moving around to try and stay warm. It’s a great photo op and because it is so unique it becomes a THE DESTINATION! Don’t forget to checkout my New Zealand pictures on my Facebook page or Gulliver’s Travel Facebook page. You will love New Zealand. Stay tuned for our last few hours in Queenstown and the special tour that we took before leaving for the airport on Day 9. | June 1, 2010 I hope that everyone had a great Memorial Day, I took a vacation day and so I had a long weekend and it was great just being lazy and taking it easy. My husband grilled on Sunday and then cooked a big Pork Shoulder on Memorial Day--you just gotta love a Man and his grill! I hope that everyone put their Flag out and prayed for our military on this special holiday! Well it’s Day 8 and our last full day to enjoy Queenstown. Today we had the option to take one of the 4 great sightseeing tours that you, as the client would be offered complimentary if you were taking this tour. Our choices: Safari of the Scenes Tour—based around several sites where the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was filmed; Skipper’s Canyon, which is san exhilarating adventure by 4WD Land rover following the Shotover River Valley, offering a view of the cliffs and breathtaking river gorges (a miniature Grand Canyon); Wine Tour where you could visit several of the leading Queenstown vineyards and sample the different wines that are produced in Queenstown; or a Lakeshore Forest and Bird Walk—which is pretty self explanatory—where you will see some of New Zealand’s famous species of birds. My choice for the tour….Skipper’s Canyon…(if my husband had been with me, we would have taken the Wine tour)! We started our tour with a light rain, just enough to make the road into Skipper’s Canyon—muddy and treacherous—the road is only about 7 feet wide and it is one lane only--- no two cars can pass except in the wider portions of the road, so when I say you literally hug the road or the mountain, that is exactly what I mean! One side of the road is a straight drop and the other side is the mountain, so guess which side we hugged as we motored thru the Canyon. We saw several spots (holes) where the road had washed out from previous rains, but we just hugged the mountains and got around the holes….scary but so, so beautiful. You just closed your eyes and prayed that the Driver was both competent and experienced! By the time that we had made it halfway thru the Canyon, the rain had stopped and a beautiful rainbow along with the sun had popped out, so it turned out to be a glorious drive. The Canyon was spectacular and the scenery alone was worth the tour. Our tour lasted about 3 hours and we had a great driver/guide…at the halfway point we stopped and had hot chocolate and cookies and had an opportunity to take some great pictures. When the tour as over and we arrived back at the hotel, we had the afternoon free to eat lunch, shop and have some Spa treatments….Can you guess what I did?
For our last night in Queenstown, we took a ferry over to the Walter Peak High Country Farm for dinner and the Colonel’s Homestead Show. After dinner that evening, which was awesome---it was in a big beautiful old farmhouse with antiques and large dining rooms, we went outside to the barn and watched an old sheep Shearer do a great comedy routine as he SHEARED the sheep. He was quite the entertainer and sheared the wool off the sheep in 2 minutes! Later we watched as the sheep dog worked the sheep down from the hillside into the paddock. It was amazing to watch the dog round up the sheep in the dark. We had one last chance to shop and buy some special wool products before we boarded the ferry and went back to our hotel for the night. We had a late night meeting when we got back to the hotel, to get last minute instructions about our departure the next day. What we did not know is that our tour leaders were able to work a miracle and got us a reduced admission to the MINUS 5degrees—Ice Bar in Queenstown for a late night drink. If you have never been to one of the Ice Bars, (there are 2 or 3 in the U.S.) it is a very unique experience. The normal cover charge is $35 NZ and includes the admission and 1 alcoholic beverage. You are only allowed to stay 20 minutes due to the small size of the bar…and they provide you with a Heavy polar coat and gloves, since it is below zero temperature in the bar. Everything inside is ICE, the walls, the bar and even the glass that your drink comes in. It has all sorts of ice sculptures and colored lights…I had my picture taken on a horse…can you imagine! When you have 30 people it is very crowded, and because it is so cold, you keep moving around to try and stay warm. It’s a great photo op and because it is so unique it becomes a THE DESTINATION! Don’t forget to checkout my New Zealand pictures on my Facebook page or Gulliver’s Travel Facebook page. You will love New Zealand. Stay tuned for our last few hours in Queenstown and the special tour that we took before leaving for the airport on Day 9. | May 25, 2010 On Day 7 of our tour, after another early morning breakfast, we left the Edgewater Resort on Lake Wanaka and headed for Queenstown. We stopped in Cromwell, home to some great vineyards and fruit orchards. Did you know that Cromwell has the largest number of wineries and fruit orchards in New Zealand? The fruit is plentiful and you can tour some of the vineyards and sample the different types of white wines are produced in Cromwell. We stopped and had lunch in a small town –Arrowtown, which is located halfway between Cromwell and Queenstown, has become a haven for weekenders who want to get away from the city and it is less than 1 hour from Queenstown. Arrowtown was a former gold mining town and has become a living, historic holiday destination. It offers some spectacular scenery, tree lined streets, quaint homes, four distinct seasons that offers a tranquil atmosphere and has attracted visitors from all over the world. There are some great boutiques for shopping, lots of arts and crafts and locally made wool products, lots of wonderful eateries, and some museums with the local history. It’s a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon or for a weekend retreat. After a delicious lunch of homemade breads, scrumptious meat pies and a dessert, we boarded the bus and made our way to Queenstown where we would spend the last 2 nights of our stay in New Zealand.
We arrived in Queenstown about 3pm and did a quick city tour and then did 2 hotel inspections at the Novotel Lakeside Hotel Queenstown and the Crowne Plaza Hotel Queenstown ---both 4 star hotels. The Crowne Plaza Hotel was my favorite of the 2 hotels that we toured because it was located across the street from the Lake. After inspecting both hotels, we checked in at the Sofitel Queenstown---a 5 star luxury boutique hotel. We had stayed in deluxe hotels throughout our stay in New Zealand, but they had definitely saved the best for the last…it was fabulous! Our room was a Jr. Suite with overstuffed beds, down bedding and coverlets, Espresso maker in the living area, a large bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and a TV mounted above the tub, heated marble floor and towel racks and best of all--- a large walk-in waterfall shower with multiple spray heads. Talk about luxury, it was a dream! The hotel left a tray of chocolate candies and bottled water as our welcome gift.
Late that afternoon we took the ski gondolas up to Coronet Peak and for those in our group that wanted to do the Bungy jump or the swing jumps we were given complimentary jumps. Ten people in our group did the jumps and I must admit that I was not one of those people. I decided that with a bad back and not being a crazy dare devil that I would gladly forego this extreme threat to my life!!! Zip lining is one thing, bungy jumping is something all together different---I don't remember saying that I was CRAZY!!! AJ Hackett Bungy Company provided all the jumps, t-shirts and photo/CD packets of the jumps for each person complimentary---this was an unbelievable gesture—since it would have cost each person about $500 for the entire jump experience!! Later that evening we returned to the Skyline Restaurant at Coronet Peak for a Maori show and a Taste of New Zealand dinner, complete with beef, pork, seafood and lamb—and of course DESSERTS. The restaurant was at the top of the peak and offered a 220degree panorama view of Queenstown at night---what a beautiful sight! After a long day, we snuggled under our down comforters and slept like babies. We had one more night in Queenstown before leaving for home, so don’t you even think of not returning to my Blog for the next day’s activities! Did I tell you that I love Queenstown!  | May 25, 2010 On Day 7 of our tour, after another early morning breakfast, we left the Edgewater Resort on Lake Wanaka and headed for Queenstown. We stopped in Cromwell, home to some great vineyards and fruit orchards. Did you know that Cromwell has the largest number of wineries and fruit orchards in New Zealand? The fruit is plentiful and you can tour some of the vineyards and sample the different types of white wines are produced in Cromwell. We stopped and had lunch in a small town –Arrowtown, which is located halfway between Cromwell and Queenstown, has become a haven for weekenders who want to get away from the city and it is less than 1 hour from Queenstown. Arrowtown was a former gold mining town and has become a living, historic holiday destination. It offers some spectacular scenery, tree lined streets, quaint homes, four distinct seasons that offers a tranquil atmosphere and has attracted visitors from all over the world. There are some great boutiques for shopping, lots of arts and crafts and locally made wool products, lots of wonderful eateries, and some museums with the local history. It’s a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon or for a weekend retreat. After a delicious lunch of homemade breads, scrumptious meat pies and a dessert, we boarded the bus and made our way to Queenstown where we would spend the last 2 nights of our stay in New Zealand.
We arrived in Queenstown about 3pm and did a quick city tour and then did 2 hotel inspections at the Novotel Lakeside Hotel Queenstown and the Crowne Plaza Hotel Queenstown ---both 4 star hotels. The Crowne Plaza Hotel was my favorite of the 2 hotels that we toured because it was located across the street from the Lake. After inspecting both hotels, we checked in at the Sofitel Queenstown---a 5 star luxury boutique hotel. We had stayed in deluxe hotels throughout our stay in New Zealand, but they had definitely saved the best for the last…it was fabulous! Our room was a Jr. Suite with overstuffed beds, down bedding and coverlets, Espresso maker in the living area, a large bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and a TV mounted above the tub, heated marble floor and towel racks and best of all--- a large walk-in waterfall shower with multiple spray heads. Talk about luxury, it was a dream! The hotel left a tray of chocolate candies and bottled water as our welcome gift.
Late that afternoon we took the ski gondolas up to Coronet Peak and for those in our group that wanted to do the Bungy jump or the swing jumps we were given complimentary jumps. Ten people in our group did the jumps and I must admit that I was not one of those people. I decided that with a bad back and not being a crazy dare devil that I would gladly forego this extreme threat to my life!!! Zip lining is one thing, bungy jumping is something all together different---I don't remember saying that I was CRAZY!!! AJ Hackett Bungy Company provided all the jumps, t-shirts and photo/CD packets of the jumps for each person complimentary---this was an unbelievable gesture—since it would have cost each person about $500 for the entire jump experience!! Later that evening we returned to the Skyline Restaurant at Coronet Peak for a Maori show and a Taste of New Zealand dinner, complete with beef, pork, seafood and lamb—and of course DESSERTS. The restaurant was at the top of the peak and offered a 220degree panorama view of Queenstown at night---what a beautiful sight! After a long day, we snuggled under our down comforters and slept like babies. We had one more night in Queenstown before leaving for home, so don’t you even think of not returning to my Blog for the next day’s activities! Did I tell you that I love Queenstown! | May 24, 2010 Welcome back for Day 6 of my tour to New Zealand. It’s about 10am and the group has rejoined the motor coach after our overnight cruise on the Milford Sound. We traveled back to the small township of Te Anau where are did a hotel inspection at the Distinction Hotels and Villas Te Anau and had a quick lunch. This hotel had just been upgraded to a deluxe hotel after extensive remodeling and is in a great location. The hotel looks out over Lake Te Anau and is perfect for boating, fishing and walking beside the lake. One of the great amenities that the hotel has to offer along with the great view is the new Glass Wedding Chapel where you can have a wedding. The entire Chapel is made of glass so while you are repeating your vows you can also enjoy the spectacular views of the lake…. it makes for great wedding photos! The Chapel opened in late December and the hotel had already performed over 20 weddings, so you can imagine the demand for the chapel. They were hosting a wedding the afternoon that we were there, so we were able to see the ballroom where the bridal reception would be held, complete with the wedding cake and flowers. As we were departing Te Anau, we made one last swing through town and as we passed back by the Chapel, we saw the wedding party complete with the bride and groom. The sun was shining and the bride and groom along with all the guests turned and waved to us before they said “ I Do”. As I always say---Timing is everything!! Our destination for this afternoon was Wanaka, home to striking mountains and deep alpine lakes, a place where the air is as clear as crystal. Time Life Magazine voted Wanaka one of the top 10 of the world’s most romantic destinations. Our group arrived about 6pm at our hotel, the Edgewater Resort on Lake Wanaka and I was lucky enough to get a room on the lake---my room was actually a suite with living and dining room, small kitchenette and separate bedroom. The great thing about the room was that it had a washer and dryer in the bathroom and about 1000 square feet! We had about 1 hour to freshen up and then our group was wined and dined at our hotel. The meal was out of this world, so when we finally returned to our rooms, we were tired, but full and happy! Wanaka is a great place for a weekend stay and if you love to go boating or fishing, this is your place. You can get a fishing license and fish till you can’t fish any longer, so it is definitely a sportsman’s paradise. Wanaka is a lovely town and a great place to visit while in New Zealand. We are winding down to our last 3 days in New Zealand; so don’t forget to stay tuned!
| May 24, 2010 Welcome back for Day 6 of my tour to New Zealand. It’s about 10am and the group has rejoined the motor coach after our overnight cruise on the Milford Sound. We traveled back to the small township of Te Anau where are did a hotel inspection at the Distinction Hotels and Villas Te Anau and had a quick lunch. This hotel had just been upgraded to a deluxe hotel after extensive remodeling and is in a great location. The hotel looks out over Lake Te Anau and is perfect for boating, fishing and walking beside the lake. One of the great amenities that the hotel has to offer along with the great view is the new Glass Wedding Chapel where you can have a wedding. The entire Chapel is made of glass so while you are repeating your vows you can also enjoy the spectacular views of the lake…. it makes for great wedding photos! The Chapel opened in late December and the hotel had already performed over 20 weddings, so you can imagine the demand for the chapel. They were hosting a wedding the afternoon that we were there, so we were able to see the ballroom where the bridal reception would be held, complete with the wedding cake and flowers. As we were departing Te Anau, we made one last swing through town and as we passed back by the Chapel, we saw the wedding party complete with the bride and groom. The sun was shining and the bride and groom along with all the guests turned and waved to us before they said “ I Do”. As I always say---Timing is everything!! Our destination for this afternoon was Wanaka, home to striking mountains and deep alpine lakes, a place where the air is as clear as crystal. Time Life Magazine voted Wanaka one of the top 10 of the world’s most romantic destinations. Our group arrived about 6pm at our hotel, the Edgewater Resort on Lake Wanaka and I was lucky enough to get a room on the lake---my room was actually a suite with living and dining room, small kitchenette and separate bedroom. The great thing about the room was that it had a washer and dryer in the bathroom and about 1000 square feet! We had about 1 hour to freshen up and then our group was wined and dined at our hotel. The meal was out of this world, so when we finally returned to our rooms, we were tired, but full and happy! Wanaka is a great place for a weekend stay and if you love to go boating or fishing, this is your place. You can get a fishing license and fish till you can’t fish any longer, so it is definitely a sportsman’s paradise. Wanaka is a lovely town and a great place to visit while in New Zealand. We are winding down to our last 3 days in New Zealand; so don’t forget to stay tuned!
| May 24, 2010 It’s Day 5 and it’s the half way mark of my trip. After an early breakfast at the hotel, our group boards the bus and we departed Mt. Cook and headed out across the South Island. We passed through small farming communities and the small towns of Omarama and Cromwell before reaching Te Anau—the gateway to the Fiordland National Park. Te Anau is a picturesque town on the shore of Lake Te Anau, which was formed by a large glacier and has several arms that penetrate into the mountainous-forested shores. After stopping for lunch in this cute little township, we headed for Milford Sound for our overnight cruise on the Milford Mariner. We cruised the full length of this spectacular fjord to the Tasman Sea and spent the night in the sheltered Harrison Cove. The Milford Mariner is the only ship that operates the overnight cruise and has 32 cabins that carries about 75 people including all the crew. We had a wonderful relaxing buffet dinner on board the Mariner and then retired for the night, it had been a long day but enjoyable. I met several couples from Australia who were vacationing for the first time in New Zealand and enjoyed sharing our experiences about our New Zealand adventures. The next morning we had breakfast on board the ship, cruised thru the Fjord so we could sail under the waterfalls, and said goodbye to our new Aussie friends before getting back on the bus. The rain was over and it was sunny and cold. The fjords and the scenery were awe-inspiring…so clear and deep, yet so quiet and still. I would have to say majestic is the best description that I could give for our time on the Milford Sound! When you go to New Zealand this is a MUST SEE! Don’t forget to come back for Day 6! Checkout my New Zealand pictures on the Gulliver's Travel Facebook page or on my Facebook page. | May 24, 2010 It’s Day 5 and it’s the half way mark of my trip. After an early breakfast at the hotel, our group boards the bus and we departed Mt. Cook and headed out across the South Island. We passed through small farming communities and the small towns of Omarama and Cromwell before reaching Te Anau—the gateway to the Fiordland National Park. Te Anau is a picturesque town on the shore of Lake Te Anau, which was formed by a large glacier and has several arms that penetrate into the mountainous-forested shores. After stopping for lunch in this cute little township, we headed for Milford Sound for our overnight cruise on the Milford Mariner. We cruised the full length of this spectacular fjord to the Tasman Sea and spent the night in the sheltered Harrison Cove. The Milford Mariner is the only ship that operates the overnight cruise and has 32 cabins that carries about 75 people including all the crew. We had a wonderful relaxing buffet dinner on board the Mariner and then retired for the night, it had been a long day but enjoyable. I met several couples from Australia who were vacationing for the first time in New Zealand and enjoyed sharing our experiences about our New Zealand adventures. The next morning we had breakfast on board the ship, cruised thru the Fjord so we could sail under the waterfalls, and said goodbye to our new Aussie friends before getting back on the bus. The rain was over and it was sunny and cold. The fjords and the scenery were awe-inspiring…so clear and deep, yet so quiet and still. I would have to say majestic is the best description that I could give for our time on the Milford Sound! When you go to New Zealand this is a MUST SEE! Don’t forget to come back for Day 6! Checkout my New Zealand pictures on the Gulliver's Travel Facebook page or on my Facebook page. | May 21, 2010 It’s Day 4 starts after an early breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Christchurch, the group boards the bus for a long day of traveling. We are traveling to Mt. Cook in the high country and it will take about 4-5 hours with some stops along the way. It is a beautiful day, clear and cold as we depart Christchurch but by early afternoon it will change to rain. The scenery is spectacular and majestic, the mountains are humbling, and even in the rain it is still beautiful. After a few hours on the bus we reach Lake Tekapo and stop to view the tiny Church of the Good Shepherd—which was built from locally gathered stone and oak in tribute to the hard working early pioneers of the land. It is a small church and will seat only about 50 to 75 people, but when you walk in you can feel the Holy Spirit as you sit and pray. The church is on a small incline that overlooks Lake Tekapo and is beautiful in its simplicity and the location on the lake with all the trees surrounding the church and the lake, makes you feel like you are as close to God as you can get! You feel humble to just be in his presence. After we left the church, we stopped at a local restaurant on the lake, had lunch and of course, did some shopping before boarding the bus for our final destination---Mt. Cook and our hotel for the night.
Mt. Cook National Park is a World Heritage listed park and is home to the Hermitage Hotel—the most famous hotel in New Zealand, specifically for its location and the fantastic views of Mt. Cook. The Hermitage Hotel is our home for the night and it houses the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center. The Alpine Center is a special center which is dedicated to one of New Zealand’s most famous mountaineering pioneer---Sir Edmund Hillary who with his party climbed the south ridge of the glacier and later went on to become the first climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest! Mt. Cook is an awesome sight—assuming there’s no cloud in the way! This is definitely a Photo op, so out come the cameras for some memorable photos. In early December of 1991, a substantial piece of Mt. Cook’s east face (about 14 million cubic meters) fell away in a massive landslide. Debris spewed out over the surrounding glaciers for 7.3 kilometers, carving a path down the Grand Plateau and Hochstetter Icefall and reaching as far as the Tasman Glacier!
Our group was suppose to take a boat with experienced guide out to the face of the glacier, have an opportunity to get spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and take some great photos, but unfortunately the bottom fell out and the rain started in earnest, so we decided to forego this excursion. Later that evening we had drinks and dinner at the award winning Panorama Restaurant and enjoyed the great view of Aoraki Mt. Cook. It had been a long day and as it drew to a close, we headed for our rooms to rest up for Day 5 of our New Zealand adventure!
Don’t forget to follow along with me on this special journey. There are not enough adjectives to truly describe how special New Zealand is, so I hope you are enjoying your virtual trip. Call me at 901-754-9300 when you are ready to visit New Zealand, I’ll be waiting for your call! | May 21, 2010 It’s Day 4 starts after an early breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Christchurch, the group boards the bus for a long day of traveling. We are traveling to Mt. Cook in the high country and it will take about 4-5 hours with some stops along the way. It is a beautiful day, clear and cold as we depart Christchurch but by early afternoon it will change to rain. The scenery is spectacular and majestic, the mountains are humbling, and even in the rain it is still beautiful. After a few hours on the bus we reach Lake Tekapo and stop to view the tiny Church of the Good Shepherd—which was built from locally gathered stone and oak in tribute to the hard working early pioneers of the land. It is a small church and will seat only about 50 to 75 people, but when you walk in you can feel the Holy Spirit as you sit and pray. The church is on a small incline that overlooks Lake Tekapo and is beautiful in its simplicity and the location on the lake with all the trees surrounding the church and the lake, makes you feel like you are as close to God as you can get! You feel humble to just be in his presence. After we left the church, we stopped at a local restaurant on the lake, had lunch and of course, did some shopping before boarding the bus for our final destination---Mt. Cook and our hotel for the night.
Mt. Cook National Park is a World Heritage listed park and is home to the Hermitage Hotel—the most famous hotel in New Zealand, specifically for its location and the fantastic views of Mt. Cook. The Hermitage Hotel is our home for the night and it houses the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center. The Alpine Center is a special center which is dedicated to one of New Zealand’s most famous mountaineering pioneer---Sir Edmund Hillary who with his party climbed the south ridge of the glacier and later went on to become the first climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest! Mt. Cook is an awesome sight—assuming there’s no cloud in the way! This is definitely a Photo op, so out come the cameras for some memorable photos. In early December of 1991, a substantial piece of Mt. Cook’s east face (about 14 million cubic meters) fell away in a massive landslide. Debris spewed out over the surrounding glaciers for 7.3 kilometers, carving a path down the Grand Plateau and Hochstetter Icefall and reaching as far as the Tasman Glacier!
Our group was suppose to take a boat with experienced guide out to the face of the glacier, have an opportunity to get spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and take some great photos, but unfortunately the bottom fell out and the rain started in earnest, so we decided to forego this excursion. Later that evening we had drinks and dinner at the award winning Panorama Restaurant and enjoyed the great view of Aoraki Mt. Cook. It had been a long day and as it drew to a close, we headed for our rooms to rest up for Day 5 of our New Zealand adventure!
Don’t forget to follow along with me on this special journey. There are not enough adjectives to truly describe how special New Zealand is, so I hope you are enjoying your virtual trip. Call me at 901-754-9300 when you are ready to visit New Zealand, I’ll be waiting for your call! | May 20, 2010 It’s Day 3 of my New Zealand trip, and I am excited about what our group is going to do today. We board the bus and depart from Rotorua to see a working sheep demonstration at the AGRODOME. We learned that there is nineteen different breeds of sheep, saw a sheep-shearing demonstration, watched sheep being auctioned off and had the opportunity to hand milk a cow and watch the sheep dogs work the sheep. The Shepherd-- who never talks to his sheepdogs, only communicates to the dogs by whistle commands. It is amazing how fast the dogs can wrangle the sheep and herd them into the paddocks. It was very entertaining and quite fun to watch. Did you know that a good Shearer could shear up to 300 sheep in one day----that is less than 3 minutes per sheep!!! The Shearer works very fast and doesn’t make but 2 or 3 different shaves…they start on the sheep’s belly and around the head, ears and then down the legs and finish with the top side of the sheep. The dirty part of the wool—which is on the underside of the sheep, is used to make products that don’t require the best wools. The fine top quality wool is used to make clothes and other top grade products. When the Shearer has finished shearing, he has enough Lanolin oil from the wool that he could actually give someone a massage!!!! Merino wool is the most expensive and the most popular type of wool. After 2 hours and a little shopping at the AGRODOME (I bought the cutest little wool lambs and Kiwi beanie babies for my grandchildren), we stopped at the Heritage Hotel—a 4 star hotel in Rotarua for a hotel inspection. After our tour, we had lunch, did some shopping, then we headed to the airport for our flight to Christchurch, which is located on the South Island.
We arrived in Christchurch about 3:30pm (only about an hour flight), boarded a new bus with a new driver for our stay on the South Island, and toured Christchurch before going to our hotel. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and is referred to as the “Garden City” due to its profusion of elegant English gardens and beautiful architecture. Christchurch was founded in 1850 as a model Church of England settlement and has maintained its English flavor---in fact it is the most English city outside of England. The city spreads across the Canterbury Plains and has a dramatic backdrop of the Southern Alps; it is a beautiful city that offers preserved Gothic architecture and is complemented by tree-lined avenues, colorful gardens and the meandering Avon River. This English city is definitely a people city and it has all the authentic English pubs and great museums; everyone was out enjoying the boat rides down the canals, walking around the city and just enjoying the beautiful fall weather. The South Island has cooler temperatures than on the North Island, so you really experience the four seasons---it was 55degrees when we arrived, after leaving 70degree weather in Rotorua. I loved this city and would have enjoyed spending more time here, there is so much energy ---so clean and bright---and one of the things that I loved, was the colorful clay tile roof on the homes. After our tour we arrived at our hotel—the Crowne Plaza Christchurch, which is located across from Victoria Square and beside the Avon River. It is adjacent to the Christchurch Convention Hall, the Christchurch Casino and is just minutes from the central business district, so it was a perfect location and only about 5 minutes from great pubs, restaurants, museums and shopping! We had cocktails and an awesome dinner at The Yamagen –a Japanese restaurant at our hotel, and that ended another full day in New Zealand. Tune in for Day 4 and more about my great trip to New Zealand! Don’t forget to checkout my pictures! | May 20, 2010 It’s Day 3 of my New Zealand trip, and I am excited about what our group is going to do today. We board the bus and depart from Rotorua to see a working sheep demonstration at the AGRODOME. We learned that there is nineteen different breeds of sheep, saw a sheep-shearing demonstration, watched sheep being auctioned off and had the opportunity to hand milk a cow and watch the sheep dogs work the sheep. The Shepherd-- who never talks to his sheepdogs, only communicates to the dogs by whistle commands. It is amazing how fast the dogs can wrangle the sheep and herd them into the paddocks. It was very entertaining and quite fun to watch. Did you know that a good Shearer could shear up to 300 sheep in one day----that is less than 3 minutes per sheep!!! The Shearer works very fast and doesn’t make but 2 or 3 different shaves…they start on the sheep’s belly and around the head, ears and then down the legs and finish with the top side of the sheep. The dirty part of the wool—which is on the underside of the sheep, is used to make products that don’t require the best wools. The fine top quality wool is used to make clothes and other top grade products. When the Shearer has finished shearing, he has enough Lanolin oil from the wool that he could actually give someone a massage!!!! Merino wool is the most expensive and the most popular type of wool. After 2 hours and a little shopping at the AGRODOME (I bought the cutest little wool lambs and Kiwi beanie babies for my grandchildren), we stopped at the Heritage Hotel—a 4 star hotel in Rotarua for a hotel inspection. After our tour, we had lunch, did some shopping, then we headed to the airport for our flight to Christchurch, which is located on the South Island.
We arrived in Christchurch about 3:30pm (only about an hour flight), boarded a new bus with a new driver for our stay on the South Island, and toured Christchurch before going to our hotel. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island and is referred to as the “Garden City” due to its profusion of elegant English gardens and beautiful architecture. Christchurch was founded in 1850 as a model Church of England settlement and has maintained its English flavor---in fact it is the most English city outside of England. The city spreads across the Canterbury Plains and has a dramatic backdrop of the Southern Alps; it is a beautiful city that offers preserved Gothic architecture and is complemented by tree-lined avenues, colorful gardens and the meandering Avon River. This English city is definitely a people city and it has all the authentic English pubs and great museums; everyone was out enjoying the boat rides down the canals, walking around the city and just enjoying the beautiful fall weather. The South Island has cooler temperatures than on the North Island, so you really experience the four seasons---it was 55degrees when we arrived, after leaving 70degree weather in Rotorua. I loved this city and would have enjoyed spending more time here, there is so much energy ---so clean and bright---and one of the things that I loved, was the colorful clay tile roof on the homes. After our tour we arrived at our hotel—the Crowne Plaza Christchurch, which is located across from Victoria Square and beside the Avon River. It is adjacent to the Christchurch Convention Hall, the Christchurch Casino and is just minutes from the central business district, so it was a perfect location and only about 5 minutes from great pubs, restaurants, museums and shopping! We had cocktails and an awesome dinner at The Yamagen –a Japanese restaurant at our hotel, and that ended another full day in New Zealand. Tune in for Day 4 and more about my great trip to New Zealand! Don’t forget to checkout my pictures! | May 13, 2010 Glad you could join me for Day 2 of my New Zealand tour. After a great buffet breakfast that was included in the room rate, we get back on the bus and start Day 2 bright and early. Before I go on, I have to tell you about the breakfast buffet…. it had all the American breakfast items, but the New Zealanders do a few things differently. One, the bacon is sautéed, so it is not crisp; the sausage links are not like we eat in the U.S. but more like the bangers that you get in England; and you have a lot more fruits, but the thing that I found a little different, is that they have roasted new potatoes, broiled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms and baked beans with every meal----breakfast, lunch and dinner! What can I say, it’s a complete meal from beginning to end---you certainly will not starve and the croissants are heavenly—that’s my favorite!
We are on the bus and driving south through the land of Waikato Province to Waitomo and are going to tour the Waitomo Caves, home of the tiny GLOW WORMS. We have a tour guide that gives us a guided tour of the underground limestone caverns, including the magnificent “Cathedral” cave…. it was so cool, you could almost see the Pipe Organ and the pulpit where the clergy would stand…. it was like standing on holy ground! Next we took a silent boat ride and glided through as mystical grotto lit by thousands of tiny glow worms. It really was something to see…. it reminded me of lying on the ground at night when I was a child and looking up at the night sky and seeing all the twinkling stars. Thousands of little stars—unbelievable and so beautiful! Note to remember, wear some good walking shoes and carry a jacket when you tour the caves because it is cool and very dark in the caves! You are not allowed to use your cameras in the caves ---why---because the flash on your cameras would disturb the glow worms, so the Guide uses a big flashlight that he or she shines on the floor of the cave to guide you through...its all about preserving the life of the glow worms! Once we finished the tour of the caves, we hopped back on the bus and headed further south to Rotorua---New Zealand’s thermal wonderland. We stopped and had lunch, made the usual bathroom stops and rolled into Rotorua about 2pm.
Rotorua is a rare mystical place and is home to some of the world’s most incredible earthly forces. From the moment you enter Rotorua you know that you are somewhere special---you’ll discover steaming geysers and bubbling mud pools amid crystal clears lakes and streams. The Maori culture is as diverse as the natural wonders your senses will experience, with a rich sense of history as well as the promise of fun and adventure. We saw the Te Puia Thermal Reserve—which is a thermal wonderland some 40,000 years old, and we watched the bubbling Mud pools, hissing steam and geysers that pay tribute to the presence of Mother Nature. The most famous geyser, Pohutu, which means big splash, can erupt up to 30 meters high in front of you and there’s no other geyser in the world that is this accessible. You can smell the sulphur for miles, but it is an awesome sight. We also toured the small museum that is operated by the Maori’s, learned about the Maori culture and watched a demonstration of wood carving. All the Maori carvings tell a story and they are quite beautiful, you see everything from totem poles to small carvings, and they can take anywhere from 3 days to 3-4 months to create depending on the size of the carvings. We left the museum and went to our hotel---The Millennium Hotel Rotarua where we stayed for one night. The Millennium is Rotaorua’s largest deluxe hotel and it is located in the heart of the city by the lake and the Polynesian Spa. Our room had a view of Lake Rotorua and the natural forest. It is the perfect location and you are only about 2 to 3 blocks---within walking distance from the hotel to shopping, restaurants and bars. Rotorua also has more golf courses than I have seen in a small city, it seemed like they were on every block! Even though it was fall in New Zealand, the temperature was about 60 degrees and we had light showers throughout the afternoon and evening.
We had about two hours to rest and freshen up before our special dinner and show. I went to the business center to send an email to my hubby and let him know that I missed him and then rushed to my room for a quick shower and change. Our special dinner that night was at the MITAI MAORI VILLAGE and we were treated to the traditional Maori Hangi and Revue—which is a cultural experience with Maori music and dancing. It was a fun evening with a great buffet that included New Zealand lamb, beef and pork. We watched the Maori performers come down the lake on a canoe in their ceremonial dress complete with torches and singing and from there we followed them into the exhibition hall for the show. After the show it was back to the hotel for a long winter’s night and some sleep…. I don’t think so…it was just wishful thinking! What can I say, the day faded into night and day 2, had come to an end.
Don’t forget to tune in for Day 3; it will be another fun day. There is much to see and so little time, that we try to cram as much as possible into every day. Call me when you are ready to travel to New Zealand, it really is beautiful! | May 13, 2010 Glad you could join me for Day 2 of my New Zealand tour. After a great buffet breakfast that was included in the room rate, we get back on the bus and start Day 2 bright and early. Before I go on, I have to tell you about the breakfast buffet…. it had all the American breakfast items, but the New Zealanders do a few things differently. One, the bacon is sautéed, so it is not crisp; the sausage links are not like we eat in the U.S. but more like the bangers that you get in England; and you have a lot more fruits, but the thing that I found a little different, is that they have roasted new potatoes, broiled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms and baked beans with every meal----breakfast, lunch and dinner! What can I say, it’s a complete meal from beginning to end---you certainly will not starve and the croissants are heavenly—that’s my favorite!
We are on the bus and driving south through the land of Waikato Province to Waitomo and are going to tour the Waitomo Caves, home of the tiny GLOW WORMS. We have a tour guide that gives us a guided tour of the underground limestone caverns, including the magnificent “Cathedral” cave…. it was so cool, you could almost see the Pipe Organ and the pulpit where the clergy would stand…. it was like standing on holy ground! Next we took a silent boat ride and glided through as mystical grotto lit by thousands of tiny glow worms. It really was something to see…. it reminded me of lying on the ground at night when I was a child and looking up at the night sky and seeing all the twinkling stars. Thousands of little stars—unbelievable and so beautiful! Note to remember, wear some good walking shoes and carry a jacket when you tour the caves because it is cool and very dark in the caves! You are not allowed to use your cameras in the caves ---why---because the flash on your cameras would disturb the glow worms, so the Guide uses a big flashlight that he or she shines on the floor of the cave to guide you through...its all about preserving the life of the glow worms! Once we finished the tour of the caves, we hopped back on the bus and headed further south to Rotorua---New Zealand’s thermal wonderland. We stopped and had lunch, made the usual bathroom stops and rolled into Rotorua about 2pm.
Rotorua is a rare mystical place and is home to some of the world’s most incredible earthly forces. From the moment you enter Rotorua you know that you are somewhere special---you’ll discover steaming geysers and bubbling mud pools amid crystal clears lakes and streams. The Maori culture is as diverse as the natural wonders your senses will experience, with a rich sense of history as well as the promise of fun and adventure. We saw the Te Puia Thermal Reserve—which is a thermal wonderland some 40,000 years old, and we watched the bubbling Mud pools, hissing steam and geysers that pay tribute to the presence of Mother Nature. The most famous geyser, Pohutu, which means big splash, can erupt up to 30 meters high in front of you and there’s no other geyser in the world that is this accessible. You can smell the sulphur for miles, but it is an awesome sight. We also toured the small museum that is operated by the Maori’s, learned about the Maori culture and watched a demonstration of wood carving. All the Maori carvings tell a story and they are quite beautiful, you see everything from totem poles to small carvings, and they can take anywhere from 3 days to 3-4 months to create depending on the size of the carvings. We left the museum and went to our hotel---The Millennium Hotel Rotarua where we stayed for one night. The Millennium is Rotaorua’s largest deluxe hotel and it is located in the heart of the city by the lake and the Polynesian Spa. Our room had a view of Lake Rotorua and the natural forest. It is the perfect location and you are only about 2 to 3 blocks---within walking distance from the hotel to shopping, restaurants and bars. Rotorua also has more golf courses than I have seen in a small city, it seemed like they were on every block! Even though it was fall in New Zealand, the temperature was about 60 degrees and we had light showers throughout the afternoon and evening.
We had about two hours to rest and freshen up before our special dinner and show. I went to the business center to send an email to my hubby and let him know that I missed him and then rushed to my room for a quick shower and change. Our special dinner that night was at the MITAI MAORI VILLAGE and we were treated to the traditional Maori Hangi and Revue—which is a cultural experience with Maori music and dancing. It was a fun evening with a great buffet that included New Zealand lamb, beef and pork. We watched the Maori performers come down the lake on a canoe in their ceremonial dress complete with torches and singing and from there we followed them into the exhibition hall for the show. After the show it was back to the hotel for a long winter’s night and some sleep…. I don’t think so…it was just wishful thinking! What can I say, the day faded into night and day 2, had come to an end.
Don’t forget to tune in for Day 3; it will be another fun day. There is much to see and so little time, that we try to cram as much as possible into every day. Call me when you are ready to travel to New Zealand, it really is beautiful! | May 12, 2010 When I left you on my last Blog entry on May 11th, I was just boarding my flight from Los Angeles to Auckland. The flight was to depart Los Angeles at 10:30pm and arrive in Auckland on Monday, April 26 at 6:25am so it was a long flight, but at least the plane was not sold out. I was assigned an aisle seat in the center 4 seats and I was lucky that no one had been assigned the 2 seats next to me, so I was able to spread out a little. At the last minute I bought one of those pillows that wrap around your neck and I must say it was the best thing that I ever did, without the pillow I doubt I would have been able to sleep at all, as the seats backs are not conducive to really sleeping. (Hint: Buy the pillow--it will be the best investment you ever make when traveling!) First class is much better but I was in coach, granted I was in the premium coach, which is just behind the first class section, so that was not as bad as being at the back of the plane (much quieter). I never seem to be able to sleep when I fly but with the pillow I was able to at least get a few winks in! You can only watch so many movies or read for so long, before finding yourself sleepy! I have to tell you that Air New Zealand is a fabulous airline, they were voted the No. 1 international airline and I can believe it, for about 300+ people, there were a total of 10 stewards and stewardesses, 2 interpreters and a Concierge on board the flight. They were exceptional and you could tell that they loved their jobs. They had a great attitude and were very, very professional and the service on board the flight was excellent. An hour into the flight, they served dinner and then afterwards everyone settled in for a long night. After about 11 hours they served breakfast and then 2 hours later we were landing in Auckland….. Don’t forget all the time changes that we went thru, and the 13 hours actual flying time (if you count all the air time from Memphis to Los Angeles and the 5 hour layover, I had been traveling for well more than 24 hours).
We arrived Monday morning, deplaned and went to the baggage claim area, got our bags and then stood in line to clear customs and immigration. It wasn’t too bad at 7:00am so we cleared customs pretty fast and found our motor coach waiting outside for us. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I was with a group of people from all over the United States. Our driver was one of the tour guides on the trip, so we had a short sightseeing trip around the city on the way to our hotel…. boy, did I want to shower and change clothes---perfume can only last so long!! After flying that long, you really are ready for a long, hot shower to try and revive before the day starts. We checked into our hotel, the Crowne Plaza Auckland that is located in the center of the city and is one block away from the main shopping and restaurant/bar area, so it was a perfect location. We had an hour to freshen up and then we hopped on the bus and headed for the Auckland harbor. Auckland is called the “City of Sails” because they have the largest marina in the world just filled with yachts and sailboats. Our first sightseeing tour was a 2hour Coffee Cruise on the “Pride of Auckland”, a large sailboat, around the Auckland harbor. It was a perfect day for sailing, the temperature even though it is fall—the opposite of our seasons---was in the low 70’s and sunny. We lucked out on the weather, they had just had several days of rain, so it was absolutely beautiful and the sailboat was a great way to see the city from the water. After the cruise, we boarded the bus and did a more in-depth city tour. We did 2 hotel inspections close to the Crowne Plaza and before the day was over, our last stop was a tour that took us up to Mount Eden---which is one of Auckland’s extinct volcanoes so that we could enjoy a spectacular view of the city. The view was awesome, it was cooler and very windy, but the view was worth the trip, you could see all of Auckland from this point. We drove back to our hotel, had 3 hours to rest up and then we had dinner and drinks to end our first day in New Zealand. During my 3 hours before dinner, I walked around the city and when I returned to the hotel, I decided to get a shoulder massage. I had a half hour massage and paid about $15 USD including the tip---what a bargain! After dinner, we walked back to our hotel…the day was now over and the jet lag was beginning to set in.
Check back tomorrow for day 2 ---you won’t be sorry! I hope that you will enjoy your virtual tour of New Zealand, so when you are ready to go, call me and let me help plan your trip, I can guarantee that it will be special!! It is one of my favorite destinations.
| May 11, 2010 What a whirlwind time I've had for the last 2 weeks, I'm back from New Zealand and I have to tell you it was one of the best trips that I have taken in a long time. I traveled to Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday, April 24th and returned from Queenstown, New Zealand on May 4th. I must admit that I did not look forward to the long flight, but once you get in the air and start your trip--you're already half way there at least in your mind!
As is typical these days with airlines, you never know what is going to happen. If you remember back, the Saturday that I left Memphis, it had been storming since Friday afternoon and there were tornadoes all around Memphis. Flights were delayed or cancelled all over the South, so as usual when it rains, the airlines cancel flights. Wouldn't you know that my flight was the one that was cancelled. I was suppose to leave Memphis on USAir and fly to Los Angeles via a connection in Phoenix, so that I could connect with my Air New Zealand flight that departed Los Angeles at 10:30pm to Auckland. I was extremely lucky in that USAir called my office to advise that my flight was cancelled----no explanation as to why, just cancelled. They gave me an 800 number to call and low and behold, they were able to protect me on a non-stop flight from Memphis to LAX on Delta Airlines, so it all worked out. The departure time were similar but it just meant that I would have a much longer layover in Los Angeles...approximately 5 hours before my international flight. Such is life, I always tell my clients, just go with the flow and enjoy the new adventure, so that is exactly what I did! I had plenty of time to make my flight, get something to eat, read a good book and not get that rushed feeling that you get when you travel. 
I have to tell you that I sat next to a couple from Tampa that was going to Fiji to get married and they were both tired and excited. They were going to be staying at a deluxe resort on a remote island...only 26 bures (like a cottage on the beach) on the whole island...now that is fabulous...we are talking privacy and complete relaxation. They were looking forward to just being lazy and doing some snorkeling and diving every day. The groom was a computer guru and he was working on his computer. His fiancee said that he promised he would only work on the flight to Los Angeles and then he would not use his computer for the next 14 days, so he was working like crazy to finish all his work and live up to his promise that he had made to his future bride! The bride was most interesting, she was an accupuncture doctor so she told me all about her work and how she uses accupuncture to treat her patients. It was so fascinating that the time just flew by, she gave me some tips about what I could do to treat my shoulder, so I listened intently and appreciated the advice. True to his promise, the future groom completed his work on the computer before we landed in Los Angeles, so his computer was packed up to not be opened again until they returned! The first part of my journey was completed now, so I just had to survive the long layover before boarding my plane and starting the next part of my exciting adventure!
They started boarding our Air New Zealand flight about 10pm, and there were about 300 people on the flight. I was getting anxious because I wanted to talk to my husband before I left the country, and he was in New Orleans working a USTA Tennis tournament, so I did not know if he would be off the court in time to make the call before I left...after all, it would be almost 11 days before I would see him again!!! Hey, even though I have been married for 34 years, he's my best friend and I just wanted to hear his voice again. We had decided that instead of calling while out of the country, that we would communicate by email each day, so I really wanted to talk to him and let him know that I would miss him and tell him I loved him.....Ok, I know its hokey, but I'm just a sentimental and romantic girl at heart! My husband called just in time while I was standing in line to board the plane, so I was both relieved and happy to know that I could leave with a peaceful heart and knowing that I had completed my checklist. Stay tuned for my next blog to hear about all the exciting things that I did on my trip. | April 21, 2010 Well Spring is finally here....I must admit I thought it would never arrive. The azaleas, dogwoods, tulips are in bloom and it is warm and sunny and hopefully no serious rain...it is has been a long cold winter--not to mention a wet winter. The downside to Spring is all the pollen---I hate seeing all that yellow pollen on everything....I refuse to wash my car only to have it coated with pollen the very next day---so I pray for short showers to help wash off the dust, oh and can you spell ALLERGIES!! Allergies are the scourge of the season, but I have to say the Spring and Fall are still my 2 favorite seasons.
I just wanted to tell you to be sure and read my Blog over the next few weeks. I will be winging my way to New Zealand very soon, so I hope to be able to provide you with a Virtual tour of this wonderful country. I must admit that I don't look forward to the long flights---not quite 2 days of traveling---but I am excited because I have never been to that part of the world. New Zealand is a wonderful country and has just about everything you could want....from the Glow Worm caves to glaciers, bungy jumping---not sure that I will be doing that---to thermal springs, sheep shearing and awesome scenery. I will see both the North and South Islands and everything in between, so I hope you will come along on my journey. I will be writing in my travel diary and taking lots of pictures so that I can share this great experience with you. Hopefully it will make you want to go to New Zealand. Call me when you are ready!
Just wanted to mention that it is not too late to book that summer vacation, but you need to start now if you have not planned your vacation. Summer is peak time for most destinations from Alaska to Europe, and from the Caribbean to Mexico....because it is the best time to travel. For cruises and Europe it is high season, so the rates will be a little higher. For Mexico and the Caribbean it is low season until Mid-December, so start planning now, remember the earlier that you book the better the airfares! You will need a Passport for any destination that you fly to from the United States, so if you don't have a passport you need to start the process for obtaining one NOW!!! It normally takes about 2-4 weeks to get your passports. If you need a passport quickly, you can have the Post Office expedite the process for you-- but you will pay a higher price for this service--this way it guarantees that you will get your passport in about 7-10 days. To get a Passport you will need to either print the application online or go to a Post Office that handles Passport applications ---you will need these documents in order to apply for a passport: State issued Birth Certificate with raised state seal, 2 passport size photos, and if you are a married woman---you will also need to carry a copy of your Marriage Certificate to show why your name is different on the passport application than what shows on your Birth Certificate....why is it that women always have to be different!!! Men never have to do this because their names stay the same, anyway once you have all your documentation you must go back to the Post Office, swear an oath that all the documentation is correct, pay your passport fees and the Post Office will send it off and you will get your passports back in about 3-4 weeks or less --depending on the time of year that you are applying. The cost of the passport is $97.00 and it is good for 10 years---that is less than $10 a year---so it is a bargain---probably the only thing that is actually inflation proof!! Please note that if you are divorced and have child support issues, or been convicted of a crime or have outstanding tickets, you can be DENIED A PASSPORT!!! I recommend that you start the passport process as early as possible. A Passport is your key to travel and it means that you can travel at the drop of a hat---if you have a Passport, you are already half way to your destination!
Don't forget to keep reading my Blog and have a happy and safe weekend!
Debbie
| April 14, 2010 April 15th....the most dreaded day of the year.....The 3 letter word that most Americans hate to say....IRS and Income Tax Day! I hope that if you have an opportunity to participate in a Tea Party on April 15th, that you will. All Americans need to come together and support the Tea Parties...as they will help to hold our Congressman and Senators accountable and hopefully help bring about the changes that Americans want for this country. Please let your voices be heard tomorrow...Stand up for this country and remember that the most important thing that you can do is VOTE in November for the right type of change! All Americans have the right to Freedom of Speech and to express your opinions so now is the time to speak up, but remember to be peaceful, respectful and above all civil.
Help keep the faith and please say a prayer for a safe and peaceful April 15th. | April 11, 2010 This was certainly a great Sunday for golf. If you don't know by now--Phil Mickelson won this year's Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga. and it was one of the best Masters in many years! This year The Masters had many great stories, but the best one was the story of love for Phil's wife- Amy and his love of the game! For those of you who don't play or watch golf, Phil's wife Amy was diagnosed with Breast cancer 11 months ago and his mother with Breast cancer last fall. Phil's love for the game of golf is well known as he has been on the golf circuit for a long time, but his love for his wife and mother is the greater of the two. His family is the most important part of his life and for several months after Amy was diagnosed, he put his golf on hold to be with them both as they went thru the cancer treatments. It's been a long and tumulteous year for both, but for Amy even though she could not walk the course on Sunday, she was able to make it to the 18th hole to see her husband win the 2010 Masters and earn that 3rd Green Jacket! That special moment when she congratulated Phil was both very emotional and heart wrenching---it was one of those times when you get a knot in your throat and want to cry for joy! The whole world was looking on as they shared a very private moment and you felt that special bond between a husband and wife who had been through so much this past year. It was a well deserved victory for Phil and one that they both will remember for the rest of their lives. This was truly a sweet, sweet victory for both Phil and Amy in more ways than one, and for Phil it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!
I guess you never thought I would talk about golf, but this was a great day, and it just goes to show what a great sport the game of golf is and that there is more than one person in the field of golf that can showcase this sport with integrity and still be a gentleman and a true lover of the game! Congratulations to Phil and Amy and I hope this is just the first of many more victories that they will share together. If you are a golf lover, don't forget that there are golf packages for the big golfing events...like the British Open, the U.S. Open, not to mention that you can play golf in the Caribbean, Mexico as well as Hawaii and other US desitinations, and make it a vacation for the family as well.
I wanted to mention that coming up in June is the start of summer weddings and honeymoons and the SANDALS resorts are a great place to spend your honeymoon. The SANDALS resorts are Adult only and are All Inclusive--which means that all meals, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, non-motorized sports and gratuities are included. Did you know that if you want to learn how to Dive, you can even get your certification at the Sandals resorts! This is a real value for the money and a great way to spend your honeymoon....no kids but great amenities. SANDALS have 8 different resorts in Jamaica, one on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, one in Antigua, three in St. Lucia and a new resort in Exuma, Bahamas. All of the resorts are wonderful and each resort is different from the others, in that some are more active than others, and some are very laid back. Their flagship resorts also have the Red Lane Spas and if you want to get married at the Sandals resorts, they even offer a selection of Martha Stewart Weddings to choose from. If you book a Concierge type room for 6 nights or more, then they will give you a free wedding, but you do have to pay a wedding fee to cover the cost of the taxes..which can run from $150 to about $300! If you like Jamaica, there are three resorts in Montego Bay, two in Negril and two at this time in Ocho Rios. My favorite area is Negril---they have the best beaches and are similar to the white sand beaches that you see in Florida. The Negril area is very laid back and much more casual than Montego Bay, so if you really want to chill out...this is the place! Ocho Rios has the mountains, Dunn's River Falls and beaches. Each resort is different and there is something unique about each one, so you have plenty to choose from. One of the great things about Sandals is that you can stay at one property, but play at all Sandals resorts. If you stay in Montego Bay, but you want to visit either Ocho Rios or Negril, you can visit these properties and use their beaches, but you will have to provide your own transportation from Montego Bay. If you stay in Montego Bay where they have 3 different resorts, you can go and use the different beaches, and restaurants, and SANDALS will provide the transportation between each resort since you are in the same city.
If you have not booked your honeymoon, then now is the time....June is the most popular time of the year for honeymoons, so get moving! SANDALS is also great for anniversaries and vacations all year long. Don't forget that SANDALS also offers BEACHES as their All Inclusive resorts for friends and families. BEACHES has 2 resorts in Negril, and one in Ocho Rios, Jamaica as well as a BEACHES resort in Turks and Caicos, Bahamas. The really nice thing about the All Inclusive resorts is that everything is included at the resorts, so it really is a hassle free vacation! If you need more information, my email address is: Debbie@gulliverstravel.com and my office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm.
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| April 4, 2010 Today was the holiest of all Holy Days----Easter Sunday. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday with your loved ones and family. Today all over the world Christians celebrated that Christ died for our sins and that he arose from the dead just so that we could live. We must never forget that Christ died so that we could celebrate our faith for all the days to come and never, ever give away the freedoms and rights that he gave to us, and that we must live up to his expectations. We must live each day to the best of our ability and always keep Christ in our hearts and life, he is what makes us who we are.
I wanted to tell you about a movie that my husband and I saw on Thanksgiving Eve, 2009. My husband bought the movie for me, because I loved it and wanted to watch it again, so today -- this Sunday afternoon I watched it again. It is a true story about a young black man from Memphis who changed not only his life but the lives of the family who adopted him. The movie is.......THE BLIND SIDE....and this is a story about Michael Oher, who was abandoned by his mother and living on the streets of Memphis. He was alone, cold and hungry and fought to survive. His life changed one cold and rainy night when he was offered a ride by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy. The Tuohy family took Michael in, gave him a loving home and family, and worked with Michael to get him into Briarcrest school, provided him with tutors to get his grades up, and helped him study to take and pass the ACT test. Michael went on to play football and graduate from Briarcrest, was recruited to play football at Ole Miss, became an All American football player at Ole Miss and was a number 1 NFL draft pick and is now playing with the Baltimore Ravens. This story shows just what love can do, that no matter whether you are black or white, love is color blind and that it can overcome all odds. Did I fail to mention that the Tuohy's are white and that the whole family became Michael's legal guardian! They are extremely proud to have Michael as their son, and of what Michael has accomplished in his life, and for the man that Michael has become. If you love SEC football and a great feel good story, then this is a MUST SEE movie, it just came out on DVD this past week, so if you missed it in the theaters you can now buy it and watch at home. Michael is part of the Ole Miss family and we are so very proud of him! By the way, Sandra Bullock who played the part of Leigh Anne Tuohy, won the Academy award for Best Actress for this movie! I highly recommend this movie and your entire family will enjoy it!
Don't forget to checkout my Facebook page and comment on my blog! Stay tuned! | March 30, 2010 Well if you have been reading my blogs, you know that I am an Ole Miss Rebel fan and supporter. Ole Miss was playing Dayton in the NIT Semi-Finals in New York City tonight and we lost, I am disappointed but I am a loyal Ole Miss fan and win or lose, I still love my Rebels. I am proud to say that I love the University of Mississippi---nickname--Ole Miss Rebels. It is a wonderful university and the Ole Miss community is a very close knit family....when I think of Ole Miss, I do think of family. The University of Mississippi is a public university and only has about 14,000 students on campus, so most consider it small, but we are large in what the university has to offer both its students and alumni. Ole Miss as we call it, is located in Oxford, Mississippi and it is a wonderful place to live and visit. It is a traditional small southern town and is built around the town square, very quaint and unique. The university offers so much to the town in the way of campus sports and cultural activities. Ole Miss is unique in that it has "The Grove" and it is the place to be on a Saturday during the SEC football season, it is one of 2 very unique places to tailgate for football games---with the other university being University of Tennessee--where they tailgate on the TN river! Ole Miss means tradition and tradition is Ole Miss! Oxford was picked one of the top 10 places in the U.S. for people to retire in--due to all the amenities that the University of Mississippi has to offer. The Grove offers all the old southern traditions---big tents with Silver candlesticks, linen tablecloths, hugh fresh flower arrangements, professional chefs catering the food, satellite dishes with large screen tv's, bands playing on the grandstand, great food and children of all ages playing ball. When the football game starts, there are probably 20,000 people still partying in the grove. It is a tradition that familes have enjoyed for generations. Is it any wonder that I love my Ole Miss! Hotty Toddy to my Ole Miss Rebels...
I wanted to tell you about something else that I love passionately, and that is Alaska. Alaska is a destination that has something for every individual...it is absolutely beautiful. One of the best ways to see Alaska is to do a cruise or if you have the time and the money, do the cruise/tour combination, that way you get to go into the interior of Alaska and really experience the best that Alaska has to offer. You can cruise to Alaska from one of 4 cities---Seattle, Anchorage, Fairbanks or Vancouver, Canada. You will need a PASSPORT, so make sure that you get one now. The Alaska season is very short, due to the weather, so you can only cruise from mid-May to mid-September and becuase the season is so short the demand is great! Alaska offers great scenery, spectacular glaciers, wildlife and just about every outdoor activity that you could want. If you are an active and outdoorsy person, then this is your destination! You can see the glaciers by helicopter, snow ski at Alyeska, pan for gold in Fairbanks, go fly fishing in Kenai, try to hook a salmon, see pods of whales and great wildlife, go kayaking in Denali, see the Alaska Pipeline, go dog sledding, ride the White Horse railway, see totem poles, study Russian Orthodox history in Sitka, and hopefully be able to see Mt. McKinley from Talkeenta or Denali----weather premitting. This is a great destination and one that I highly recommend! I would not say that I am a outdoorsy person, but I loved Alasksa and I would go back again and again! Each time that you go you will see something different. I have to say "Thank You" to Sarah Palin--she has brought attention to Alaska and has been able to showcase her great state. It is a state that you must see, so jump off the couch and start planning your Alaska vacation now....you won't be sorry. This is a very special destination and you will always remember it....I took over 1400 pictures, so that must tell you just how great my trip was! If you want to cruise to Alaska, my two favorite cruise lines are Holland America and Princess Cruise Lines.....I consider them the foremost authorities since they have been cruising to Alaska the longest. If you have questions on cruising or Alaska, you can reach me by email: Debbie@gullivers travel.com
Don't forget to stay tuned for my next blog! | March 22, 2010 Just finished watching my Ole Miss Rebels win in double overtime over Texas Tech, so now they go onto the semi finals of the NIT Tournament ....Hotty Toddy to all my Ole Miss Rebel fans and don't forget to support our Rebels next Tuesday! I would be remiss to continue without first commenting that our nation and all Americans are going to be facing momumental changes now that the Healthcare bill has been passed. It is going to impact all Americans and businesses in a way that I fear will be detrimental to the very foundation of our nation and every American, so I ask that you pray for our country!
In my last blog I talked about cruising so I thought I would pick up where I left off. One of the things that I love most about cruising is that YOU alone decide how active you want to be on your cruise. You set your own pace, and if you just want to relax and rest---then you can do so. You don't have to participate in the activities if you don't want to....you can just do your own thing! It is one of the most relaxing vacations that I can think of and I love that you only have to unpack once!! Another thing that I like is that it gives me an opportunity to dress up and I really enjoy that. I don't care what everyone else is wearing, I just dress up, do my own thing and enjoy the dining experience each night. I like to recommend that you diet before your cruise, because it seems like every time you turn around you seem to be eating and eating!! My favorite areas to cruise are the Eastern Caribbean and the Southern Caribbean itineraries because of the ports. I must admit that I am a shopper and St. Maarten and St. Thomas are great shopping ports for jewerly, watches and cameras, linens, etc. The cruise lines offer a Professional Shopper on board that can direct you to the best merchant for the best value if you are looking for a particular item. They know all the merchants in each port and they also have a list of merchants that have been approved by the cruise lines because they know that they will stand behind your purchase. I'll talk more about cruises in my next blog, so don't forget to stay tuned! | March 15, 2010 I mentioned in my opening blog that I was new to blogging...well, I wanted to mention that in this day and age--we are now living in a very high tech world. Over the last 3 to 4 weeks, I have learned to use FACEBOOK....and now have my own Facebook page, so be sure to check it out! I must admit that I have reservations regarding the use of Facebook as a social networking site, as I tend to be a fairly private person and quite conservative in my ways. I'm not sure how and why this is going to benefit me, but I am going to give it a try. Who said that "An old dog can't learn new tricks"----and don't even think that I am old..I am still a very young 50 year old---remember that you are only as old as you feel, so I plan to be young forever, and don't you forget it!!! Still it is daunting to try and learn when I am not sure that I even understand the concept!
Now, on to something that I love talking about--and that is CRUISING. One of my favorite vacations is to take a cruise with someone I love and just be lazy. One of the things that I love most is being on the water and enjoying all the amenities that the cruise ships have to offer to their passengers. The newer ships today are floating resorts...and there is something for everyone on the ship. All of the cruise ships have Casinos on board if you like to gamble --Except --the Disney Cruise ships, and there is nightly entertainment --everything from disco, jazz, country western music, piano bars to ballroom dancing--plus broadway shows and Las Vegas type entertainment. They also have demonstrations onboard, wine tastings, art auctions, and daily activities plus your stops at the different ports, not to mention all those great Spa treatments. I'll tell you more about cruising and some of my favorite cruise lines on my next blog post, so stay tuned!
Debbie | March 12, 2010 This is my first venture into the world of blogging, and I will be learning as I go, so please bear with me as I journey along. I am going to be blogging about my views of the world and life as I travel, work and play. I never know what I will be blogging about until I sit down to write, so I hope you will come along for the ride. I have learned over the last couple of years as I grow older that I seem to be much more opinionated in my views on politics, sports and life in general. You will find if you follow my blog that I am very passionate about the things that I care a lot about---everything from the love of my life, to my beautiful grandchildren, food, shopping, SEC football and sports, traveling and U.S. politics! As my husband tells me, when I care about something passionately, I tend to give a 150% and give it my all. You may or may not always agree with my views or comments, but I have learned that I must be true to myself and not compromise my beliefs on what I feel is important. When I am traveling, I hope to share with you some highlights of my travels and hopefully provide you with a desire to travel as well. Traveling these days is not always easy, but it is an education and a wonderful opportunity to learn about other countries and cultures. It is a true adventure and a great way to expand our horizons.
Debbie Jarvis |
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