Dec 10, 2000 – Jan 25, 2001 We’ve known our friends, the McAllisters, for many years. Native Australians, I met Steve in an extended training course at work. Steve had his wife, Mary, with him and they became good friends of Sandy and I. They visited the US a couple of times through the years … Read more
Lancaster, PA, USA to Auckland, NZ Sunday, December 10, 2000 Well, we’re underway! Pam and Carl took us to the airport where we said our good-byes. Then we boarded the on-time flight to Dulles where we made our first new friends of the trip on board. Janet and Ken Slagle were returning from a visit … Read more
Auckland to Rotorua, NZ Thursday, December 14, 2000 Morning found us saying farewell to Jennie and Brett of the Chevron Chalet and beginning the drive toward Waitomo and its “glow worm” caves. After a few hours of beautiful countryside, we arrived. The attraction here is a medium sized limestone cave where the pupae stage of … Read more
Christchurch, NZ Saturday, December 16, 2000 Saturday …it must be Christchurch day. And, so it was. We drove to the airport, had a bite of breakfast and flew to Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island and the seat of Canterbury province. Although the day was hazy, we were treated to a couple of … Read more
Christchurch to Franz Josef Glacier, NZ Sunday, December 17, 2000 We said our good-byes to the Carpenters (we’ll see them again in a few days) and made the three-hour drive to the west coast (The Westlands) via Arthur’s Pass. The drive was strikingly beautiful, but not quite as awesome as we expected. The landscape constantly … Read more
Franz Josef Glacier to Haast, NZ Monday, 18 December, 2000 After lunch with our English acquaintances from the hike (and loading our pictures into their laptop) we continued down the Westlands coast along some of the prettiest, most winding highway we’ve ever driven towards the seacoast town of Haast. Not only is the highway beautiful, … Read more
“Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants to see us happy.” … from a Monteith’s Brewing Co. coaster at a bar in Twizel, NZ, attributed to Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) Twizel, NZ Monday, 18 December, 2000 Continuing on toward the town of Twizel and the east side of Mount Cook, we … Read more
Twizel, NZ Wednesday, December 20, 2000 After a delicious breakfast of cereal, eggs and fruit prepared by chef Dave, we headed out for Mount Cook. The 63 km drive was absolutely beautiful with the intensely aqua blue Lake Pukaki on our right for about half the distance. A westerly, 30-kn wind from the Tasman threatened … Read more