We woke this morning after our day in Akorora and had time to explore Christchurch on foot.  Sorry to be a downer here but the city center is still akin to a war zone.  We took off on foot and had an intriguing three-hour walk.  I previously commented on the difficulties of rebuilding after the earthquake but today we saw the visual effect upfront at almost every turn.  For those of us who are not old enough or had the experience of seeing  a city after a war, this is what I imagine that to be.  More than 80% of their city center buildings were demolished by or after the earthquake.  Lot after vacant lot presents while you walk through once verdant gardens and walks.  They vow to rebuild but somehow, Wayne and I think they have lost something forever.  That sense of history that lay in architecture and city plans that is no more.  These were apartments that are now vacant.

Everywhere on the sidewalks you see spray painted codes for underground  telecom, electric, water and sewer.  They have had to reconstruct over 350 miles of underground infrastructure

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The downtown area is one vacant lot after another.  Some still with the first responder codes of categorizing buildings the were not suitable for habitation.

While this seems desolate, the Kiwis have come up with creative ideas to fill the empty lots.  Here is a temporary structure that houses a cafe and garden but is made out of pallets.

It has only 13 days to go before it is taken down.

There is not a more compelling visual of the impact than that of the cathedral.  As this city was founded as the home of the Anglicans it seems to pierce the heart of the city.

Here is a record of what the cathedral square was like just after the earthquake with the chess pieces tumbled on their sides.

But not all is lost, there is still quite a bit of beauty left in the city which we were able to absorb with a trip to the Botanical Gardens.  Where the trees are so large you can walk inside them.  Here is Wayne at the door of this evergreen.

And here is the structure “inside the house”.

Fuscia was so prodigious that it was the size of a small tree.

And the central rose garden had a plethora of varieties.  The rule is, a new rose must prove itself for a period of no less than six years before it can qualify for planting in the garden.

After a quick trip to the airport we boarded our flight to Queenstown and checked into the most lovely, spirit filled room with a remarkable view.

This morning we are off to explore Milford sound via plane and boat.  Thank you for all your comments and I hope this brings a little diversion to you each day.

In 1838 Captain Jean-François Langlois made a provisional purchase of land in “the greater Banks Peninsula” which contained the town now called Akaroa.  Unfortunately, from the time of his purchase, return to France to rustle enthusiasm for his idea of a naval outpost in New Zealand, and his final return with Frenchman in tow, the Maoris had sold the place several times over and his deed was no good.  Then just two years later the Treaty of Waitangi was signed which ceded the country to the British crown.  The Brits let the French hang out in Akora and still today the village has France written all over it right down to the street names.  We started by bus in Christchurch and traveled through mountain ranges to reach Akora.  Sorry that the map is difficult to read but click to enlarge.  Christchurch is up to the right of the scan code upper left.

We followed the yellow and red lines over the summits to Akaroa.  We left the driving to our trusted and skillful driver, Stuart.

With these kind of roads, you want to leave the driving to someone else and just enjoy the view.  The drop off the side of the road would surely do you in and there were no guard rails.

As we were approaching the top of the ridge he told us about a hotel on the summit that burnt down and was rebuilt in 1936.  He said he was very familiar with the hotel as he now owned it.  His daughter Elena runs it so it truly is a family business.

We settled down for a coffee and a chocolate chip cookie while attempting to absorb the view from the hilltop terrace.

We also met “Jill” whose job it is to keep down the grass.  Her companion named “Jack” passed away last year but she is still as nice as can be and has a penchant for paper bags with cookie crumbs which she immediately grasped from my hand and it was clear she was not nearly as interested in the grass meant for her gestation.

Here she is looking for more.

We disembarked our coach in Akaroa and headed to a wonderful lunch on the coast.  Wayne had salmon and I had an incredible chicken salad with four different nuts and a local honey vinaigrette.

Up next on the agenda was an “Akaroa Bay Nature Cruise”.  Sounds ridiculously touristy.  We didn’t care it was breathtaking.  We boarded a catamaran and slipped out of the harbor into the Pacific.  The scale of the topography was overwhelming.  In addition to the stunning scenery, we saw rare birds, Hector Dolphins, and New Zealand Fur Seals.

We made our way back to shore and the charming town of Akoroa with secrets hidden around every corner, flora and fauna still in bloom (with bees getting in their last bit of work), and the special flair that only “Gaiety” can bring.

Oh, and by the way, we found the perfect RV for next trip to New Zealand.

Tomorrow we are on to Queenstown!

I had an interesting conversation with our hotel staff this morning after inquiring about the delays in rebuilding Christchurch.  The devastation is still so palpable and in juxtaposition to everything else in New Zealand being so neat and tidy I wondered what was causing the paralysis in rebuilding.  First off, New Zealand’s economy is built on small businesses.  Over 97% of businesses employ fewer than twenty people.  That in itself is an indication of the ability to tackle such large-scale projects.  Second, the devastation of the quake was much deeper than us Westerners were able to perceive through our limited CNN lens.  Third, nothing on this scale had ever happened before and while almost all homeowners had earthquake insurance, the insurers held back payments for rebuilding until almost all claims were filed so they could sort through and categorize the scale of the claims.  To further complicate matters, New Zealand is a country that doesn’t “build” like the Americans, Chinese, UAE, or Japanese.  They don’t even have enough large construction equipment in the country to take on this size of work.  So hence three years after the quake the rebuilding process is moving at a snail’s pace.

The only activities of today were to wrench ourselves out of the perfection of the Marlborough Vineyard Hotel and onto the scenic train from Blenheim to Christchurch.  Wayne and I both feel that no one would really believe the trip through our words so we will let pictures tell the story.  The Kiwi Rail train had an “open air” car.  Literally, an open air car where we could open our senses beyond the singular visual sense looking through windows.  While outside, we could smell the salt air, see the coast line, hear the Pacific ocean, and feel the vibration of the locomotive as we traveled down the coast through pastoral sheep pastures, rocky Pacific coasts, seal colonies, and tunnels through mountains.  To start off, here is a video I posted to YouTube.  They compress the quality so I apologize for that but it gives you an idea of our experience.  The rest will be said with pictures.

The station at the start of our journey.

Of course we had a bottle of wine, cheese and dried fruits along the journey.

We were so close to the ocean at times it felt that the waves may crash into the train.

The road and the train tracks kept switching sides, sometimes on the left of our train and sometimes on the right.

The views could not have been more remarkable.  Yes, these photos were taken from a moving train.

H&A there were several campsites along the route, anyone care to camp here?

And, the sheep were ever present grazing on what seemed to us, precious lands and views.  I wonder if they know how lucky they are?

We ended the day by checking into our hotel at Christchurch.  Sadly, the devastation from the 2011 earthquake is still ever present with empty lots, boarded up windows, and large, tall buildings in the downtown still vacant.  More on that tomorrow.  Have to get some shut eye.

There are 23.000 acres of vineyards in this area of New Zealand.  There used to be 63 million sheep here but since the wine trade has proved to be successful their numbers have been reduced to 23 million (many of whom we saw today).  The wine industry is only 30 years old and previously all these lands were covered in orchards, farms, and grazing fields.   We were picked up by Allen,  the nicest guide (everyone in NZ is NICE) whose family name is Graham, the same as Wayne’s middle name.  During his varied career he has owned an orchard, an airline, flown as a pilot for Air New Zealand, has been a builder, and now in his retirement is sharing his experience with people like us.  We happen to be here at the beginning of the grape harvest and activity is picking up.  Here is the harvesting machine that shakes off grapes from the vine.

We started our tour with an incredible tasting at Cloudy Bay.  Their grounds were exquisite as their wines.

Then we headed to a vineyard owned by two doctors and had a tasting with their convivial staff.

I bought a bottle of “black bubbly” which is named “Bubbly for Beth”, a red champagne  created for their daughter upon earning her masters degree.  Wayne and I both noticed the abundance of rose bushes occasionally planted at the head of a  vine line.  We thought they were for decoration but come to find out, they are the “canaries in the mine”.  They have a greater susceptibility to the same diseases and pests as the vines so if the roses go, they have time to save the vines.

While serving a purpose you can’t help but appreciate their beauty and glorious scent that has not been diminished by hybridization as in the states.

These actually had the sweetest smell of bananas.  Seriously, bananas!

And this one smelled of, what else, apricots

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After leaving the vineyards, we took a 25 minute drive to the coast.

This port launches the “green mussels” cruise as well as the green mussel farmers and also contains a facility that processes up to 100 tons ofthe mussels a day.  This is the only location on earth where these mussels are available.  This was our trusty vessel, the Galileo, for our “three hour tour, a three hour tour.  Thankfully the weather didn’t get rough, it was stunningly beautiful

The trip to the mussel farms was overwhelming in natural beauty.

Soon enough we arrived at the mussel farm and settled for our lunch.

The mussels kept coming, the wine kept being poured, and I just ate until I thought I would burst.  We were told to just throw our shells over the side of the boat as they would become nutrients for other mussels.

John, our trusty skipper, told us all about how the mussels were raised, farmed, and harvested.

After sitting on the bow and chatting with new friends it was time to head back into port.

Allen drove us back to the vineyards and our hotel where we sat and watched the sunset, sipped wine, and nibbled cheese.

One mystery was solved today.  We kept hearing what sounded like fireworks being set off and didn’t know what to think.  Come to find out, they shoot airguns to scare of the birds who needle into the grapes with their beaks.

So all is well, the grapes are safe for harvest and we celebrated the sunset.

Tomorrow we leave for Christchurch the site of  the 2011 earthquake.  We are taking a train  down the east coast and are looking forward to the leisurely trip.  Many have told us that they have only begun their recovery process, so we shall see.

Thanks again for all your comments and interest.

Our day began in Auckland where we got up before the sun rose to be ready for our flight to Blenheim, in the heart of the New Zealand wine county.  Upon arrival at the Auckland airport we saw Brent drive up in his 1967 Corvette that he bought in Maine.

He came to the airport to check on his business, Retro Espresso, which renovates old Airstream trailers and turns them into coffee kiosks at airports.  As he said, “I treasure anything that is old”.  Here is his “shop” in the Auckland airport.

After being paged to slim down our luggage weight, we boarded the prop plane for the short trip to Blenheim, the heart of the Marlborough wine country.

After a short flight we were soon to be at our new location, the Marlborough Vintners Hotel.  A place that is to us, is completely remarkable in it’s perfection.

The vines are straight and bearing their fruit.

Our accommodations are nothing short of remarkable in terms of design and sense of place, a beautiful resort parked among vineyards as far as you can see while being elegantly minimalist.  Mountains are silhouetted in the distance at every direction.  If Auckland was San Francisco, then we are now in Napa.

After a trek through some of the other vineyards this afternoon, seeing their beautiful flora juxtaposed against their antique motorcycles  we hung out in our courtyard and caught up on email while sipping (swilling) the local wine.

We finished it off with a light dinner of small plates and toured the beautiful vegetation of the kitchen garden.

While we are saying good bye to Auckland we can’t leave without a comment on the difference in washers, dryers, and dishwashers.  I don’t know that I ever got them set correctly and last night realized I was so caught up in figuring out which dial did what that I forget to put the clothes in the washer /dryer combination (which does neither very well).  See if you can figure this out.

Same goes for the dishwasher.  I never quite knew if our dishes were actually cleaned.

Oh and by the way, Auckland has it’s own sense of Las Vegas.

This was how our guide, Ceillhe,  explained living in New Zealand.  They are the first to greet each day and are always ahead of the rest of the world, as witnessed by the fact that they were the first country to give women the vote.  We experienced so much today that it is difficult to describe in words without the overuse of superlatives.  Ceillhe is of Maori lineage and can trace her heritage back to the canoe that her ancestors used to traverse the Pacific and arrive in New Zealand.  She speaks four languages, owns the tour company with her husband who speaks six languages and is the picture of a Polynesian mother embracing her family.  Her she is in a shot from their website giving the traditional Maori greeting, touching head and nose and sharing your life force.  And here she is talking to our group of eight intrepid explorers, explaining Maori culture and New Zealand history.

The highest natural point in the City of Auckland is a volcano, complete with crater.

The plaque on the obelisk atop this mountain reminded us that this was a “smiling land”.

From here, we drove to the Auckland museum which sits on land that was once used to house 45,000 American troops during World War II.

And then, a short trek to the “Winter garden” and “Fernery” to explore the exquisite NZ flora and fauna. (click to enlarge)

The last picture is a tree with fruit that grows so large it can take several folks to carry.

And here is the oldest vine on earth.  As Ceihlle said, “Our Forests are our gardens AND our medicine cabinets” as she showed us different ferns with medicinal properties.

From here we took a longer drive to reach the west coast of cliffs and black sand beaches.  In this incredible city you can wade in the Tazman Sea and Pacific ocean in a matter of minutes.  Beware Heidi and Art, Wayne noticed that there was an RV park in this location upon which I’m sure you will stake a temporary claim when you make your trip.

The black sand beaches and cliffs are also the home of the Gannet bird which nest on the cliffs.  They were thrilling to watch while they seemed to float on air.

Believe me, these pictures don’t do justice to the awe inspiring scene.

Soon it was time to venture back and our wonderful Ceillhe took us through the adorable town of Devenport.  Imagine living in this jewel of a home with a white picket fence . . .

and this is the view out your front window.

After rounding us up into the van for the trip home, we had one more treat in store, a stop at a “dairy” for a taste of the Kiwi favorite, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream.

Oh, and by the way, you all thought that New Zealanders were called “Kiwis” because of the fruit, right?  WRONG!  It’s because an Australian businessman  started the Kiwi Shoe Polish company!  So think about that the next time you buff your shoes.

Tomorrow we fly to Blenheim and are off to the vineyards of Marlborough.

As always, leave your comments and share with your friends.

So here I am dutifully reporting from Down Under.  A position unsuited to both my personality and private proclivities.  But nonetheless, one I find myself in far more often than I would wish.  My first interactions with the natives convince me that they are undilutedly happy and entirely comfortable in their skins.  Based on my research this is likely a consequence of the absence of a decent Christian upbringing.  Their obviously delusional perspective on life leads them to be friendly in ways that leave your reporter completely discomforted.  Spiral notebook in hand, I have gently inquired of a number of these folks whether they’re “on something”.  Blank stares in return suggest otherwise.  Those of you familiar will instantly understand that it has required every ounce of self-restraint to keep from Cher slapping them and ordering them to “snap out of it”.  As alluded to earlier, the foregoing may be related to Rob’s earlier report of people jumping off a nearby building.  Whether this is a consequence of the locals “holding back”, as I suspect, or visitors such as ourselves growing despondent by comparison will be a subject for further research (perhaps at a nearby bar this evening).  Putting aside the apparently delirious natives the City of Auckland reminds me of San Francisco on a perfect autumn day.  So many exquisite examples of Victorian architecture whose details are gloriously exaggerated by the clarity of the air and the remarkable sunlight.  And a glistening harbor.  So maybe they’re not pretending after all.

This guest blog is neither approved nor endorsed (in fact it is disapproved) by the publisher.  Reader comments are welcome on the identity of our guest blogger.

This morning we awoke to cool breezes through the open windows in our studio at the Barclay Suites.  It is absolutely perfect for us, with a real urban vibe, a washing machine and most importantly a french press coffee maker.  I toddled downstairs and asked for the nearest grocery store to fill the larder and was pointed around the block to a great “Kiwi” grocery store.

We took our time with the morning routine sloughing off all the accumulated jet lag.  Since we had no planned activities for today we decided to explore the downtown and harbor area.  Imagine my surprise when I heard a shrill scream coming through the open door and saw a woman jumping from the sky needle about a block from our hotel.

Yes, in the home of bungee jumping, they actually jump off their towers as well.  We saw several take the controlled plunge.  I’m tempted but think I’ll save my height adventure for the Sydney Bridge climb.

At the end of our street and the Quay sits the Ferry Building.  Inside, the Harborside Restaurant was beckoning us for lunch.

The perfect table for two.  They specialize in oysters so Wayne had his usual dozen.  These were Bluff oysters which are only available in the month of March and are harvested off of the South Island.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more plump oyster.

I had a wonderful cole slaw made with Wasabi mayonnaise.  It was such a treat to taste greens that had just been harvested.  Something we have been unable to do in Chicago during our brutal winter.  For a main course I had exquisite fish tacos.

After totally sating ourselves, we admired the fine detail of the Ferry Building.

The “Kiwi’s” are about the nicest people we’ve ever encountered.  The happiness quotient seems very high and were glad to get the same feeling from our interactions.

Several of you have asked if you can share this blog with others.  Please do!  It feels like we are traveling with a community and I appreciate all your comments and emails.  Tomorrow we are off for a full day of Maori culture.

I’m having a little issue with the size of photos.  Please remember that you can always click on the photo to enlarge.

We started our day with an “Aloha” to Honolulu and got to the airport to board our nine hour flight to Auckland.  The Honolulu airport is a little disconcerting as they siphon you through very small security and agricultural checks only to pour you onto open air bridges that connect terminals.  How could this be secure?  Here is a pic of our plane taken from an open air bridge after Wayne and I hit the duty free shop. (Don’t ask what we bought)

We took off ahead of schedule and our pilot plotted a diagonal course to the south across the Pacific.  As I watched the screen indicating our location I could tell we were headed for the equator and the International Date Line.  Little did I know that we would pierce the crosshatch of both.  In one singular moment we had moved from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern and leapfrogged a day ahead.  Well, that put me into a contemplative mood.  Last year was tough, for our family and for many of our friends.  We experienced many losses, jobs, loved ones, and especially for us, the loss of Izzy and Fiona, our beloved dogs.  But here I was, 39,00 feet in the air, shaking off a hemisphere and a whole day.  It made me think that we can shake off the losses in our lives and move to the next phase, whatever that is.  By this time, the sun was setting and there is nothing like watching a Pacific sunset at 39,000 feet.

It truly is amazing.  So the sun finally set, we landed in Auckland.  And here we are, ready to move on.

Oh, and by the way, if the sun sets on the right side of your plane, the moon rises on the left.

So many opportunities.  Bring on the next adventure!

With each wisp of the Hawaiian breeze another chink of the Chicago winter has fallen away.  We’ve enjoyed a great 36 hours on the island absorbing the rich flora and fauna

We have a wonderful tradition in our family of collecting rocks from our various travels and keeping them in our courtyard at home.  We have rocks from Rome, Paris,  Roman ruins, Petra, and the Pyramids.  Here is Wayne scouring Waikiki for the perfect stone to add to the collection.

So with that, we say Aloha to Hawaii and we are on to Auckland, NZ this afternoon where the real adventures begin.  Stay tuned.  Feel free to comment, I’m new at this so I appreciate all your feedback.

Why, of course, with military mimosas and a good camp breakfast.

After making our way to our hotel on the beach after a six hour flight from Las Vegas that began at 1:45 AM Vegas time, we were bushed.  But we decided a good breakfast was in order.  So we thought we would walk the beach and find a perfect spot to have a bloody, eggs and bacon.  We spotted it in the park adjacent to our hotel.  Little did we know that we had stumbled on Fort Derussy, an Armed Forces Recreation Center.  It also contained the perfect restaurant balcony on which to have a breakfast.  We found our way into the restaurant and stood in line with the other guests.  When our turn arrived, our lovely hostess, Jamaica, asked to see my military ID.  She must have seen the quizzical look on my face because she pulled me aside to inform me that this was a military installation and only military was allowed.  She took pity on us and said she would “sponsor” us for breakfast.  So in no time at all we were enjoy a “military mimosa” and a good camp breakfast.

Perhaps if we had looked at the sign before entering the property we would have known what we were entering.

Thank God we didn’t set off any fireworks as they are forbidden by the rules.  Tomorrow we are off to Auckland, New Zealand, but for now we say, Aloha.

Rent a limo and cruise the strip.  Our nice driver, Rick, gave us the grand tour.

Our bags are packed and we’re ready to go.