2018
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Feb 28 Abel Tasman (Awaroa)
Travelled in
Kayaking in Awaroa Inlet, hiking. David climbs the mountain behind Meadowbank Lodge at 7 am and runs much of it with a wild abandon, totally alone but for one startling encounter. Freedom and solitude give him wings and he wonders… Continue reading
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Feb 27 Nelson to Abel Tasman
Travelled in
Pick up in Nelson by Wilson tour company, boat to Abel Tasman Park, hike to Awaroa. David runs through the sleeping 7 a.m. town to the Nelson Cathedral at the top of Trafalger Street. The hill is Piwiki in Maori,… Continue reading
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Feb 26 Wellington to Nelson
Travelled in
Goodbye to Wellington, Interislander ferry to South Island and drive from Picton to Nelson. Up at 5:45 to load car, clean apartment, pick up McInerneys and get to the Interisland ferry Kaitai in time. A few predictable wrong turns… Continue reading
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Feb 25 Wellington
Travelled in
David climbing, Cynthia shopping, both revisiting Te Papa Museum for the wonderful Gallipoli exhibit and many other displays. David climbs in Mt. Victoria Park to the place beneath the pines where the path splits, today going right to explore… Continue reading
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Feb 24 Wellington
Travelled in
Takahe, Tuatara, Rangiora, Kawa kawa, tree weter, Kaka, Bellbird and a Rimu tree at Zealandia … The Piano Ballet. We had a slow start spending the morning catching up on rest and laundry. Then we set out with the McInerneys… Continue reading
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Feb 23 Wellington
Travelled in
Te Papa Museum, sculpture walk, funicular to botanic garden, and the waka odyssey opening the New Zealand ceremony David wakes at 7 and climbs up, down and around the volcanic hill on the east side of Wellington’s harbor to… Continue reading
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Feb 22 Havelock North to Wellington
Travelled in
Said goodbye to Kate and drove to Wellington with a stop at the Pukaha Wildlife Center at Mt Bruce. Rendezvous with McInerneys and cooked the trout from Tongariro River. David climbed all three peaks, returned to the Dawsons’… Continue reading
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Feb 21 Napier
Travelled in
Touring Art Deco town rebuilt in 3 years after 1931 quake. Viewing launch of waka canoes. David had thought he had seen it all on yesterday’s morning hike but once again, New Zealand astounds him. Today’s weather is hazy in… Continue reading
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Feb 20 Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay
Travelled in
Wine tasting, The Figgury, and family lamb dinner. After a lovely sleep — the main corridor of this airy, modern house has footlights on motion sensors at night — David dressed to climb Te Mata, the mountain behind the house,… Continue reading
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Feb 19 Turangi to Hawke’s Bay
Travelled in
Drive to Taupo, fix glasses for free, walk to waterfall, drive to Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park hot springs, see geyser, arrive at Todd and Kate’s, late dinner. The people in Taupo’s eyeglass store fixed Cynthia’s glasses… Continue reading
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Feb 18 Turangi
Travelled in
Creel Lodge chill – went shopping for Advil, ibuprofen, walk by river by Judge’s Pool, used grill. After the climb and a week of travel, it was a delight to relax, do laundry, and take A leisurly stroll along the… Continue reading
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Feb 17 Turangi
Travelled in
Climb Tongariro on the Alpine Crossing It’s dark when we wake at 6, pack for the looong climb, load into the car and drive to the Ketehati Car Park from whence we’ll be shuttled to the other side of the… Continue reading
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Feb 16 Waitomo to Turangi
Travelled in
Drive from Waitomo to Turangi with Pureora hiking on the way. The usual coffee for David, tea for Cynthia, we pack and leave Waitomo’s caves, wending our way on well maintained two-lane roads up, down but not as sharply around… Continue reading
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Feb 15 Waitomo
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Tour Waitomo caves. A day of spelunking for Cynthia and a day of black water tubing for David. We arrive together at 11 a.m. at Blackwater Rafting Company’s headquarters where the rather surly blonde millennial babe at the register… Continue reading
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Feb 14 Auckland to Waitomo
Travelled in
Drive Auckland to Waitomo with a stop in Te Awamutu for Museum. Sadly, we leave Judy and the many up, down and around volcanic hills of Auckland behind us and make our way, mostly on the left side of the… Continue reading
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Feb 13 Auckland
Travelled in
Tour wonderful art museum and Anglican Church More gray scudding clouds with intermittent rain so Judy drives us up, down and around Auckland’s many volcanic hills to the Art Gallery, an architectural marvel made to look like kauri trees… Continue reading
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Feb 12 Auckland
Travelled in
Muriwai gannet colony and beach, Mt Eden and One Tree Hill – sunny day Heavy scudding overcast but we see almost turquoise sky behind the thick clouds. So Judy drives us up, down and around Auckland’s many volcanic hills… Continue reading
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Feb 11 Auckland
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Visit Auckland Museum: part war museum and part island culture. Drizzle with intermittent heavy rains. Judy drives us up, down and around Auckland’s many volcanic hills — do you sense a theme? — to the Auckland Museum. There is no… Continue reading
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Feb 10 Auckland
Travelled in
Judith Bishell is waiting at Auckland airport, settles us in and takes us around town. We have settled into Judy Bishell’s IMMACULATE home where we spread the contents of our luggage — we already realize that we have brought… Continue reading
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The Journey Begins
Travelled in
We depart Washington Dulles Airport for Auckland. 22 hours of travel ahead. It was a beautiful day in DC. But saddened by the funeral of Ravi Shankar who touched many with his love of tennis and anyone who shared this… Continue reading
Two Tramps 