NZ: NY Times Story, South Island Fun!!

[TLCOhio]

From the New York Times travel section coming tomorrow/Sunday morning, they have this headline: "New Zealand for Beginners" with these highlights: "What I knew about New Zealand could fit on a bubble gum wrapper. 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' had been filmed here — check. The All Blacks, its national rugby team, was a global powerhouse — check 2. I also knew thrill seekers came here to jump out of gondolas and off bridges attached to a bungee cord and also relished snowboarding and skiing off ramps and in half-pipes."

 

Their writer was more focused on sports, especially the extreme type, including winter thrills. BUT, there are lots of pictures in and around Queenstown and other details that bring back nice, wonderful memories for us from these thrilling and interesting areas of the South Island that we visited earlier this year.

 

Here's a cute and lovely segment from this writer to describe these spectacular areas: "On a postcard or from a well-fortified scenic lookout, the mountain range looks brushstroked by Michelangelo with the snowcaps a celestial white and bathed in golden light." He also said in his praise: "I will join the chorus of travelers and tell you that the landscapes of New Zealand are magnificent. They are enchanted and ethereal but also forbidding and intimidating."

 

So true!! We loved New Zealand. Wanted to share this background here. Lots of picture connected through my live/blog to prove our viewpoint for enjoying New Zealand so very much.

 

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/travel/new-zealand-for-beginners.html?ref=travel&_r=0#

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 81,004 views for this fun posting.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing the article, Terry.

 

Keith

[Cruize]

We take home for granted a lot of the time. It's usually after we have traveled that we really appreciate all that we have here in gods own....New Zealand.;)

Edited October 16, 2014 by Tickle

[TLCOhio]

We take home for granted a lot of the time. It's usually after we have traveled that we really appreciate all that we have here in gods own....New Zealand.;)

 

Appreciate these responses, including from CC superstar Keith, and especially the smart wisdom noted above by Tickle. We super loved ALL of New Zealand that we got to see and experience. AND, Auckland was a very happy surprise for us. Thought it would be more of just a big urban "city". Got to see and do lots there and nearby that was highly enjoyable. Loved Auckland, too!!

 

Below are just a few of my sample visuals for what we loved the most in NZ. Many, many more on the full live/blog.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 81,667 views for this fun posting.

 

 

From our group's Bay of Islands water fun, we got to do real sailing, including going out into the nearby Pacific Ocean! See the proof and success below. It was both a perfect weather day and such fun sampling this great region of northern NZ. One of the options for those in our Central Ohio group on this custom, private sailing was to help to do as much (or as little as desired) in helping make this sail experience happen. Here you can see Captain Murray guiding the ship from this great vantage point on the back of the Zindabar. Was this exciting and scenic for our group?:

 

 

 

Here is one of the famed gannets from Cape Kidnappers near Napier along the eastern NZ coast. This is just one small sampling of many large groups of these super cute birds that we saw here as they were nesting.:

 

 

 

This is Old St. Paul's church in Wellington. It is the former cathedral in the Diocese of Wellington for the Anglican Church. As an example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture, they adapted to colonial conditions and materials. It is at 34 Mulgrave Street, close to the New Zealand Parliament. Its construction was completed in June 1866. After a significant battle to prevent its demolition, Old St. Paul's was purchased by the New Zealand Government in 1967 and restored. Although not a parish church, it remains consecrated and is a popular for weddings, funerals and other services. It is constructed from native NZ timbers. The interior has been likened to the upturned hull of an Elizabethan galleon with its exposed curving trusses and roof sacking. The flags displayed in the nave include the Royal Navy, NZ Merchant Navy and US Marine Corps. Many of our Marines were stationed in Wellington during World War II. My wife is in yellow walking down the center aisle as she absorb the building details. This was a very important and "moving" site to experience. :

 

 

 

Here is a picture from our New Zealand South Island JetBoat ride that my wife loved so much. Me, too!! Notice her hands and those of others in our row super tightly gripping the safety bar? That says so much about the speed and thrills while roaring up and down this amazing stretch of scenic river. I showed my wife this picture (and several others like this but where the wind was blowing her hair in the opposite direction). She liked this picture so much, that she said to put this one in her obituary (not that this need is upcoming anytime soon). It showed her having fun and she said this ride was the most fun of the whole cruise/trip. We've had lots of great moments on this trip, but one was a unique and special ride in a location that is spectacularly world-class near the NZ Southern Alps. And, perfect weather with good friends adds to the great joy!!:

 

 

 

At Te Puia near Rotorua in northern New Zealand, this Maori performance starts its ceremonies outside and then we entered the Wahiao Meeting House. Fortunately (with some skill), I was in a prime front row seat to be able to get great pictures, video, etc. Plus, experience the quality for how these members share these cultural traditions.: