Top Five Kiwi Adventures

We chose to barbecue New Zealand rack of lamb for my final dinner in Rotorua, and we paired it with a fabulous bottle of 2005 Clearview Estate Merlot Malbec - a gift from one of Tom's associates (the Frenchman - Bertrand Jauffret) . This is one of the few bottles of wine we've opened since December requiring a corkscrew because most New Zealand wines are screw tops (which I will dearly miss). We used this dinner hour to nominate and elect our Top Five Kiwi Adventures. Not surprisingly, our lists were in pretty much in sync:

• White Island Volcano
• Helicopter tour of Mount Cook
• Waitomo Caves (Blackwater Rafting to see Glow Worms!)
• Bay of Islands (especially the Cream Trip and cruising through the Hole in the Rock)
• Hawke's Bay Wine Region (afterall, we went 3 times)

Runners Up:
• Whitewater Rafting on the Kaituna River - world's highest commercially rafted waterfall - 7 metres - Grade 5
• Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Wonderland and, of course, Mud Pools
• Climbing Mount Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park

The list of stand-out adventures could go on and on, reminding me I am SO glad I documented most of them by writing a blog. I want to remember our unforgettable time in New Zealand!

Tomorrow we will fly back to the United States to celebrate Sam's law school graduation. Between crossing the international dateline and traveling for nearly 24 hours, we will live May 12 twice. I'm counting on it to be a good day.

A Final Walk in the Redwoods

Everything this past week has been "for the last time" including my weekly Friday morning walk in the Redwood Forest with friends. This place is big, beautiful, and I will miss it.

Another Fashion Statement

Although the Saturday Market is always good for fashion ideas to take back to Idaho, I readily accepted an invitation to attend a fund-raising style show last week. Sponsored by a local PTA, the event was organized to raise funds for a high school gymnasium. The sold-out event was held at the historic Blue Baths in Government Gardens - an early 1900's Spanish Mission-style building I had yet to see.

Attendees were greeted with a glass of champagne and then sampled trays of "nibbles" while waiting for festivities to begin. The event was a hoot from the get-go! We shared the fun with 300 others, and there wasn't a bad seat in the house. Moms and dads strutted down the runway to music that made me want to dance, so it took all of my self control to remain seated. The evening featured clothes from local stores, a segment on "wearable art," musical entertainment, an extreme makeover for one lucky gal, and the obligatory auction.

I don't know how much the parents raised for their school, but the event was a huge success and I had an absolute blast!

Soaking Up Another Freebie

We discovered one of the better-kept secret freebies during one of our last weekends in New Zealand - Butcher's Pool. Named after an early settler, Mr. Butcher and his family used this natural hot water pool as a bath. He later gifted the pool to the people of Rotorua. During WW II, conscientious objectors provided the labor to upgrade the pool, and since then grant money has been used to further develop the area to included walkways, toilets and changing rooms.

A Watched Geyser Never Boils

So we quit watching. Moments later the unpredictable Saphhire Geyser gave us a great show of gushing water. Knowing my affection for all things geothermal, my friend Heather recommended visiting Orakei Korako Cave and Thermal Park before leaving New Zealand. And I'm so glad we did! A short ferry ride across Lake Ohakuri took us to the "Hidden Valley" where a nicely developed walkway gave us "up close and personal" looks at geysers, cascade terraces, hot springs, mud pools, and Ruatapu Cave. We decided this was the noisiest thermal area we've explored with non-stop hissing, spitting, gurgling, and rumbling all around us, and we loved every bit of it.

Fashion at the Market

With my time in New Zealand quickly winding down, I wanted to shop one last time at the Saturday Market. We arrived promptly at 8 am for the best selection. This gave us a chance to say goodbye to my favorite produce vendor, order a good "long black" (i.e. Americano), buy watercress (freshly picked from nearby streams), and do a bit of a photo shoot of some typical Kiwi fashions.

Visitors from the North: Part 2

We only had time for two nights and one day in Hawke's Bay, but we managed to make the rounds to several great wineries. Among the favorites: Craggy Range, Elephant Hills, Clearview Estate (where we had a fabulous lunch among the vines), CJ Pask, Church Road, and Black Barn Vineyards. Tom and I were delighted introduce the Wilson's to Mission Estate Winery where we enjoyed another great dinner, featuring their Jewelstone Chardonnay.


On the way back to Rotorua, we made a quick stop in Taupo so that Teri could best the guys in the "Hole in One Golf Challenge." One last stop: the Waikite Thermal pools for a wee bit of a soak.

Visitors from the North: Part 1

We had no worries about experiencing post-vacation letdown. Within 48 hours of our South Island trip, good friends Teri and Phil Wilson arrived to continue their New Zealand exploration. We made sure the Wilsons hit the Rotorua ground running with immediate visits to the Redwood Forest and the Rotorua Museum. Lamb on the grill and sharing bottles of good New Zealand wine reminded us why we love to spend time with Teri and Phil.

On day two, we headed south to show off the geothermal wonders of Wai-o-Tapu and my beloved mud pots. After important stops in Taupo (Aratitia Rapids, Huka Falls and Scenic Cellars), we proceeded onward to the wine region of Hawke's Bay.