one more sleep!

Today's weather in Vancouver:  Rain ending this afternoon then mainly cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers. Windy near noon. Temperature steady near 9. UV index 3 or moderate.


Today's weather in Auckland: High 25°C Overnight 15°C
Scattered rain. Strong southeast.


Hmm.  Well, at least it's warmer in New Zealand..

T-2

Yikes! It's already Monday, and already April.  Two more sleeps until departure.

Currently taking a break at work from task of cleaning away as much paper and duties as possible before I leave.  I'm fortunate to have highly competent and flexible co-workers to put out fires for me in my absence.
I'll be sure to bring something nice back for them.

If you're just tuning in, well -- kia ora and welcome!  These blogs are published in reverse chrono order, so flip way back if you want to read about my May 2010 trip.  This 2012 trip with my younger sister Estelle will be subtitled "two middle-aged Canadian women wandering about in rental car".  I did just fine with public transport my last trip but look forward to the flexibility of having wheels at our disposal.

Had a couple of those madly-packing-at-last-minute dreams this weekend.  Am doing my best to ensure those dreams don't come true!

a few more days

Kia ora! Getting closer to departure for the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yesterday my sister and I took a good brisk walk around Burnaby Lake, in the cold rain.  Considering the weather, it was very pleasant and quiet.  Skunk cabbages are just starting to peek up and look strangely like bright yellow orchids in their early bud stage. I do note that was a flat walk; I'll still be huffin' and puffin' on any kind of hiking involving a substantial change in elevation.

On the way home I stopped by the Daiso outlet in International Village called "Yoko Yaya".  Great place to pick up small travel odds and ends like, say, lip balm for men labelled "care your lips with men's lipstick".  Also in the men's section, a washing towel which promises to "thoroughly wash your manly body".

Today, contrary to yesterday's forecast, the sun is shining brightly.  The mountains are capped with fresh snow and the blossoms here at sea level are throwing off a lot of pollen.  Today's weather in Auckland is cloudy with a few showers, high temp forecast of 21degC.

Here's a view of Auckland and one of its harbours, taken from the Auckland Domain.
(original photo here, taken by Gary Korhonen in 2006).

one week to takeoff

Next Wednesday evening we depart for Auckland.  Until then our local weather forecast is for rain and more rain.  Par for the early spring course, and makes me long even more for scenery like above.

I just scanned a New Zealand weather website and it wouldn't appear that balmy temperatures are in store, but should be pleasant enough. Chilly evenings on the South Island. Hope we can shed layers of clothing as we progress northward, if only so I can wear the spiffy new lightweight t-shirt (polyester/wool) I bought at MEC yesterday.

Our itinerary goes something like this:
Arrive Auckland April 6 (Good Friday)
Fly to Christchurch April 8 (Easter)
South Island April 8 to April 18
Fly to Wellington April 18
North Island April 18 to April 29 (fly home from Auckland)

Thanks again to Gary for permitting me to post another of his 2006 photos.  I believe this one was taken near Picton, in the northern part of South Island.  This is the background on my work computer; a nice antidote to our dreary Vancouver weather. Original photo is here.

Countdown to departure T-9

Welcome dear readers! This is as good a time as any to reactivate this blog and start forming the habit of a daily entry. I'm in Vancouver Public Library central branch, which has very slow wireless access. Good prep I s'pose for New Zealand's notoriously dodgy wifi.

Looking forward to this trip very much, although ten days out (departing evening of April 4) I feel a bit underprepared. Still, we do have the first three days fairly well blocked out. First two days we'll be with friends-of-friend in Auckland - a lovely American family I met briefly at the end of my last New Zealand voyage. They travelled in on South Island earlier this year, so we look forward to their insider tips. We fly to Christchurch at noon on Easter Sunday, pick up a rental car on arrival, overnight approx. 85 km away in Akaroa. Our first night in a holiday park cabin and good chance to see how my sister Estelle likes that accommodation option.

Since I spent my entire time on North Island last trip, I'm very much looking forward to seeing the South Island. I don't even have too many memories from my first New Zealand trip (1983) as I didn't spend much time there. We were under deadline, as I recall, to get to Te Anau for a booking to hike Milford Track. (we made it, the trek was gorgeous, weather was perfect)

Today I'll sign off by thanking my friend Gary for the lovely penguin picture above, taken on the Otago Peninsula (South Island) in 2006. (original photo here)
We'll be on that peninsula fairly early in our trip and hope to see some yellow-eyed penguins too!

We're going back to New Zealand!

Well, hi-de-ho, neighbouroonies. Guess what?

I'm going back to New Zealand! And this time I'm dragging my little sister Estelle along for the ride.

So this blog is officially back on! Looking forward to April 2012 when we will fly to Auckland. In the meantime, I may check in occasionally and put previously unposted pics from my May 2010 trip here.

As they say, stay tuned...

Cheers and kia ora,

Val

looking back

Back in Canada well over a week now and still wish I were in NZ - mostly because I'm up to my ears in work and apartment hunting.

What do I really miss about New Zealand? Here's a short list:

• the phrase "gratuities and taxes extra" not in their vocab
• their dairy products, esp. the fresh cream and Kapiti ice cream
• the seafood
• black sand beaches
• the white sand beaches!
• cheap off-season accommodation
• competitively priced and reliable bus lines
• no pennies or nickels filling up my change purse
• dual-flush toilets. Let's get with the program(me), Canada!
• the Kiwi wit and laid-back attitude

A few from my "don't miss so much" list:

• horrid FM radio stations, esp. outside the major centres
• hearing the phrase "we're a young country"
• those little 'half-sinks'
• sleeping on a top bunk
• people thinking or assuming I'm a Yank
• rugby fever

I do plan to continue adding to this blog from time to time, so stay tuned for further bumpf on Aotearoa. Am also available to entertain your group with tales, and for my friends I work cheap - usually a free dinner.