2003 Australia and New Zealand

In November, 2003, we took a second trip to Australia and New Zealand. I wrote up a very nice story about that adventure, but I lost it! My old laptop seized up, causing me to lose some files, and this write-up was one of them. So this story, somewhat short on facts and details, is the best I can do from memory… four years later. 

This had been one of our most anticipated trips, especially because of the planning and logistics. We worked with our friends Greg and Dot and Brett and Amy to plan the whole thing – we would meet up in kiwiland. The other fun thing was figuring how to do it all using frequent flyer miles and some hotel points. That made it all the more complicated, but interesting. 

Debbie and I were the cheapest as far as trying to use the fewest miles was concerned. We wound up flying to New Zealand via Tokyo, Guam and Cairns, Australia. Really. That’s circumnavigating the Pacific Ocean. And it took several days. But we made the best of it, stopping over in Guam (ok island, but I don’t feel the need to return), Cairns (we’d be back later this same trip), and then Auckland, NZ, before heading to our final destination on South Island. 

That final destination was a lodge just outside (walking distance from) Abel Tasman National Park. The park is on the northwest corner of the South Island, and it’s as idyllic a place as you can imagine. Amy and Brett, and Dot and Greg were all there. We all loved the place. The hiking and running in the park, especially along the jagged coast, was fantastic. Amy and I ran for hours each morning along the beautiful coastal trail. 

As a group, we kayaked, and took a boat trip to see the sights. We also did one really long (9-mile) one-way group hike. 

After a while, we all went our separate ways. Debbie and I flew back to Auckland, and then drove up to the Bay of Islands in the north of the North Island. It’s basically a bay with some islands in it. Good boating. 

Our next trick was to get over to Port Douglas, Australia. This meant getting back to Auckland, flying to Cairns, and driving north from there. Once in Port Douglas, we met up with Dot and Greg once again. Port Douglas is where the rain forest of Queensland, Australia meets the Great Barrier Reef. There we explored the rain forest and took a boat ride to the Reef for some snorkeling. Although the beaches looked inviting, they were extremely dangerous because of box jellyfish that could severely injure or kill you. It was possible to swim in a netted off area, but in my estimation, an enterprising jellyfish could jump over the net if the right wave came along. No thanks. 

The resort had the largest swimming pool in the southern hemisphere. That was enough for me. 

 On our way home we overnighted in Honolulu. We took a bus to the Punchbowl crater to see the war cemetery there, along with the great views of Oahu. This part of the trip was as enjoyable as any of the rest. And it was all enjoyable. 

The thing I came away with the most, however, was a newfound awareness of the environment. The folks in both Port Douglas, and all over New Zealand, are fighting at the front lines of the war to save the planet. The rain forests are being cut down, and the Great Barrier Reef is dying. All at an alarming rate. I vowed to do what I can to help. Since this time, Debbie and I have joined the Sierra Club, and made a few other changes in our lives. Not enough, but we’re just getting started.