An Alternate 'Down Under'

John, Paul, George & Ringo waving
farewell to us at the San Francisco Airport

My travel buddy, Ila & I were at the airport around 3PM for our red-eye flight to New Zealand at 11PM. There was time a plenty to exchange our American Dollars for Kiwi Pounds  and window shop. The flight was 12.25 hours for which I was awake for all but an hour - watching 4 movies enroute. Yes, I know.


On landing in Auckland, New Zealand, we got separated. I managed the IQ test, the automatic 'scan your passport route'. Ila went to the lines with live humans, and there, she got a New Zealand visa stamp. I, however, in an affront to to my person, did not get a Visa stamp. I am appalled and in deep mourning. No more automatic gates for me, I want my $#&@ visa stamp.

Straightaway, we headed to our next flight, from the North Island to the South Island. I tried to stay awake but ended up making zzzzs for 95% of the short flight. Here's a 31 second snippet of the flight to Queenstown, South Island. It was stunning how different these mountains looked in comparison to my familiar Sierras.


On landing it was interesting how although the airport was ultra modern, the disembarking was right onto the tarmac.

Auckland airport is  quite the giant & super-cool mall

Took a while for Ila and me to hit the adorable souvenir stores, candy shops and all. What caught my eye? STUFF!



Loads of laser cut wall hangings and coffee table tchotchkes.



Everything from hand lotion to soaps were either infused with manuka honey &/or festooned with kiwi birds...   

Manuka Honeyed Lanolin

Kiwis!

   
               

We live in the future!

                                                     


And what discovery in this new-to-me country most wowed me? That one could buy M&Ms and get 3 varieties all in one bag! Possibly the best  idea since polio vaccinations.,

Sadly I talked myself out of buying even one single bag of M&Ms, or any souvenir - too early in the journey.

Finally dragging ourselves away from the airport shops, we hailed a taxi. Our driver was generous of heart and gave us sight seeing tour on the way to our hotel, Peppers. For the record, the taxi cost 50NZ£.

From the hillside, in the taxi we looked over Queenstown

At the Peppers hotel, the receptionist looked at us with sad puppy eyes and told us we were not getting the lake view apartment that was booked for us. Nope. We would have to settle for instead the penthouse. No. You read that right.

We were of course upset at having to up our luxury level, and so early in our trip, but what choice did we have? Caviar over hotdogs, it was.

Now, the thing is, we left San Francisco on Tuesday and somehow we arrived in Queensland on Thursday. Not sure where or how we lost Wednesday. Maybe it fell out of the jet over Fiji. It was only 3PM (although it felt 8 PM-ish) so after settling ourselves in the penthouse, we went right back out. Taking another taxi to where we bought tickets to ride a gondola.

Bottom center of this pic is where we rose up from - um.. STEEP

Can you see how steep this gondola carries passengers? 

People bungee jump from this aerial platform. Yeah. Me neither.

At the top of the gondola ride was a complex of gift shops, restaurants and the like. I was super drawn to a lot of the stuff for sale but again, managed to control myself. The ride up to 'Bob's Peak' is all the name given for the high altitude spot. It seems to be quite a popular draw for locals as well as visitors to Queenstown. Ila and I had dinner 'up top', and while we were at it we also bought our breakfast for tomorrow, to take back with us to Peppers. South Island is an island so just as in Iceland, food, is to be had at top dollars. Good news... no tipping required in either country, so there's a break.

Once we descended back to the base of the gondola ride, we used the information phone to call for a taxi back to our hotel. While we waited, we looked at the Kiwi and Birdlife Park area. Shockingly, I declined to go in. I know! At first I had thought they had wild Kiwis there but nope, just caged ones, so I'm holding out for wild Kiwis.

Ila viewing the 'negative space' Kiwi at the park entrance

Grand birdie entrance way

After our quick peek at the first sign of Kiwi birds, we took a cab back to our penthouse and called it a long, L-O-N-G, L-O-O-N-N-G day.



Here, if you care, is a quick look around the penthouse. Please, first take off your shoes. Dirt, you know.