Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Archives

Rapa Nui/ Easter Island!!

I was thrilled at the prospect of visiting remote Easter Island with its iconic moai statues. (“Rapa Nui” is the native name for both the island and its Polynesian people.) It’s one of those destinations I’d seen all my life on tv and read about, but wasn’t sure I’d ever visit myself. And there we were, settling into a surprisingly luxurious LATAM business class seat ready for the five and half hour flight from Santiago to Hanga Roa, the capital and only real town on Easter Island! [The flight itself really did exceed expectations… and I’ve got a hot tip for knocking a huge chunk off the price of a business class ticket. Details on that below in the “Practical Info” portion of this post.]

The airport at Hanga Roa is tiny, but pretty with its arched wood ceiling and native carved art. We were through baggage claim and security in no time.

Mataveri International Airport (IPC) at Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui/ Easter Island

A driver from our “hostal” (a family-run collection of cottages rather than a youth hostel as found in Europe, etc.) met us when we exited with thick flower lei-style necklaces and we were off in no time for the ten minute drive to our lodging, Kuhane Etno-Hostal. Our hostess, Sofia, spoke virtually no English, but we quickly checked in and settled into our brightly-painted cottage.

Eager to see a little of this fascinating island, we headed out on foot, following Sofia’s suggestion to walk along the nearby coast into town. With one of the island’s many stray dogs trailing along, we walked past a half dozen free-roaming horses to glimpse our first moai at Hanga Kio’e from just steps past the entry to our hostal. In front of the oceanfront statue, a wedding was in full swing with the happy couple and guests dressed in white modern clothing while the officiant sported an elaborate feather headdress and traditional native garb.

Further down the coast, we passed a 3-tiered catholic altar made of lava stone, then headed inland a bit to bypass a narrow rocky inlet. Less than a ten-minute walk from our hostal, we arrived at Tahai, truly one of the prettiest sites on Easter Island, and right by Hanga Roa, free to all and probably most visitors’ first encounter with moais. A single large moai with red stone topknot and eyes whose whites are carved from coral stands closest to the main gate. Nearby are the stone foundations of former boat-shaped houses and chicken coops. Beyond four moais and the remains of a fifth stand with their backs to the ocean on a long raised ahu (platform). We learned the next day that the sun sets into the sea behind these moais making for even more spectacular views.

While exploring a relatively modern (but definitely unique) cemetery, the cloudy skies gave way to a light rain. We took shelter in nearby Topa Ra’a, feeling really lucky when dinner there turned out to be excellent.

Prior to arriving on the island, I’d asked Sofia to reserve a local 4×4 vehicle to be delivered to us for the following morning. I’d also arranged an English-speaking guide. (A local guide is a necessity to visit most of the historical sites on Rapa Nui.) When we returned from our first night dinner, Sofia informed us that our guide had suffered a serious eye injury and been flown to Santiago for surgery. However, she assured me she’d arranged another excellent guide. And, yes, she spoke English.

After breakfast the next morning, we discovered that the plan was to share “our” guide with three Chilean sisters staying in another Kuhane cottage. The guide would ride with them and we would follow behind, an arrangement we didn’t mind since it saved us money and gave us privacy. Unfortunately, our guide spoke only a very little English so I spent the rest of the day doing my best to translate for David. Good practice for my rusty Spanish, but not easy given Chilean pride in the difficulty of their accent and dialect and the uniqueness of the archeological and historical things being explained. Our guide and the sisters did make an effort to speak clearly and, while frustrating, all worked fairly well.

To avoid lingering clouds that she thought would burn off later over nearby Orongo birdman village and the Rana Kau volcano crater, our guide decided to start us out to the east at the Rano Raraku quarry. This actually made a lot of sense since it is the “birthplace” of the all the moai. Rano Raraku is a fascinating place with 397 exposed moai in various stages of carving. The statues vary in size and some have been partially buried over time leaving only their heads or heads and shoulders exposed. (Completed moai are statues from head to around hip level.) Experts believe there are more moai fully buried. Generally speaking, the head of a moai is about 1/3 of its full size so some half-buried moai at Rano Raraku are estimated to be 13 meters tall. It took about two years to carve a large moai. Abandoned Moai that broke in the process are scattered about the quarry. The largest moai ever carved wasn’t completed and is still attached to the hillside. It measures 21 meters (69 feet)!

Below Rano Raruku on the coast stands the famous long line of fifteen large moai at Ahu Tongariki. The ahu platform is 220 meters, one of the largest ceremonial structures in Polynesia. With the ocean at their backs, the statues make for an unforgettably dramatic scene. Some distance from the ahu, a solitary moai stands not far from the entrance to Tongariki. This “Traveling Moai” went to Japan in 1982, a trip sponsored by the Japanese who donated two million dollars to restore the site.

The moai on Rapa Nui/ Easter Island all need restoration due not only to the ravages of time and weather, but primarily due to destruction by the native population themselves. While there is much speculation as to the exact history of Rapa Nui and the details of the religious beliefs and ceremonies surrounding the moai, it is undisputed that the local tribes depleted the islands natural resources, fell into war among themselves, and toppled over and/or broke the moai. When I remarked to one site guard that it was sad what was done and how many moai are still face-down or broken, he shrugged and said something along the lines of “Yes, but it is our history and the fallen ones tell that story.”

Driving across the island down deeply rutted and pitted dirt roads lined with red-flowering trees, we arrived at Ahu a Kivi. Seven restored moai stand on a large ahu. The seven seem to face the ocean, unlike all the other moais that faced inward toward the island and its inhabitants. In fact, there was a village between these moais and the water, so the moais were facing their clan. Human finger bones were found here, remnants of the old practice of burning the bodies of the dead behind the ahus.

As promised, the clouds to the west of the island had cleared as we headed back to Rana Kau. The huge volcano crater now filled with water and floating plants makes for yet another impressive scene. The far side of the crater broke away some time in the past exposing the blue ocean beyond.

Nearby are the remains of the “birdman village” of Orongo, site of a unique cult-based annual competition that sprung up late in Rapa Nui history and, presumably, as a way to assign power and make peace among the tribes. People who lived through this part of history still existed at the time the first western historians arrived and recorded their stories. Warriors from the various tribes would assemble at clifftop Orongo each September when Sooty Terns arrived to small islets below to nest. These men would compete in a race whereby scrambled down the cliffs and swam out to the islets to search for the first tern egg. The man who returned first with an egg safely tucked into a pouch strapped to his forehead would win the competition for his chief who then became the “Birdman” leader of all tribes for the year. The competition must have been something to see!

Heading back into Hanga Roa, we had a late seafood empanada lunch with our guide and the sisters before heading back out. At Vinapu, we saw a rare female moai. The ahu there, with its massive carefully carved and placed stones reminiscent of Machu Picchu, lends support to theories that people from Rapa Nui spread to eastward South America.

Hanga Te E Vaihu is a collection of restored traditional grass-covered, boat-shaped homes along with lava stone gardens and stone chicken coops. The big rectangular coops housed tunnels inside where the chickens roosted at night, closed in for their safety with rocks used to block the entrance once the last chicken was inside.

Across the road from Hanga Te E Vaihu, cowboys drove a large herd of horses along the fence line. The people of Easter Island seem to love their horses, but the population looks to be out of control. Free-roaming horses are everywhere, creating a driving hazard on dark, unlit streets and co-existing in a less-than-friendly manner with the local free-range dogs.

We made a final quick stop at Ahu Huri A Urenga, where a solitary moai perched on a small hill beside the road. These unexpected encounters with moai add to the mystic charm of this island.

Dinner that night turned out to be a serendipitous find. We walked in sans reservation at Te Moai Sunset, picked a table beside a big picture window looking out over the white-eyed moai at Tahai with his four-and-a-half moai companions, and settled in to watch the sunset. What a view! [2nd photo of this post] And the food was delicious, too. We were blown away, so much so we came back the following night for an even more spectacular sunset that turned the sky a fiery orange. [Top photo.]

On our own the next day, we set out on some seriously pot-holed roads to visit the few sites that don’t require a guide for entrance. Aside from Tahai, the best of these is Anakena on the rocky island’s best beach. There are three original ahu here in various states. Ahu Nau Nau is the jewel of this site, a large restored platform topped with seven moai, two of which are mere remnants. Scattered bits of moai and their red stone top-knots dot the area. Closer to the beach, a lone, well-weathered moai stands vigil.

Instead of moai, the highlight of roadside Papa Vaka are carvings in the large stones embedded in the ground. There are fish, sharks, turtles and other sea life and things related to fishing. The largest petroglyphs on Easter Island are here. We had the place to ourselves and wandered dirt paths laid out like a labyrinth among them.

We circled as much of the island as the roads allowed, revisited favorite places from our first day, admired the horses, stopped to take pictures of the dramatic coastline. On our last morning, we followed the familiar coastal path to visit Hanga Kio’e, this time able to get close to the moai and explore the remains of the village now that the wedding was over. We also paid a final visit to Tahai, still so special even without the magic of sunset.

Sofia asked us to spend lunch with her, her partner and another friend. It was Chilean Independence Day and Sofia made homemade empanadas and opened a bottle of excellent Chilean wine to celebrate the occasion. We ate on the deck outside the airy dining area at Kahune, national flags flying near the parking area and at the neighbors, bunting decorating the deck railing.

We had only three nights on Easter Island which gave us two full days and two half days. We packed in a lot at a comfortable pace and were happy with the time we’d allotted.

Practical info:

Before visiting Easter Island, you must complete the Rapa Nui Entry Form online, have a passport with a return flight ticket to Santiago, and have proof of a registered accommodation reservation. You cannot board your flight without these. Find details here. It’s a quick and easy process. You also need a Rapa Nui National Park ticket which can be bought online or at the national park ticket office in Hanga Roa.

Easter Island can be an expensive destination, so it pays to plan ahead. Traveling in shoulder season as we did means less crowds and somewhat better prices. Easter Island is not the always-warm tropical climate of other Polynesian islands. It can be chilly and rainy and very windy. We were lucky with the weather, but we did want jackets most of the time, especially when exposed to that wind.

That LATAM tip: LATAM is the only airline flying in and out of Easter Island. When I first looked up flights, I was directed to https://www.latamairlines.com/us/en. I decided to compare the price there to the price shown on their Chilean site, https://www.latamairlines.com/cl/es. Of course, this site is in Spanish (“es”), but that isn’t a problem for me, and anyone not able to read Spanish could just use the translate function on their browser. The price (in Chilean pesos) for a business class flight to Rapa Nui/ Easter Island from Santiago was just under half (after conversion) of the price shown on the US site. I used to use this old work-around a lot, but nowadays many airlines have disallowed using a different country’s site. Happily, that’s not the case with LATAM. For anyone worried that this might be a problem. It isn’t. A ticket is a ticket at LATAM. I actually had to reschedule dates, called into LATAM on their English line and was helped, without question, to make the change. To make things even better, the LATAM business class hard product was excellent: huge seats, bedding provided, simple amenity kit. The soft product was very nice, too: steak dinners with a nice wine selection, attentive service. I wish our business class seats on American Airlines to and from South America had been as spacious!

Hosts can often reserve rent cars as Sofia did for us. She was able to get a better price than I could find online along with delivery to our hostal. Rapa Nui is a small island and it seems everyone knows everyone so check with hosts before booking a car, guide, etc.

In addition to Te Moai and Topa Ra’a, we particularly liked lunching oceanside at Pea RestoBar, watching surfers and body boarders.

For lots of shops and souvenirs, head to Atamu Tekena street in Hanga Roa and the handicraft market at its end near the national park ticket office.

A really informative and interesting book is A Companion to Easter Island. I wish I’d know about it before we went. I saw a copy at the airport as we were leaving and bought it upon our return on Amazon at a substantial discount.

September 2025

Christchurch

The George Hotel in Christchurch felt sophisticated and luxurious after our pretty but simple motel in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. I’d found The George online when looking for somewhere to use two Hyatt free night certificates we needed to use. Although not a Hyatt, The George partners with Hyatt and free night certificates are usable there for some dates and categories.* A lovely spacious room with huge bathroom, a seating area and a balcony overlooking green trees confirmed I’d made a good choice. Hagley Park North sits just across the street from The George and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens and city center are a short walk away.

I’d made reservations for dinner at Cellar Door, a wine bar set in the south quad of the lovely Christchurch Arts Centre. We spent the hours before dinner wandering the city center, taking the old cathedral undergoing major reconstruction as well as other lingering signs of mass destruction beside gleaming modern buildings and stately older stone structures reflecting the English and Scottish whalers who settled in Christchurch. Remnants of the devastating earthquake in 2011 that killed 185 people are apparent everywhere and make Christchurch a striking mix of old and new, ruins and construction, bustling and deserted, cheerful and mournful.

Cellar Door turned out to a happy choice for dinner and we enjoyed flights of local wine along with venison and fish from the Canterbury region. Dark was just descending as we left Cellar Door, so we strolled across the street to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens lured by the hot pink lights setting off the adjoining buildings of Christ’s College and the Canterbury museum, flower beds and fountains.

A fun treat awaited us back at The George: A small teddy bear sat by my pillow with a tag proclaiming him to be George the Bear and stating that he wished to travel with us. George has his own Facebook page and is quite the traveler judging by the photos I’ve seen (and posted) there. What a fun and clever idea! Fun for the guests, free advertising for the hotel. I’ve snapped quite a few photos of George on his travels and he’s now living with us in Paris and even gets out and about here on occasion. He’s very excited about an upcoming trip to Uzbekistan. 😉

We had no real plans for our full day in Christchurch so set out on foot to cover as many of the recommended sights as we could. An early stop near a riverside memorial wall for the victims of the earthquake made us stop and read the tributes. One with a photo of a young man and the anguished words of his parents and siblings stays with me. Heartbreaking. The lunchtime earthquake lasted such a short time, but the resulting loss of life and property was staggering. We came across more memorials: a garden where a collapsed news building once stood, a touching display of 185 empty white chairs of all styles on the grounds of a former church, and on and on. A white baby carrier among the chairs was particularly poignant.

Around Christchurch [clockwise from top left]: on the Avon River, New Regent Street, Hamish Hay Bridge, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, White Chairs Memorial on the site of the former St. Luke’s in the City Anglican Church

More uplifting was a stop on 1930’s-era New Regent Street dotted with pastel mission-style buildings housing cafes and boutiques. Although New Regent Street took damage in the 2011 earthquake (and later quakes as well), it was rebuilt and restored. A period tram carries tourists to the popular pedestrian street and covered mall.

Dating even further back to the 1880’s, Hamish Hay Bridge is a lacy wrought iron and stone confection spanning the Avon river and connecting to Victoria Square park. The park is flanked on opposite sides by the modern city hall and the large Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. The Convention Centre is eye-catching with its tile facade and unusual shape. The tiles and shape are supposed to represent the “Canterbury region’s braided rivers.” The tiles looked like a herringbone pattern to me, but I liked them all the same.

Of course, David soon called for a local beer brake so we made our way to the Canterbury Brewers Collective inside the Riverside Market in downtown Christchurch. The CBC offers a large selection of local craft beers on tap and in bottles. We had fun sipping tasty beers and chatting with the owner about beer and about his eventful life. He’s a native of Christchurch, but had moved to the Seattle area where he had the bad luck to live through the housing crash. Having lost his home, he decided to return to Christchurch with his wife. They arrived only days before the 2011 earthquake. His stories of the quake and the days and weeks and months afterwards were harrowing. If you’re feeling down on your luck, remember what this guy has been through. And he’s still going and still positive. Bravo and best of luck to the Canterbury Brewers Collective!

Canterbury Brewers Collective in the Riverside Market

With our thirst quenched, we headed to the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. We’d only scraped the lighted surface the night before so wanted to see more. The gardens were well worth our time: Gorgeous grounds, interesting native plants, artistic fountains and bridges…and a plethora of tiny ducklings!

We found ourselves without dinner plans and with very few options on a Monday night. Heading back to the Art Centre area, we found Cook ‘N’ With Gas open and the menu looked good. The quaint eatery was deserted save for one table of three in the back. Unfortunately, everything that had appealed on the menu was unavailable. Our friendly waiter checked with the chef who finally agreed he could thaw some venison that should be good, but we’d need to patch together some of the sides from other dishes since he had none of what was supposed to go with the meat. We gave it a shot and the result was mixed insofar as the combinations went, but the meat was fine and it wasn’t a bad meal. Cheers to the chef for improvising.

The next day it was time to head across the South Island through Arthur’s Pass to the west coast. I’d read about some of the overlooks near Christchurch, though, and hated to leave without seeing at least some of them. So we drove thirty minutes out of our way to Sugarloaf Reserve and a great view of Governors Bay from Summit Road. The detour was worth it:

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* I often want to combine one hotel certificate of mine with one of David’s for a two-night stay. Obviously, we want to stay in the same room and not have to pack, check out, change rooms (after some hours) and check back in to a new room. But, not infrequently, even when I’ve found two consecutive nights available at a participating hotel, the category of room may be different. For example, at a recent stay in Monaco, I could find only one night in a king bed with ocean view and one night with two double beds with an ocean view or a king bed without an ocean view. In this case, I booked my preferred room for the first night (an ocean-view king) and the less desirable room for the second night using our certificates. Then, I called the hotel and explained that, although we had two reservations, we are one couple and would prefer not to move if at all possible. We had a similar situation with our bookings at The George and elsewhere in New Zealand. I have never had a hotel refuse to do this. After all, it’s easier for them, too, if the room is available. Anyway, there’s no guarantee and the rooms may genuinely be fully booked and unavailable, but it never hurts to ask.

Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

View from our patio at Aoraki Court Motel

A close second to Milford Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook National Park was high on my list of places to visit in New Zealand. After our overnight in Wanaka, we were off to this highlight. The road took us through Lindis Pass and yet more desolate mountains, uniformly tan and dotted with clumps of spiky brush. We stopped at a scenic overlook describing an early release of the Scottish red stags that have so thrived in New Zealand. We drove a short stretch across the Ahuriri River before crossing that river to turn north then along Lake Pukaki, now with wide dry fields where Google Maps showed a much wider lake. As with many places we’ve traveled, climate change was making itself known here.

We received a friendly welcome at Aoraki Court Motel and were soon checked in to a spacious room with kitchenette and a sliding glass door opening to a patio with a spectacular view of the mountains. [See lead photo above.] The weather gods were still smiling and the deep blue of cloudless skies made a perfect background to snow-topped peaks. We split a local beer on the patio, basking in the sunshine and the view.

Even the view from our bed at Aoraki Court Motel was awesome.

Scanning a binder of local hiking trails we realized we still had time for an afternoon hike near the motel so made a quick job of changing shoes and heading out. The hike was an easy ramble with lush greenery-framed paths and views over the valley in which the motel sits, a pretty and fun teaser for what awaited us the next day. We made it an early night, looking forward to getting closer to Mount Cook, glaciers and mountain lakes the next day.

Our weather luck held for the most part (more about wind later) and we started off in high spirits for the Hooker Valley Track. We found this track to be an easy three hour or so hike, well laid out and very popular. We decided to head to Kea Point first and were rewarded with dazzling views of Mount Stefton, The Footstool, Mueller Glacier Lake and Mount Cook. White clouds crested a ridge and spilled down the far mountain slope beyond a tall moraine wall left by the glacier.

We retraced our path from Kea Point to continue on to the iceberg lake that was our Hooker Valley Track destination. As we continued on our hike, the already stiff wind began to increase. It raced down the mountains and along the valley causing us to lean in to move forward. Several suspension bridges over rushing pale blue water and deep gorges became more and more exciting as the wind continued to grow. Vegetation swayed around a long raised boardwalk across a high valley plain.

At last, we arrived at Mueller Glacier Lake where dirt-streaked icebergs floated in the opaque pale water. A signed warned us of the hazards: 3C (37.4F) water temperature, unstable icebergs, waves caused by a calving glacier. Only moraine skree seemed to border the lake now, but it was still a beautiful and unique spot. We hiked to a point near the “beach” at the water’s edge, but high winds made going further seem unwise as well as pointless. Several times, I was nearly blown off my feet and the wind came and went unpredictably on the narrow path.

Icebergs floating on Mueller Glacier Lake

The wind was an interesting and increasing challenge, periodically blocked by terrain, then slamming into us full force when we rounded a particularly large boulder or came around a slope. Recrossing the suspension bridges got to be downright scary on our return. At one point, I thought to pull out my phone mid-bridge for a pic, but I needed my hands free to hold on to the cable rails. I could see, too, that there was a good chance of my phone being ripped out of my hand by the mighty wind. Oh well, we had plenty of photos and I opted to hold on. David had fun snapping my pic from the far side, though, as I crossed behind him buffeted by the wind.

Wanaka and Albert Town, New Zealand

Iconic view from Wanaka waterfront #thatwanakatree

The 4.5-hour drive between Milford Sound and Wanaka required a big southward dip before turning north to take us along Lake Wakatipu almost back to Queenstown. From there, we left the green and blue of the water’s edge to cross the barren landscape of desert tan and scrub brush of the Crown Range.

Albert Town/Wanaka was primarily a layover between Milford Sound and Mount Cook/ Aoraki National Park. When I’d planned this trip, I thought we might be in need of a washing machine at this point in our travels so had prioritized that. The Albert Town AirBnB turned out to be much more than that: lovely, quiet, very comfortable, budget-friendly and a short drive to Lake Wanaka and downtown. Our host hobbled out to greet us with a truly harrowing story of a hang-gliding accident six months before from which he was only just recovered enough to walk, albeit gingerly. Hang-gliding was already off my list, but this confirmed my choice. Our host had done hundreds of flights before his accident, but when I asked him if he’d fly again, he gave a firm no.

We started a load of laundry and had only a bit of time to kick back before dinner reservations at Kika, one of the top-rated restaurants in town. Kika has a laid-back vibe with tasting menu and an interesting variety of sharing plates. A big, free-standing stone fireplace stands in the center of a minimalist dining room in dark tones with plain wooden tables and chairs. We ordered a creative cocktail, followed by several fun small plates and local beer. Our little cabin in Knobs Flat with our simple homemade meals had suited our time in Fiordland National Park, but we also enjoyed this pleasant return to civilization.

With so little time, we got up early the next morning for a run to Pembroke Patisserie, just a short drive up the road from our AirBnB. Pembroke provided a taste of France in little Albert Town. It was packed with locals on a Saturday morning. We packed up after breakfast and drove back into Wanaka to walk around the lake, snapping photos of the gorgeous waterfront and the Wanaka Tree. (See my lead photo above and you can checkout #thatwanakatree on Instagram for thousands more photos of the iconic tree.) After our short but thoroughly enjoyable stay in Albert Town/Wanaka, we were off to our next stop which I was really looking forward to: Aoraki/ Mount Cook National Park. If only we could get as lucky with the weather there as we had at Milford Sound!

Milford Sound, a New Zealand treasure

Postcard perfect: Mitre Peak reflected in Milford Sound

My number one must-see in New Zealand was Milford Sound. This time our pandemic-induced rescheduling worked to our advantage. When I’d first planned this trip in March 2020, the Milford Sound Road (a world-famous drive I definitely wanted to make) was severely damaged and closed. We could still fly in, maybe, but that wasn’t what I envisioned and gave us little wiggle room if the weather in this rainiest of rainy places didn’t cooperate. Now, in October 2022, the road was open and we had a two-day window to hopefully see the Sound on a reasonably clear day.

The day started out sunny and promising in Queenstown, but as we drove two hours south and then west past flocks of sheep and large herds of domestic stags towards Te Anau, the weather turned increasingly gray and ominous. By the time we stopped for lunch and provisions at Te Anau, a light rain had begun. The weather only got worse as we drove another 40 miles/50 minutes to the cabin I’d chosen for a two-night stay at Eglinton Valley Camp at Knobs Flat. The camp is located well within Fiordland National Park, the home of Milford Sound. I thought our modest one-room cabin was in the perfect location, about half-way between the town of Te Anau (where lots of visitors to the Sound stay) and Milford Sound (where there is an expensive lodge and a campground, but where it’s possible to get stuck if the Milford Sound road is closed to not-that-infrequent mudslides, ice, and related road damage. [Eglinton Valley Camp also offers RV spots for those traveling that way.]

The cabin boasted a pretty hike to a nearby waterfall and other longer hikes around Lake Gunn, but with the rain now coming down hard, we found ourselves cozy and snug but with not a lot to do for the rest of the day. Oh well, worse things could happen. Our host advised us that it might be worth driving the 34 miles to Milford Sound anyway just to see what the weather was like there. Besides, Milford Sound is supposed to be extra special in the rain as a myriad of waterfalls along its walls come to life. We read and heard that pitch quite a few times. When blue sky finally peeked out, we decided to give it a try.

Milford Sound Road as we begin the ascent from Knobs Flat

I was a little worried about the twists and turns on a wet mountain road, but the Milford Sound Road was in good shape and David is a champ at driving. [Check for conditions on the Milford Sound Road here.] It actually snowed on us at higher elevations and the misty waterfalls streaming off the sheer walls around us were beautiful. Still, the low clouds and rain/snow made for poor visibility and a scenic overlook supposedly offering a view of Mount Crosscut nestled between Mount Christina and Mount Lyttle did no such thing. [See photo at end of this post.] Avalanche warnings made the approach to the Homer Tunnel feel a little ominous and the steep, wet road awaiting us on the other side was made even more exciting by hairpin turns. As we descended into the valley, long thin waterfalls poured off the rocky walls around us.

The Homer Tunnel and beyond

We arrived safe and sound at Milford Sound to more rain and clouds. I didn’t even bother to get out and snap photos at the Sound. The low clouds and rain made it impossible to see far and the surrounding walls and mountains were totally hidden behind the gray. I did go into the tourist office, though, while David waited in the car as there’s only pay parking and we didn’t plan a long stay. I walked into an empty office with a sign saying they were short-handed. This was to be a common occurrence everywhere we went in New Zealand. The Covid-19 pandemic and New Zealand’s related strict rules on immigration and guest workers had left many businesses short-staffed and begging for workers. After wandering a bit, I ran into a woman who seemed to be a janitor in the cafeteria area and asked her if anyone was working the front desk. She asked me to wait and was soon back with a young man who offered to sell me tickets for a boat tour of the Sound leaving soon. When I mentioned the rain, he told me it wasn’t really raining. Gesturing with my dripping umbrella, I disagreed. Then, he gave me the line about how some people say Milford Sound is better in the rain because of the waterfalls. Having seen lots of these thin, long streams on our way in, I was more interested in actually being able to see the Sound. When I pointed out that the weather forecast looked good for the next morning and we could come back early, he finally agreed that, yes, if I wanted to see the sides of the Sound and the peaks surrounding it, the next day would be better. In fact, it was slated to be a relatively rare clear morning. And, oh yeah, there would still be lots of waterfalls given all the rain that had fallen today. We’d hoped to be off early on the next leg of our journey the following day, but the great part about staying so close at Eglinton Valley Camp was that we had a two-day window to try for clear weather. Leaving a bit later than originally planned was no big deal. It was an easy decision, and I bought tickets for a boat tour with Mitre Peak Cruises (a smaller boat company recommended by our host at Eglinton Valley Camp) at 8:50am the next morning.

The drive back down towards Knobs Flat remained gray and drizzly until we were nearly back at our cabin. The sun came out then and we were able to hike to the nearby waterfall, an easy ramble across a small creek and through bright green woods. With time on our hands afterwards, we drove about ten minutes to Lake Gunn Nature Walk (still within Fiordland National Park) and enjoyed another easy walk along well-marked trails to the lake where rain arrived again and sent us back to our cabin for the evening.

I was beyond excited the next morning as we packed up and headed back to Milford Sound. The weather looked good, but who knew what it would be like by the time we got to the Sound. I scoured the scattered clouds, worried that the rain would return. There was no need. The weather continued to clear as we drove toward the Sound. We arrived bright and early to glorious, blue-bird skies. Perfection!

Check-in was easy and we milled around with other excited passengers before being called to board. The boat was comfortable with less than twenty passengers aboard and plenty of comfortable seating inside and room on both the bow and stern viewing decks. Hot drinks were available to take the chill off when we came in from the crisp and windy decks. We were the first boat out although others were docked and waiting, but it wasn’t particularly crowded as it was shoulder season on a Thursday.

What can I say? The boat ride through Milford Sound to the Tasman Sea was all I’d hoped for. Brilliant blue sky and water ringed by rocky cliffs and snow-covered peaks, thin temporary waterfalls spilled off the sheer walls (some we were told would dry up before the day was out) between the more substantial permanent waterfalls.

Fiordland crested penguin

We spotted a fur seal and a couple of Fiordland crested penguins, we laughed as spray from Stirling Falls drenched the stern deck of our boat. When we finally docked after as perfect of a cruise as I could have hoped for, we were treated to final postcard views of Mitre Peak reflected in Milford Sound from the parking lot. [See lead photo.] Happy sigh.

Kea bird at the Mount Crosscut scenic overlook on the Milford Sound Road

The ride back down Milford Sound Road was a treat, too. We stopped off at that scenic overlook for an entirely different view from the day before. There was Mount Crosscut, just as promised! And the sign warning us not to feed the Kea birds turned out to have a point: A handsome specimen with emerald green wing feathers sat nearby, clearly hoping we didn’t read signs.

What a difference a day makes!
[Mount Crosscut in the distance, viewed (on a clear day)
between Mount Christina and Mount Lyttle]

We felt like we’d actually been lucky to see Milford Sound and the Milford Sound Road in both rain and sun, so different, but both beautiful. In high spirits, we drove on to our next destination: Wanaka and an Albert Town AirBnB.

Queenstown and we begin our time on New Zealand’s South Island

Lake Wakatipu from the Harbor View Walk, Queenstown

Our flight on New Zealand air from Auckland to Queenstown went off without a hitch and offered us some great views of the two islands en route. We picked up the rent car that would be our transportation for the next weeks (sadly, now substantially more expensive than a similar car had been pre-pandemic) and headed to our hotel. The route we followed on the South Island was as follows:

Our roadtrip through New Zealand’s South Island. At Picton, we took the ferry and continued
back to Auckland via Wellington and Rotorua, a total trip of more than 2000 miles.

We took our rent car on the ferry from to Wellington and continued driving across the North Island and back to Auckland from where we’d fly back to the States. We were really happy with our itinerary and I’ll cover the entire trip including fjords, hot spring spas, wineries, geysers, Maori settlements, a glowworm cave and more in coming posts.

Queenstown sits in a gorgeous location on Lake Wakatipu. [See top photo and below.] The city promotes itself as an adventure sports destination with bungee jumping, hang gliding, a wheeled “slalom” course and more promoted everywhere. We were in New Zealand for the natural beauty and culture, however, so I’d only booked us a night in town, eager to get on to Fiordland National Park and beyond. I used 15,000 Wyndham points to book us at the uninspiring but perfectly nice and conveniently located Ramada by Wyndham Queenstown Central. (Wyndham is a chain I seldom use, but I had scored the points during a promotion so was happy to be able to use them.)

With limited time, we dropped off our luggage and headed back out to explore the lakeside park and Queenstown center. A long walk along the lake let us admire the lake, mountains, and the TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 Edwardian twin screw steamer that regularly plies the lake. We enjoyed a beer and fries break at the Pub on Wharf in the quaint old harborfront, sitting outside on a crisp, sunny day.

T he TSS Earnslaw coming into the Queenstown wharf

I’d booked dinner at The Bunker restaurant (They’ve got a cool-looking upstairs bar, too.) and we looked forward to a true New Zealand meal in a cozy atmosphere. We enjoyed a meal of a yellowfin tuna tartare with coconut “caviar” starter and a venison main, but the cozy atmosphere, complete with wood-burning fireplace, was a little diminished by the gathering smoke in the room. Oh well, we left satisfied and ready for an early start the next morning. Up next: Eglinton Valley Camp and Milford Sound!

Auckland

Arriving by ship is a great introduction to Auckland. We sailed through outlying islands to dock early in the morning at the cruise ship terminal, in walking distance of downtown. Since we were disembarking and had luggage, we hailed a cab for the short ride to our hotel. With lots of free night certificates to use on this three-week trip, I chose the Four Points by Sheraton for this initial two-night stay. (We’d be back in Auckland for another two nights at the end of our stay in New Zealand.) The hotel is clean, modern and convenient. Happily, our room was ready early so we settled in quickly and had the full day ahead of us.

Top on my list was Waiheke Island, a roughly 40-minute ferry ride from the Auckland waterfront. The weather was gorgeous, but predicted to get more cloudy in coming days, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity. I discovered that ferry tickets are available online at a small discount and bought them on my phone to avoid a line we found once we arrived at the dock. [Ferry tickets from Fullers360 were NA$40 + NZ$6 tax/per adult, round trip, for a total of NZ$92 for the two of us.] We then joined a much longer line waiting for the ferry. Waikheke is clearly popular with the locals on a pretty weekend day. (We were a little surprised at the fair number of people dressed up for the occasion. Young women in midi-skirts and dresses may have been a bit chilly on the ride over, but they were ready for stylish lunches at the island’s wineries.) Although the line looked daunting, the ferries are large and we easily made it on board and claimed seats on the upper, open-air deck. The ferry ride itself is an experience. We stopped only once at Devonport, before continuing on past the islands of Rangitoto, Motutapu and Motuihe en route to Waiheke.

We bought an AT HOP card at the small ferry terminal on Waiheke and 4 single-journey bus rides, figuring we’d ride to the wineries and also stop in the beach town of Oneroa. Oddly, it’s necessary to buy the journeys in advance and add them to the AT HOP card (which you also have to pay a one-time fee for). You can’t just buy a ticket on the bus if you run out of pre-purchased tickets. We ended up not stopping in town, so were stuck with a couple of extra bus ride passes we never used, even though they were good in Auckland as well. Not a big deal, but an awkward and annoying system for tourists.

With lunch time approaching, we opted to go straight to the wineries, asking the bus driver to tell us when to get off. With this less-than-well-thought-out plan, we found ourselves at Stonyridge Vineyard at lunchtime. Restaurant tables were all booked on this sunny Sunday, but we were happy to take seats on the outside deck overlooking green hills and make a lunch of wine and a lovely cheeseboard. Unlike the world-renowned Marlborough wine region on the South Island, Waiheke is not sauvignon blanc country. We opted for a three wine tasting package consisting of a white and two reds: a chardonnay (Luna Dorada, 2020), an unusual blend of syrah, grenache, mouvedre and viognier (Pilgrim 2020); and, a “Bordeaux” blend (Larose, 2019). All were very good and this was looking to be a promising three weeks of discovering New Zealand wines.

From top: Stonyridge Vineyard deck, Te Motu, and Tantalus Estate

After lunch, we took a footpath across a field to neighboring Te Motu Vineyards where we tried a four-wine tasting flight at a picnic table in their casual outdoor space. Feeling up to the challenge of one more winery, we walked back toward the main road. Our path took us along unpaved roads, lined by trees or bordered by spring flowers, through vineyards (past a black helicopter waiting to whisk away wine-tasters who’d thrown a bit more cash at their outing than we had) to Tantalus Estate. We settled at a table on the patio behind their chic glass-walled restaurant and tasting room overlooking their vineyards.

The Tantalus driveway led us back to the main road where we soon caught a bus back to the ferry terminal (a less than 30-minute ride). We’d met a small group we recognized from the ship who told us they’d also tried to use the bus, but had been stranded in the town of Oneroa when the bus was either full or just didn’t stop for them. They’d resorted to hiring a cab for the rest of the day. With that story in mind (and not seeing much of interest to us in Oneroa anyway since we’d eaten and drunk our fill and weren’t interested in shopping or a chilly beach), we opted not to risk a stop there.

You’d think we’d have had enough wine for the day, but back at the Auckland waterfront, we opted for dinner at Botswana Butchery and were pretty easily sold on a bottle of wine with dinner. We knew we couldn’t drink a whole bottle, but figured it would be fine to take a half-bottle back to our hotel. Wrong. It turns out that corking a bottle for taking home after a meal is illegal in New Zealand. Our waiter assured us, though, that he’d keep it for us. That wasn’t really going to help since we only had one more night in Auckland and didn’t plan on returning to Botswana Butchery. Oh well, it was a good meal (fabulous venison Wellington was a highlight and house-baked bread with smoked butter was addictive) and lesson learned about the wine. After our wine-filled day, we didn’t really need any more anyway.

Albert Park (top left), Auckland Domain, and Parnell Road

We spent our second day in Auckland exploring. We walked through Albert Park to the Auckland Domain, a huge green area that includes a lawn bowling club, beautiful gardens, meandering paths, and the Auckland Memorial War Museum. We took a small path through lush woods to pop out near the Parnell train station. Small footpaths and roads threading between backyards led us to Parnell Road, the main street of Auckland’s oldest (and one of its most expensive) suburbs. We window-shopped and read menus in the many restaurants housed in buildings that ranged from one-to-two story painted clapboard to vintage facades of masonry to four- and five-story modern rectangles. Finally opting for Lala Café, we enjoyed a late lunch before continuing our ramble back towards downtown. With our pretty day now threatening rain, we took refuge for a while before heading back out to admire Auckland’s charming vintage buildings and the contrast they presented to the sleek high-rises and iconic tower. Tired, we opted for dinner in the hotel and called it an early night, excited about our flight to the south island the following morning.

Another transpacific cruise, this time to New Zealand

Majestic Princess in Papeete, Tahiti, en route to Auckland, New Zealand

I’m behind on blogging as we settle into our year back in Paris. Still, I do want to write about our time in New Zealand (which included 2000 miles of driving!) before too much time slips by. So, first here’s a quick recap of the Princess repositioning cruise that got us there:

The Covid-19 pandemic canceled a three-week trip to New Zealand we’d planned to start in March 2020, within days of New Zealand shutting down. With the pandemic mostly behind us and New Zealand again opening, we were finally making the trip.

We’d originally planned to fly to New Zealand and return via repositioning cruise during their fall (our spring). This time, we were going in our fall (New Zealand’s spring) so the order was reversed: We sailed from Los Angeles to New Zealand via Hawaii and Tahiti and flew home. As always, one-way cruising has the benefit of eliminating jetlag, and the price on repositioning cruises is almost always a great deal. Usually, there’s also the bonus of unusual out-of-the way stops along the way. Our original cruise would have stopped in the Kingdom of Samoa, Tonga, Bora Bora and Maui in addition to Hawaii and Tahiti, a much more appealing itinerary. This cruise (leaving from Los Angeles) had originally offered only the addition of American Samoa, but that island was closed due to Covid concerns. Likewise, Tonga suffered a devastating volcanic eruption in January 2022 and looks unlikely to recover any time in the foreseeable future. So, we were left with overnight stops in Honolulu, Hawaii; Papeete, Tahiti; and, a new one-day stop in Tauranga, New Zealand. I wasn’t thrilled with this itinerary, but it was still a pleasant-sounding way to get from the U.S. to New Zealand.

The three-week cruise turned out to be a mixed bag. Engine trouble had us staying longer in Honolulu than expected and an extra night in Papeete. There was also a Covid outbreak onboard, but that didn’t effect us too much. We’ve been to both Hawaii and Papeete, so weren’t really interested in too much touring. We went to Iolani Palace in Honolulu, an easy walk from where our ship docked at the Pier 2 Cruise Terminal. I hadn’t been in years and enjoyed revisiting the only royal palace on U.S. soil. After that, we just caught a Lyft to Waikiki Beach and a favorite beachfront spot for maitais, The Edge of Waikiki at the Sheraton. Not a bad way to spend a day!

I’d planned to rent a car in Papeete and do the ring road around Tahiti, something we’d not done before. Unfortunately, due to the delay in Honolulu, the ship arrived so late in the day that I decided to cancel the car and spend our full day at a resort where I’d purchased day passes. Te Moana resort turned out to be a great choice and we had a lovely, leisurely day there lounging around the pool, enjoying a top notch lunch, and kayaking along the coast. The resort boasts a spectacular view of nearby Bora Bora which only gets more dramatic at sunset. [Note: It’s an easy ferry ride from Papeete to Bora Bora which is more naturally beautiful than Tahiti. If you’ve never been or are willing to hire a tour or do a little planning (and spend a bit more) to rent a car, it’s well worth the trip. We’d been to Bora Bora not too long ago, though, and decided to relax and stay on Tahiti this time.] I highly recommend a day pass at Te Moana for those looking for a way to spend a day in Tahiti.

View from our lounge chairs of the Te Moana infinity pool and beyond

Te Moana offers 3 types of “relaxation”/day passes. We chose the 7000 CFP/person package (10am-6pm) which included pool/motu access, lunch plus coffee or ice cream, and two hours of kayak or paddle board. (The “motu” is a manmade “island” with a small snorkeling area, not an actual small private island as you might find in Bora Bora.) Other options ran up to 14,000 CFP/person and included a scuba dive or massage sessions. Other day pass options were available at the Hilton for a higher price and less positive reviews. The Intercontinental apparently now has day passes, but didn’t at the time.

View of Bora Bora at sunset from Te Moana resort

We arrived in the port of Tauranga to local fanfare and waiting media. It turned out our ship was the first to dock in New Zealand since the pandemic. The cruise port is actually at Mount Maunganui, a pretty resort town, across the bay from the city of Tauranga. We had a great view of the small mountain for which the town is named from the ship and couldn’t wait to get ashore and do a little hiking there. We originally thought we’d need to take a ferry to Tauranga, but a woman who was part of the waiting information brigade on the dock told us not to bother. The town and mountain of Mount Maunganui were the places to see. We took her advice and had a great day.

After a quick walk into town to an ATM machine, we strolled along a waterfront promenade to a trailhead at the base of Mount Maunganui. The small mountain is well covered with paths and popular with locals. A hike to the summit rewarded us with sweeping views. The mountain sits at the tip of land that shelters the inland bays and harbors from the Bay of Plenty. We headed back down the opposite side of the mountain to wide Maunganui Beach (which makes lists of most beautiful beaches in the world) to watch surfers before walking on to Maunganui Road, the main street of the town of Mount Maunganui. The town bustled with cruise ship visitors and shop owners seemed thrilled to be busy again. We had our first encounter with “possum merino,” a unique New Zealand knit made from Australian possum fur, sometimes combined with sheep wool and/or silk. The Australian possum is an invasive pest according to some, and a treasure according to the many vendors of possum products we met during our time in New Zealand. The wool is soft and very warm. I bought a gorgeous sweater in Mount Tauranga and David bought a cap. It was still cold in this antipodean “spring!” Stops for lunch and local beer and iconic sauvignon blanc wine boded well for the rest of our trip. This first, unexpected stop in New Zealand was a great beginning and had us looking forward to leaving the ship the next day in Auckland where we’d kick off our three-week explore of the country’s two islands.

TASMANIA: Local friends plan a great 6-day itinerary

Dove Lake boatshed in Cradle Mountain National Park, Tasmania

I’ve been offline for some months, enjoying down-time with family and friends between travels. We wandered so much in 2019 (7.5+ months in total, including 12 countries and a couple of extended U.S. roadtrips) that I got behind on blogging. Also, I wasn’t sure I had much to add to the sea of info out there, and if I don’t think I can add something meaningful, I don’t feel compelled to blog just for the sake of it. That said, I do feel remiss about not sharing the awesome Tasmanian itinerary laid out for us by native-Tassie friends, Gail and Lyndon.

We met Gail and Lyndon on our around-the-world odyssey celebrating a big birthday for David. When we told them we planned to visit Australia the following spring (2019), they convinced us to add Tasmania to our itinerary. When I emailed them later to ask for some practical pointers, they immediately wrote back, inviting us to stay a night on either end of our Tassie stay and laying out a 6-night itinerary for us. We were blown away, and ended up following nearly all of their suggestions, constrained only by time and weather. We had a wonderful time and I wish the same for anyone else considering a visit to Tasmania. It’s a unique place, and we were surprised to find that the vast majority of Australians we met had never made the journey. So without further ado, here you go, Gail and Lyndon’s Taste of Tasmania itinerary in their words:

“…As you can imagine there are many and varied things to see and do in this wonderful island state of Tasmania. Local produce, beers, wines, whiskeys and gin are also a must try. So we have focussed on some highlights for your visit.

We have put our thinking caps on and come up with the following suggestion for a “Taste of Tasmania” visit.

Day 1: Arrive in Launceston, travel via Sheffield to Cradle Mountain, Dove and Crater Lakes. Distance 122 kilometres, travelling time 1 hour and 40 minutes. Sheffield is known as the Town of Murals. The first town mural was painted in Sheffield in December 1986. Since then over 60 murals depicting the area’s rich history and beautiful natural scenery have been painted on walls throughout the town and buildings along the roadside. Cradle Mountain is 1545metres high and is surrounded by stands of native deciduous beech, rainforest, alpine heath lands and button grass and is rich in wildlife and is one of the principal tourist sites in the state. The area around the mountain has a large number of day walks. Cradle Mountain offers a variety of accommodation styles available for an overnight stay.

Day 2: Depart Cradle Mountain via Waratah to Strahan. Distance 207.4 kilometres, travelling time 2 hours and 33 minutes. Waratah is a small, scenic town on the edge of the Tarkine wilderness with a rich mining past, a magnificent town-side waterfall and a unique lakeside setting. Call into the Tarkine Interpretation Centre, entry is free. Strahan is nestled on the shores of massive Macquarie Harbour, Strahan is the gateway to the World Heritage listed Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and is full of stories from the days of convicts and pioneers toughing it out in Tassie’s wild west. Visit Ocean Beach and smell the freshest air in the world, take a Gordon River Cruise or a ride on the West Coast Wilderness Railway. Stay overnight in the accommodation style that suits you.

Day 3: Depart Strahan via Derwent Bridge to Hobart. Distance 301 kilometres, travelling time 4hours 25 minutes. At Derwent Bridge you will find the Wall in the Wilderness, a carving of 100 metres in timber which depicts the history of the highlands, most of the timber is our rare Huon Pine. Hobart is a beautiful city on the banks of the Derwent River nestled under the imposing Mount Wellington. Points of interest in Hobart would be the Museum of Modern Art (MONA) and Salamanca home to converted colonial warehouses and waterfront buildings which house some wonderful artisan shops and restaurants. Stay in Hobart city or any of her suburbs.

Day 4: Travel from Hobart via Freycinet National Park to Bicheno. Distance 219.8 kilometres, travelling time of 3 hours. Freycinet National Park is loaded with natural assets, including the pink granite peaks of the Hazards Range that dominate the Peninsula and the iconic Wineglass Bay. The short trek to Wineglass Bay lookout is a bit of a scramble, but it’s well worth it for one of Tasmania’s most photographed views. There are many more short walks across the park that are suitable for all abilities and that lead to secluded bays, clean beaches and bird-filled lagoons. Located north of the Freycinet Peninsula, Bicheno sits on Tasmania’s beautiful East Coast. Offshore, the Governor Island Marine Reserve has some of the best diving spots in Australia, with kelp-covered reefs and spectacular sponge gardens. This water wonderland can also be experienced by glass-bottomed boat. There’s plenty to do on dry land as well, with popular penguin tours that let you get up close – really close – to fairy penguins at dusk and scenic walks to Rocking Rock, the Blowhole and along the sandbar to Diamond Island Nature Reserve. At Bicheno you will also find good accommodation.

Day 5: Leave the lovely East Coast via St Marys and the Fingal Valley to Launceston. Distance 170.9 kilometres, travelling time 2 hours and 20 minutes. St Marys is 600 metres above sea level, the township is surrounded by mountains, forests and valleys. It’s also full of colour, creativity and stories of its former days as a convict working station. There are some lovely old buildings along the main street including the original railway station, now a quirky museum of local relics and oddities. The Fingal Valley stretches from Conara through to St Marys, linking Tasmania’s Heritage Highway with its sunny East Coast, and is bounded by Ben Lomond National Park to the north and the St Pauls Valley to the south. The Fingal Valley includes the towns of Avoca, Fingal and St Marys and the smaller villages of Rossarden, Royal George, Mangana, Fingal, Mathinna, Upper Esk and Cornwall. Lovely city of Launceston feels more like a big town and is a vibrant hub for food, wine culture and nature. One of Australia’s oldest cities, Launceston has one of the best-preserved early cityscapes in Australia with its elegant Colonial and Victorian architecture and century-old parks. Just a short walk from the city centre, Cataract Gorge is a slice of wilderness right in the heart of town and Launceston’s star natural attraction.

A good website for exploring Tasmania is www.discovertasmania.com.au

There are of course places of historical significance such as Port Arthur and Maria Island that you may prefer to see. Tasmania is only a small island but has so much to see and do depending on your interests and the time you wish to travel or relax. I hope what we have suggested helps in some way to you planning your visit….”

So, there you have it: A great Tasmanian itinerary laid out by a couple of locals. We had fun following their suggestions, and found that other locals along the way were super enthusiastic when we told them what we were doing. Tassies are a friendly bunch and proud of their island. They really made us feel welcome.

On our first day in Tasmania, Gail and Lyndon picked us up at the Launceston airport after our short flight from Melbourne, then took us on a driving tour of the surrounding countryside, including a glimpse at the ranch where they’d lived and raised harness racing horses and cattle up until their recent retirement. In the evening, we visited Cataract Gorge in Launceston where we saw our first wallaby before we’d walked ten yards from the car. After walking the trails of Cataract Gorge, we had a first class dinner at The Gorge Restaurant. When we returned from our roadtrip, they again took us touring. This time we headed north to the coastline where we had tea at the Lost Farm Restaurant perched atop a large dune with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea and the highly-ranked golf courses of Barnbougle, a drive through a region of Tassie known for its red earth, and a final “champagne” tasting at Clover Hill Winery before dropping us off at the Launceston airport for our flight to Melbourne and on to Uluru and Ayers Rock. (I was nervous about all this touring on a flight day, but Gail and Lyndon assured us that we’d have no problem with a late arrival and breezing through the small Launceston airport. Thankfully, they were right.)

We booked lodging online on my phone from the car each day of our self-drive through Tasmania and were very happy with where we ended up each night:
• Cradle Mountain Hotel (We booked a standard room and were given a handicapped room overlooking the parking lot. Disappointing. Asking to be moved to a non-handicapped room and explaining it was David’s birthday found us upgraded to a chic 2-story suite overlooking wilderness. So worth it, even if you have to pay.)

Pademelons on a Cradle Mountain National Park path

• Strahan Stables Rough-Luxe #1, an AirBnB find in Strahan (This 2-story place, across the road from the harbor, and a block down from a park, was totally charming and we’d have loved another night there.)

Strahan, just across the road from our AirBnB stay

• La Riviera B&B on the River Derwent in Granton, a suburb of Hobart, ranks at the top of all the B&B’s I’ve stayed at. Lovely rooms, a warm hostess, an incredible breakfast feast and a water view. She’s thinking of selling, so if it’s still available, go!

Just the beginning of the breakfast feast at La Riviera B&B. So much more to come!

Inside Hobart’s unique underground MONA, Museum of Old and New Art [And it’s free from 5pm to closing at 6!]

• Bicheno’s Ocean View Retreat (We had a huge two-bedroom apartment with an enormous balcony overlooking the sea across the road. It’s a tad dated, but clean, comfortable and really spacious. At night, we came home to several kangaroos hopping about in the front yard.)

Endangered Tasmanian Devils at Natureworld in Bicheno

Fun with kangaroos at Natureworld in Bicheno

Wineglass Bay: Hiking on Freycinet Peninsula yields some amazing views

Melbourne is the nearest mainland airport to Tasmania. That worked perfectly for us since we arrived in Melbourne from Delhi, a non-stop route on Air India. There are daily flights from Melbourne to both Launceston and Hobart, the capital of Tasmania. Launceston is closer. Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Qantas all fly non-stop Melbourne to Launceston and Hobart. Google Flights is now showing Tigerair flying non-stop Melbourne to Hobart. We flew non-stop (1h5m) between Melbourne and Launceston on Virgin Australia. There are flights from other Australian cities as well to Tassie. Look for those flights on Google Flights or using the FlightConnections interactive map, one of my favorite travel-planning tools.