Issue 61 - Spectrum Care

14 Day North and South IslandBus TourKi ora. My name is Nicholas. I live atBrookview Court. My support person Fay andI went on tour.Day 1 – Hamilton/AucklandWe were collected from Brookview by the“Road Cat Shuttle” at 2pm to transfer us tothe Mercure Hotel in Auckland. That eveningwe met our tour director, Nellie and the coachdriver, P.J. Our group consisted of Australians,Italians, English, Irish, South Africans,Brazilians and three Kiwis (our Tour Directorwas Australian).Day 2 – Auckland / Waitomo CavesEnjoyed Waitomo Caves. Wasn’t too keenon the boat ride – it was too dark. Arrivedat Hotel Ilois Rotorua. We enjoyed a hangidinner and entertainment at Matariki.Day 3 – Rotorua SightseeingWe shared the beauty of Te Ruia, theWhakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. In theafternoon we visited the Agrodome.Day 4 – Rotorua/WellingtonWe travelled through extensive pine forestto Taupo and stopped to view the Huka Falls.The weather wasn’t too kind to us as theviews of the three mountains were coveredwith cloud. Enjoyed a picturesque drive intothe capital city of Wellington and stayed atthe Mercure Hotel.Day 5 – WellingtonEnjoyed a sightseeing tour of Wellingtonincluding the Beehive, parliament buildingsand panoramic views from Mt Victoria. Laterwe joined the Inter-Island cruise across CookStrait into Queen Charlotte Sound beforearriving at Picton. We stayed at theBeachcomber Inn in Picton.Day 6 – Picton/ChristchurchWe travelled across the rugged coast andsaw New Zealand fur seals en route. Ourcoach driver stopped so we could purchasefreshly cooked crayfish – yum! We continuedalong the coast to the city of Christchurch,known as the Garden City. We stayed at theElms HotelDay 7 – Christchurch/Mt CookWe drove through the colourful patchworkplains of Canterbury. We visited beautifulLake Tekapo and viewed the Church of theGood Shepard. Passed Mt Cook NationalPark, which is home to NZ’s highestmountain. We stayed at the Heritage Hotelin Omarama.Day 8 – Mt Cook/ DunedinWe followed the course of the Waitaki River,passing the hydro-electric dams at Waitakiand Aviemore. Travelled through Oamaru,famous for its white, limestone buildingsbefore continuing south to Dunedin whichwas founded by Scottish settlers. We arrivedat the Saville International Hotel.That afternoon we boarded the Taieri GorgeRailway train and crossed magnificent stoneand wrought iron viaducts. We travelledthrough a series of tunnels with rock wallsonly inches from the side of the train. It wasan awesome trip!Day 9 – Dunedin/Te AnauThis morning we visted the Cadbury WorldTour. We enjoyed a guided tour through oneof the world’s best known chocolate’s factory.The chocolate waterfall was of specialinterest. We stayed at the Kingsgate.Day 10 – Milford SoundsWe travelled south towards Fiordland throughsome of New Zealand’s magnificent alpinecountry. Drove through the Homer Tunnel,which is one mile long and completely handhewn. We stopped briefly at the chasmbefore arriving in Milford Sound. We cruisedthe serene waters of the Milford Sound withMitre Peak and Bowen Falls high above us.That afternoon we continued to Queenstownand stayed at Aspen.Day 11 – QueenstownWent for a ride on the Gondola then hadlunch. We had the afternoon free andshopped until we dropped!Day 12 – QueenstownVisited Arrowtown, a colourful townshipsteeped in local history. Then we travelledthrough the Kawarau Gorge and climbed overthe Haast Pass. We enjoyed our Haast Riversafari and jet boat ride. It was awesome! Westayed at the Fox Glacier Hotel.Day 13 – Fox GlacierBecause the weather was unsuitable, wewere unable to take a scenic flight over FoxGlacier, Franz Josef and Mt Cook. At Hokitika,Fay purchased a beautiful greenstone. Wecontinued along the coast to Punakaiki tosee the pancake rocks and blowholes beforetravelling to Christchurch.We had the opportunity to join the famousTranzalpine Train at Arthurs Pass and journeyover the Southern Alps and CanterburyPlains to Christchurch. We stayed at theElms Holtel and enjoyed a three coursemeal for our farewell dinner. It was very sadto say goodbye to our new friends.Day 14 – ChristchurchAt different stages during the day we alldeparted to our own destinations. We flewfrom Christchurch at 6:10pm; the last toleave the hotel. We arrived back home inHamilton at 7:50pm. What an experience!Nicholas and Fay