The Year Without Easter
One month from today, we fly out from San Francisco. One month and two days from now, we arrive in Auckland. The day in between will be Easter for the rest of the world, but not for the Hakes this year. Easter will be lost at the International Date Line!
No coloring Easter Eggs with our granddaughter. No family meal. No sunrise church service … which we haven’t done in a few years anyway.
Worse, we leave in the spring, each day becoming longer and warmer. We arrive in the fall, each day becoming shorter and colder. And they want us to pay for this???
Well, don’t cry for me Art and Tina! How many of you have been to New Zealand? I am soliciting information and I know Maynard has some! What I want to know is what we HAVE to see, what you’ve seen, what is just WAY too exciting to miss. Here is a list of potential places Carly has for us so far:
- Auckland
- Rotorua – we already have reservations there and she wants to show us the adventures she had the first week.
- Abel Tasman National Park
- Tongariro National Park
- Franz Josef Glacier
- Milford Sound
- Christchurch
- Mt. Cook
- Queenstown
Other than using Google Earth and looking things up online, Carol and I know very little about NZ. So … input please!
Note: for those who would use this time to rob our house, Carol’s brother will be staying there so don’t even think about it!
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Tags: Easter, New Zealand
That trip sounds so exciting! I have never travelled down under…. yet! I am looking forward to your travelogue when you return.
Grannymar´s last blog ..Thursday Special ~ Country Living
All of Carly’s choices are great. Don’t forget the “nude beach”– just loved that, but no one was “nude” , not even topless, except for the men. HAVE FUN!!!!!
Mayo -
I can hear the disappointment in your voice about no one being nude on the nude beach! That must have been a let down! lol
Do you have room for me? Please.
I love N.Z.!
Abel Tasman Park on the north shore of the South Island. Even a short hike along the ocean-side shore is a delight not to be missed.
Doubtful Sound is less crowded than Milford Sound and just as spectacular.
Marianna´s last blog ..How Do You Live a Life? Five Tips
GM — you have time to book it! Why don’t you just meet us down there? Bring the whole consortium and Mayo and Deb and …
Deb, I heard the disappointment in Mayo’s voice, too!
Bless you, Marianna! Thanks! Anyone else?
And, yes Marianna, we have room!
Wouldn’t that just be the best of times? Easter in NZ with old friends!!! I have heard that NZ is absolutely breath-takingly (is that a word?) beautiful! Also have read that they strictly monitor how many immigrants are allowed in each year. A little something the US could pick up on perhaps!
Easter in NZ would be wonderful with old friends and OLD friends!
Grannymar´s last blog ..Thursday Special ~ Country Living
GM – Funny! So old friends, OLD friends and new friends! lol
Deb – Don’t forget the new old friends!
Grannymar´s last blog ..Thursday Special ~ Country Living
Conrad – I think we will need a BIG bus!
Grannymar´s last blog ..Thursday Special ~ Country Living
Deb, to fly there, you MUST buy a round trip ticket. They only have 4.1 million people in a country as big as California – which has 38 million!
I am looking to take gazillion pictures! I think we will be spending a lot of time on foot hiking over glaciers, along coasts, etc. Some say it is the most beautiful nation on the face of the earth.
GM, wait til the GOM hears that! He is probably out shopping for a motorcycle right now, though.
Well, let’s start making the reservations, get the bus, drive on the wrong side – and have a blast!!!
Conrad -
Just in case I miss the bus, please take lots of pictures and post them for us so that we can vacation with you!
When we spent some time in Hawaii, with my cousins, we were awakened each morning by the New Zealand group that played and danced beside our pool every morning……such a glorious way to wake up. My cousin’s husband was making props for Hawaii Five-O (they were in their 9th year over there) and they had one more year to go before Tom Selleck decided to do something else. He was, and is, a fabulous man and very good to work with and for, so they really had it made. Lived in a lovely condo and the whole area was flooded each morning with the smell of bread baking and music….I thought I’d died and gone to heaven for sure. They made a trip to New Zealand each year before going back to Burbank to make props for Paul Newman, etc. Poor kids, I felt really sorry for them, lol. I would love to visit Carly…..anywhere.
Corky
Mom, it would be great if all of us could go. But, short of that, I will try to bring as much of the experience back to you as possible!