Like millions of people, I start every January writing down my one-, three-, and five-year goals. And like most people, I rarely look at them again.
Three years after writing one of those plans, I stumbled across it while cleaning out my desk. Buried among the scribbles for my three-year plan was a simple travel goal:
Visit Alaska and New Zealand.
I had to smile as I read this. That year, my two biggest trips were to Alaska and New Zealand.
It was proof to me that if you put something out into the universe, somehow the forces conspire to make it happen.
Why New Zealand?
Honestly, I don’t remember why I chose New Zealand as a travel destination that January.
Maybe it was driven by childhood memories of collecting stamps from there. Maybe it seemed like the farthest place from home I could visit. Maybe it was sheer coincidence.
Or maybe it was the universe having a plan for me.
Either way, there I was preparing to board a flight to a country that had fascinated me since childhood.
Day 0 or Day 1 – Atlanta to Auckland and the Lost Day
We flew from Atlanta to Auckland to start our 12-day adventure. With a stop at LAX to change planes (and a mad dash to make our connecting flight!), the long flight would have been perfect to get some shuteye. As luck would have it, my excitement kept me from sleeping a wink on the plane, and I arrived exhausted!
Due to the time difference, we missed an entire day, as if it never happened. We left Atlanta on the 16th and arrived in Auckland on the 18th. It was weird, almost reminded me of old episodes of The Twilight Zone.
I was really looking forward to our stay in Auckland, though it would only be for a day.
Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate. There was steady rain with fog so thick that we couldn’t even see the top of the Sky Tower, though we were standing right next to it.
Rather than fight the weather, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to catch up on our sleep. Auckland will have to wait until next time.
Day 2 – Auckland to Queenstown
We had a flight to Queenstown early the next morning.
Flying out of Auckland, we were blown away by the seeming lack of security at the airport. We walked in, self-checked our luggage, and went to the gate. Little human interaction, if any.
We left Auckland behind and flew to the majestic South Island.
As the plane descended toward Queenstown, I found myself glued to the window. Jagged mountains of the Southern Alps rose from turquoise lakes in every direction. It looked less like a destination and more like a movie set.
Driving in New Zealand
We picked up our rental car. They asked if we wanted rental car insurance. We declined. They pushed a bit harder, but we held firm. After all, isn’t that how the rental car companies make their money?
Later on the trip, it became apparent that we should have taken her advice. I will touch upon that in a later post.
Let me just say, after 40 years of driving on the right side of the road with the steering wheel on the left, driving in New Zealand was a HUGE adjustment for me.
I assured my wife that I was fine driving, though internally, I was very apprehensive.
She wasn’t convinced.
For the person who is usually very quiet while I drive…well, let’s just say she was very vocal as I tried my best to drive on the other side of the road.
We can laugh about it now, but there wasn’t a lot of laughing then.
Queenstown to Glenorchy
That morning, we drove from Queenstown to Glenorchy, a small and picturesque town northwest of Queenstown.
The drive followed the edge of Lake Wakatipu, with mountains rising across the water.
What should have been about a 45-minute drive was closer to 90 minutes as we stopped along the way to take photographs.
We poked around Glenorchy for a while, enjoying the view of the mountains and the crystal-clear lake.
The town had a couple of cafes, but with little competition, they were packed, and we were unable to get a table. We ended up picking up a snack and a cup of coffee and walking around some more.
We found our way to the famous boat shed of Glenorchy, one of the area’s Instagram-worthy backdrops. It must be the world’s most photographed boat shed—or possibly the only photographed boat shed!
After returning from Glenorchy, we walked around the waterfront in Queenstown.
We sat at a restaurant just feet from the lake. The reflection of the snow-capped mountains on the water could have been right out of a magazine.
We enjoyed a martini and a glass of wine while marveling over the sheer beauty of it all.
It was our first day on the South Island, and I was already in love with New Zealand!
Day 3 – An Excursion to Milford Sound
We booked an excursion through Viator to visit Milford Sound by boat.
An early morning pick-up and a long bus ride through the countryside had put my wife to sleep. But for me, I was mesmerized by the scenery. Rolling, emerald green pastures dotted with hundreds, if not thousands, of sheep.
We made several stops along the way, allowing us to take in the natural beauty of the South Island.
From Lake Te Anau on the edge of the Fiordland National Park to Mirror Lakes and Lake Gunn, I sampled the water. Cold, clear, and crisp, I enjoyed every drop.
But the best-tasting water was definitely from Monkey Creek, which, according to our guide, came straight from a glacier. My cupped hands couldn’t hold enough!
We stopped at a rest area near the Homer Tunnel. Three kea (members of the parrot family) were entertaining the onlookers.
It was comical. The birds would curiously approach people and vehicles, but then cautiously back away—only to repeat the pattern. They appeared to want something, but on their terms.
We drove through the Homer Tunnel, emerging on the other side to a wonderland of water cascading from the melting snow-capped mountains. Referred to as the Hundred Falls, the moniker fits.
The cruise through the fiords was unreal.
Mountains soared to the sky from the ocean, many with waterfalls recently fed from an unexpected spring snowstorm.
Fur seals and penguins provided entertainment from the shore as we cruised by.
The ship navigated through the narrowing passageways between the fiords until we reached Dale Point. This is where Milford Sound meets the Tasman Sea.
With the open seas in front of us and Milford Sound behind us, I tried to imagine what the first explorers to the area must have thought as they ventured into the Sound. The courage they possessed to enter the intimidating, yet stunning landscape of the fiords is the stuff adventure novels are made of.
Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound the Eighth Wonder of the World, and for good reason! What was carved out by glaciers is unbelievably breathtaking.
As we started back to the marina, the captain brought us close to a waterfall. As the rush of melting snow hit the mountainside, the mist and sun created a gorgeous rainbow.
He cut the motor to allow us to just listen.
I closed my eyes and did just that—listened. Taking in a few deep breaths, I realized something.
The air was pure. The water was pure. Where I was in that moment was pure.
I had never experienced anything like this before. Pure, unadulterated bliss.
As our transport took us back to Queenstown, I stared out the window and wondered, “Did I just experience one of life’s perfect moments?”
Day 4 – Meat Pies and Wine
The next morning, I ventured the streets of Queenstown looking for the meat pies New Zealand is famous for.
Two competing bakeries, Fergbaker and The Queenstown Bakery, were right across the street from each other.
A long line was out the door at Fergbaker, but The Queenstown Bakery was nearly empty. Taking that as a clue, I joined the line.
A local offered some advice. “Queenstown Bakery has the best, but tourists don’t know it.”
I left the line and walked across the street.
One bite and I understood why meat pies are so popular in New Zealand—a hearty, warm meal that could be carried around in one hand!
The Queenstown Boutique Wine Tour
For our last day in Queenstown, we booked a wine tour excursion through Viator.
Queenstown’s wine history is fairly short, but you’d never know it from the quality of the Pinot Noir. And yes, I had to make a reference to the movie, Sideways, at each winery.
I loved listening to the winemakers describe their philosophy about making wine. Each had similarities, but it was really how they differed that produced the uniqueness in their wines.
I envied their passion. It wasn’t a job for them; it was life. And it showed. I wanted that for my life.
The weather was perfect, and our group was fantastic. Stories and laughter filled the day, especially after a few glasses of wine. It was nice meeting people from all around the world, sharing bits of their lives over a glass of wine.
Saying Goodbye to Queenstown
Queenstown is a cute little town with shops and restaurants nestled along the waterfront. Everything was easy to walk to, though the steep ascent from the lake to our hotel was a challenging climb.
When I look back at our time in Queenstown, we used it as our hub for our daily activities rather than a travel destination. But everything I experienced there was fantastic.
The pace and vibe would make Queenstown an ideal retirement location. Maybe something for me to explore.
Queenstown had started as a place to sleep between excursions. By the time we left, it had become something more—a laidback lakeside town wrapped in mountains, white-knuckled driving, meat pies, Pinot Noir, and one perfect moment in Milford Sound that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
Follow our journey by clicking here to read about our road trip to Arrowtown, That Wanaka Tree, and the Cardrona Hotel.
You can also follow us from Cardrona to Christchurch, as we visited Lake Pukaki and Lake Tekapo, played in the lupin field, and then had a car accident in Ashburton. Click here to read that adventure!
