New Zealand

For Christmas 2014, I was planning a visit to my son Simon and his family in Australia. I often liked to take a short stay stopover on the way to Australia and this time thought I'd go to New Zealand. Never been there before. So I did. And these are some of the pictures illustrating the trip (and bringing back memories for me).

I chose Auckland for a week's stay, for no other reason than that was where the flight went (Air New Zealand the best Premium Economy seating I have ever had, by the way). Skipping over the awful inconveniences of transiting San Francisco.

I took a trip to a Maori village at Whakarewarewa (try saying that quickly). With geothermal springs. Who knew New Zealand had sheep? 

 

A trip to the Waitangi Treaty Ground, where New Zealand's founding document was signed in 1840.

  

On to the Bay of Islands. Some whale hunting (that's hunting in the sense of looking for them, not...you know).

Oh look, there's a whale. Really. Look carefully. 👀 

And a haka to say welcome back.

Another day, to the Waitomo Glowworms Cave.

Sorry you can't see the glowworms! You try photographing them.