My husband, Rich, and I have now made two big trips to New Zealand. Our first trip was in 2009, and we visited again in 2019. We will never again let ten years go by without visiting New Zealand. Truly one of my favorite places on earth.
New Zealand is stunningly beautiful, amazingly clean, and easy to get around. New Zealanders are extraordinarily welcoming and kind. And, of course, the wine is inexpensive and delicious! Here are a few highlights from our 2019 trip.
Penguins! Albatrosses! At the very tip of the Otago Peninsula, outside Dunedin, is the Royal Albatross Centre, the only mainland breeding colony of the Royal Albatross in the world. Adjacent to the centre, Pilots Beach is home to the Kororā, the Little Blue Penguin, the world’s smallest penguin. After a long day at sea, the penguins return to their burrows at Pilots Beach. They really are blue!
Otago Peninsula
Built in 1871 by William Larnach, a merchant and politician, Larnach Castle has been restored to an extraordinary level. (larnachcastle.co.nz)
Dunedin is the second-largest city on the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch) and the principal city of the Otago region. The name comes from Dun Eideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, Scotland. Larnach Castle and the Royal Albatross Centre from prior posts are on the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin. These photos are of the Dunedin Railway Station which opened in 1906. In addition to being the starting point for scenic rail trips, the station houses the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. The Dunedin Law Courts building opposite the station is constructed in a similar style.
Dunedin is also home to Speight’s Brewery which does a great brewery tour with a tasing of the local favorites.
Speight’s Brewery Tour
Upon landing at Marlborough Airport, we were treated to a spectacular double rainbow over the airfield. Blenheim is the largest town in the Marlborough region which is the center of New Zealand’s wine industry. The region is home to a large number of wineries that offer tastings and many also have restaurants. We had a fantastic lunch at the Rock Ferry Cafe.
Marlborough Airport
Rock Ferry Cafe
The drive from Blenheim to Nelson takes you through some stunning scenery and picturesque towns. Havelock (pop. 486 at last count) is the center for much of the New Zealand green-lipped mussel industry. Check out this Mussel! The Pelorus River was used as a film location in one of the Lord of the Rings films. Fans of the films could tour the film locations for weeks.
Havelock
Pelorus River
I’ve been wanting to go to Napier since I first read about it 10 years ago. In February 1931, most of Napier was destroyed by an earthquake. The city was rebuilt in the Art Deco style, and much of that architecture remains and is protected today in the city center. Napier is considered, along with the South Beach area of Miami Beach, Florida, to be one of the two best-preserved Art Deco towns in the world. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier,_New_Zealand)
Napier
Art Deco Masonic Hotel, Napier, New Zealand. The 1931 earthquake destroyed the original Masonic Hotel, which was re-built in the Art Deco style. It’s a beautiful, historic hotel that has been recently renovated so you can enjoy 1930s architecture with current amenities. The city hosts an annual Art Deco Festival, which sounds like a blast. masonic.co.nz artdeconapier.com/Events.html
Napier
All photos by Jay Yokley
Source: @jayspassport | Published: December 2019