Down the west coast, February 14, 2026

At Lake Matheson 

Our first stop of the day as we left Franz Josef to head south, was at the Franz Josef glacier. There is a short walk that takes you to a viewpoint of the glacier. Since you're so far away from it, it's unimpressive. 

Further south, we stopped at Lake Matheson, known for being like a mirror for Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman on a completely calm day. Unfortunately,  there was a  slight breeze today, that hindered that effect. We chose the walk around the lake, through native old growth forest. Everything in the forest seemed to be moss-covered, the trees, rocks, ground- everything.  And the moss was several inches thick. We were amazed at how many species of moss we saw: some looked like miniature trees, some were fuzzy, some like little ferns. Large ferns sprouted from the walls on the sides of the trail in places. The plant life at our feet was as interesting and beautiful as the mountain scenic views. Amazingly there were no annoying bugs! Beautiful  walk.

Heading further south, it clouded up, and we stopped at Bruce Bay, a stretch of beach littered with rocks and driftwood (and sand flies). 

From there, we headed to our final stop for the day at Wilderness Lodge, established by dedicated conservationists. It is located in Te Wahipounamu, in the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. This area encompasses 4 national parks, and is the least developed area in NZ. The vegetation here is in essentially pristine condition as a bridge to this area wasn't built until some time in the 1960s. Our lodge is surrounded, as it's name implies, by the wilderness.  Since there are no other businesses in the area, all meals and recreation are provided here. The meals are all created from fresh, local ingredients,  and they offer naturalist guided nature walks and presentations,  and kayaking. It's a wonderfully peaceful retreat, with expansive lawns and gardens, with nature on its doorstep.

We went on a short guided walk through the bush to the lake, then joined the others staying here for happy hour and then a lovely dinner. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CamkWM6rrKBvDtvP8

To Franz Josef via TranzAlpine train and Route 6, February 23, 2026

 Our tour company had arranged for us to be picked up by cab early this morning to take us to the 8:15 departure of the TranzAlpine train. That 5 hour journey would take us from Christchurch in the east to Greymouth in the west, where we would collect our rental car for the 2 1/2 hour drive down the scenic route 6 to our stop for the day at a beautiful little town, Franz Josef.

While the day and journey started out cloudy, by halfway through the train trip, it started to rain-- hard. That fact colored our experience. Rain and fog obscured a good part of the trip. If there were spectacular views, we didn't, for the most part,  see them. We sat opposite a couple from Toronto (small world??). The woman wore a sweatshirt that proclaimed "Canada is not for sale!"

Overall, we found that the experience did not live up to the hype. From what we could tell, even with the rain, the views were not what I'd call superlative. Service on the train (we had breakfast with our tickets) was lame. The food was packaged food that they reheated. They'd give you your "cooked" meal, then you'd have to wait 3 or 4 minutes to get your beverage. We wished we had just driven the route.

In Greymouth, we picked up our ride, a huge Mitsubishi Outlander, and set off in the rain down route 6, a lush green landscape pretty much all the way. Ferns clung to the rock faces (we guessed there was rock under all the greenery because the surfaces were vertical) at the sides of the road. You really couldn't see rocks or soil anywhere,  just trees, bushes, and flowers (crocosmia, like in Ireland!). It was really a delight to see, even in the rain.

About an hour north of Franz Josef, the road became a series of twists and turns, snaking through the mountain area. It was pretty cool. 

We arrived at our stop for the night by late afternoon. It is a beautiful, quiet, clean mini-apartment with a kitchen, sofa, and extra bed. I suspect that since we booked this trip so late in the season (summer here had already begun) we got the last room here. Almost every accommodation is sold out. We don't mind. So far, every hotel has been excellent. Franz Josef is a beautiful, scenic town.

We notice that there is a heavy oriental population here. We went to a bustling oriental restaurant for dinner that featured Thai, Filipino,  and Chinese dishes. As all the places we've dined at so far, ingredients are all super fresh and tasty.

Photos link

To Christchurch, February 12, 2026

Our trip continues today with a flight to the south island.  We returned our car at the airport, and took a 1 hour 25 minute flight to Christchurch. At the baggage area, we were greeted by our transfer company driver who would bring us to our hotel. From there, we set out to check out Christchurch, the 3rd largest city in NZ. The inner city itself is really very small, and very walkable. In both 2010 and 2011, Christchurch was devastated by major earthquakes, 7.1 and 6.3. The more destructive quake was the 2011 although it was not as strong as the first because it occurred directly under the city. The 2011 quake was considered an aftershock of the 1st the centered 30 miles away. In the year after the 2010 shock, the were at least ten aftershocks, with most in the 5.0-5.8 range. The Christchurch Anglican Cathedral was one of many buildings destroyed by the 2011 quake. There are stunning London Plane trees oon the church's sides, which were planted between the 1880s and 1920s. These trees were given special protection in 2020 due to their historical significance and to ensure their safety during the cathedral’s restoration. 

The city is still in the process of rebuilding the cathedral,with many more years of reconstruction to go. Perhaps a testament to the rebuilding done after the earthquakes,  there are many modern buildings in Christchurch. 

We visited what is known as "The Cardboard Cathedral", the temporary new home for the cathedral damaged in the quake.  The church gets its nickname from the use of over 90 large cardboard tubes for its walls and roof. We happened to visit at the time the choir was practicing. Very moving. 

There is a beautiful park in the city center that has expansive rolling lawns and mature trees. There is a botanical garden and ponds, as well as many paved lanes that weave through it. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/SkWPb7ZdQURnNp5w9

Auckland walk and Return, February 11, 2026

Matt and Barbara are creating a new restaurant in Auckland called Return! Unbelievably,  they're shooting for a mid to late March opening. Before we left the area, we wanted to be sure to stop by to see it before it becomes the gem I'm sure it will be, and Barbara had mentioned that they'd be there this morning will some of their team. It's going to be a stylish, fine dining place, and location seems to be perfect, in the midst of a trendy, fashionable hub that is known for its boutique shops, world class restaurants and cafes, bars and nightlife. 

To get to their restaurant,  we walked from our hotel. Barbara did mention that there was a hill to contend with.  And she was right. Part of our walk was up a pretty steep 1/2 mile long hill. But it was worth it. That was the beginning of our Aukland trek that took us up Franklin Rd, lined with beautiful old English plane trees (which look a lot like sycamores), down Ponsonby, lined with shops and restaurants,  to Karangahape Rd, known as K Road, known for its historic  buildings,  unique boutiques, shops and restaurants. 

St. Patrick's 

We stopped to admire the Anglican cathedral St. Matthew in the city, built between 1902 and 1905. It's renowned for its beautiful stained glass windows. Unique are stained glass pieces thar commemorate the 257 passengers and crew who died in a 1979 crash of a NZ Air crash in Antarctica. 

St. Patrick's catholic cathedral is a short distance from St. Matthew's. The original church was wood that was replaced in 1907. It seems somewhat out of place surrounded by tall modern buildings.

ASB HQ

We appreciated the creative modern buildings around Auckland, from the Auckland Savings Bank building in the Wynyard area (where we were staying) to the NZ International Convention Center.

Dinner was at a little Italian place near the hotel.

Auckland is an interesting city, and very different from other cities we've visited in the US and abroad. It's super clean: there's no litter blowing along the street or lying in the gutters. We walked all over the city and saw only 2 homeless people in our travels. Tipping is only done for exceptional service. Normally, there's no need to leave a tip. Stores and restaurants close really early here, most by 9 pm. There were many people walking on the waterfront, and stores and restaurants were still closing up. The arrows indicating right and left turn only lanes are placed only just at the intersection.  So if you're rolling up to an intersection and there are cars ahead of you, you have no idea it's a turn only lane til you get to the intersection.  Very annoying. As in Ireland,  Ray is icing driving on the left side of the road. The only hiccup is that the turn signal for the car is on the right side, and the windows wash is on the left. Every time we need to make a turn, the wipers turn on...

On to Christchurch. 

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vyvFFC4m2ZheBSd39

Great day with Barbara and the Lamberts, February 10, 2026

The hotel we are staying at doesn't have a restaurant but offers breakfast via a partnership with several restaurants in the Auckland harbor area. We took advantage of this and chose a small Cafe near the hotel. We presented our hotel tickets at the Cafe, and got wonderful fresh breakfasts and coffee-- way better than most hotels' breakfast selections. 

We had gotten esims for our phones to get decent cell signals and internet access, so we were able to use Android Auto to find our way to Barbara and Matt's lovely home in Kumeu, about a 25 minute drive from our hotel.  After chatting a while, Barbara took us out to a couple of scenic spots nearby. One was Bethells Beach (Te Henga), about 23 miles west of Auckland,  a beautiful black sand beach. Another was Muriwai, another black sand beach, and a nesting site for a large colony of gannets. It's a popular spot for surfers. I was surprised at how few people were at either spot. It's summer here! 

After checking out these spots, we headed back to Barbara and Matt's for a fantastic dinner  prepared by chef Matt and were joined by Matt's mom and grandmother. We really enjoyed this opportunity to spend time with family.

The scenery all around is green, green, green, and rolling hills, and we're loving the weather.  It is warm, about 80+ degrees, with a bit of humidity, but not so much it's uncomfortable. 

Impressions: prices here are mostly reasonable.  At restaurants,  no tipping is required or expected. Servers are paid a normal wage. The city is VERY clean, with little to no litter.  Where we are staying is a revitalized part of Auckland, with many new buildings. The architecture is striking. They roll the streets up early here! We returned from Barbara and Matt's a little after 9 pm, and stores and restaurants were closing or already closed. We managed to get the last order of the day at a Gelato shop and sat outside and enjoyed the evening.

Pictures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/y3wGnavAXJKsb45J6

Exploring a new place, February 7-9, 2026

 Off to NZ. We took an evening flight from Phoenix to LA, and cooled our heels for 5 hours at LAX waiting for our late evening flight to New Zealand. We had a great surprise when we approached the Delta Sky Club to relax for that time, and were told that since we were flying Delta One, we should go down to the Delta One Lounge. Oh my... This was a level of luxury we had not expected. This was a very quiet and comfy lounge where we were offered free alcoholic drinks, full sit -down meals, desserts, beverages at no extra charge. The personal service was awesome. 

Of course the Delta One tickets were a bit more pricey than regular. But the whole Delta One experience was fabulous. 

In spite of the fact that our seats to Auckland allowed us to lie down, while WAY better than being in a too- narrow seat with no leg or shoulder room for 13-14 hours, weren't panacea. I think both Ray and I got 2-3 hours of sleep. We left LA at 10:30 pm on the 7th and arrived in Auckland on the 9th at 7:45 am local time. Customs and car pick up went fine, and then we set off for our hotel, a great place near the harbor.

After settling in to our room and watching the Super Bowl 😭 (it was on TV here) , we went  to check out the area of Auckland by the harbor. I was impressed by how clean and also quiet the city is. The traffic coming in from the airport wasn't bad, and it was notably quiet in the area we were in, by the harbor. The weather is delightful, with a moderate (by my standards anyway) and comfortable humidity. We're looking forward to seeing Barbara and the family tomorrow. 

Florida to Arizona trip report from I10, January 27, 2026

 

The trip from Florida to Arizona is mostly unremarkable but today we traveled over a unique structure in Louisiana that's worth noting. The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge is a pair of parallel bridges between Baton Rouge and Lafayette that carries I10 over the Atchafalaya Basin. At 18 miles long, it is the third longest bridge in the US.

It was opened in 1973, and it took 2 years to build. I'm amazed at the construction process:

"They drove concrete pilings up to 148 feet long through 95 feet of swamp muck into a sand base. Engineers dredged a 125-foot-wide construction canal for barge access and used a, “production line,” method, placing precast concrete deck slabs onto pile caps to complete 350 feet of road daily. "

Pretty cool.

Traffic was insane in FL and ultra insane in Houston! Onward to Arizona!