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!

Denver Botanic Gardens, July 4, 2025

Our last stop on this trip was Denver Botanic Gardens. There is a large conservatory there featuring tropical plants, and it seems that most of the gardens are informal (which I love). It was an enjoyable visit.

photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QDND8iyjcz6vrJRn6

 

Glen Eyrie, July 2-3, 2025

Glen Eyrie began as the estate of William Jackson Palmer, a railroad magnate and founder of the city of Colorado Springs. He built it about 4 miles north of the city, bordering Garden of the Gods. In 1867, he purchased 10,000 acres at $1.25 per acre to establish the colony later known as Colorado Springs. He later bought an additional 2,225 acres on which he built the estate. In 1909, he died as the result of a fall from his horse at the age of 72. At that time, the estate was valued at $3,000,000. His wife had passed, and his daughters were not in a position to take care of the estate. The girls offered the estate to the city of Colorado Springs at the time, but they refused because of the expense to maintain it. It was sold in 1916 to home developers. But it was the time of WWI, and sales were lacking. The property was purchased in 1938 as a summer home and cattle ranch. In 1950, it was again placed on the market for $500,000 and purchased in 1953 by The Navigators, a non-denominational Christian group that is the current owner. They use this as a retreat and conference center and international offices. To enter the grounds, you have to have a reservation for lodging.

Because of their mission to bring people closer to God, The Navigators have not placed TVs in rooms here, and they do not serve alcohol in the restaurants. The place is meticulously maintained, and the setting is gorgeous, being adjacent to Garden of the Gods. Hammocks and benches have been placed around the estate as places of quiet reflection. There are trails on the estate that were used by Palmer himself, and pathways to walk and enjoy the surroundings. In addition to the main castle (17 rooms), there are 6 other lodges, including the one where we stayed.

On the 3rd, we headed down to the castle for breakfast. It is served buffet style with lots of choices. My favorite was French toast with berry compote and walnuts. Soooooooooo good. When we arrived for breakfast, the patio was full, so we started inside in the dining room. After a bit, as people left, we were able to sit outside on the patio and enjoy the wonderful setting.

Since we could stay on the property until 5 pm, we decided to take one of the trails here. We discovered that he trails were not particularly well maintained, and the maps were sketchy at best. As a matter of fact, we agreed that the trail map was one of the worst we'd ever seen. There were some nice views from the trail, though.

After the hike, we descended to Glen Eyrie grounds, where we lazed in a hammock for maybe close to an hour before moving on.

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MPjAEdEB6GPUqHvR6