In January 2025, Paul and I headed to New Zealand for one of our greatest adventures yet. We chose to take a big break from the toughest part of our Canadian winter and escape to the Southern Hemisphere. Our five-week trip included an eight-day Backroads multi-adventure trip on the North Island, a four-day hiking trip with Hollyford Track Wilderness Adventures on the South Island, several days on our own finding our own adventures and five glorious days of relaxation in Fiji. We spent time in fifteen hotels, took twelve flights and can confidently say, that we have seen New Zealand from top to bottom. The trip was spectacular, and we came home with wonderful memories that we will cherish forever.

Knowing that I would write a blog about the trip, I decided to send newsy emails to our kids every three days, with tales of our travels.  I usually talk to the kids every few days, so this was a way to stay connected while we were far from home. I have tweaked and enhanced the emails that I called Dispatches from New Zealand and have shared below, along with details of where we stayed and what we did, in case you are reading this and planning a trip to New Zealand. While this post is more extensive than my typical entries, it reflects the extraordinary nature of our journey. I hope you enjoy reading about our epic adventures in New Zealand and Fiji!

Auckland, North Island, New Zealand; The Hotel Britomart

We arrived safely in Auckland, after an incredibly long journey from Toronto, Canada. It was hard to believe that we were half-way around the world, in the Southern Hemisphere, in Auckland, New Zealand, finally starting an adventure that we had been planning for one year.

We had an unexpected snag at check-in in Toronto, when we discovered an error on Paul’s New Zealand visa application. The issue arose from a simple mistake- inputting a zero instead of the letter “O”. Though we were surprised to need visas as Canadian citizens traveling to another Commonwealth country, the requirement was clear. Despite having a printed visa, the mismatched numbers rendered it invalid. The airline would only issue Paul a boarding pass to San Francisco, leaving us uncertain about the onward flight to New Zealand. Typically, it takes three days for a visa to be approved, however, with luck, diligence and a lot of help by the Air Canada agent in the Air Canada Lounge, Paul scrambled to apply for a new visa on his iPhone and was issued a visa just in time for our first flight. Needless to say, he was sweating, and I was breathing deep sighs of relief that I would not be starting the trip alone!

We flew from Toronto to San Francisco and had a four-hour layover. The time passed quickly as we lounge surfed from the Air Canada Lounge where we enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay in the sunshine on the lounge’s outdoor patio, to the United Polaris Lounge, which was the nicest lounge that we have ever been to and included a full-service dining room with free food and drink.

Finally, we boarded our New Zealand Air flight and quickly got settled into our seats in business class. The comfortable pods had a unique set-up where we all faced the aisle, facilitating conversations with fellow travellers. After take-off we declined the meal service in favour of sleep- it was 11 pm in Toronto and after what felt like a long day of travel already, we were tired. The flight attendants transformed our seats into beds, complete with mattresses, blankets and pillows. We slept for ten of the thirteen-hour uneventful flight, which really helped us feel very civilized at the end of the long flight, arriving in Auckland at 6 am. After crossing the International Date Line, we completely missed an entire day. I quickly checked that my 835 day streak on Duolingo (learning French) was safe- it was! New Zealand is eighteen hours ahead of Toronto, something we worked to get our heads around for the entire time we were there.

We were able to charm the front desk at the Hotel Britomart into allowing us an early check-in (being cheerful and polite goes a long way) and we even managed to get them to throw in a free breakfast. Our modern and compact room overlooked the picturesque Auckland harbour. Following much needed rejuvenating showers and our second breakfast of the day, we put on our running shoes and headed out to explore. Hitting the ground running is always our strategy for combatting jet lag.

We immediately took in the beautiful and fragrant smells of summer and felt the warmth of the sun. It was sunny and 24 c and the sun was high in the sky. The subtropical landscape featured palm trees and vegetation unfamiliar to our northern eyes. I constantly pulled out my phone to snap pictures of the flora and identify it with the app, PictureThis.

It was January 10^th, the peak of summer in New Zealand and it doesn’t get much hotter. In July and August, the temperatures in Auckland stay above zero and it rains a lot. We came at the perfect time, pleased to have a break from the short days and cold winter weather at home. We applied plenty of sunscreen, respecting the fact that with the lack of air pollution and a thinner ozone layer, the UV rays in New Zealand are 40% higher than during the summer at home.

The legendary Kiwi hospitality proved true from our first moments.  Any time we stopped to consult our map, a local called out and asked if they could help- this happened time and time again. As we walked through the large Auckland Domain, a beautiful central park, a cheerful woman sent us on the most scenic route back to the city. Along the waterfront, another friendly stranger directed us to a local restaurant called Amano for a remarkably delicious lunch. It was so good we went two days in a row and we both ordered the exact same thing. My dish was avocado spread on toasted sour dough bread, with a poached egg and chopped almonds on top- so, so good! Paul said his pasta dish was the best he had ever had. And we were told by friends at home that the food in New Zealand was ordinary!

For the two days that we had on our own before meeting up with our group, we walked and walked and walked- 21,000 steps the first day (and this was after twenty-six hours of travel) and 19,000 steps the next. We knew that we had to stay active and not be tempted to lie down for a minute during the day and disrupt our adjustment to the time difference.  

We took a ferry to Devonport, across Torpedo Bay and enjoyed the gorgeous views of Auckland from the water, took pictures of the beautiful homes and gardens in Devonport and visited some quaint shops. The next morning, we hiked to the highest point of the city called One Tree Hill in Cornwall Park, then meandered back to our hotel through urban streets, passing by the site of the finals of an ATP tournament. Serendipitously, we purchased last minute tickets and in the glorious sunshine, watched one of my favourite players, Gael Monfils, win the tournament.  Some Māori warriors performed the Haka, a traditional chant, at the trophy presentation.

That evening we met up at a Vietnamese restaurant, next door to our hotel, with our friends Tom and Lee Anne who were joining us on the Backroads portion of our trip. Paul and Tom are members of The Caledon Mountain Trout Club at home and we first met Lee Anne last spring when we were on a golf trip at Casa de Campo in DR. At that time, we shared upcoming travel plans and without hesitation, they expressed an interest in joining us in New Zealand. Tom is hilarious and his irreverent quips tickle my funny bone. Lee Anne is super outgoing and lots of fun. We were all so excited to be in New Zealand and ready to meet our travelling companions for the next eight days.

All in all, our grand New Zealand adventure was off to a fantastic start!

Pauanui, North Island, New Zealand; Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort

At last, it was time to meet our Backroads group. Our group included sixteen Americans and our foursome from Caledon, aka, Team Canada. The group hit it off immediately, striking up easy conversations, getting to know one another and sharing travel stories. Our Backroads guides included, a young woman, from Calgary, a young woman from The Netherlands and a young man from the UK- they were all exceptional!

We were on a multi-active adventure trip- a combo of hiking, cycling, kayaking and white-water rafting. Our first day was spent hiking on Waiheke Island, a 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland. The harbour’s sparkling turquoise water dotted with sailboats offered our first glimpses of New Zealand’s remarkable beauty beyond Auckland. Our coastal hike concluded at Cable Bay Vineyards for lunch. Wine making is a big industry in New Zealand with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir being the primary varietals. We aren’t huge fans of Sauvignon Blanc, however, this vineyard’s wine tasted pretty darn good after a wonderful first day with our Backroads group.

After three nights in Auckland, we headed by van (specifically, three large vans with trailers carrying all of our luggage and bikes for the week) on winding roads, to the North Island’s version of cottage country, where cottages are called bachs.  It was our first day on our bikes and we enjoyed an easy 35 km ride on the Hauraki Rail Trail. Our trail followed a river, with dramatic gorges and exotic forests and even included a long and dark former train tunnel. Our bikes were equipped with Wahoos (GPS devices) with our routes preloaded, so that we could ride at our own pace. Paul and I always stick together when cycling, supporting one another while taking scenic photos and selfies at every opportunity.  Our cheerful guides set themselves up at critical junctions, offering snacks, water and encouragement.

It felt great to be back on bikes for the first time since October. Fifteen of twenty of our group were on e-bikes, however we were happy to ride our analog performance road bikes (provided by Backroads), always feeling a sense of accomplishment after an especially hard ride.  Also, I did not mind burning some calories from all of the scrumptious meals and delicious wine that we were enjoying.

As promised, this was a multi-adventure trip, and we greatly enjoyed the spectacular kayaking morning at Hahei Beach to Cathedral Cove. We could not have asked for a nicer day, with sunny skies and 25 c. As we kayaked along the coast to a beach destination, we occasionally stopped to form a floating raft of kayaks and listened to our kayaking guide talk about the history of the area and Māori people.  New Zealand was the last country in the world to be inhabited by humans when 800 years ago the Māori people arrived from Polynesia.

We glided onto the beach at Cathedral Cove for a break to stretch our legs, explore and take pictures. Our kayaking guides set-up portable stoves to make coffee and hot chocolate, as a delicious and welcome surprise for all of us. It was here that I got my first glance of a New Zealand Christmas Tree, aka the Pohutukawa Tree, a coastal evergreen tree that blooms with brilliant displays of red flowers during the Christmas season. I was delighted to see some of these trees still in full bloom later during our travels on the South Island where it is cooler, and the trees bloom later in the summer.

Following our kayaking morning, we ate lunch outdoors at Mercury Bay Estate Winery, a location which reminded us of Burgundy. After an active morning, the food tasted incredible and we relished abundant charcuterie boards, fresh local greens salads, pizzas from a wood burning outdoor oven and we tasted this vineyards delicious wines. A scenic and steep hike to an ocean lookout rounded out our activities for the day before heading back to the Puka Lodge for some down time before dinner. By some stroke of luck, our hotel room came with a washer and dryer, and we were thrilled to do a few loads of laundry. Before dinner, Paul and I headed to the near-by beach for a stroll and wandered through the community, observing families enjoying their summer holidays together. Our Backroads trip was off to a fantastic start, and we were loving every minute!

Lake Taupo, North Island, New Zealand; Kinloch Manor

Our next stop was one of my favourite hotels of the Backroads trip- Kinloch Manor. It is a hotel with a stunning golf course that resembles Cabot Cliffs, and is located on a hill overlooking Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake. Lake Taupo is a crater lake located in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano and is 46 km long and 33 km wide. The harrowing 45 km bike ride to get here, took us through very hilly terrain (including 2400 feet of grinding elevation) on a shoulder-less road that at times was busy with large trucks. I have strongly suggested to the Backroads head office that they should never plan routes on roads with truck traffic and speed limits of 100 km/h- it was challenging and unnerving and was the only negative experience in an otherwise perfect trip!

As always, Backroads included special events that are unique to the region. One night we visited a Māori family where we were treated to a traditional performance and enjoyed a Hangi meal (food slow-cooked in a stone oven, warmed by fire, in the ground). Our group nominated a chief to represent us- a remarkably charismatic man named Steve from LA. He charmed the chief of the family with a speech, impressed all of us, even bringing some of us to tears with his sincerity and kindness. Our group sang a song to the tune of Sweet Caroline, as our offering. Monica from Cambridge, MA, was our group’s songwriter and choir director and she did a fabulous job. Steve and Chief Snow rubbed noses in greeting, a ritual called the Hongi. The Māori family performed the Haka, a traditional dance that involves chanting, foot stomping and eye bulging facial expressions. It was a very memorable evening, and it was fascinating learning about New Zealand’s indigenous people.

One of our favourite activities of our entire holiday was our morning on the Tongariro River, for an extraordinary whitewater rafting experience. We divided up into groups of six people, were given gear to keep warm and dry, then hopped onto our rafts, each with one professional guide. We have gone rafting in Norway, Costa Rica and Canada, yet none of those experiences were as invigorating and thrilling as this white-water course that ran through over 50 Class 3 rapids. My voice was hoarse at the end after hooting, hollering and laughing through dramatic canyons that were draped in magnificent plant-life. The expressions on our faces in the pictures truly tell the story- it was so, so, so much fun!

Paul and I took advantage of a quiet afternoon (we opted out of going bungee jumping, as did all our fellow travellers) to go golfing at Club Kinloch, the challenging Jack Nicklaus signature golf course at The Kinloch Manor. It felt great to be swinging golf clubs for the first time in months! With only five golf games planned, we opted not to bring our golf clubs or our golf shoes to NZ and rented clubs as we went. We had no regrets with this decision as all the rental clubs were excellent. A gourmet dinner at The Kinloch Manor with our group was the perfect finish to a remarkable day. I loved everything about that hotel- our room, the views, the golf and the food- it was top notch!

Napier, North Island, New Zealand; Mangapapa Hotel

When we arrived in Hawke’s Bay, I felt like we had arrived in paradise. It was here where we had some of the most beautiful rides of our trip- in fact, quite possibly the prettiest rides we have ever done, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean and beside the lovely coastal town of Napier. This is a region known for producing some of the best New Zealand wines, has apple orchards scattered in between the vineyards and is often referred to as the “Bordeaux of New Zealand”. Napier is a city that was demolished in an earthquake in 1931, then rebuilt in an art deco style. I was delighted when we saw a flock of stunning black swans as we cycled along- I felt like I was in a fairy tale.  Our sunny weather streak was with us, as we continued to experience perfect weather. I would return to this region in a heartbeat! Another delicious dinner was enjoyed, this time at the Black Barn Vineyards’ Bistro. Thank goodness for all this exercise and something that I never thought would happen- I was getting tired of eating lamb!

The next day we had another incredible cycling day and rode along the coast to Cape Kidnappers. We rode by the famous Cape Kidnappers Golf Course, however, there was no time to play a round at the exclusive course and we were not going to skip this glorious ride to golf. Cape Kidnappers was named after an incident involving the crew of Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour and the local Māori. As we left the coast and cycled inland, we stopped at Arataki Honey, where famous Manuka Honey, with its tremendous health benefits, is produced. We purchased some moisturizing creams, infused with Manuka Honey, hoping to give ourselves a replenishing sweet glow.

We visited a fig farm called Te Mata Figs, ate a delicious charcuterie lunch at The Figgery and had a fascinating lesson in growing figs. The extremely knowledgeable and articulate “farmer” mentioned that he had retired to NZ with his wife, so I asked him what his previous profession was. Surprisingly he was the former CEO of Sydney.  Our climate at home is too cold to grow figs trees and the fruit will not grow on indoor plants- darn! I love how Backroads enriches our trips with local experiences, that we would never have found on our own.

We attended a wine tasting and tour at Craggy Range Winery, an impressive place built by a wealthy Australian industrialist. There is a “craggy” mountain range surrounding the vineyard, giving it its name and the hills are brilliantly green. On our final morning with our group, we hiked to the top of the mountain behind the vineyard, called Te Mata Peak and enjoyed the incredible views. We took a group photo at the top of the mountain on another glorious day.

Our eight incredible days with our Backroads group flew by and it was time for our farewell dinner at Mangapapa Hotel, where enjoyed another delicious meal and shared our favourite moments of the trip. We sang a song to our guides to the tune of “Our Favourite Things”.  The first verse goes like this: “Raindrops in tunnels and bike rides on gravel; Hikes in the jungle with Backroads we travel. Clear plastic packages filled with gummies, these are a few of our favourite things.”  We had many terrific political discussions along the way- the Canadians lamented about the threat of tariffs by Trump and the Americans shared how they were relieved to be far from home for the Inauguration Day. We started the week as strangers and finished as close friends, with promises to stay in touch and meet up in the future. Thank-you to Backroads, for another remarkable trip!

Nelson, South Island, New Zealand; Pihopa Retreat

After saying goodbye to our Backroads group, we spent three splendid days in beautiful Nelson, at the northern tip of the South Island. We took two short flights to get to Nelson from Napier. Nelson is known to be the sunniest spot in NZ and when we arrived the sun was shining. We rented a car, and Paul quickly got the hang of driving on the opposite side of the car and road. We were shocked and laughed when the GPS voice told us to turn onto Fuck-a-too Road. This road is actually called Whatkatu, and the Māori pronunciation of Wh is the f sound. We thought it was hilarious and laughed every time we heard it.

Our first stop on the South Island was the gorgeous Pihopa Retreat, a boutique inn on an historical property that was once an Anglican retreat. Our lovely cabin was beautifully and thoughtfully decorated, very comfortable and private. We were a short walk to the exquisite old Anglican church where a delectable breakfast was served each morning and a short distance from the poolside cabana where we enjoyed a glass of wine at cocktail hour and chatted with the other guests. We were especially excited to find out that laundry service was included in our stay! The owner Sarah and her family made us feel at home and went out of their way to make our stay as pleasant as possible- truly an example of hospitality at its best- it doesn’t get much better than this!

It was around the pool where we met the first Trump supporters since we arrived. This couple from North Carolina simply loved Trump. After a few minutes of chatting, I had to walk away before I stuck my foot in my mouth and offended them, but not before I made a joke about cats and dogs which they did not find funny. They claimed that Trump is brilliant and is going to save their country and the world! Go figure!

We had a New Zealand travel planner (Southern Crossings) plan this portion of the trip. We booked it almost a year ago after chatting about travel on the chairlift at Caledon Ski Club with John MacKay, who said, “You have to go to New Zealand!”  John shared the itinerary that he and his wife Brenda, my second-cousin, had followed and highly recommended Southern Crossings.  We had confirmed our itinerary so many months ahead, so that now, each day was full of surprises as we turned the pages in our itinerary and excitedly read what we had in store.

One day in Nelson we toured the Abel Tasman National Park with a private guide.  This day included a boat ride along the coast, taking off our shoes and walking barefoot across the ocean floor at low tide, a 10 km hike along an oceanfront trail and a delicious trailside picnic, provided by our guide. The next day we rented bikes at the Gentle Cycling Company and rode along The Great Taste Trail to Rabbit Island, where the endless beaches are just spectacular. Our hearts were pounding as we raced to catch the ferry to Mapua that only goes once an hour, and we jumped on just in time. After a delicious lunch at The Jellyfish Restaurant on Mapua Wharf, we retraced our path back to our inn- a round trip of 60 kms, on mostly flat and quiet coastal bike paths. We were intrigued to witness the huge tides (up to 5 metres) surrounding Nelson, with empty estuaries quickly filling within a few hours.

Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand; Hapuku Lodge

Our next stop on our tour of the South Island, was Kaikoura and The Hapuku Lodge. The winding drive along the coast from Nelson to Kaikoura at times reminded us of Hwy 1 in California with gorgeous ocean views on one side and towering cliffs on the other. The drivers are fast, and the roads are narrow- I kept my eyes facing forward, taking in the dazzling surroundings while trying to avoid car sickness!  Our drive from took us through the heart of the Marlborough wine region with vineyards lining the roads as far as the eye could see.  We stopped at Hunter’s Winery, one the vineyards that my cousin Harris, a wine broker, represents in Ontario with his company Rogers and Co. Here we enjoyed a delicious lunch and of course, had to sample some of their wines. Sauvignon Blanc was growing on me…

We loved our two nights at Hapuku Lodge, where our “treehouse” room had windows all around and panoramic views of a field with a herd of male deer, the ocean in the distance and an olive grove. We learned that the deer are being raised for their antlers, which are sold to Asian markets to be ground into supplements. The full racks are 40 kg (20 kg on each side) and are humanely cut off twice a year. The female deer are kept in a separate field so that the males do not fight and destroy their antlers. They use artificial insemination to impregnate the females with sperm from males with the biggest antlers- fascinating! Surprisingly, venison was not on the menu the two nights we ate at the hotel’s restaurant where we have had some of our best meals yet.

One evening we were thrilled to get together for dinner with Adrienne and Dave, a couple who we met on our Backroads trip and were also staying in this area. Over the years we are making a wonderful network of travel friends on group trips. These new friends are kindred spirits, who share our passion for travel, and many who we will stay in touch with and travel with again.

We attended the Hapuku Kitchen for a private cooking class with a lovely local couple, Fiona and Chris. First, we foraged in their garden for ingredients for our lunch, then we were put to work in their kitchen and learned how to make some local cuisine, including zucchini flowers stuffed with homemade whipped ricotta. Fiona was a contestant on Master Chef NZ years ago and that was how she got her start as a chef. It was a memorable and delicious experience.

We went on another sea kayaking outing around the beautiful coastal waters of the South Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Kaikoura, and spotted many seals, an albatross and even a small blue penguin. Paul and I make a really good kayaking team, even though he says that he really doesn’t like kayaking. Perhaps there will be a kayaking challenge on The Amazing Race Canada, if we are ever selected to be contestants (we have applied twice).

Before we got into the car to drive to Christchurch, we went on a big misty morning walk along the rugged beach near our hotel and met a sweet young Australian cattle dog that will be our dog of the world for the South Island in our collection of pictures https://liannehill.ca/?cat=27. The dog’s name was Bindi which means little girl in Māori. We have seen countless Border Collies, apparently the favoured dog here in the sheep capital of the world. Every so often I get my dog fix and try not to miss Scout and Coco, our beloved Border Collie and French Bulldog at home. We stopped for a delicious lunch along the way at Black Estate Vineyard and enjoyed the panoramic views while sipping Sauvignon Blanc.

Christchurch, South Island; The George Hotel and The Mayfair Hotel

Christchurch is a picturesque small city of 400,000 people (the largest on the South Island) with lots of city parks, is nicknamed The Garden City, and has an English look and feel. The beautiful park, across the street from our hotel, is called Hagley Park and is one of the world’s largest city parks, covering 407 acres. Christchurch is located on the Christchurch seismic fault line and in 2011 had a devastating earthquake. As a result, there are many new buildings downtown and still a lot of work being done to repair older historical structures. One morning, we walked around Hagley Park and found ourselves in the middle of a fun run. There is a basic golf course right in the middle of the park, along with tennis courts, croquet and on the weekend we were there, a beer festival. We quickly got out of the way of the runners and headed to the beautiful Botanical Gardens and were immediately in awe of the incredible rose garden and enormous trees. Everything was labelled with discreet signs, perfect for my inquisitive gardening mind.

We enjoyed several fantastic meals in Christchurch, all walkable from our hotel and prearranged by Southern Crossings. King of Snake, a local hot spot in the centre of town, is an open-air restaurant overlooking the city, featuring Euro-Asian food.  Twenty-Seven Steps is a cozy and vibrant restaurant located on the second floor of an older building on a hip downtown side-street. While in Christchurch we played golf at the Clearwater Resort, a friendly golf resort community not far from downtown.

While we did not love The George Hotel (I think we have been spoiled by all of the lovely hotels that we have been staying in), we did love the location and the free laundry machines (yes, laundry is a priority when travelling for five weeks). One night we were woken up from a dead sleep by the fire alarm and repetitive announcements to evacuate the building immediately. It was jarring to be woken up that way and the urgent sounding announcements were frightening. Thankfully we were on the third floor, so we headed down the stairs and exited the building as quickly as possible with all of the other hotel guests. The only rain of our trip was that night as we stood in the parking lot, me in my nightie and Birkenstocks, waiting for the all-clear. I kept very cute teddy-bear that was left on my pillow at The George, and was pleased give it away later in Fiji.

The following morning, we had a harrowing and unforgettable flight from Christchurch to Queenstown where the pilot attempted to land twice and aborted the landing at the last minute both times due to high winds and poor visibility. Queenstown is nestled in the mountains, so imagine trying to land a jet in Banff in a severe rainstorm. I was really scared, gripping Paul’s hand as our plane bounced around so much, that for a brief moment, I truly thought this might be it! Unfortunately, we had to return to Christchurch and as a result, we missed the start of our Hollyford Experience. Now we can laugh about it, and we keep chuckling when recalling how the flight attendant made this announcement at the end of the hair-raising flight, “I hope you enjoyed your flight with New Zealand Air. We look forward to you travelling with us again.  Enjoy your stay in Christchurch”.  Seriously?!!

We made the most of our extra night in Christchurch and stayed at a much nicer hotel, The Mayfair. We walked 3 km through the city core to 5th Street, another top restaurant in the city, and another recommendation from a friendly Kiwi while we were sorting things out at the airport. As my Mom used to say, “When given lemons make lemonade.”

Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand; Eichardt’s Private Hotel

Our rescheduled flight, early the next day, was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived at the beautiful Eichardt’s Private Hotel on the waterfront in Queenstown. One of the pictures below was taken from our elegant hotel room overlooking the harbour. Queenstown is a blend of Banff, Lake Louise and Aspen. Aspen is included in the list because of some of the high-end stores here including a Louis Vuitton boutique next store to our hotel. The picturesque lake in front of the hotel with the hordes of tourists reminded us of Lake Louise in the summertime while the streets full of outdoorsy shops reminded us of Banff.

Making the most of the shuffle in our itinerary, we booked a tee time at Jack’s Point, a golf community located just outside of Queenstown. Here, in the southern part of the South Island, the temperatures, especially in the morning, are cool. We quickly shed layers once on the golf course, warming up while enjoying the gorgeous views on one of the prettiest courses that we have ever played.

Queenstown sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake, stretching 80 kilometers through the Southern Alps. The adjacent Remarkables Mountain Range serves as a winter sports destination during July and August, with ski areas locally known as ‘ski fields.’ The surrounding landscape alternates between vineyards and pastoral land dotted with sheep. In New Zealand, sheep outnumber humans five to one.

We took advantage of a free morning before being picked up for our rescheduled Hollyford Experience, and hiked on the Queenstown Hill Walking Track, an up-and-back hike to a summit with tremendous views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The concierge from our hotel kindly gave us a lift to the trailhead, skipping the very hilly city streets to get us started. Following the hike, we meandered back down the hills to our hotel. We stopped by the Hoka store to check out the newest styles of our new favourite shoes. Hoka is a Māori word meaning “to fly”. The symbol of the Hoka brand is a bird. We both brought Hoka running shoes on this trip and absolutely love them.

Hollyford Wilderness Experience, Fiordland, South Island, New Zealand; Distinction Te Anua Hotel, Ka Tuku Lodge and Waitai Lodge

Our three days in Fiordland on the Hollyford Track were absolutely spectacular! This region, that includes the famous Milford Sound, is one of the rainiest places on Earth, with 6 metres of rainfall per year and 200 days of rain. As a result, the landscape is incredibly lush and much of it can be described as rainforest. We arrived after some significant rain (the cause of our scary flight and delay earlier in the week). Miraculously, we had three perfect days of pure sunshine and got to see the region in all of its glory, with no cloud cover or fog obscuring the views, with waterfalls pounding furiously and brilliant foliage that was 50 shades of green.

We were part of a group called the Hollyford Track Wilderness Experience and amongst our travellers were three Kiwis, two Aussies, four Americans, two Britons and us- thankfully it was another amazing group, along with two very upbeat and knowledgeable local female guides. Most hikers in this region carry all of their food and gear and stay in rustic communal huts. Paul and I are at a stage in life where we like our creature comforts, and this wilderness experience was right up our alley!

After a night in Te Anau, where we met up with our group and were given a briefing of what to expect, we were bussed to a trailhead in the New Zealand wilderness. We had arrived near the ends of the Earth, in Fiordland National Park, each of us carrying packs with personal items and clothing we would need for the next three days, and our luggage stored at our Queenstown hotel. The prospect of carrying a heavy pack likely weeded out those who considered signing-up for this adventure- all of our fellow hikers were fit and able hikers. Good thing because the first day of hiking was 20 km through a wet rainforest with slippery and mucky trails, following the rainstorm.

The Hollyford Track is considered to be one of the “Great Walks” of New Zealand. At times we felt like we were hiking on Vancouver Island or the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador. Our guides shared stories of the early settlers from Scotland, Māori history and information about the flora and fauna. We learned about endemic species and those plants and animals brought by settlers to the region. We noted the absence of small creatures (squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons do not exist in NZ) and enjoyed not having to worry about snakes (there are no native snakes in NZ) or anything that could harm us. We hiked through old forests with towering trees, some that are estimated to be up to 2000 years old yet still standing tall after countless earthquakes. The list of species we saw included the Rimu, Beech, Kahikatea, Totara and my favourite, the Pohutukawa (the NZ Christmas Tree). Ferns are everywhere in NZ and are one of their national symbols, and are the emblem of the All-Blacks Rugby Team. We were constantly serenaded by Tui birds, a medium sized bird endemic to New Zealand, with a colourful repertoire of sounds including a distinct chirp that sounds like R2-D2 from Star Wars.

Upon our arrival at each of the two lodges on our hike, we were given instructions on what to do if there is an earthquake. This region is located on the Alpine Fault Line, where the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates meet. The last big earthquake in this area was in 1717. History suggested that big earthquakes happen here every 300 years, so it is likely that the next big one will occur sometime in the next 50 years, and it will be devastating. Learning these facts was a bit unnerving!

The wilderness lodges offered exceptional cuisine despite their remote setting. The thoughtful and comfortable design of the lodges included practical amenities like drying rooms for gear, comfortable king-sized beds and one location featured a wood-fired hot tub that provided welcome relief for trail-weary muscles. A highlight of our journey was a jet boat excursion along the Hollyford River and across Lake McKerrow, where we admired panoramic views of snow-capped mountains against the clear blue sky.

The icing on the cake of our Hollyford experience included a 20-minute helicopter ride to Milford Sound along the coast. I was a bit nervous to be in a helicopter, especially after our frightening flight earlier in the week, yet excited to sit up front next to the pilot- the views were incredible.  Milford Sound is in fact a deep fiord- or in other words, a large ocean inlet that is bigger than a bay. We then transferred to a small prop plane for another 30-minute exhilarating flight back to Queenstown, where Paul had a turn sitting next to the pilot. It was a cloudless day and the views of the snowy mountain tops, many with glacial lakes, was mesmerizing.

We enjoyed a final luxurious night at the Eichardt’s Hotel and were surprised to run into a group of Torontonians who we had met poolside at our hotel in Nelson. They also happen to be great friends with Lee Anne and Tom, our new Caledon friends. What a small world!

Before heading to the airport, we took a long early morning walk along the lakeside trail, in front of our hotel, into the Queenstown Gardens Park.  Once again, we found ourselves in the midst of a fun run with locals out enjoying a beautiful Saturday summer morning. Once away from the town, we noted the many camper vans (a popular way for young people to see NZ) parked along the streets with occupants still snoozing inside. We chuckled to see smelly running shoes left outside of the vans and laundry draped over the mirrors. We paused to appreciate our final views of Lake Whakatipu and its mountain backdrop. Queenstown’s year-round appeal and wealth of activities justify its reputation as the Adventure Capital of the World

Mangawhai, North Island, New Zealand; Te Arai Links

We concluded our New Zealand journey at Te Arai Links on the North Island, approximately 90 minutes north of Auckland. Moving northward, and closer to the equator in the Southern Hemisphere, brought us back to warmer temperatures. The resort, home to two world-ranked golf courses, provided an ideal final destination.

Te Arai Links, a recently developed property, features accommodations that ranked among our trip favourites. Our cabin (as Paul likes to call most hotel rooms) combined Scandinavian design elements with thoughtful amenities. We have concluded that what makes a perfect hotel is a comfortable bed, spacious bathroom with a separate toilet room, a beautiful view with privacy so we can keep our blinds open and for me, a soft, flat pillow. Te Arai’s hotel room was just perfect.

We enjoyed two wonderful rounds of golf, putting practice on the 2-acre 18-hole putting green, long walks on the picturesque, deserted beach and more delicious meals. It was a fabulous finish to our time in beautiful New Zealand.

 Tokoriki Island, Fiji; Tokoriki Island Resort

For the grand finale of our wonderful trip, we enjoyed five glorious days in Fiji. The flight from Auckland to Fiji is three hours, and we travelled on Air Fiji, a first for us, where we were given a hint of the warmth and charm of the Fijian people that would embrace us for the rest of our vacation.

After our flight landed in Nadi, Fiji, we were driven to a port to jump on a private motorboat and took an hour-long boat ride to get to Tokoriki Island Resort. As super-fans of the show Survivor, we were thrilled to pass by the island where the last decade of shows has been filmed. The show is not currently filming, yet they are ramping up to start filming another season very soon. The movie Castaway was filmed near-by as well and a replica of Wilson is on the beach for tourists.

Our accommodation at Tokoriki was a cabin called a Bure, facing the ocean and with our very own plunge pool and a private outdoor shower. The Fijian staff, known for their hospitality welcomed us with a traditional song and warmly chorused, “Welcome home” throughout our first evening there! Bula is hello in Fiji and we exchanged Bulas with other guests and staff along the resort paths.

After our adventurous New Zealand trip, we welcomed five days of relaxation. There was a lovely spa, which we frequented, a hike to a viewpoint in the middle of the island that we hiked to in the early morning to beat the heat and humidity and we peacefully floated around the resort pool.  The food was plentiful and delicious. Our intention was to have a “vacation from our vacation “, and while we enjoyed the slower pace of this spot, I quickly realized that I am better suited to resorts with lots of activities. We befriended a lovely couple from Ottawa on our first day and we were constant companions for the week.

Located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean, Fiji is an archipelago of 330 islands, situated an eleven-hour flight from Los Angeles. The nation consists of 90% water and 10% land, anchored by two main islands: Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. A former British colony until gaining independence in 1970, Fiji has developed a distinct national identity while maintaining its rich cultural heritage.

Today, Fiji’s 900,000 residents speak Fijian, Hindi, and English. The country boasts one of the world’s largest Hindu temples and maintains its reputation as a rugby powerhouse. Once known as the ‘Cannibal Isles,’ modern Fiji now focuses on environmental conservation and tourism development.

During our stay, we visited a neighbouring island to explore a traditional village that has maintained its cultural heritage. We browsed local crafts, toured the school, and interacted with the children, whose excitement was contagious. The Fijians we met had never left Fiji, citing travel costs and visa difficulties as barriers. The authentic hospitality we encountered, both in this village and throughout our resort stay, offered genuine insight into Fijian culture.

After 33 days spanning fifteen hotels and twelve flights, we began our homeward journey. The Tokoriki staff bid us farewell with a traditional song as we boarded a boat that took us across the Koro Sea to Nadi.

The peculiarities of international travel manifested in our departure time: leaving Fiji at 9:45 pm Sunday night and arriving in Los Angeles at 11:50 am on Sunday morning. We had reclaimed the day lost when crossing the International Date Line on January 8th. Our 35-hour journey encountered a complication in Los Angeles—our Toronto connection faced an additional 4-hour delay beyond the scheduled 4-hour layover. Like contestants on The Amazing Race, we adapted quickly, securing seats on a Porter Airlines flight departing in 90 minutes. We were ready to be home.

New Zealand had been on our travel bucket list for years. We traded ice for paradise on a remarkable adventure holiday that included cycling, hiking, golfing, rafting and kayaking in one of the world’s most diverse and beautiful destinations. The Kiwis and Fijians welcomed us with open arms and made us feel at home. Everywhere we went, we met wonderful people and made new friends. As we savour the memories and settle into routines back at home, it is time to start planning our next epic adventure! Oh, the places we will go!

Paul’s awesome video of our fantastic trip: