With a few more days behind us from the end of our trip, a couple more things occurred to me to add to my endnotes. Pedestrians As kind and welcoming as New Zealanders are, one habit surprised us. Drivers often fail to yield to pedestrians. Whether you are in a crosswalk or waiting at the curb, the norm seems to be that cars keep moving and people on foot wait for a clear break.

As we wrap up this trip, a few things stood out and stayed with us. First is the people. Everywhere we went, people were genuinely friendly. They asked questions, wanted to know where we were from and seemed to actually care about the answers. It made us feel welcome as people, not just tourists. We also noticed how seriously the country takes its environment.

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We took the 4 bus to Arrowtown and spent the morning exploring its historic main street and the excellent Lakes District Museum. After savory pies from Arrowtown Bakery we returned to Queenstown for a ride up the gondola and sweeping mountain views. I tried the Skyline luge thanks to Ellen’s encouragement, then we enjoyed gelato, a quiet walk through the Queenstown Cemetery and a drink at Little Blackwood. We ended the day with a terrific final dinner at Rata.

We packed in a full day that started with a peaceful lake crossing to Walter Peak High Country Farm for high tea, a stroll among the animals and a sheep shearing demo, all set against incredible mountain views. After lunch at Saigon Kitchen and a sunny break, we joined an Altitude Tours beer and wine tasting with a lively group from around the world that only got friendlier as the afternoon went on. Three tasting stops, a local burger for dinner and a Cookie Time cookie to finish made for a long, fun and memorable day.

A short flight brought us to Queenstown, the final stop on our New Zealand journey. Rain kept the day low-key, but we still explored the lakefront, wandered through shops, and enjoyed a relaxed afternoon break. The standout was dinner at Bluekanu, where every dish impressed. I also added reflections on Christchurch’s 2011 earthquake and how the city used the tragedy as an opening to reimagine its future.

A day that started with little on the schedule turned into one filled with meaning. Our Kai Bites food and culture tour introduced us to Māori perspectives and a small group of fellow travelers who embraced the experience. The food was great, but the deeper gift was the focus on family, community and connection. Later, I visited the Al Noor Mosque to honor the lives lost in 2019 and reflect on its painful link to the Tree of Life shooting. We ended the day back in the city center with dinner at Riverside Market and a spontaneous stop for dessert at Sweet Soul Patisserie.

We flew from Wellington to Christchurch this morning and settled into The George, pleased to find our room ready and guest laundry available. After lunch we visited the Christchurch Art Gallery, th…

We spent the morning at Wētā Workshop, which was far more interesting than we expected for people who aren’t really their usual audience. Watching how they build makeup, costumes and props gave us …

A full day in Wellington started with a fast-moving tour of Parliament, followed by a walk through the grounds and a quick sushi lunch. We rode the cable car up from Lambton Quay, spent some time in the museum at the top, then wrapped the day with two lively rounds of mini golf at Holey Moley and dinner at Burger Liquor.

We traveled from Rotorua to Wellington and eased into the city with a quick lunch, a bus ride adventure and an afternoon at Te Papa, which gave us a much clearer picture of New Zealand’s history and culture. After settling into the Sofitel, we explored the area around the Cenotaph and ended the day with a great dinner at Master Kong. The highlight came when a waitress struck up a conversation that turned into one of those memorable travel moments where a simple chat reminds you why meeting people along the way can be the best part of a trip.

We started the morning at the The Arts Village, a small but lively community market filled with local makers, taking classes and selling everything from ceramics to jewelry. For lunch, we stopped at Dak Jib Korean Fried Chicken, a casual spot that absolutely delivered. The chicken came out hot, crisp, and perfectly seasoned. The highlight of the day was the Restorative Journey at…

We spent the morning at Te Puia learning about Māori culture, seeing kiwi birds up close and exploring the bubbling mud pools and geyser field that power the site’s geothermal cooking. A tram ride …

Today we went by private car for a three hour drive to Rorotua. This is a resort town near a lake, not sure how much blogging there will be. I wanted to share a bit of Auckland’s flavor. You can’t miss the British influence here—it’s everywhere you look. From the architecture to the parks to the statues, the city still carries that mark.

Today, we had a simple agenda: a wine tour on Waiheke Island. To get there required a 40 minute ferry ride, We were met in Waiheke by our tour guide and joined a tour that totaled 16. We were an international group, from the UK, Germany, South Africa and LA/Phoenix/Hawaii/Pittsburgh. Our first stop was Cable Bay Vineyards, where the clouds lifted just enough to show the view back toward Auckland.

It’s hard to figure out what your deal is when you take off from New York/JFK at 10 pm on Saturday, fly for almost 18 hours, and land at 9:30 am on Monday in Auckland, New Zealand. We flew Premium Economy, which meant our seats reclined a decent amount and we had legroom. We were fed dinner soon after we took off and breakfast many hours later, just before we landed.

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I joined Ellen for a 4 day mini-vacation in Iceland. Ellen had spent a week in Reykjavik before I arrived. To do something different, we drove to the north. We connected at the Silica Hotel, which is part of the Blue Lagoon. It has a private lagoon, which is much calmer than the main one. I didn’t sleep much on the flight, so it was nice to soak for a bit before starting the drive.