Where We Have Been

Australia – we have made multiple trips to Australia (unusual animals) including driving from Melbourne to Perth via the Nullabor Plain, crossing the middle of Australia to visit Uluru (a spiritual place), spent a night in an underground motel in the Opal town of White Cliffs, experienced a full body breach by a Humpback Whale off Hervey Bay, caught an AFL game and Formula 1 in Melbourne, Indy Cars and V8 Supercars on the Gold Coast and internationally acclaimed shows in both Sydney and Melbourne.

Europe – we toured Europe, primarily by rail, with many stops including in Rome (the Colosseum), Vatican City (where we saw the white smoke from the chimney and witnessed the Pope who had just been elected bless his flock), Venice (oh magical Venice), Florence, Pisa, Barcelona (the stunning Basilica de la Sagrada Familia and other Gaudi wonders), Paris (it is as beautiful as claimed), Berlin (Check Point Charlie), Munich (where we had a beer or three and visited Dachau (sobering, where it started) and Neuschwanstein Castle (because everyone loves a fairy tale)), Wolfsburg (home of Volkswagen), Innsbruck (Swarovski Crystal World) Zurich, Lucerne (Mt Pilatus), Baar in Switzerland where Carolyn visited her grandmother’s house and small family church, Prague (walked the Golden Lane), Athens (with the Acropolis rising majestically above), Istanbul (such history, David visited his first Harem, Carolyn went Bazaar and where we technically crossed to Asia) and Gallipoli (very moving, a special place to New Zealanders, and Australians)

Hong Kong and Macau – we spent a Christmas and New Year in Hong Kong (David bought one of the original iPhones on Christmas day which made him very popular in NZ where they didn’t arrive until months later)

New Zealand – we are lucky to have been born and to have lived in a stunning part of NZ where you could ski on the mountain in the morning and enjoy world class surf breaks in the afternoon. We have explored pretty much all of our beautiful home country from Cape Reinga in the far North to Milford Sounds in the South (David has even dived with the Great Whites off Stewart Island).

Singapore – we visited some of David’s parents history and got up close and personal with some Raptors at Jurong Bird Park

United Kingdom – we finally managed, on our third attempt, to spend some time in the UK (Britain, Scotland (we so love Scotland) and Wales) where we met relatives we had never had the pleasure to meet before and visited David’s Mum’s parent’s graves. Our stops included Avebury, Bath (where Bridgerton was being filmed so we couldn’t see much but we did visit the ancient Roman Baths), Cardiff, historic London (London and Tower Bridges, Natural History Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Thames Barrier, Tower of London and much more and as you do we strolled the Mall to Buckingham Palace (no invitation for tea and scones unfortunately)), Oxford, Wells, York (birthplace of Guy Fawkes) and Edinburgh (any city that places a dogs grave, Greyfriars Bobby, in a cemetery is close to our hearts), the Falkirk Wheel (a true marvel), the Kelpies as well as visits to numerous castles (including Doune Castle (where much of Monty Python and the Holy Grail was filmed), Edinburgh Castle (with its dog cemetery), Eilean Donan (where the opening scenes of one of our favourite movies, Highlander, was filmed) and Stirling Castle), Lallybroch, also known as Broch Tuarach which is really Midhope Castle (Carolyn is a big Outlander fan and this wasn’t the only Outlander related stop), Stonehenge (of course, a magical place to experience especially as the sun rose) and last, but by no means least, Culloden (the end of the Highlanders and a very moving place)

United States – toured the USA (Carolyn wanted to be in New York for a special birthday) by Plane, Train and Automobile. We flew into Dallas and drove to Austin where we caught up with friends, flew up to New York where we did everything including a carriage ride in Central Park in the snow, went to the Top of the Rock, saw the Statute of Liberty, visited the 9 11 Memorial and much more. Carolyn got to visit Tiffany & Co’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue for her birthday present. We enjoyed the best of the Christmas displays in the city and also ventured out to Dyker Heights in Brooklyn for the extravagant light show put on across a number of residential blocks. David ticketed off a few bucket list items when we visited the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, an Aircraft Carrier museum on the USS Intrepid which houses an Oxcart (an A-12, the CIA’s sister ship and predecessor to the Air Forces legendary SR71 Blackbird), the Space Shuttle Enterprise and a Submarine, the USS Growler, unfortunately the Concorde was away being refurbished. We then flew to San Francisco where we visited the Golden Gate Bridge (nothing short of spectacular and beats the Statute of Liberty in David’s opinion) and Alcatraz. While there Carolyn got to enjoy part two of her birthday present, seeing her idol Stevie Nicks perform. Into a rental to drive the classic Pacific Coast Highway,  unfortunately a bit was closed due to a significant landslide but we saw Whales, Sea Lions, and a favourite, otters, in Monterey, then we headed inland from Santa Barbara (we actually spoke to family in NZ while playing Ventura Highway while driving on Ventura Freeway) to Death Valley and into Las Vegas (what a madhouse, one we said we’d never go back to but have changed our minds about since), then across the Hoover Dam to Grand Canyon West with the Skywalk, on to Grand Canyon National Park (where is snowed so the helicopter couldn’t fly), spent a special night in the home Route 66 (Seligman, Arizona) then back to Vegas for Christmas where we enjoyed The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil. Then it was time to grab a plane to Memphis (yes we visited Graceland, the mansion isn’t as big as you expect, and Elvis’s grave, Beale Street is special and Sun Studio, what an amazing part of music history). Then in was on an Amtrak to New Orleans for New Year (lovely city where we once again stumbled onto a College Football parade, they certainly know how to put on a show, the Texas University marching brass band was over 400 member)), where we had dinner in Napoleon’s House. Then it was across Texas (YES its big) to San Antonio (an unanticipated delight, visited The Alamo a special place from David’s childhood), revisited our friends in Austin, caught up with horse friends near Waco (home of the Texas Rangers and yes the museum included a tribute to the Lone Ranger and Tonto) who took us to a Mammoth dig. Back to Dallas where we caught an Ice Hockey game (great atmosphere and experience. All finished off with a lazy day in Fort Worth before catching the flight home.

Vanuatu we aren’t really sit on the beach or holiday resort types but we decided to try a quiet pacific island getaway. We enjoyed the friendly locals and amazing snorkelling in the crystal clear waters where Carolyn encountered a sea snake and David spent time with a Turtle. We rented a car and did a loop of the island stopping off at various places and trying our luck at snorkelling.

Highlight: Efate, we booked a tour to Efate Island. They drop you off and a short stroll sees you exit the tropical forest onto a breathtakingly beautiful beach (apparently where Survivor Vanuatu was filmed). After some time snorkelling in the shallow, calm and crystal clear waters of a lagoon the boat transfers you further around the island, stopping off at a cave the locals use as a hurricane shelter, then onto an enclosed inlet where the water is much deeper than it appears, it’s that clear. After another snorkel it’s off around to the village where the children perform for you and the villagers lay there goods out to tempt you.

Memory: Vanuatu has vans setup as min-buses that appear to basically drive around at random and pick people up, a form of ride share. We had an early morning flight back to NZ and had organised a pickup. As the sun starts to rise, and our flight gets closer and closer and there is no sign of our ride a local wanders by. Comes back and asks us if he can help. We explain the situation to him. So he steps out and waves down the next van, explains the situation, and we are on our way. This is an example of the people in Vanuatu, those we encountered went out of their way to help.