What prompted this trip was a special offer from Brendan Tours Horizon Holidays advertised in the Navigator magazine. Fred and Annette had visited New Zealand on an earlier trip to Australia, but this particular tour was more comprehensive. Fred went to the computer and located www.Brendantours.com. What made this trip so appealing was the unbelievably low price (the only kind we consider) of $1421 per person for 10 days and 9 nights. That price included car rental, accommodations, transPacific airfare and taxes We had used Brendan Tours before when we visited Ireland and had been completely satisfied with the company. We checked out medical assistance if needed. New Zealand nationalized health plan would not cover us, but BCBS would pay any bills (reimburse us ) with no pre authorization required.
We contacted old traveling companions Irma (Annette’s sister) and her husband Mike. They readily agreed to accompany us so reservations were made in prompt fashion.
July was selected to enable us to escape the heat. Seasons are reversed in that hemisphere so we would be headed into winter.
Our Dodge Caravan was dropped off at the Day’s Inn, Bloomington, for the Park and Fly package. Our DC10 Flight 303 left Mnpls at 4:50 pm. We arrived in Los Angeles four hours later at 6:44 p.m. After collecting our luggage, we took a free shuttle bus to the Bradley Terminal. A long line had already formed at the Air Pacific check-in. Inadequately staffed, Pacific Air personnel rushed us with little regards to seating choices and they were not able to process our AAdvantage miles numbers.
We left Los Angeles on Pacific Air at 11:30 p.m.,Flight 0811. As it turned out, our seating on this 747 was very comfortable and the meals were very good.
We arrived in Nadi, Fiji 5:10, a.m. (10 hour flight) to a “Welcome” sign. After checking through transfers, we left 7:15 a.m. on Flight 0421. The plane was a 737 and it had quite comfortable seating. Our flight to Christchurch took four hours.
DAY ONE, SATURDAY, JULY 21
ARRIVAL AND CHRISTCHURCH
Upon arrival (29 hours after we left New Ulm), we collected our baggage and went through customs. Custom officials targeted one of the McLean’s suspicious suitcases for a search, but the time lost was minimal. No Thrifty agent greeted us at the gate, but we had no trouble finding their office. Thrifty tried to put us in a sedan, but we insisted upon a station wagon as promised by Brendan Tours.
The station wagon we were assigned was a flashy bright red. That is Fred in an unflattering position on the photo above. As we loaded our luggage into the vehicle, we soon discovered that winter in New Zealand is indeed cold. Brrrrr! It did not take us long to don our winter garb.
The airport was 11 km north-west of city centre. Christchurch is the most English city outside England and more English than the English. (map p. 384 of
Fodor’s; pp. 536-537 of
Lonely Planet; Colored photos on p. 545). Driving on the left hand side of the road with a steering wheel on the passenger side presented a little challenge for Fred -- but he had experience driving around England Scotland Wales when we attended Oxford University. The roundabouts were different but presented no problems
It took some time to find our Motel Ashleigh, but we managed to check in by the early afternoon. Our friendly host presented us two cartons of low fat milk for breakfast. Oddly, we thought, that the windows of our rooms had been left open and the heat turned off. Brrrrr! This arrangement was quite universal on the South Island. We closed up the windows and turned on the space heaters.
Courtyard of Motel
After shopping at a nearby PAK ’N SAVE, we had time to rest up before we took in a good dinner at the Stags Head Inn. The Ashleigh gave us vouchers for free alcoholic drinks at the Inn. This was a really nice eating place with a special on roast pork dinners, which were home-style and quite delicious.
The advertised brandy dessert was also quite tasty. We returned to Motel Ashleigh to warmer rooms for a good night sleep. Electric blankets provided added warmth.
DAY TWO, SUNDAY, JULY 22
DRIVING DAY TO TE ANAU
Destination miles 420
A nice rain greeted us in the morning. Breakfast was easily set up in our kitchenette. Mike picked out the healthy fiber nut bread for our toast and blackberry jam for enhancement. Each motel provided a fridge, range, electric water pot, toaster, glasses, cups, dishes and silverware that were more than adequate for our needs. Coffee and tea bags, and sometimes chocolate for hot cocoa, were always in the cupboards.
We left the hotel early in the morning for a full day of driving. It wasn’t long before we became aware of the trees made into hedge-rows, multitudes of grazing sheep, many cows, domesticated deer and a variety of other animals. There were miles and miles of fences everywhere, separating the different animals into their own pastures.
We took Hwy 1 south to Hwy 79 where we turned inland near Geraldine. The Mackenzie Country scenery to the north was so beautiful, we were compelled to pull off the road for a photo shoot of grazing deer, scenic mountains, etc.
A little further west we stopped at a quaint tea house in Fairlie, named for its resemblance to Fairlie in Scotland. The establishment, called the Library, kept the door wide open for fresh (cold) air. Hot chocolate and coffee warmed us a bit.
Then, we drove southward on winding mountain roads to Lake Tekapo. Lake Tekapo (pop 295) had sweeping views across the turquoise lake with hills and snowcapped mountains as a backdrop. (Southern Alps See
Lonely Planet pp. 577-580).
The rain had stopped and the weather was a nippy cool, near 0 degree C. Clear skies helped our photography. Mike pointed to the area of Mt. Cook. An interesting statue of a collie dog was accessible for those brave enough (like Annette) to walk up the icy steps.
To our left was a historic church landmark, the Church of the Good Shepherd. I zoomed in on a gentleman who was sweeping snow off the walk in anticipation of Sunday worshippers.
Another beautiful lake, Lake Pulaki, was worthy of a stop. Mt. Cook was shielded by clouds but we did manage to get glimpses of the giant. The information centre was helpful and the agent there booked our Fiordland Travel Milford Sound bus and boat tour with buffet for the next day. Fred charged 504 $NZ (about $210) on VISA for the 4 of us (about $50 per head for all 3 items).
The agent also directed us to Hunters Cafe, a nice restaurant in nearby Twizel, where we indulged in the traditional fish and chips. We were impressed with the park-like layout of the town and comfy atmosphere of the cafe.
We took scenic Hwy 8 and Hwy 6 south to Queensland. We pulled over to view scenic falls on the way.
At Cromwell we stopped for Annette to take a photo of a fruit monument, which highlighted the popular Braeburn apple and other fruit grown in this area.
Annette insisted we drive through Queenstown, which turned out to be fortunate. The city was quite touristy but worth seeing. Queenstown (p. 611 of Lonely Planet) is on the hillside shores of Lake Wakatipu (Lonely Planet, map p.612).
Bill Clinton once said: ”Queenstown is breathtaking. I wish I had weeks to spend here. When we flew in here, everyone on the plane was just gasping. ‘It’s just so beautiful.’”
We stopped (no-parking zone) by a city park that overlooked Lake Wakatipu for a Kodak picture shot. The park had a large statue of the city’s founder that was worth noting.
After leaving Queenstown we followed the lake road southward along the mountains known as the Remarkables, viewing miles and miles of breathtaking scenery. At Five Rivers we gambled on a shortcut road to Te Anau. The road turned out to be pretty level and in excellent shape.
Darkness had set in by the time we reached Te Anau, but we had no difficulty finding the Aden Motel. Yes, all the windows and doors were wide open and the heat shut off. We closed the windows and turned on the heat before heading across the street to a nice restaurant in the Quality Hotel. The large dining area had a large fireplace and the waitress was kind enough to bring space heaters to our table. Most or our group partook the nights special which consisted of a very large portion of chicken/shrimp stir fry served with four chicken drumsticks.
The rest of the evening was spent playing 500 in the Wulff’s warm accommodations, which rescued the McLeans from any unnecessary time in their cold accommodations. Win or lose, they appreciated the warmth. We slept well after the long days drive. Irma and Mike really needed their electric blanket because their ineffective room heaters were set to shut off during the night.
DAY THREE, MONDAY, JULY 23
MILFORD SOUND
A shuttle bus picked us up at the motel at 9:30 a.m. and dropped us off at the Fiordland Travel depot. A large bus, that sloped from the rear to the front, was waiting for us. It had nice comfortable reclining seats.
At 10 a.m. we headed north on the Milford Road along Lake Te Anau where we passed through a variety of landscapes.
Our driver made a relatively lengthy stop at Mirror Lakes where the snowcapped mountains were beautifully reflected on the calm clear water.
One stop offered the touring group opportunities to observe the kia birds. Nearby was a rushing stream with cool clear water. According to our guide, the water was clean enough to drink.
We stopped for a break at the entrance of the Homer Tunnel (lower left in photo). The height and width of the tunnel was just a bit more than that of the bus.
There was, however, a turnoff area carved out in the middle of the tunnel in case of a vehicle coming from the opposite direction. I took a video inside the bus as we passed through the tunnel and exited from the other end.
We made another stop at the Chasm where we walked into the temperate rain forest along a path surrounded by moss and tropical-like vegetation. We were told that the trees which looked like palm trees belong to the lily family. They are called cabbage trees. The deep chasm deserved treatment on the video.
The Monarch, our cruise boat, was waiting for us at Milford Sound. We went straight to the dining area for our buffet lunch so that we could eat before the boat entered the scenic areas. We were surprised how close the ship cruised along the sheer rock walls. Our boat trip took us through the fiords to the west coast of New Zealand where we saw the Tasman Sea. The cascading waterfalls were the most impressive of the sights.
When we arrived at the largest falls, and the most famous, our ship backed up against the falls to provide close-up viewing.
Near the end of the cruise we saw fur seals basking along the shore and youngsters in kayaks skimmed along the clear blue water. We had a parting view at water falls as we approached the docking area.
After returning to Te Anau, Mike asked to stop at a drug store for a new razor. Earlier he had offered his prized electric razor as a burnt offering to High Voltage. Later we contemplated a formal private ceremony to accompany the disposal of the departed razor. We ate our dinner at the Hollywood Boulevard in the Te Anau town center before returning to our Aden motel for a good nights sleep.
DAY FOUR, TUESDAY, JULY 24
DRIVE TO DUNEDIN
Destination miles 180
After a hearty breakfast in our rooms we headed out Hwy. 94 to Gore and Clinton (p. 663 Lonely Planet, map p. 640). Before arriving at Balclutha (lower left on map) we pulled off the road to observe sheep and cows grazing in their separate pastures along the green countryside. We also saw more ubiquitous evergreen hedges that often bordered farms. They were usually two trees deep and trimmed both on the sides and the tops to form sharply defined rectangles. This particular hedge, however, had not been trimmed yet. We did not drive further south than this because our guide book said the people there allegedly “have bad haircuts and wear plaid shirts.”
We drove into Dunedin, “the Edinburgh of the South,” founded by Scottish settlers. First on the agenda was the Visitors Centre on the “Octagon.”(upper right on map). They did not know of the haggis ceremony (based on poem of Burns), but they offered directions to sites on the Otago Peninsula. We made bookings at the Visitor’s Centre. Very close to the Visitor Centre was the city church, St. Paul’s Cathedral
In a park just in front of the church was an imposing statue of Bobby Burns with his back to the church.
We drove out on the Otago Peninsula for spectacular views, including the Pacific Ocean. We took the low Portobello Road along the waterfront. The winding narrow road had very little shoulder area and the drive was a little scary for an American driver and his terrified passengers.
At Taiaroa Head we visited the Royal Albatross Centre. The albatross are large bulky birds (all white with black wings) that waddle on land but are magnificent flyers. Annette held an albatross egg in her hand and that was a handful. The weather was quite cold and windy, but the observation post was enclosed. Mike looked all bundled up as he watched from the lookout.
Chicks squatted out on the rocky terrain braving the cold wind. They were waiting for both male and female birds to feed their voracious appetites. The birds often tested their wings in the winds to practice for the eventful day when they fly. When that time comes the young birds need winds of at least 15-20 knots to take off. Other birds, mostly shags (parekareka), congregated along the water front.
Next stop was at the Penguin Place nearby to see the yellow eyed penguins. (See New Zealand Handbook, pp. 427-429). We donned heavy green rain gear provided by the Penguin Place and took a bus to Pilots Beach, also a popular place for fur seals. Fred walked down for a close-up view of the performing creatures. On the higher grounds, we were fortunate to see a penguin emerge from the Pacific Ocean and waddle up on the sandy beach. Many blinds had been constructed and a vast network of tunnels so that tourist may observe the penguins up close. We walked through the tunnels to sites where the penguins seemed oblivious to us. This enabled us to get some really close up pictures of this rare species.
We left the peninsula the same perilous way we had entered, along the narrow, winding coastline, but this time at a slower speed.
After locating our Adrian Motel we walked over to the nearby Waves of the Beach for our evening meal.
DAY FIVE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 THE EAST COAST
Destination miles 250
After our self made breakfast we drove through downtown Dunedin and headed northward along the coast to a nice rest area replete with a scenic beach.
Then we drove on to see the Moeraki Beach Boulders (Lonely Planet, map p. 532; New Zealand Handbook, pp. 421-422). The beach is privately owned by a restaurant and for a small token fee one may walk the beach. We first observed the boulders from the restaurant viewing platform.
Fred then opted to walk down among the boulders for video shots while the others had tea in the restaurant. The boulders had seams and resembled baseballs.
He also took shots of two boulders that had broken open revealing the inner cementing construction.
A little further along at Oamaru, we took a lunch break at the Detroit Diner, a small homey place with a 1930-ish look. Steak sandwiches were only 6$NZ, about $2.25 US. We continued on Hwy. 1 to Timaru across the Canterbury Plains to Ashburton, and then to Christchurch. We again checked in at the Ashleigh Motel before venturing on a 20 minute walk through Hagley Park (2 photos on right) to the City Centre.
We capped off the evening by going back to the Stags Head where we had eaten five days earlier. The special was the sirloin roast and it hit the spot. Annette bravely ordered pumpkin soup.
DAY SIX, THURSDAY, JULY 26
CROSSING TO NORTH ISLAND
Destination miles 221
We left Christchurch after breakfast,. and drove along the Kaikoura Coastline with spectacular seascapes (maps pp. 462 and 532 of Lonely Planet;) Then we headed north to Picton off the Marlborough Sounds. We gassed up in Picton before we turned in our red station wagon to Thrifty Rental at the dock. Fred paid for a visor he had accidentally broken on the car.
Annette had earlier made ferry reservations on the Interislander Ferry and now picked them up at the terminal, $24NZ each.
We ate on the Interislander in the dining area before moving up a deck and situating ourselves comfortably in lounge chairs by the front viewing windows.
We had great views of the Queen Charlotte Sound.
We crossed the 20 mile stretch of Cook Straights to North Island in three hours.
As we approached the North Island, Fred videotaped the shoreline and the protective lighthouses.
At the terminal in Wellington we picked up our new station wagon from Thrifty. This time it was an orange one. We drove through Wellington, a very large city, and on to our Mana Motel on the outskirts.
The motel recommended a restaurant that served good food and beer, the Sandbar Pub. Mike sat by the fireplace and soaked in the heat as we ate.
DAY SEVEN, FRIDAY, JULY 27
VOLCANIC DRIVE
Destination miles 255
In the morning we drove past Tongariro National Park, most popular park in the North Island. (See
Lonely Planet; map. p. 358.)
Mighty and active volcanoes were visible from the highway. (See pp. 229-230 of
New Zealand Handbook).
Mt. Ruapehu, the snow covered giant on the left, is the tallest mountain and still active. Next is Mt. Ngauruhoe, and then Mt. Tongariro.
Eventually we reached Lake Taupo, NZ’s largest lake.
Mike seemed to enjoy the view.
Note our orange van.
The lake was formed by one of the greatest volcanic explosions the world has ever experienced. Allegedly, 25.000 years ago. Another spectacular eruption took place in AD 181.
We stopped at a small restaurant in Otutaua for a soup and sandwich lunch and a look at the lake.
After reaching the city of Taupo we drove along the Waikato River on highway 1 to Huka Falls (description
Lonely Planet, 349) The Waikato is New Zealand’s longest river and a portion of the river pours out of Lake Taupo with tremendous force through a rock chasm and down the falls (see map p. 184 of
New Zealand Handbook. ) The Huka Falls were not high, but they were spectacular.
We viewed them from various lookout points, along with taking pictures of ourselves (at right).
The churning water looked very light in color and suggested a strong undertow.
The Huka Road eventually rejoined the main highway and we headed for the Craters of the Moon (below) in the Wairakei Steam Valley. (See pp. 350 and 352 of Lonely Planet; and pp. 182-183 of New Zealand Handbook. ) Admission was free.
The 50 minute walk here was interesting because of all the thermal activity.
Lastly we headed for the Artiatia Rapids. (See
Lonely Planet; maps pp. 341 and 350) located below a large dam.
We watched birds on the water and on the dam wall. The area which flooded when the dam opened was now only a little pond fed by a trickling stream. We noted the posted times for the dam releases and vowed to return in the morning.
We returned to Taupo (population 21,040), did some shopping for groceries, and then located our top notch Barcelona Hotel.
After becoming situated, we walked next door to a fancy restaurant called the Walnut Keep. Here we ordered the fish of the day and veggie salad, which were very satisfying. The waitress was very hospitable, giving us New Zealand post cards and extra salads.
DAY EIGHT, SATURDAY, JULY 28
ROTORUA
Destination miles 160
Early in the morning I was compelled to videotape the many varied and beautiful flowers on the grounds of our motel. We left our motel later than usual because we wanted to see the Artiatia dam when water was released at 10 a.m. When we parked the car a spider web on a fence caught our eyes because of the beauty manifested from water droplets glistening in the web. In the foggy, cool morning air we waited patiently for the big event. Fred taped black swans gliding peacefully on the lake when a loud siren announced the opening of the dam and water began gushing out. The immediate area filled with water which then began to spill over rocks forming a turbulent rapids.
The premier tourist attraction of the day was Rotorua, the “Sulfur City, ” with a population of 57,000 (See p. 219
Lonely Planet; map p. 163 of
New Zealand Handbook.)
We began our visit at the Office of Tourism on Fenton Street (
Lonely Planet; map p.304).
Having acquainted ourselves with brochures, we drove over to the Cleveland Motel to check in. The hostess at the Cleveland Motel suggested and we drive out to “the best” thermal area at Wai-o-Tapu. She also made reservations for us at the Tamaki Maori Village.
Annette asked that we first eat lunch at the Fat Dog in town. We followed her advice. Fred ordered an “everything” English breakfast while Annette experimented with French Toast over Fruit. The McLeans both chose soup.
The drive out to Wai-o-Tapu Thermal Wonderland took a while, but it was worth the time.
We saw numerous craters, some caused by eruptions and some from ground collapsing. The “Devil’s home” was among the first craters we saw.
Boardwalks led us over what appeared as a shallow lake.
The marked sites had exotic names like “Artist’s Palette” and “Champagne Pool.” We concluded our self guided tour by taking the Loop to the Mud Pool. Here we saw spectacular pools of hissing and bubbling mud.
Back at the hotel, Annette took a dip in the motel’s thermal pool. Late in the afternoon, the bus for the Tamaki cultural village and feast picked us up at the motel. The Maori bus driver entertained us all the way out there as part of the package.
We appointed a “chief” to represent our bus, a person who was to meet the village leaders, present them gifts, and convince them we came in peace.
At the village we were met by fierce receptionists who went through menacing warlike motions as part of the traditional welcome ceremony.
After the greeting, and establishing peaceful intentions, we walked around the Maori village where men played musical instruments, women sang and performed, etc.
We were then treated to a cultural event in the meeting house, an event that had won awards for cultural authenticity.
It was quite an impressive show!
Then came the great feast, or Hangi. Fred video taped the buffet offerings that had been prepared in earthen ovens. Closing entertainment included singing by our Maori bus driver.
On the way back to the Cleveland Motel our driver insisted each ethnic group on the bus sing a song. After a variety of presentations, our turn came. The four of us sang “Good Night, Ladies, Good Night Gentlemen....”
We slept well at the Cleveland Motel.
DAY NINE, SUNDAY, JULY 29
AUCKLAND AND BAY OF ISLANDS
Destination miles 323
We made an early morning drive to Auckland (Map p.344 of
Fodor's.) Auckland has 29% of the New Zealand population and is the nations biggest city with 1.1 million. The South Island has barely more people than Auckland. Auckland has the largest concentration of Polynesians in the world.
Our primary objective was Mt. Eden (Maungawhau) the highest volcanic cone in the area. Here we could see the entire Auckland area -- all the bays and both sides of the isthmus facing both the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean--and look down into the volcano's crater (See pp. 141, 149 and 152 of Lonely Planet; see also p. 61 of New Zealand Handbook.)
From here we drove up to Paihia in the Northlands. Northlands, population 141,900, is a region that has a greater proportion of Maori in its population than almost anywhere else in New Zealand.
Paihia in the Northlands. Northlands, population 141,900, is a region that has a greater proportion of Maori in its population than almost anywhere else in New Zealand.
We first checked out the Information Center in the Maritime Building by the Paihia wharf on Marden Road.
After settling in our room at the Motel Bali Hai we took pictures of the Bay of Islands from the balcony.
We went to the waterfront of the Bay of Islands and had an excellent evening buffet (birthday gift to Fred from the McLeans) at the Quality Inn. It was raining very hard, but our spirits were not dampened, at least not for those who won playing 500 in the motel.
DAY TEN, MONDAY, JULY 30TH
NORTHLAND AND KAURI FOREST
Destination miles 202
When we awoke the next morning, the rain had stopped and the weather was simply beautiful.
Our first stop was a park-like area on the north edge of town. Here at Waitangi (on right) was the site of NZ’s first permanent English settlement. It was here that the Treaty of Waitangi was drawn up and first signed by 56 Maori chiefs in 1840.
This treaty is still important in race relation-ships today. (p. 219
Lonely Planet).
We did not go into the Maori Meeting House, but we did observe the gardens and War Canoe building (right).
Heading westward we stopped at the Haruru Falls.
The falls were more vigorous than usual because of the downpour during the night. The muddy brown water indicated that farm soil had been heavily eroded by the recent hard rains.
We continued westward across New Zealand to the Omapere where we saw a beautiful outlet to the Tasman Sea (above).
A short distance on we came across a lookout sign. It was fortunate that we turned off here be-cause the picturesque view was outstanding.
Continuing our loop around the Northlands we headed into the Waipoua Forest. We watched carefully for a pull-off where we could observe the Kauri tree, “the gods of the forest.” At last we found a path in the tropical rain forest that led to the largest Kauri tree in New Zealand. The tree was humungous, and yet we were told that the root system supporting this huge tree was shallow and quite fragile.
Lunchtime found us in the town of Dargaville where we ate at a small mom-and-pop cafe. Annette ordered a meat pie and the rest of us tried burgers.
By late afternoon we had returned to Auckland and sought out the international airport. We returned our orange station wagon to Thrifty. By checking our mileage we discovered that we had driven 2,000 miles with our two Holden station wagons. A Thrifty agent (from Sir Lanka) took us to the terminal.
The Air Pacific 737 departed New Zealand at 7:40 p.m. for a three hour flight to Fiji.
Our flight arrived in Nadi at 10:45 p.m. After picking up our luggage, we were greeted at the exit by a group of native Fijians singing traditional music, and a Brendan Tour representative who gave each of us a lovely shell necklace.
This Fijian representative for Brendan arranged for a Rosie Tour scheduled for the morning. She also summoned the Tanoa van to transfer us to the Tanoa Hotel for the night.
The Tanoa Hotel was very classy and beautifully landscaped. Our luggage was taken to our airconditioned rooms. It seemed strange after New Zealand’s winter temperatures to not want heaters instead.
DAY ELEVEN, TUESDAY, JULY 31
DAY VISIT OF FIJI
First thing in the morning Fred opened the patio curtains in our room to video tape the lovely scenery outside the room. A majestic coconut tree offered shade, and in the shadow was a little bird . We had a buffet breakfast at the hotel’s lovely semi outdoor restaurant. We sat near a large wooden Fijian sculpture that graced the entrance.
The Rosie Travel Company sent a van to pick us up at the hotel lobby for our morning excursion of the Nadi area of Fiji. Our capable guide was a Fijian who was very friendly and accommodating. He stopped along sugar fields for those of us who wanted pictures of workers loading stalks of sugar cane onto platform cars.
Our first major site to visit was an exotic garden called Garden of the Sleeping Giant, founded in 1985 by the late Raymond Burr (of TV fame)
The garden is enclosed in a natural bush setting with acres of exotic orchids, native trees, and beautiful ponds.
At the conclusion of the garden tour, our guide served us cool, refreshing fruit drinks.
En route to our next site the Rosie guide stopped again for us to observe field workers harvesting sugar cane. Nearby, oxen were employed to pull a cart. A small gauge train chugged along toward us, acknowledging our presence with a blowing whistle.
We were taken to a native community called Viseisei Village. it was situated on the sea shore known as the landing site. The village here had been converted to Methodism. Consequently there is a Methodist Bible School here. Our Fiji guide, who was a Methodist, said that when the first Methodists landed here they were chased away. The second time they came they successfully converted the natives to Christianity. Our volunteer guide took us into a gift shop to display wares. We broke down and purchased, a small soapstone duck, a necklace, a Fijian design on parchment, and a war club. Because we were all teachers, the guide consented to take us to the village pre-school.
The friendly and obliging teacher had the children sing for us. They were exuberant and animated in their performance and we responded with hearty applaud.
The Church, called John Wesley Methodist, was prominently located in the center of the village. We were privileged to walk around the interior. Our guide explained the seating arrangement of parishioners. She noted that although the choir and congregation sang, they had no musical instrument present in the building. Across the commons from the church was a large thatched house where the chief of the village lived. We overstayed our visit with the interesting guide. The sound of a bus horn prompted us to move on. Still, we took time to get the address of our Fijian guide for future correspondence.
Our last tour stop was the residence of Rosie. Yes, there is a Rosie and she lives on this high point overlooking Nadi Bay. Her estate is maintained like a park. After walking around on the property and enjoying the spectacular view, we were served fruit drinks and slices of delicious fresh fruit under a gazebo.
Our driver dropped us off back at the hotel where we had a day room reserved for our use. We took naps and then the four of us gathered pool side to play 500 for much of the late afternoon. Some of us younger people cooled off with a Mai Tai. We took showers in our day room to freshen up.
For both lunch and dinner we ate at the hotel. The latter provided our last chance for fish and chips (though the waitress graciously let us substitute the chips with salads).
After supper, the hotel bellhop came to our room for the luggage and placed them in the hotel van. We were provided transfer from our hotel to the airport. Time permitted us to again play cards at the terminal.
Our flight left at 10 p.m. for Los Angeles. We crossed the International Date Line. Repeated Tuesday, July 31st all over again. After arrived in LA 1:20 p.m., we went through customs, and then walked to the domestic terminal for the Northwest gate.
Upon arrival in Minneapolis, July 31st, at 9:33 p.m., we boarded a shuttle bus to our Bloomington Days Inn for the evening lodging. All four of us commented that the long flights, both coming and going, were not as trying as expected.
We drove to New Ulm the next morning. After a stop for our mail at the post office and an early lunch at the Heidelberg, we went home to unload the luggage from the van.
Our trip had been a wonderful experience of innumerable opportunities and blessings which dwarfed any discomforts along the way.
