Olympic National Park - Day 5: Rialto Beach, Hoh Rainforest

I was excited to see the Hoh Rainforest today.  I've seen so many beautiful pictures of the rainforest before, and was really looking forward to experiencing it in person.

Instead of heading straight to the rainforest in the morning, we decided to make a quick stop at Rialto Beach first.  It was only 10 minutes away from our Airbnb, and it made sense to see this beach while we still could -- the access road was closing at 5pm.  We didn't want to rush to make it back in time after the rainforest, so the timing worked out well this way.  It was actually perfect because low tide was at 10:13am, and we got there around 9:30am.

I was so surprised with not only the amount of driftwood, but the size of it.  What huge logs.  It was pretty amazing how much was there.  And, the beach was almost empty!  There were maybe only 10 people spread out across most of it.  We walked to the south, towards a group of seastacks that looked pretty.  Took our time climbing over rocks and getting there.

Olympic National Park - Day 4: Ozette Triangle

We had an early start today -- got to the Ozette ranger station's parking lot around 7:50am.  It was almost an entirely full parking lot!  Was surprised about that.  And lots of gnats.  Low tide was around 9:45am, so we gave ourselves plenty of time to reach the beach.

We headed north first, towards Cape Alava.  Majority of the trail was a boardwalk, either made of wood or a slippery metal.  There were a lot of clear, exposed areas, and we could see the sun starting to peak out through the clouds.  We didn't pass many people...must've only been like four people on this 3.1 mile stretch.

Sand Point or Cape Alava?

Olympic National Park - Day 3: Lake Crescent, Clallam Bay, Lake Ozette

Another beautiful sunny day!  After eating breakfast and packing up, we decided to get out on the water and kayak at Lake Crescent.  We would be heading west anyways.

Instead of going to the South end of the lake like yesterday, this time we went to the North, renting a kayak from Log Cabin Resort.  It was definitely a more windy, narrower road to get here compared to Lake Crescent Lodge.  I actually preferred the environment at Log Cabin more.  There were more grassy areas to sit on, and there was a more relaxed feel to it.  It was smaller, and seemed more intimate.

Lots of grass to lay on at Log Cabin Resort

Olympic National Park - Day 2: Mount Storm King, Marymere Falls, Lake Crescent

The first full day at ONP, and it was a beautiful, sunny one.  Started the day off leisurely with breakfast outside at the Airbnb, and got to the Storm King ranger station around 9:45am.  The parking lot was a quarter full.

I had read wta reports that Mount Storm King was difficult at the last stretch -- that it is steep, and there are loose rocks and a rope to help out.  Despite reading this, the views looked too good to pass up, so I figured I would deal with it when I got there.

Trailhead is along the Marymere Falls trail..Ominous looking!

Olympic National Park - Day 1: Seattle to Port Angeles, Hurricane Ridge

Was really excited for the trip to begin!  We decided to leave on Thursday afternoon to avoid busy holiday traffic.  Made it in line for the 3:15pm ferry, and saw that had we been even five minutes later, we might not have made the cut off for the queues!  So, was glad we secured a spot.

It was a quick 30 minutes to cross -- barely had time to snack on tater tots before we had to head back to the car.  From Kingston, it took a little extra time to get out of the ferry terminal area.  Slow moving traffic through the city, probably until we got on 104 towards Port Gamble.

We were staying in Port Angeles for the night (and next), and it was around 5:30pm when we got to the city.  It was a beautiful, sunny, cloudless late afternoon, so it made sense for us to check out Hurricane Ridge while we had time before the crowds came the next day.

What a great decision!  While it was a windy drive that took some time, we felt safe and not rushed the whole time.  We encountered only one other car going up, and maybe six coming down.  Got to the closed visitor center a little before 6pm, and here were a handful of other cars there enjoying the views as well.

It was so beautiful.  Expansive stretch of snow-capped mountains.  So pristine and wonderful.  I had only been here one other time years ago in the summer, so it was great to come back with a different kind of view.  There was still too much snow for any hikes; the road was closed off right after the visitor center.  It would be great to come again in the summer and hike.

New Zealand 2017 Day 12: Akaroa

For my last day in New Zealand, I took a day drip to Akaroa, for my dolphin swimming excursion!

Checked out around 8:15am, and turns out I could just stay in my room after all - what a treat!

It was a 90 minute drive to Daly's Wharf.  While the route was straightforward, Highway 75 was the most windy road I had been on.  Even though the roads to Glenorchy and Wanaka were windy, they did not last as long as this, and this road was constantly going uphill and downhill.  As I got closer to Akaroa, the views of the valley were incredible, even though it wasn't a particularly sunny day.

Checked in with ecoSEAker around 10:15am, and got briefed on how to put on a wetsuit. These wetsuits and water shoes were great quality! So much better than the ones in Waitomo. They were nice and thick and looked almost brand new.

Small, intimate 12-person boat

The group had 12 people, the max amount. In the group were a few folks from Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, UK, and Canada -- diverse crowd.

I was really worried about seasickness kicking in..so I took both Bonine, ginger pills, and wore my acupressure bands.  I was pleased, nothing ended up hitting me!  I'm not sure which did it..maybe the combo of it all.

New Zealand 2017 Day 11: Christchurch

Omg. I can't believe I let this happen...I'm so organized and had created a workbook with different spreadsheets for a calendar, budget planning, detailed daily itineraries. And yet when I attempted to check in to my flight this morning (24 hrs before 6:15am flight), I was completely surprised when I did a quadruple take of the flight date.  It was actually Tuesday at 6:15am. Not Monday. I was so embarrassed.  And immediately felt regret for not seeing that long ago, in which case I could have spent another day in Mt Cook or Wanaka.  But of course I should not be complaining...this is really a bonus day and means I can explore more!

The stressful morning then began. Quickly called Omega Car Rental to extend the reservation for one day.  Doesn't look like there were any additional fees for booking last minute.  Then, I checked with the YMCA reception and, crossing my fingers that they would have availability for one more night. They weren't able to offer me my upgraded room for my discounted rate (didn't expect they would), but I was able to book the room that I originally intended to get.  Yes I will have to check out and then switch rooms, but it's only a few minutes to repack and go to reception.  Phew.

After all was sorted out logistically, everything should have been taken care of.  But yet the entire morning I couldn't shake the feeling of me forgetting or messing something up again. I was weirdly queasy because of it.  So strange.

New Zealand 2017 Day 10: Mount Cook to Christchurch

I woke up to the most gorgeous morning.  Clear sunny skies. Too bad it wasn't like that yesterday!  But nonetheless, it was beautiful to see.  It made it extremely difficult to leave.  I was so reluctant to drive away from such an amazing place that I felt like I still needed to explore! If only I had more time...

Goodbye beautiful Mt Cook.  Incredible view from hotel lobby.

New Zealand 2017 Day 9: Mount Cook

I completed such a challenging, both mentally and physically, hike today -- Mueller Hut.

But first...I had a lazy morning and headed to the visitor center to get information on the weather. The guides reassured me that it may not pour rain, and that I can always turn back at Sealy Tarns instead of continuing all the way to Mueller Hut.

I was excited and full of adrenaline, this was supposed to be an extremely rewarding hike.  It was 10:45am when I started from the White Horse Hill carpark.  Except it turns out that I didn't pay attention and do enough research, and I went on the Hooker Valley walk instead!  I knew that Mueller Hut's track had the same starting point as some tracks, and I just assumed it was Hooker Valley.  So there I was, walking along and thoroughly enjoy the views...but noticed that there were so many families on this walk, and there were no stairs or elevation gain.  I had walked for about 45 minutes. I remember one sign that had arrows pointing to a viewpoint of Mueller Lake, and I thought that was confirmation it was the correct way.  But...I asked someone who then told me they were walking the Hooker Valley track.  So back I went.  And in my trek back, I passed my roommates who had just checked out for the day.  They confirmed Mueller Hut started on the other side of the car park, and reassured me that I would be fine with the time.

Beautiful Hooker Valley trail and bridge in background

New Zealand 2017 Day 8: Queenstown to Mount Cook

I had a lazy start to my morning.  Didn't leave Queenstown until around 10:30am, with the final destination being Mount Cook.

I drove to Wanaka for my first stop.  The first stretch to Wanaka was up an extremely windy hill.  But there were incredible lookouts up the whole way. Arrow Junction Lookout, Crown Range Summit.

Arrow Junction Lookout

New Zealand 2017 Day 7: Queenstown and Glenorchy

I surprisingly slept well on the cruise. I think I was just extremely tired from the early morning, so I fell right asleep by 10pm.

Breakfast was served starting at 7am (early!) and we cruised a bit more. We headed toward the Tasman Sea.  The water started getting a bit more choppy and I started to feel a little queasy at this point.

It was a pretty quick morning...passed a large waterfall and next thing I knew we had to pack up and get ready to leave.  We got back to the visitor center right at 9:15am.

As per instruction, I called Glenorchy Air to confirm my flight.  It was a gorgeous sunny day, so I didn't see why the flight wouldn't happen.  I was told to be at the airport by 10:45am, and that the only female pilot would be taking me.  How awesome!  There was a shuttle bus station right outside the visitor center, so that saved me a 15 minute walk with my large backpack.

At the airport, I waited until after 11:10am or so.  Turns out the female pilot swapped me out for some other folks...so my pilot was coming on the shuttle shortly.  

Planes at the Miford Sound Airport

New Zealand 2017 Day 6: Queenstown to Milford Sound

I had a very early morning.  Got to the bus stop at 6:45am for the 7:05am AwesomeNZ coach to Milford Sound.  It was a nice, new, comfortable bus.  The driver Paulie told us interesting information throughout the entire ride -- he was really great.  It was more of a tour than a bus ride.

Quick 45 minute stop at Te Anau

The drive is one that I will never forget.  It was full of the most beautiful sights. My jaw dropped so many times. 

New Zealand 2017 Day 5: Queenstown

Time for the South Island!  I had a morning flight from Rotorua to Queenstown. I was surprised how simple it was to return the rental car.  Just parked it and dropped off the keys.  The airport was so small and there weren't any security checks, so I had a lot of extra time before the flight.  There was a lot of fog, so the plane was a little late.

I had a minor panic attack when my backpack didn't fit in the overhead bin..but luckily I was able to shove it under the seat instead.

It was only a 30 minute flight to Auckland, where I would then take another flight to Queenstown.  I started getting a bit motion sick towards the end of the flight.

New Zealand 2017 Day 4: Rotorua

An actual full night of rest!  I started the day early, getting to the Skyline Gondola a little before 9am.  It was definitely a good idea to start before the crowds got there.  Zero lines!

I purchased the gondola and three luge package.  The ride up was nice, I had my own carriage :) and the weather was so beautiful and sunny.  Water views are always so amazing. The ride up reminded me of the gondola ride up Lantau island in Hong Kong. 

Riding up the Skyline Gondola with the beautiful views of Rotorua

Riding the ski lift for more luging!  One of the luge tracks on the right.

At the top, I was a little uncertain of how to get started with luging. There weren't many people there so I didn't have people to follow.  But, figured out that I didn't need a locker, so I got started!  First ride: scenic route. I had attempted to attach my GoPro to the front of the luge, but it was loose and I had to keep hold of it during the ride, so that took away some of my focus.  The second ride down the scenic route I just didn't bother with the GoPro.  Much more fun! I definitely went much faster.  For the third ride, I chose the intermediate route.  There were crowds and long lines at this point, so I was glad it was just the one time I had to wait.

New Zealand 2017 Day 3: Matamata (Hobbiton), Rotorua

I was so excited for this day! Hobbiton!  Unfortunately, my health was not agreeing with me. I woke up not feeling well. The entire right side of my jaw and neck were in pain and my neck was swollen from my sore throat.  This freaked me out for a while so I ended up running a bit late. I needed to be at Hobbiton by 8:15am. I was only five minutes late...but I at least got my GoPro set up on my windshield!

It was an easy 30 minute drive to Hobbiton.  A beautiful sunny day, and the drive was beautiful as well.  Not many cars on the country roads.  There was neverending grass, fields, and happy sheep.  The entire landscape looked like the Shire.

Happy sheep at the beautiful Anderson farm on the way to Hobbiton

New Zealand 2017 Day 2: Auckland to Waitomo Caves

The morning in Auckland started out drizzly and dreary. I left the Airbnb around 8:30am and walked 15 minutes to the Budget car rental.

The car rental process was smooth, but I felt so rushed. I couldn't properly read all the receipt details, and felt the associate just kept pushing me along telling me to sign and press next. I got pressured into getting additional insurance, to drop my deductible down to $300NZD instead of $3000. I guess peace of mind was nice.

I got into the car, and was immediately nervous. The city road was right in front of me. Traffic lights, cars, stores. Luckily I was not the first person at a light, so I was able to just follow people ahead of me. It was a nerve-wracking experience when I first got onto the freeway. I kept hitting the windshield wiper whenever I wanted to signal.

New Zealand 2017 Day 1: Auckland

What a long journey it has been!  Started off with the flight to LAX in which my seat reclining was broken. But, I got 2000 miles for it, so that's a plus. And free chocolate.

Once i was in LAX, I was pretty confused about my boarding situation.  Alaska Air was not able to print my boarding passes for Fiji Air, so i was at LAX with 2 hrs left until my international flight to Nadi, Fiji, not knowing which gate to go to and not having a boarding pass.  An airport employee finally told me where to go, but once at the gate, no one was there to help with my boarding passes.  It was not until after 9pm for the 10:30pm flight that someone came.

The 11 hr flight wasn't actually that bad.  I was sick and tired so I was able to fall asleep pretty easily.  Many other people on the plane were sick and coughing...and not covering their mouths!  I bought a mask but it was really uncomfortable to wear and it smelled really strongly...so unfortunately I did not protect myself like I should have.

Retail shops on Queen Street

After landing in Auckland, I found the Skybus stop easily.  For $18NZD, the bus took me directly within one to two blocks of the Airbnb, which was right off of Queen Street and the central Aotea Square.

After checking in and freshening up, I did not have specific plans for the the rest of the day.  It was probably around 3pm when I ventured out to walk around the city.

Lunch time!

I walked to the waterfront area and sat for some time just taking everything in.  There was a ferry terminal and I people-watched for a while.  My schedule was all off, and I had not really eaten a proper lunch, so I had a late lunch / early dinner at Food Alley, which was an indoor cafeteria of Asian restaurants.