Don and Lynn Thomas
Don and Lynn had
been planning to take a dream vacation to
Australia
for many years. In fact one was booked about five years prior, however,
unexpected changes in Don's career path and other concerns caused the two to
forfeit a deposit and put those plans on hold. From time to time, Lynn
would discuss trips to
Australia
that her friends or colleagues may have taken. In those instances where
travelers also visited
New Zealand,
they unanimously agreed that they wished that they had spent more time in
New Zealand.
By the end of
February 2005, Lynn had completed a Herculean task at the
Children's Home Society of
Florida where she works. The Thomas couple decided it was an ideal
time to finally take the trip that the two had wanted to take for so long.
After weighing various options, it was decided that they would take a 14-day
coach tour of
New Zealand
booked through
Brendan Worldwide
Vacations. For information regarding the tour that Don and Lynn
experienced, visit this link:
http://www.icwhen.com/ncc14/topics/apt.
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On the first day to
New Zealand, Don and
Lynn found that the
SkyCity Hotel
would not have a room available for a few hours. After
checking the bags with the concierge they embarked on a brief
walking tour of
Auckland.
This
Auckland area
mural commemorates 100 years since the signing of the
Electoral Bill on September 19, 1893 by then Governor Glasgow
making
New Zealand the first
self-governing nation in the world where women had won the right to
vote.
Lynn is seemingly welcomed by the painted faces behind her to pose
in this photograph. |
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By evening, Don and Lynn found a welcoming restaurant named
The Loaded Hog. In this photograph, Lynn offers a toast
for her dinner to eventually arrive. I had almost finished my
meal before deciding to chase someone down in the kitchen for her
meal. In the end, the meal was good and the waitress bought a
drink for Lynn as an apology.
The Loaded Hog is a growing chain of restaurants in larger
New Zealand cities.
This one is located across from a pier at The America’s Cup Village.
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At the top of Mt. Eden, an extinct volcano just outside of
Auckland,
another couple offers to take Don and Lynn's photo.
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Don also finds some
great views of the
New Zealand landscape
and Lynn finds another opportunity to use him as an unwitting
subject in some of her photographs.
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At Te Puia,
in
Rotorua, our guide
explains how the
Maori people harnessed the area's volcanic energy for cooking.
Lynn stands off to his right listening intently.
We were very impressed with our guide. He was very thorough
and shared a pleasant sense of humor. We knew him only as
"Sir" because his
Maori name
was long and difficult for us to remember.
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Lynn peers out from inside an authentic
Maori hut erected
at Te Puia, in
Rotorua.
Lynn walks back to
the coach along side other fellow travelers. We stopped in
Taupo for
a short while where the town was preparing for
IronMan competitions to commence within a few days.
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Lynn enjoys the
New Zealand air and
sunshine off Red
Boat Cruises boat at
Milford Sound.
Don stops gawking
at the wonderment of
Milford Sound long enough for a photograph taken by his wife,
Lynn.
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Taking one last
look before boarding a smaller coach, Lynn enjoys the
well-manicured grounds of
Larnach Castle.
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On the rooftop of
Larnach Castle
near
Dunedin,
Lynn poses for quick photo. A narrow stone spiral staircase
leads to the "battlements" where she stands.
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Near the trip's end, Lynn stands in the foreground of the snow
covered
Mt. Cook.
Don and Lynn returned to their
Orlando area
home on Monday, March 14, 2005. |
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