Our 2005 New Zealand-Australia trip was an Elderhostel Tour lasting 23 days. It was something of a pilgrimage. Near the end of her life, Pat's mother, Lois Winter, was asked by her daughter, Nancy, where she wished she had been able to visit in their extensive travels. She responded, "Australia, I would have liked to have seen the Sydney Opera House. We saw New Zealand, but no Australia." Nancy said, "We will go for you." This was that trip and while in the neighborhood we visited New Zealand. Pat, Nancy and her husband Doug and I went with Elderhostel. Following a 13 hour plane ride we arrived in Auckland on the North Island. Most of the population live on the volcanic North Island. Auckland harbor, Tasman Sea and Rotorua’s Maori Center and hot geyser parks were high points. Next we flew to Queenstown, on the glacial South Island. A bus trip to Te Anau and boat trip to Milford Sound were spectacular.
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