Australia & New Zealand: “Blogging” our way through a trip Down Under

by Jennifer Petoff, San Francisco, CA

My husband, Scott, and I recently moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco to pursue a new job opportunity. In the process of relocating, we were able to carve out time for a month-long trip to Australia and New Zealand in March ’07. The trip represented the perfect opportunity to put my blogging skills to the test.

A blog, or web log, is a terrific way to keep in touch with family and friends during an extended trip. In contrast to a postcard that can take days or weeks to arrive, a blog post can be transmitted instantaneously over the Internet. As an added bonus, by taking time to reflect and write about experiences as they are happening, the end result is a very detailed memoir of the journey to reflect on and enjoy long after returning home.

In this article, I’ll recap our journey while describing the logistics of setting up a blog. Excerpts from my blog will be quoted throughout the article.

Getting started

Setting up a blog is quick and easy. Numerous free services are available. Some options include Blogger (www.blogger.com), Bravenet (www.bravenet.com), and selectaBlog (www.selectablog.com). A quick Google search will unearth additional choices.

I chose Blogger because it was easy to use and full featured and it integrated easily with my existing Google e-mail account.

Adding pictures to blog entries provides an extra degree of richness and helps readers better relate to the experiences you are describing.

It is advisable to take digital snapshots at high resolution — especially if you like to print out your pictures — but for your blog entries it is best to copy the files to your laptop, reduce the resolution using photo-editing software and upload the smaller files. I uploaded my pictures at 640x480 resolution. Taking the time to create a smaller photo file not only speeds the upload process but can save money.

In New Zealand, in particular, we found that some services charge for Internet access based on bandwidth. For example, to upload 5MB it cost a fixed amount, with a set charge for each additional MB.

I was able to log-in and upload posts and pictures from the road by accessing the Internet at an Internet café, airport kiosk or on my own laptop computer at our hotels. In doing so, I was able to provide up-to-the-minute coverage of our adventures to folks back home.

Using Blogger, I also was able to restrict access to the blog to selected friends and family members rather than opening it up to the world immediately. Friends and family often posted comments to the blog which I received by e-mail. This made me feel as if they were right there beside us rather than halfway around the world.

After we returned from our trip and I was able to read, reflect, add some hyperlinks and clean up the posts, I decided to publish the blog openly online, allowing ITN readers and others on the Internet to read it, offer comments and perhaps find inspiration for their own Australian/Kiwi adventure. (For access, visit http://petoffdownunder.blogspot.com.)

The journey begins in Sydney

Sydney was the first stop on our adventure Down Under. We chose to fly to Sydney first because of the reasonably priced fares available from United Airlines (www.united.com).

United offers an Economy Plus Access program. For $299 a year, members get unlimited upgrades for two people to Economy Plus seats. On a 12- to 14-hour flight, the five extra inches of legroom make a world of difference in our comfort level. I highly recommend buying into the program if you do not have preferred status with the airline.

Wildlife was a highlight of our week in Sydney.

We made our way into the Sydney Botanical Gardens located next to Circular Quay. As we approached a grove of trees near the center of the park, Scott and I marveled at the birds. But, wait, they looked a little furry… and were hanging upside down. Upon further inspection, we realized that they were bats! Hundreds of fruit bats call the park home. Good thing for us that it was still light outside and the bats were napping. What a cool sight!

We also toured the Featherdale Wildlife Park (www.featherdale.com.au — entrance, AU$19.50, or US$16.50) and were able to get up close to kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, koalas and the deadly funnel-web spider. The Sydney Aquarium (www.sydneyaquarium.com.au — AU$27.50, or US$23) was another highlight:

We especially enjoyed watching the duck-billed platypuses frolic in the water. I always imagined that platypuses were large, like seals. I was surprised by how small they were — about two feet long and, oh, so cute.

A ride on the wild side

The remaining three weeks of our trip were spent driving around the North and South Islands of New Zealand. To begin, we flew from Sydney to Christchurch.

We were pleased when the weather perked up a bit today — just in time for us to pick up our rental car. We were looking forward to this day with mixed emotions. We were excited to be hitting the road to explore the countryside but scared to death about trying to drive on the left. I got behind the wheel first and, let me tell you, it’s not easy to switch sides when you’ve been driving on the right for almost two decades!

Over the course of 10 days, our driving skills improved considerably as we made a circuit of New Zealand’s South Island. We first took in Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula.

The Otago Peninsula juts out from Dunedin for about 35 miles. It’s known for spectacular views and rare wildlife. The ride itself was a tad harrowing. New Zealanders are known as risk-takers, and this was abundantly clear from the roads we were driving on.

We took the "low road" along the coast on the drive out and the "high road" along the cliff face on the way back. The roads were incredibly narrow and featured sections with one to two feet of "shoulder" before a plunge into the water or over a really, really steep cliff. It was well worth it, though, for we managed to sight all the major species that we set out to encounter.

We saw frolicking fur seals on an off-road adventure with Natures Wonders Naturally (www.natureswondersnaturally.com — NZ$40, or US$30.50), getting up close without disturbing the animals by hiding in a special viewing bunker.

After watching the seals play, we moved on to the beach, where we saw a few yellow-eyed penguins from another specially constructed viewing area. These are the rarest of all penguins and they are extremely scared of people.

On the way back to town, we stopped off at the Royal Albatross Centre (www.albatross.org.nz — NZ$30, or US$23), and our timing was perfect. We saw hatchlings in their nests and watched an adult albatross soar. We even saw one of the parents feed its young.

We stayed at a boutique hotel called The Brothers (www.brothershotel.co.nz), overlooking Otago Harbour. I highly recommend this hotel. Rod, the owner, was a gracious host, our room (NZ$152, or US$115) was spacious and clean, the views were phenomenal and the hotel offered free Internet access, a rarity during our trip.

Next we visited Te Anau and Milford Sound.

Today we booked a tour on the "BBQ Bus" (www.milford.net.nz — NZ$145, or US$110.50) to Milford Sound, one of New Zealand’s most famous vistas.

We drove from Te Anau to Milford Sound via the Homer Tunnel — a 50-year-old tunnel blasted into the granite allowing road access to the area. After a BBQ lunch and "bush walk" (basically a walk through the forest) and some stops at various awe-inspiring vistas, we took a cruise on Milford Sound (really a fjord rather than a sound).

We spent the next hour gawking at the breathtaking waterfalls and green, snowcapped mountains. We were also lucky enough to spot a pod of dolphins swimming near the boat. The wind was incredibly powerful, but that didn’t stop us from taking in the views from the exposed upper deck of the boat.

Ready for adventure

The next stop on our journey was Queenstown, New Zealand’s extreme-adventure capital.

Queenstown, New Zealand, is home to the world’s first commercial bungy jumping operation. Scott has been working on me for the last few months trying to convince me that I’d have enough courage to bungy on this trip. I thought long and hard about it. We even went so far as to drive out to the jump site to check it out. I don’t know if it’s the thought of hurling myself off a bridge or swinging upside down by my feet above a canyon, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

We didn’t totally wimp out, however, opting to go jet boating instead. I was a little nervous about jet boating because you travel at excessive speeds down the inside of a canyon on as little as four inches of water. In deeper water, they can do a 360-degree turn within the radius of the boat. These specially designed boats are really meant to get the adrenaline flowing.

We signed up for a combination jet boat/funyak tour of the Dart River (www.dartriver.co.nz). The Dart River Safaris tour (NZ$255, or US$195) started with a one-hour jet boat ride up the river, then we inflated our "funyaks" (part canoe, part kayak) and paddled back down the rushing river. The scenery, featured prominently in the "Lord of the Rings" movies, was spectacular.

We continued on to Franz Josef, famous for its glacier.

Today we did a half-day guided hike (NZ$90, or US$69), booked with Franz Josef Glacier Guides (www.franzjosefglacier.com), on the Franz Josef Glacier. After a short bus ride, we were led through temperate rainforest terrain and over a rocky, dried riverbed to the face of the glacier.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was sunny and about 65°F for our glacier hike. We spent about two hours climbing up the glacier and back down again. We’ve never done anything like this before and it was an amazing experience.

The North Island

The first 10 days of our driving adventure simply flew by. Before we knew it, we had returned to Christchurch via scenic Arthur’s Pass and were boarding a flight to Wellington, New Zealand’s capital. We spent the next 10 days exploring the North Island.

Wellington is a charming city and the most populated we’ve seen in about two weeks. We spent the afternoon today riding the Wellington Cable Car to the botanical gardens. We spent a relaxing afternoon walking around the city and window-shopping.

Maori culture is rich and multifaceted; Europeans went to great lengths to emigrate to New Zealand in the 18th and 19th centuries, and sheep farming is a complex and fascinating undertaking: the Te Papa museum (www.tepapa.govt.nz — free admission) taught us all of the above in attention-grabbing, interactive exhibits. The museum lived up to its hype as a top attraction in New Zealand.

We made our way from Wellington to Napier, taking a brief detour though Martinborough. Martinborough is a boutique wine region on New Zealand’s North Island.

We explored by bicycle with Bike About Tours (www.bikeabouttours.co.nz — NZ$42, or US$32), enjoying a few of the Hawkes Bay vineyards and tasting some local beers and ciders.

I think our favorite stop, though, was the Silky Oak Chocolate Company (www.silkyoakchocs.co.nz). There’s nothing better than chocolate after a long bike ride!

From Napier we drove to Rotorua, touring some of the most active geothermal areas in New Zealand in the process. Our first stop was Lake Taupo, the largest lake in New Zealand. The water actually covers a dormant volcano that blew sky-high 1,800 years ago, changing the face of the countryside.

We hiked at the Craters of the Moon geothermal area as well as at Wai-O-Tapu (www.geyserland.co.nz — entry, NZ$25, or US$19). It was amazing, the earth steaming all over the place, with a nice healthy sulfur aroma to go along with it.

On the road from Wai-O-Tapu to Rotorua, we chanced upon a sign that said "Mud Pool." We decided to stop and check it out, and I’m so glad we did. I don’t know why, but I could have stood there all day watching and listening to the "gloop, gloop, gloop" of the boiling mud. It was quite mesmerizing.

The rains continued in Rotorua. However, we enjoyed a traditional Maori hangi feast and performance at the Tamaki Maori Village (www.maoriculture.co.nz — NZ$60, or US$46) despite the bad weather. The hangi meal is prepared by burying the food in a pit with hot rocks and water. The meats, veggies and even dessert prepared in this manner were delicious.

Yesterday, our last day in Rotorua, was gray and rainy — another washout. We were luckier than those farther north, though. There were reports of torrential rains and serious flooding north of Auckland. For us, the wetness just put a damper on any outdoor fun.

Scott and I were able to explore the Hell’s Gate Geothermal Park & Spa (www.hellsgate.co.nz), although we were soaked after the 1.5-km hike through the park.

Scott isn’t a big fan of spas, but I was interested in steeping in the hot mud and sulfur baths and trying a Maori massage. It was a unique and relaxing experience, but, as you might imagine, the pools were pretty odorous and the smell does linger. My raincoat, bathing suit and some of my clothes still reek of the spa in Rotorua.

Waitomo Caves

We departed early the next morning for the Waitomo Caves. We had booked the Black Labyrinth caving expedition (www.waitomo.com — NZ$90, or US$69). It was a great way to see New Zealand’s famous glowworms and explore some of the awesome underground structures.

After climbing over uneven rocks in waist-deep water and "jumping" over a small underground waterfall (you basically stand backwards with the inner tube over your backside and leap into the water), I was rewarded with a spectacular glowworm show. It was like watching the stars in the night sky.

After floating peacefully downriver a bit more and then slogging over some more rocks, we emerged into the forest and were whisked back to base for soup and a bagel.

After our inner-tubing adventure, we stopped on a whim at the Kiwi House in Otorohanga (www.kiwihouse.org.nz — entrance fee, NZ$15). We had yet to see New Zealand’s mascot, the endangered kiwi. Not only did we get to see the kiwi, in a special nocturnal viewing room, but we arrived right before the afternoon kiwi feeding.

On to Auckland

In a stroke of luck, we arrived in Auckland just in time for the city’s Food & Wine Festival (www.aucklandwineandfoodfestival.com — admission, NZ$20, or US$15). We decided to stroll down to the harborfront today to check it out and enjoyed sampling various foods (mostly cured meats and cheeses).

We spent our remaining two days exploring Auckland by boat and on foot. Auckland boasts the largest marina south of the equator, with gorgeous sailboats as far as the eye can see. After enjoying a final dinner and toast from atop the Sky Tower, we boarded a flight from Auckland to Sydney for the transpacific flight home.

Not only did we have a great vacation with amazing memories to cherish, we also had a detailed travelogue to reflect on.

I found my foray into the blogosphere very rewarding, and I’ll definitely be blogging again on future vacations. Who knows where I’ll be "reporting" from next?

Editor’s note: Portions of Jennifer’s blog entries have been edited for publication.