Update: just returned from South Pacific

[Earl E Retyre]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to give a quick update. I [semi]retired in January. We just got back from our first 10 week trip to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Needless to say, it was all beautiful!

[MooreBonds]

Ah yes...was lucky enough to spend a month there in Dec 2007/Jan 2008 with my gf at the time (trip was originally her idea). Traveled all over North and South Island. Was utterly amazed at how beautiful the entire country of NZ is! Can't wait to go back at some point in the not too distant future for an extended vacation. Also spent a day layover in Fiji, and that was also fun...but nothing compares to NZ.

Did you have some favorite spots in NZ?

[bob boag]

You saxy lieutellant

[xyz]

Sounds like a great trip ! How about some pictures !

[obgyn65]

where are the pictures? :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl E Retyre Hi everyone. I just wanted to give a quick update. I [semi]retired in January. We just got back from our first 10 week trip to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Needless to say, it was all beautiful!

[Earl E Retyre]

I liked all of it. Some highlights included Queenstown, Abel Tasman, Mount Maunganui, Bay of Islands, and Milford Sound.

[UserRequested]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl E Retyre I liked all of it. Some highlights included Queenstown, Abel Tasman, Mount Maunganui, Bay of Islands, and Milford Sound.

Simply gorgeous. 100% pure New Zealand!!!

Going to Milford Sound in 6 months time. Can't wait !

[retire2020]

Earl...PAC is in my plan for someday. 10 weeks...how much did that cost? Did you stay in hotel/bedandbreakfast/guest house/rent a car or use some travel package? I'm just looking to plan and budget a trip most economical way.
awesome pictures!

[Earl E Retyre]

Well, we did not do the trip in the most economical way. We averaged about $130/night accommodation. That was a combination of hotel and bed and breakfast. However, if you are willing to stay in hostels, share bathrooms, etc. then there were a lot of places you could stay as inexpensively as $20/night. We did not want to do that. We also spent money on some nice excursions - such as great barrier reef trips and milford sound trips that were definitely not cheap. Food was more expensive than we were used to. However, you do not tip, since the waiters and waitresses are paid a salary. But even considering the lack of tip, we found the food a bit pricey. We offset nice dinners with peanut butter & jelly for lunch. I have to say that all the food was high quality. We also rented a car for the entire trip but there are other ways to make transportation less expensive. Hope that helps ...

[target2019]

Coincidentally, we just got back from 3 weeks in AUS and NZ. Started in Sydney, flew to Cairns for 10 days in a camper, returned to Sydney, flew to Christchurch for 10 days in a camper van, went back to Sydney for 2 nights, got home this past weekend.

We covered more than 5000 km. I am extremely jealous of the OP's pictures.

In NZ we saw glaciers, Milford Sound, slept in Jailhouse, skipped showers, and had the trip of a lifetime.

In AUS we saw a lot of Sydney, found it to be the most expensive city on earth. Ok, maybe not. But things cost a lot. We had breakfast in the bush, fed rock wallabys, snorkeled in the barrier reef, and stood in a cave while 100,000 or so micro bats flew past us at dusk to go eat.

Coincidentally, I was furloughed by my employer when I got back. Am I semi-retired also?

Time will tell...

[yakers]

DW & I keep wanting to get down to Australia & New Zealand but never make it past Tahiti, Rarotonga and Fiji. Love the islands in the South Pacific.