The Daniels and Hirsts Reunite!

MOM AND DAD VISIT NZ

Jacob and I are very blessed and so thankful that my Mom and Dad were able to come visit us in New Zealand. Living overseas is an adventure and so wonderful, but traveling also has it's challenges. The hardest part of being abroad is definitely being away from family and friends. We miss family get togethers, birthdays, important celebrations, and just being close to family as we all go through what life throws our way. It was a huge blessing to get to spend ten days with my mom and dad, and I think the older we get, and the further we are apart, the more we truly appreciate the time together. It was a whirlwind of a holiday, and like most visits, it seemed to go by all to quickly. As we take some time to look back, we realize how many fun memories we got to share with Mom and Dad. We will share bits and pieces of the Daniels/Hirst road trip around New Zealand.

Day One: Mom and Dad arrived in Auckland, New Zealand after nearly 24 hours of traveling. Mom and Dad stayed the night in a hotel in Auckland and tried to get a bit of rest. If anyone has traveled internationally, you know there is a lot of transitions to make as you adjust to a new time zone, culture, etc. that can be exhausting. They adjusted well and hit the road running! (meanwhile, Jacob and I are finishing up tramping the Te Araroa on Stewart Island, eagerly waiting for them to reach Bluff where we will meet)

Day Two: Mom and Dad fly from Auckland to Christchurch. Welcome to the South Island! They pick up their sweet camper van (actually a really nice motor home) in Christchurch and start heading south!

Day Three: Continuing on their journey, they drive along the east coast of the South Island headed towards bluff. They are making great time and Dad is adjusting well driving on the left side of the road. When in doubt, Keep Left! They arrive in Invercargill and are ready to meet us at the evening ferry. Unfortunately we didn't arrive. Jacob and I were bumped to the morning ferry due to mechanical issues on the ferry. Meanwhile, we are stuck on Stewart Island, anxious to get to Bluff and see the parents!

Day Four: Mom and Dad camped out in Bluff waiting for us to arrive. After a beautiful ferry ride from Stewart Island, we are reunited at last! Smiles, hugs, tears, and happiness! Mom and Dad met our friends we have been tramping with, Susan and Duncan, and we have a lovely tea break to all grasp that we are finally together! Overwhelmed, excited, and so happy! We spend the day in Invercargill. The boys find Jacob a nice barber to finally cut his hair and shave after 3 months of tramping. I must say, he was looking very handsome and clean shaven! Meanwhile, Mom and I are enjoying a nice girls afternoon with lunch, Starbucks (most southern Starbucks in the world), and pedicures! It's great to be together, but still hard to grasp that the holiday so long awaited is finally here!

Day Five: We made it to the beautiful town of Te Anau, located on the beautiful Lake Te Anau and the gateway to Fjordland. We walk around town, explore a bit, and Mom and Dad have their first NZ Pies! Pies are a traditional food everyone must try when in NZ. Yum!

Day Six: We head to Fjordland, enjoying the breathtaking scenery and natural, preserved land. We went on a cruise in the Milford Sound, learning all about the sound and the NZ and maori culture.  The cruise was relaxing, breathtaking, and so fun! We spent the evening at a nearby campground in Fjordland. The evening was so peaceful, being surrounded by beautiful mountains, lakes, and creation!

Our friends Jacoba and Justina, on the way to Milford

Mum and Dad!

Excited for the Cruise!

Awaiting the Milford Mariner!

So gorgeous!

the four of us at Milford

Day Seven: After a refreshing morning nature walk around camp, we head to Queenstown! We enjoyed and took in Queenstown's pristine location nestled among the beautiful Remarkable mountains and Lake Wakatipu. We enjoy the famous "FERGBURGER" and Dad is convinced he's had the best burger ever! The traditional Kiwi Burger includes beetroot and egg, a wonderful combination that we have grown to love!

The guys hanging out at camp

Day Eight: We go for a lovely walk around the Queenstown Gardens, especially enjoying the beautiful rose gardens. It's only been a brief stop in Queenstown, but we are on the road again, headed to Wanaka! After a short drive we make it to Wanaka, and Mom and Dad get a taste of our future home! The colors are changing and autumn is just around the corner. Lake Wanaka is beautiful, nestled beneath the mountains and surrounded by beautiful, colorful trees.

The Two Adventurers

Day Ten: It's a rainy day in Wanaka, which makes for a great day of hanging out, reading, and lots of tea! We spend the afternoon in town at some local shops, while the boys go for a walk around the Lake. We enjoy the local happy hour and a Mexican fiesta dinner night!

The four of us at Lake Wanaka

Day Eleven: We start the day with an early walk around Lake Wanaka, and after a nice little picnic on the lakeshore, we are on the road again to Lake Tekapo. We are really blessed with beautiful weather. We get clear, stunning views of Mt Cook and the Southern Alps from Lake Pukaki. We arrive in Lake Tekapo and camp at Lake McGregor, a camping area Jacob and I have previously camped on the T.A. The skies are the clearest in NZ in this region and the stars are out!

The Beautiful Mt Cook

A calm evening at Lake McGregor

Day Twelve: We visited the Good Shephard's Chapel, a beautiful little church right on Lake Tekapo. People come all around the world to get married in this stone church. After a nice visit to the historic church, we were on our way to Christchurch! We make it to Christchurch just in time to turn in the camper van, and we can hardly believe that the holiday is already coming to an end.

The Good Shepherd Chapel

                             

Day Thirteen: We wake up before the sun and take an early bird flight to Auckland, where we greeted by Eric, Jacob's cousin's husband. The Daniels and Hirst relatives finally meet and we enjoy the day together. We are really blessed, as Eric and Tania opened up their home to us and my parents for the remaining three days in NZ. Mom and Dad had a great time getting to know Tania and Eric, and enjoy being in one place for more than a day.

Dad trying Marmite!

One Tree Hill. One of over 50 volcanic peaks in Auckland.

The crew at the top of One Tree Hill

enjoying a beautiful day at the park!

1, 2, 3, Cheese! Loving timed photos!

Day Fourteen: We all explore Auckland a bit, and make our way to One Tree Hill, where we have a wonderful picnic with Tania, Eric, Grenville, and Amy (Jacob's cousin and his daughter). Mom and Dad get to meet more of the Hirsts throughout the day, as we also had a wonderful dinner with more relatives! Eric prepared a beautiful lamb roast for dinner (lamb is another NZ staple you must have while here). It was a fun evening all together.

Day Fifteen: The last day here, and of course we fit in all we could! Experienced a local farmers market and all the fresh goodness that entailed! We headed down the road and enjoyed a delicious lunch and lovely afternoon at a local vineyard. A gourmet fruit and cheese platter and seafood platter hit the spot! We concluded our afternoon with a refreshing walk down to the Hunua Falls, within the Hunua Forest, just down the road. The rest of the day was spent packing up, and we soon were off to drop my parents off at the airport. As quickly as they came, so they were gone.

An afternoon at the vineyard

The ladies at Hunua Falls. Love these two!

I've shared just a few of the highlights of each day, but the most memorable moments really were the everyday ordinary moments. Cooking and sharing meals together, playing cards all night, taking in the beauty as we drove around the country, and just visiting and being together. It was fun to explore New Zealand together, share a little bit of the life Jacob and I have made here, and spend some well-needed family time together!