I’m not sure theres a person alive who didn’t know about my parents upcoming trip to New Zealand. I certainly told anyone that would listen! We’ve been apart for 504 days (I put the dates into a nifty internet calculator and it told me the amount of days between the two dates) and sometimes it feels like longer. There aren’t that many people that I miss that much back in the UK, it’s basically just my family and a few choice friends, so seeing my parents after almost a year and a half was a little emotional at the airport.
From the moment that my parents flight left the UK I tracked their flight on the FlightTracker app, its such a useful tool! Me and Ems messaged back and forth about it and its useful to see when I need to get to the airport 🙂
Airport
After a morning spent running about like a loony trying to get my house to look somewhat neat and tidy, I eventually left to go and meet my parents at noon…according to the FlightTracker, they would land at 2.45 pm, so I thought this would give me plenty of time.
Having had nothing to eat or drink in the entire time I’d been crazy cleaning, I popped across to meet James for a very quick coffee outside the building in which he works before getting the bus to the airport as my FlightTracker app now said they were landing at 2.15 pm!
The Airport Flyer (bus) in Wellington is really good, it pretty much runs every ten minutes for most of the day and runs from Lower Hutt right out to the airport. There is free WiFi on-board and a TV that tells you where you are and how long until the next stop etc.
Once at the airport I checked the Arrivals board and found that they wouldn’t land until 2.45 pm…so the FlightTracker app was playing silly buggers! Taking the chance to have a nosy around the airport shops I bought a new lipstick and some munchies and then went and sat patiently at the Arrivals gate for the Hall’s to arrive.
As I sat waiting an older couple sat next to me asked me what my sign was for. I told them with a smile that my parents were visiting from the UK and that I was very excited! They were waiting for their daughter 🙂
After what felt like a million years, I eventually saw my parents walking through the doors. It was so odd to have them here in New Zealand. This has been a place that I have described and talked about for so long that to have them here was a bit strange!
We took the bus into the city and then got a taxi to my house and chilled out for a bit 🙂 At first we thought that we might go for dinner out somewhere, however, my parents were very tired, so we all thought that it was best to stay in and make pizzas instead, so I took my dad out for his first Kiwi Supermarket trip. After all the excitement of the day, we all fell asleep reasonably early.
For the next few days I showed Wellington to my parents: I took them for a drive around the bays and we sat in lots of lovely cafes and walked for miles and miles. I took them to Te Papa a few times and we visited the Dreamwork’s and Gallipoli exhibitions, both of which I think they enjoyed. Scorching Bay was the preferred favourite place, with my parents asking to go back there again so that we could eat in the Scorcharama Cafe two days in a row!
Queenstown
Following the initial stretch in Wellington, we travelled to Queenstown for a few days so that I could show my parents the lakes and mountains. I think it was a success…they seemed to like the amazing views!
We flew out of Wellington airport and into the small airport next to Queenstown. It didn’t take very long, and we were soon picking up our hire car and driving to our ‘Book-a-Bach’ accommodation for the next few nights. The place was lovely: three bedrooms and one with ensuite, two little balconys and an open plan kitchen/dining area and living room.
We took a drive out to Wanaka on one of the days, it took AGES. I didn’t realise that it would take that long!!!
We had a short wander around Wanaka and then set off back to Queenstown for dinner.
Along the way we also spotted the bungee jumpers, though I couldn’t be coerced into jumping (and I think my mum might have had a proper heart attack if I had done). Similarly, I couldn’t convince either of my parents that they wanted to take part in a Bungee or a Skydive! Never mind…maybe next time…
Christchurch
From Queenstown, we traveled to Christchurch.
At first I don’t think my parents were that impressed with ChCh, however, the longer that we spent there the more they seemed to get a feel for the place. I think it’s hard initially, to see Christchurch for what it will be, as they are still doing a heck of a lot of work in and around the city. Spending a few days there, however, was lovely, as I was in the city in 2014 and it has changed SO much since then!
I will be visiting again at the end of April and i’ll be interested to see how much it’s changed from now.
We stayed in a lovely ‘Book-a-Bach’ up in the Cashmere Hills. The apartment was a small sort of granny-annex underneath the main house, but with its own little decking and a fantastic view!
I took my parents out to Lyttelton, and we went up the Gondola and took a lot of photos. Sadly i can’t find where i’ve saved the photos! Hopefully I can get my mum to send me a memory stick with all her photos from the camera on…so watch this space…
From Christchurch, we got the Kiwi-Rail Scenic Coastal train at Addington and travelled all the way up to Picton. Along the way there was commentary and food and epic views!
We hopped off the train at Picton and got the Bluebridge back across to Wellington.
The rest of my parents visit was spent in and around Wellington. We went on a wine tour (which was actually really fun, despite having to be sober and drive everyone around) over the Rimutakas in Martinborough, we drove around and saw more of Wellington, and we chilled out and watched a lot of ‘The Fall’!
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