by Carolyn
How to summarize eight days of perfection!!??
1. Guided hike with a naturalist on private property. Some ferns are edible and some are poisonous. Do I take a chance?
 |
| Yes, your feet will get wet! |
 |
| Hard fern |
 |
| Krauss's clubmoss |
 |
| Black fern |
2. Kayaking in Cathedral Cove. Scenes from Chronicles of Narnia were filmed here. But, even better, we saw dolphins!
3. Hiking through old gold mining tunnels “lit” by glow worms. This place is magical! Maori tattoos describe your role like a resume.
 |
| The speck of light over Jack's shoulder is the other end of the tunnel |
 |
| From a print hanging in the hotel |
4. Best Bike Ride Ever! Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand. It means “land of the long white cloud”. But no clouds today! Also, they have good wine in pretty cans.
 |
| The whole gang before the first ride |
 |
| My new favorite after a hot ride: sauvignon blanc |
5. White water rafting in Tongariro River Gorge. The concession owner has set hundreds of traps for stoats, rats and possums to protect the endangered New Zealand blue ducks...which we saw!
 |
| Yes, we really did need all that gear! |
 |
| Endangered New Zealand blue ducks. |
6. Start the morning with a hike, end the day on the bike. Cycling through wine country, apple orchards and fields of sheep.
 |
| Huka Falls |
7. More cycling and this time with wine tasting.
 |
| Craggy Range Vineyard |
8. Hiking with sea shell fossils underfoot and middle earth views in the distance.
 |
| Every step is awesome! |
Best Backroads trip yet!
