Summer. It’s HERE. Released from the confines of lunch making, carpool driving, committee going, teacher conferencing, the fellas and I are off to New Zealand and Australia for 19 days. We are on a tour in Australia with an epic itinerary, but in New Zealand, Dear Reader, I have made all the arrangements. BB and Little P will be joining Little G and myself for this leg of the trip as Big G as a mandatory Boy Scout week-long, camp and will be joining us in Australia with Squeak. I, of course, would love any comments or suggestions on this itinerary as I started and completed it in a span of about four hours with multiple interruptions and requests to play from the eight children in my care (and this is why I need a vacation).
July 1- Addios Los Angeles
July 3- G’day Auckland, New Zealand.
We arrive early and hopefully Hotel DeBrett will be kind enough to let us into a room to shower and change. My assumption is that while we may be tired. We will be able to do a city tour and a harbor tour including some exploration of the harbor islands. Yes, I know, I dream big and have a low tolerance for whining so this comprehensive city tour could be an monumental failure. I hope the New Zealanders have good candy (a great bribery tool in any country) and lots of patience for grumpy children.
July 4- An all day tour with TIME in order to learn about the indigenous Maori Culture. Neill (the tour operator) has been in contact with me since I made the initial reservation wanting to know the ages of the kids and our interests. I know that this tour will be amazing.
July 5
Drive to Rotorua
Geothermal spas, mud baths and geysers. What’s not to like? The town is supposed to smell like rotten eggs because of all of the sulfur gasses being expelled, but I am sure you get used to it…. Right?
July 6
Drive to Waitomo
I have nothing more to say than “GLOWWORM CAVES”– I mean really how can you miss this experience. As well, thanks to TripAdvisor, I found some excellent reviews of the Montrose/Waitomo Farm Holiday. Yes, we will be staying on a working sheep farm (please, Dear Reader, do not mention this to Big G who has an unabashed love for these fluffy ruminants). We have two days to explore the caves and check out the sheep. We then return to Auckland.
July 8
Drive to Novotel Auckland Airport Hotel and chillax.
July 9
Depart on an early am flight to Cairns, Australia. In Auckland we meet up with Squeak and Big G who will just have travelled from LAX… We will keep the excitement and the non-jet lagged energy level down to a minimum.
Would love any suggestions about this itinerary. So excited to get traveling!
When Can We Go? 
I love New Zealand. We are headed to Queenstown again at the end of August. Are you just passing through Cairns? There is so many things you can do there with kids that mine loved. (I am from California but live in Melbourne, Australia)
Hi Jenny,
we live in California as well. We are going to hit NZ for 8 days and then 9 days in Australia (Cairns down to Sydney). I will happily take any advice and recommendations that you have! Thanks so much.
Hilary
I’ll put together a post on my top child-friendly activities to do in Cairns. I have a post already about Sydney in the category “destinations” check it out. I would defiantly see the Blue Mountains and take a ride on the scariest train in the world. You are going to have such an amazing trip! Can’t wait to read about your road trip experience.
Hi Hilary,
I just wrote a post for you about Free Kid Friendly Activities To Do In Cairns: http://wp.me/p2ORN4-wV
I’ll write another one on the other things that we did. Check it out. I wrote it for you 🙂
You are so kind! Thank you so much!
🙂 if I get some time(I have guests arriving tomorrow) I’ll write about the other stuff we did. We had a great time in Cairns.
Can’t wait thanks so much!
You are so sweet. Thanks so much. I can’t wait to read it!!!