Great Times on Home Exchange - Part III

Our trip to New Zealand via Hong Kong

A year ago we decided to visit New Zealand this year for three months (Mar-May 2005) and soon contacted a retired professional couple, again through Green Theme, who were interested in visiting the UK to do some more detective work on their family history. As usual we only made broad plans here. Invariably it is best to book flights on the net, especially any internal ones. This time we decided to fly Singapore Airlines by recommendation, and to spend 10 days in February in Hong Kong on the way. There we met our exchangers on their way to our home and had an enjoyable meal together.
Val & John enjoying a meal with Ailsa & Gavin at a restaurant in Hong Kong

Our visit to a Ceremonial Tea House in Macau









Then on to New Zealand and Auckland where we got a shuttle bus to Hamilton. On the way we chatted to a fellow passenger who was head of a technical college there and he generously offered to lend his holiday home on the Coromandel Peninsula for a few days. Hamilton is a lovely city with a beautiful park; river walks; and of course a rugby stadium. The modern exchange home was in a leafy suburb close to the city centre and the country roads south. We got to know our neighbours and after a couple of weeks we began our grand tour of North and South Islands, seeing over 1800 miles of stunning scenery. Highlights included a railway trip in the mountains near Christchurch; bathing in open air thermal pools; boat trips on lakes and fiords; experiencing Maori culture; Art Deco architecture in Napier; geothermal activity at Rotorua; close-ups of many of their unique animals; and an underwater world in Auckland.

Next stop Australia....

To be continued ...