A tui bird

Hard hats and gas masks, White Island

Stone stack on the road to Milford Sound

Golden Anniversary

It all started with a challenge to Paul! We had decided that to mark our Golden Wedding Anniversary, we would go to New Zealand for a five-week trip to see what the country could offer.

The challenge was to allow the following parameters:

• to see the magnificent scenery that New Zealand had to offer;
• to be able to experience the Pacific Rim of Fire;
• to give full opportunity to see wildlife and nature at its best.

Paul met the challenge admirably. The trip was organised so that we were able to see the differences between the North Island and the South Island, to visit White Island, the active volcanic island and to be able to see what birds and mammals exist in New Zealand.

From Whale Watch in Kaikoura, where we saw Sperm Whales and Dusky Dolphins to a visit to Stewart Island and Ulva Island where we saw so many rare and beautiful birds and to Papatowai where we saw Yellow Eyed Penguins among many other wonderful sights in nature.

The trips to Milford Sound and the 24-hour cruise on Doubtful Sound were a real highlight.

The trip allowed sufficient spare time for us to be able to do what we chose on a number of days and we were able to see Hector’s Dolphins on a cruise from Akaroa.

Best wishes

June and Ian Kilshaw