Last night, I didn’t sleep well - Mollie called after I went to bed, I had loud neighbors and the bed was uncomfortable. It wasn't a good feeling, therefore, to find that I was awake before my alarm (0515). Groggily, I packed up my stuff and, after getting ready, went down to the lobby. The receptionist was just departing the lobby and had already locked the door - since I would have otherwise have had to go back to my room to wait until a later departure, I went with her in the 0600 shuttle to the airport. At the same time, I was notified by Air New Zealand that my flight was delayed 35 minutes already. Luckily, I was still able to check in quickly and then proceeded through security as quickly as I ever have. I next spent a little time walking around the huge gate area before stopping (0650) at Happy Jack’s (Burger King knockoff) for breakfast. During this time, I tried to figure out if I could do Australia VAT Recovery (the money I spent didn't qualify me for the reimbursement). I then read and relaxed for a bit before my flight was supposed to depart. However, the weather delayed the arrival of our aircraft and I ended up with more time to take walks - in fact, I almost reached 10K steps before boarding the aircraft. Along the way, I saw a DC-9 airframe (Quantas) parked on the tarmac - glad to see they are still flying out there in the world... Realizing my arrival in New Zealand could be delayed beyond the hours when the rental car company would be open, I made a call to inform them that I would probably be getting there late - they said they’d make sure I’d get my car. Eventually, we were allowed to board and finally departed Tullamarine almost 90 minutes late (1035). There was nasty weather in the middle of "The Ditch" (part of the reason for the delay) so I think we were lucky to even leave at all. We got free internet and movies again (I took advantage of both). I also did some reading. We got breakfast (omelet, apple turnover and fruit) during the flight. Crossing the coastline of the South Island of New Zealand, I began to see many of the huge mountains for which the area is famous. The approach to landing in Queenstown was spectacular, with peaks above us as we flew into the valley where the airport was. Even with over 5000 hours of flight time as a pilot myself, this was probably the most beautiful airport arrival I’ve seen, with mountains at eye level for many miles. I was stunned to see how “Winter” had arrived on the South Island - things looked much different from when I first landed in Christchurch on May 1. The towering peaks were all covered with powder and there was a nice briskness in the air that reminded me of late October in the US. We landed at 1515 (New Zealand Time, two hours later than Melbourne) and ended up getting out of the plane on a set of stairs which had been rolled up to the airplane. Even on the ground, the scenery was amazing! Baggage claim, customs and biosecurity was really fast (even when I declared my hiking boots again and some packaged snacks). As a result, I was standing on the curb, waiting for the rental car shuttle, by 1600. After a ride to the Mode Rentals office, I quickly picked up my little car and familiarized myself with driving from a front right seat. I departed Queenstown by 1630 and it took a bit of mental gymnastics to jar my memory of driving in Japan (over 10 years ago) to feel truly comfortable. I would have loved to have a bit more time to get used to the car in a big parking lot or wide country road. However, it was imperative that I complete my two hour transit to the town of Te Anau before it got too dark and made things “interesting”... I wanted to stop to take pictures of everything but all kinds of logistical challenges arose every time I thought about it. From a steady stream of roundabouts to lots of commuter traffic, my concentration was keenly focused on “left side, left side” and not much else. I managed to get beyond the main hustle and bustle and build my comfort level up to 100 kph (~60 mph). This would normally be easy, I suppose, but these roads weren’t exactly Interstate quality. The first hour of the drive took me along a steep, winding road (Route 6) above Lake Wakatipu. I ate dinner (snacks I'd picked up along the way) in my car. All the scenery was breathtaking but, sadly, the darkness didn’t hold off as I continued south, and then west (on Route 97), towards my hotel. On the plus side, the traffic thinned out and I eventually found some long straightaways. But, like the old flight simulators, the New Zealand roads had one more curveball to throw at me: rain. With the trifecta of different driving rules, darkness and precipitation, I had my hands full for the last hour. On the home stretch (Route 94) to Te Anau, I began to wonder if I’d been too confident in my abilities when I booked the rental car... Needless to say, I was quite happy to reach the Tasman Holiday Park and the end of my drive (1830). Since I knew I'd be later than the lobby was open (30 minutes earlier), I'd already called ahead called the reception desk to coordinate getting my key. They actually made it very easy and, apart from being in an unfamiliar place, I found everything quickly (despite the rain). My room for the next few days was in a little bungalow with shared bathrooms, kitchen and TV. I explored the rest of the facilities (kitchen, laundry, etc.). On a world map wall in the common area, I noticed that zero pins have been added to Vermont or New Hampshire - I think I may be an Upper Valley pioneer! I’ve already met several Kiwi families on vacation away from other parts of their beautiful country so I think I chose a good place to quarter during my time in Fiordlands National Park. Since it was still tremendously rainy, I didn’t leave the room again after using the bathroom, Instead, I reviewed brochures and made plans for the next two days. I went to bed at 2245, relieved that I'd stayed close to my schedule and excited about adventures I will have during the next week in New Zealand!
