Road Trip Part 1: The End...

Wellington, New Zealand

May 1, 2007
S 41°17.368
E 174°46.951

After returning the Ford Territory to Hertz we determined we covered at least 2086 KM (1293 miles) in one week. We saw the Far, Far North, 90-Mile Beach, Bay of Islands, Auckland, Rotorua, Lake Taupo, Napier, and now we are in the far South… Wellington.

Driving is really the only way to see New Zealand. Unfortunately, the highways on the North Island are only two lanes, often very curvy and at times unpaved; thus, making driving times significantly longer than most folks from the States would expect. Imagine driving 1300 miles along Highway 1 (PCH), toss in some unpaved roads, rain and then driving on the wrong side of the road… that’s New Zealand.

The four of us passed the time on the road playing car games. Our favorite game was Six-Degrees of Kevin Bacon—the game where you link another celebrity to Kevin Bacon. We took in the scenery, especially the autumn colors that brightened up the countryside; even in the rain.

Of course we saw several small (and very small) towns during our leisurely drive, all of which started to look the same.

Each town we passed through had a minimum of one Fish and Chips shop that usually sold Chinese food, a bakery/café, a video rental store, and a few quaint shops selling antiques, New Zealand souvenirs, or other trinkets. The larger towns had a McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, and if really upscale, a Burger King. Most store fronts were nondescript, making them easier to blend together with a similar store in the next town, or even next door.

Each town had at least one immaculately manicured park with a playground; however, we never saw any children taking advantage of the playgrounds—even on the weekend. The free public bathrooms along the way were also very clean, cleaner than any public bathroom I have ever been in at home. I would imagine a Kiwi would gasp in horror if they walked into the public restrooms in Washington Square… it would be fun to see ;-)

We made the final 300 KM of our journey on the North Island, ending up in Wellington. We'll stay here for three nights before heading to the South Island. I think all of us our ready for a break from the car, and our legs are in desperate need of exercise. We’ll get the exercise for sure, especially since we turned in the rental car and plan on seeing Wellington on foot—the best way to see any City.