NZ: returning van; Christchurch exploring

We traveled from our last campsite to return the rental van, then got dropped off at a hotel in downtown Christchurch, and did some touring around the central city.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with the stops marked:

A pile of things to donate to Red Cross:

A pile of things to donate to Red Cross

A pile of our luggage:

A pile of our luggage

McRent Christchurch:

McRent Christchurch

Other campers:

Other campers

Our van:

Our van

No problems dropping off the van (unlike a German family that returned their camper at the same time as us, that had thousands of dollars of damage!). McRent arranged an Uber to our downtown hotel for the night, Distinction:

Distinction hotel

Hotel room:

Hotel room

We went to the Tramway Cafe for lunch:

Tramway Cafe for lunch

We did a city tour tram ride:

City tour tram

Tram route:

Tram route

A must-do in Christchurch — punting on the Avon:

Punting on the Avon

A brief walk through part of Christchurch Botanic Gardens:

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Fountain

Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Then more walking around looking at Christchurch buildings:

Christchurch buildings

And back on the tram:

Tram

Christchurch buildings

Coffee and a slice:

Coffee and slice

Christchurch buildings

Christ Church Cathedral reconstruction; it was significantly damaged in several earthquakes:

Christchurch cathedral reconstruction

More buildings and art:

Christchurch buildings

A very nice city.

NZ: Arrowtown, Shotover Jet, and Glenorchy

On a day trip from Queenstown, we enjoyed a scenic drive, explored Arrowtown and Glenorchy, plus experienced a Shotover Jet boat ride.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, with some of the stops marked:

But first, we stopped at Moinho Cafe for breakfast:

Moinho Cafe for breakfast

Followed by Woolworths for groceries; again it was nice to be able to load the groceries straight into the van.

Then we headed to Arrowtown:

Welcome to Arrowtown

We explored the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement historic village:

Arrowtown Chinese Settlement

And downtown Arrowtown, a cute little town that embraces its history (and is very touristy):

Arrowtown

Coffee break at Patagonia Chocolates:

Coffee break

Then on to Shotover Jet, where we did a jet boat ride on the Shotover river (fun fact; jet boats were invented in New Zealand):

Shotover Jet

Boarding the boat:

Shotover Jet

We got front row seats:

Shotover Jet

Edith Cavell Bridge, under which the jet boats travel:

Edith Cavell Bridge

Crossing the bridge:

Edith Cavell Bridge

Shotover River and a jet boat from the bridge:

Shotover River from bridge

Heading to Glenorchy:

Glenorchy-Queenstown Road

Welcome to Glenorchy:

Welcome to Glenorchy

The iconic Glenorchy boatshed:

Iconic Glenorchy shed

Glenorchy wharf:

Glenorchy wharf

We went to Mr Glen’s Taphouse & Tapas for dinner:

Mr Glen's Taphouse & Tapas for dinner

Back towards Queenstown:

Back towards Queenstown

A very scenic drive.

NZ: exploring Queenstown

We did a little exploring of downtown Queenstown, meeting up with Karan and her mum. We took a ferry from a dock near our campground to downtown, and back.

Here’s an interactive map of our walking route to the local ferry dock:

Part of our walking route in downtown Queenstown:

Walking along the lakefront:

Walking along the lakefront

Floating shops:

Floating shops

Aboard the ferry:

Aboard the ferry

Tourist subs:

Tourist subs

William Gilbert Rees, founder of Queenstown:

William Gilbert Rees

Downtown shops:

Downtown shops

Shops

The famous Fergburger:

Fergburger

Steps up toward the gondola:

Steps up toward gondola

Skyline gondola:

Skyline gondola

Snack:

Snack

Selfie:

Selfie

Looking over Queenstown:

Looking over Queenstown

Mountains and paraglider:

Mountains and paraglider

Paraglider

Fergburger again, with a long line (we didn’t try it; no burger is worth waiting that long):

Fergburger

Shops

Swag

Shops

The TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 steamer:

TSS Earnslaw

Baja Mexico for lunch, we were curious what NZ’s interpretation of Mexican food would be like:

Baja Mexico

On the ferry back to our campsite:

Back on the ferry

Queenstown was smaller and less touristy than I expected. Still very touristy, but practically subtle compared to US touristy places.

NZ: downtown Auckland

Some scenes from our third day, of downtown Auckland, on the way to pick up our campervan:

Auckland skyline

Auckland Harbor Bridge:

Auckland Harbor Bridge

NZ Navy (yep, pretty much all of it):

NZ Navy

Sky Tower:

Sky Tower

America’s Cup:

America's Cup

Superyachts:

Superyachts

Auckland skyline:

Auckland skyline

Princes Wharf, where we lived for a few months before moving to the US:

Princes Wharf, where we lived for a few months before moving to the US

Princes Wharf

Ferry Building:

Ferry Building

Next time: our campervan!

2025 towns

This summary is about cities and towns I’ve posted about. I don’t tend to do these posts very often, so there aren’t many.

Again, you can also see the attractions from 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021. And you can see all of the attraction-related blog posts via the exploring category, with the earliest posts at the top, or the latest posts at the top, or more specifically the town category (with earliest or latest posts at the top).

Amish country covered bridges:

Cooperstown:

Woodstock, Vermont:

Essex Coastal Scenic Byway:

Rhode Island:

Custer:

Some interesting places.

Custer

The town of Custer, South Dakota.

An interactive map of the town:

Custer

Keweenaw Peninsula of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

We took a scenic drive around the upper Keweenaw Peninsula of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Here’s an interactive map of our route, heading counter/anti-clockwise (Jenn recently pointed out that I always write “anti-clockwise”, but “counter-clockwise” is the typical American form; my Kiwi roots showing again):

Lake Linden:

Lake Linden

The beginning of US 41:

The beginning of US 41

Copper Harbor:

Copper Harbor

Copper Harbor Overlook, with a view of Lake Superior:

Copper Harbor Overlook

Esrey Park overlook:

Esrey Park overlook

Eagle Harbor lighthouse:

Eagle Harbor lighthouse

Jacob’s Falls:

Jacob's Falls

Keweenaw snow thermometer:

Keweenaw snow thermometer

Quincy Mine Hoist:

Quincy Mine Hoist

Rhode Island

To complete visiting the 48 contiguous US states, we stopped in Rhode Island for dinner — our rule is that a state counts as being visited if we do something in the state, not just drive through. And with the tiny Connecticut and Rhode Island states, they’re too small to actually stay in each, so dinner and driving around Newport will suffice.

“Discover Beautiful Rhode Island”:

Discover Beautiful Rhode Island