The Journey Home, Part II

My last day at Whanganui A & M was 16 July, 2014...

Earlier in the week, I left my trail shoes on the SH4 "shoe fence" with the rest of the family's

17 July: House clean & final check-out complete, time for one last look over the Tasman Sea...

Final trip to WAM, turning in the car/house keys, surrendering my privileges & final goodbyes

The InterCity Bus was running late, allowing time for one last drink at The Big Orange!

I took the last bus out of Wanganui to Palmerston North and my last trip to Burger Fuel!

10:00 Friday morning, 18 July, I boarded the train for Auckland

KiwiRail's Northern Explorer was truly extraordinary and luxurious!

The Rangitikei River Gorge

The Wool Company in Utiku

The Taihape Gumboot

Ruapehu

The Last Spike for the North Island Main Trunk Line

Tongariro & Ngnauruhoe

Descending the Raurimu Spiral

The Raurimu Spiral Tunnel

Approaching Hamilton - Hospital is easily seen

Sunset near Huntly

Auckland's Britomart Station is just across the street from the Ferry Terminal & Airport Express Shuttle

Auckland International Airport, Air New Zealand Flight #2

Shifting Hemispheres

Prepare for landing...

LAX connection to Minneapolis

Next stop, the cabin on Big Pine Lake in northern Minnesota.

The perfect place to recover from jet-lag & begin the transition back to life in America.  

Wanganui, Part II

Here are some more and, perhaps, the best things about Wanganui - our home, the beaches, cafes and the schools...

Castlecliff

Our Home...

Views of Mt Taranaki and... 

...Mt Ruapehu can both be seen from the driveway

Our Beach...

North Mole...

South Mole...

Cafes

Supermarkets

Schools

Aranui...

Friday afternoon assembly

Aranui Disco

Senior Disco

Wanganui Intermediate School (WIS)...

Wanganui Girls' College...

Wanganui Ballet & Dance Academy...

It is with very heavy hearts that we must say, "Farewell Wanganui" until we meet again!