The Queen's Birthday Weekend

New Zealand celebrates the Queen's April Birthday with a three-day holiday in June. We took full advantage of this fine holiday and the beautiful weather.  Julia best summed it up saying, "We went from mountain to mountain!"

Saturday, 31 May

We took The Surf Highway 45 traveling along the South Taranaki Bight and around Cape Egmont before arriving in New Plymouth.

The Water Tower in Hawera

We can't drive by award-winning gelatto

The surf beach in Opunake

Peter Snell, famous NZ runner from Opunake

The historic Cape Egmont Lighthouse

View of Mt. Egmont (a.k.a. Mt. Taranaki) from Cape Egmont

Sunday, 1 June

After a brisk sunrise run along the scenic coastal walkway, we spent the morning in New Plymouth at the zoo & the Puke Ariki Museum

The 'Wind Wand' by Len Lye

Enjoying the Brooklands Zoo

Scavenger hunt at the Puke Ariki

Te Rewa Rewa bridge on the coastal walkway
Mt. Taranaki in the background

We stopped at the North Taranaki visitor's center on our way back to Wanganui.

View of Mt. Ruapehu from Mt. Taranaki (Mt. Egmont)

Sunset view with Mt. Taranaki - wow

Monday, 2 June

Monday was a unique opportunity to travel back in time, first on NZ's only operating paddle steamer, the Waimarie

"Honorary Coal Stoker" It's Official!

After a quick lunch, we set out on Highway 4 winding through the Paraparas…

(and no spewing this trip = success!)

This fence is a third of a kilometre long - filled with the shoes of passersby...

We wanted to contribute
to this NZ tradition

We left a token of ourselves behind

Having added our footprints to this piece of the NZ landscape, we pressed on to the Old Coach Road in Ohakune at the base of Mount Ruapehu.

The first ice we've seen in well over a year!

View of Mt. Taranaki from Mt. Ruapehu

And one more LOTR film location…

The famous Ohakune eclairs
(and a wild berry turnover - the best we've ever had!)
Truly, a treat fit for a Queen!

Happy birthday and God save the Queen!