New Year’s in New Zealand breathtaking

With my youngest daughter about to enjoy almost a month off for

Christmas break, she and I jumped at the opportunity to visit my

other daughter on the North Island of New Zealand near Auckland.

We viewed the exciting Louis Vuitton challenger races for the

America’s Cup sailing competition “up close and personal.” Luck for

us, my daughter is on staff with the Outdoor Life Network and ESPN

and she arranged to get us on board the media boats. We watched the

international 16-man crews move with precision on their sleek million

dollar boats as they duked it out on the Hauraki Gulf. Alinghi, the

Swiss contingent, with Russell Coutts at the helm, just clinched the

cup win against team New Zealand.

On Christmas Eve, we took the ferry across Waitemata Harbor to the

historic waterfront town of Davenport for a truly Victorian Christmas

at the “Esplanade.” Returning the next day to Parnell for a

traditional New Zealand Christmas day brunch with a group of friends

and colleagues at “Antoines.”

Of course, we couldn’t leave the North Island without visiting my

cousin and her family. They live in the beautiful wine country of

Kumeu on an 80-acre farm. Having to don “mud boots” to visit all of

the sheep, cattle, horses and ducks made us feel like true New

Zealanders.

A quick flight and we were in the South Island, where we visited

Christchurch and Queenstown. After arriving in Queenstown, first on

the agenda was to hop aboard the “TSS Earnslaw” to make our way

across the Lake Wakatipu. We landed on the shores of Walter Peaks

high country farm where we watched sheep shearing and sheep-herding

dogs in action. We finished up with a lovely high tea at the

Colonel’s “homestead” and rose garden before our return.

Four hours away from Queenstown, we traveled over night on a ship

that ventured out over the 10-mile fiord, “Milford Sound” and out to

the turbulent waters of the Tasman Sea. Off the ship, we kayaked

below the magnificent 5,500-foot “Mitre Point” and its many plunging

waterfalls.

Then we returned to Auckland just in time to ring in the new year

and view the spectacular fireworks display blazing from the city sky

tower. Truly party central.

On New Year’s Day, my two daughters and I were off to North

Queensland, Australia. Arriving in Cairns, we climbed aboard the

brightly-colored vintage rail cars. After 20 miles of winding in and

out of tunnels and spraying waterfalls, we arrived at the idyllic

village of Kuranda. Finally, we were able to hug a cute Koala Bear.

We dangled over the verdant rain forest and Barron Gorge on the sky

rail for our return.

Next, we headed off to fabulous Port Douglas, famous for its

four-mile white sand beach and its proximity to the Great Barrier

Reef. The diving was only surpassed by the incredible helicopter ride

over North Queensland’s 2,000 reefs and 700 islands in crystal-clear

turquoise water.

Heading home through Sydney, we caught the opera, “Don Giovanni”

at the Sydney Opera House, sunned on Sydney’s surf beaches and

climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Great fun! We had to board our

Qantas Airways’ jet bound for LAX all too soon.

* TRAVEL TALES runs on Sundays. Have you, or someone you know,

gone on an interesting vacation recently? Tell us about your

adventures in about 400 words, accompanied by a couple of photos to

choose from that do not have the Daily Pilot in them, and send them

to Travel Tales, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or e-mail

coral.wilson@latimes.com; or fax to (949) 646-4170.