With no phones to coordinate initial wake ups, Mrs. Mish and I knocked on all the kids’ doors to rouse them at 7am. Shortly before the group met up in the nearby common room at 7:45, I walked around the outside deck and watched the sun begin the peak over the mountains. Wow. By 8am we were all digging into another yummy and very filling breakfast, with the stellar view of the lake and mountains behind and around us. I can see why the Lodge was the perfect place to base an adventure, as well as use as a way station in the wilderness.
Due to another round of nightly packing, the kids were able to smoothly load the bus and by 9am we were on the road. The first 30 minutes was back-tracking down the side of the lake, which was totally acceptable given the incredible landscape. Bob continued to give is pieces of info about what we were seeing, and kids moved in and out of sleep. Along our route we passed through gold rush towns, vineyards, and farmland. We stopped at a scenic overpass and then for a little while longer at a bungy jump station. Don’t worry, we didn’t jump! That being said, lots of the group were so up for it!
About 30 minutes later we made it to Arrowtown where we had lots of lunch choices and time to explore the quirky and fun town. Kids loaded up on food, snacks, and souvenirs and by 1:30 we were back on the bus. At around 2pm we pulled into Queenstown, aka the adventure capital of the world! We learned how you could do just about any sort of adventure activity in the area — from mountain biking, to jet boats, to shark boats (!! Look them up !!), skiiing, skydivng, and much more! We pulled up to the Gondola, Kate got our tickets, and then we made out way up in groups of 4 to the top where we got to soak in the panoramic view of the whole area!
After grouping up for photos we walked as a group to the top of the area, where the luge track began! The kids were then given 90 minutes to take their luge runs and explore, something they jumped at! Everyone had a blast zooming down the track and also browsing through the shop next to the restaurant. We had a check in at 4 and then the kids were then given 90 more minutes to play and explore. We gathering back up at 5:30 and most notably, several kids came back with many sheep-based items.
We had dinner in the Stratosphere Restaurant at the top of the Gondola! Not only was the view absolute perfection, the buffet was over the top on all levels. The kids gleefully dug in and ate themselves silly for a full 75 minutes. There was lots of high energy chatting, with things only slowing down for everyone to actually eat. Dessert was capped off by Steve’s birthday celebration, his second in two night!
We then made our way back down the Gondola and to the bus. Bob routed us through a new section of Queenstown for a mini tour on the way to our hotel, located only about 10 minutes away. With new roommate assignments, the kids were given 45 minutes to get settled before we had a group meeting at 8:30 where I went over info for the rest of the night and our plan for tomorrow. Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls then led the group through another journaling exercise and then everyone went up to their rooms.
Tomorrow morning we’re off at 6am to Milford Sound, located all the way out on the south west coast! We can’t wait!
It turns out that the phones in our rooms did have quite the capability to wake us up, so by shortly after 5:30am everyone was up and ready to face the day. Mostly. But, everyone did sleep well and by 6:15am we were back in the dining area devouring another round of breakfast at Pavilions. Since everyone had packed up the night before, we were able to easily check out and transfer all of our stuff to Bob’s bus which was waiting for us out on the street. By 7am we were on the road, headed south west.
Bob gave us some information as the sun rose and then most of us slept after taking in lots of the vast farmland and growing mountains. At around 9am we stopped to pick up our bag lunches and to stretch our legs and then back on the bus we continued SW, with Bob telling us more about our very impressive surroundings. We crossed rivers, drove along the edges of great lakes, and then turned north towards Aoraki/Mount Cook.
We arrived at the start of the track (hiking path) at Noon, a spot called White Horse Hill Campsite. We ate our lunches out on the grass in full view of the spanning mountains, snow, and glacier! The bright and warm weather had everyone in good spirits as we prepped to start our hike. At 1pm we set out on the trail, taking in the lush environment with every step. We walked through rough fields, across rushing glacial rivers, and on wooden pathways. The bright sun and clear skies gave us a great view of the mountains, and the cool breeze as well as spray from the rivers kept us refreshed.
We made it to the end of the 5km path where we were greeted by the sight of a glacial lake with small ice bergs, right underneath Aoraki. We could just make out the top of the epic mountain. The kids went down to the edge of the lake and others explored higher ground. We took a bunch of photos and then turned back to make the return trip. The weather held and the return trip went smoothly. By about 4pm we were back on the bus.
We were again treated to epic views on our 2 hour drive to the Lake Ohau lodge. We were also quite tired so many of us took the opportunity to sleep. At 6pm we rolled into the parking lot at the Lodge where the owner came on board to tell us about our accommodations as well as dinner. It turns out the lodge is a base for all sorts of travelers and adventurers. Mountain bikes are all over, and there is a big camp site area out back. The place is rustic but very well managed and comfortable.
At 7 we ate dinner in the lively dining hall. The food was delicious and the conversations in our group energetic. We were excited after a full day of sparkling activity. After downing salmon, venison, or in my case a very tasty tofu pesto and mushroom dish, the kids had a bit of free time before an optional gathering at 9:30 to gaze at the stars. Outside we enjoyed the night sky and each other’s company.
We covered lots of amazing ground and the group achieved new levels of cohesion. Success.
Our morning began with a wake up call at 7am followed by me and Mrs. Mish knocking on doors to make sure everyone was awake. Bleary-eyed but rested teens greeted us at their doors and we reminded them of the first meeting time of the day. Before we all met up at 7:50am I scoped out the large breakfast buffet and downed my first round of coffee for the day.
All the kids were prompt in gathering up outside their rooms where I went over the whole plan for the day and then we headed in to eat. The kids reported feeling firmly like their bodies had updated to the new timezone. We all loaded up on lots of yummy breakfast items and noticed how the options available to us were firmly rooted in catering to those from the UK and the USA. We certainly weren’t complaining. At breakfast the kids were also given an assignment to write a letter to their future self, that I could keep in a sealed envelope and give to them in April.
At 9:20am we grouped back up, I collected letters, ran through some reminders, and then we got back on Bob’s bus and started our meandering through Christchurch east to the coast. Bob gave us a tour along the way and about 30 minutes later we unloaded onto Sumner Beach, a gorgeous area nestled in a large cover with a very adorable and stylish town. We immediately started exploring the cave rock, and then spread out on the beach. Kids walked along the edge of the crashing waves, some sketched while sitting on rocks, and others threw a disc back and forth. We all took in the warm, humid air as well as the great views. As the kids explored I took a 5K run around the boardwalk and met back up with the group at 12:45.
Shortly after the kids were given local currency and two hours to get lunch an explore. Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls, Wilson, and myself chose a very cute Indian Restaurant that was already populated with a group of Williston students. We all got filled up on yummy food, chatted about the day, and then went next door to get some delicious gelato and hot cocoa.
At 3pm we were back on the bus and head back to Christchurch on a different route that took is on a new path on the coast. Bob continued giving us info about what we were setting and then stopped the bus at a very scenic overlook where we were able to get out and take in the full view. We walked a short distance down the path to an even better view and talked about what we were seeing — an amazing inlet as well as a very interesting coal and gas shipping center.
Back on the bus we made the short drive back to the hotel. Along the way we stopped so some kids could convert USD into NZD. Back at the hotel the kids were given a couple hours of free time to relax before dinner at 6:30. Some kids went to the pool while others napped and other enjoyed the hot tub. Not long after 5pm we heard bagpipes and it turned out there was a large bagpipe and drum team staying next door who was practicing for a very large competition that’s set to happy over the next few days. They were amazing!
At 6pm we gathered up to go over plans and go to dinner, but before we left I had the kids start their packing. They quickly got lots of packing done and by 6:15pm we were walking down the main street to dinner. We had great conversations and enjoyed the awesome weather on our short walk to Diner 66. There we took over half the place and were served the orders we had made several weeks before. The meal was capped off with some yummy ice cream and time with Wilson being passed around.
After the walk back to the hotel the kids went back to work packing up. Each room checked in after getting everything set for the next morning and lights were out by 9pm. Tomorrow morning we’re up super early to continue our journey south and do our first hike!
The moments before a big journey are magical. The excitement after a year of planning plus the arrival of the actual departure day combine to create a truly surreal experience!
Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls, Wilson, and I kicked out of our place at 12:15am on Monday, March 6th. Security was there at Reed to let us into the building and the Dodge room where we setup for the arrival of the whole group! Soon after, Mr. and Mrs. Mish joined the fray, followed by all of the kids and many of their adults! Even though it was quite early in the morning, the room was quickly filled with lots of energy. Each kid was run through a final checklist which everyone passed with flying colors. At 1:45am we circled up to go over a few reminders and then went outside to meet out waiting mini busses!
We left campus right before 2am, driven by two professionals, JT and Mr. Berghoff. The ride down to BDL was smooth and most of the kids slept along the way. At the airport we were greeted by a large comfy bench where we rested until the gate opened up. Check in, bag check, and security were all smooth and by 4:30am were at the gate and back to relaxing, a sign that all was going well. Kids then went off to forage for an early breakfast and by 6 we were on the plane.
Due to some extra headwinds, our flight to LAX was a little longer than expected, but that gave the group a bit of extra time to sleep. On the descent into LA was got a great view of completely snow covered mountains, a very interesting sight! At LAX we sailed through the airport and found our back waiting on the moving carousel right when we got to baggage claim. Outside we were greeted by the warm, refreshing morning air of LA and after just 10 minutes of waiting, our bus driven by our very friendly driver, George!
Given the time of the day, the drive to Hollywood was quick and had very little traffic. We looped around the end of Hollywood Boulevard due to stretch being blocked off for setup for the Oscars. We were dropped off near the famous theater and after a group photo the kids were sent out to explore and get lunch. Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls, Wilson, and I then headed east down the street where we got lunch and visited the Larry Edmund’s bookstore. On our way back to the bus we stopped at the theater to see the amazing courtyard and then at the bus got to rest a bit before everyone returned.
The ride back to LAX was a little longer due to traffic, but we arrived back with enough time to get checked in and clear security at the International wing of the airport. At the gate the kids again had some time to explore before we boarded the longest leg of our journey. Again, we were all seated in the same set of three rows. Air New Zealand proved to be very comfortable, especially for Wilson who was given a bassinet to sleep in! Even though the flight was twice as long as our first leg, it seemed shorter for most of our group since almost all of us slept for most of the flight.
In Auckland we again collected our bags and then made our way through the hoops of customs, which took a little while but was overall a very efficient process. We then re-checked our bags and then took a shuttle to the domestic terminal of the airport where we had a little time to rest before walking right out of the gate onto the plane. 90 minutes later we landed in Christchurch!
We immediately found our local handler, Kate, and drive Bob, along with our bags, and then made our way through the gorgeous morning air to our awaiting coach bus. Over the next 20 minutes, Bob gave us a brief tour of the area and then we unloaded at a large open area mall full of wonderful food businesses and other stores. The kids were given money and an hour to each lunch, which they were all quite excited for. After my family got filled up on Ramen (Wilson wanted some but isn’t quite there yet!), we met back up at the big remembrance arc and walked back to the bus.
Bob then drove and led us on a 30 minute tour of the area and we got to learn lots about the city and in particular how it rebuilt after the earthquakes 8 years ago. The city is a very interesting mix of modern and older buildings, with lots of glass and quirky designs. Shortly before 1:30pm we made it to our hotel and to what the kids were really excited for… showers!
After getting cleaned up and changed, most of the kids decided to head out with me and Mr. and Mrs. Mish to walk around and explore the area. The rest stayed back at the hotel and relaxed with Wilson and Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls. On the walk my group and I headed to the botanical gardens which were stunning! The greenery was lush and we got to walk around a large multi-roomed greenhouse, rose garden, rock garden, along with a stop at a cafe. Back at the hotel the group was enjoying the pool, including Wilson who got to take his first dip!
By 4:30 we were all back at the hotel and more kids enjoyed the pool as well as the hot tub. We grouped up at 5:50 to go over some reminders for the rest of the day and tomorrow and then went into the hotel restaurant for dinner. At our two tables Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls led the group in a writing prompt that got them started in their first journal entries of the trip. We had made our order a couple weeks ago, so not long after our dinner arrived which was devoured. After a round of dessert we went back to our meeting point for another short check in.
Mrs. Mish and Mrs. Seamon-Ingalls then took a group of kids across the street to pick up some snacks since as everyone knows, you can’t have too many snacks. Some kids stayed behind and rested, along with me. At 10pm we did the rounds and all kids were either fast asleep or very close to sleep.
Tomorrow we’re up at 7 to start a low-key day of exploring Christchurch and the nearby coastline.
All is well. The kids have been phenomenal. What a perfect start to our grand journey!
