An American, A Broad: #Blog4NZ - Honeymoon in NZ

We left the resort in Fiji at 4:00 in the morning to hoof the 2 hour car ride to the airport, check in, and make our 8:45am flight to Auckland. It's worth noting that we hit a speed bump at full speed on the way, so there was no need for coffee until later.

Checking in on Air Pacific, post-speed bump

En route to Auckland, speed bump forgotten

Leaving the island of Viti Levu, Fiji Islands

3 hours later, and our first glimpse of kiwi soil

Sheep, of course!

We stopped for a couple of hours at Auckland airport, and then boarded our next flight for windy Wellington. It had been over 4 years since I'd last been and...well...it was really good to be back.

Cold, gray, windy, wonderful Welly

The most beautiful girl in the world (and wonderful hostess) met us at the airport.

Claire & Natalie

She then escorted us to her flat, in the middle of downtown Wellington, where she let us stay for our time there. She even went out of her way to kit it out with all kinds of "honeymoon" gifts and trinkets. We can't thank you enough, Nat!

Nat's flat

After we got settled (and drank a bottle of vino) at Nat's place, we met up with her beau Sam for some more more cocktails and dinner.

Me excitedly meeting Sam

Of course an evening in Wellington means none other than Cuba Street...

The famous bucket fountain

...and drinks on Cuba Street mean the Matterhorn...

Our friend Fiona joined us, even though she was under the weather. It was so good to see her lovely face!

For old time's sake, and in honor of our friend Brindha who was back in the States, we went to the best Malaysion restaurant in Wellington. Mmmmmmmmmm...mee goreng!!!

Tipsy and hungry

After drinks and dinner, we called it a night and stumbled our way back to Nat's place for a good night's sleep.

That's Nat's building!

Lovely honeymoon suite at Nat's

The next day we had plans to meet up with the McGuinnesses for a tiki tour of the Wellington bays. Beforehand, though, we had some coffee and breakfast, and went wandering around to visit our old Wellington haunts...

Oriental Bay on the way to Te Papa

It was bloody windy

We stopped in Te Papa, which is by far my most favorite museum. I had been numerous times and still hadn't seen it all, and when Mike came to visit four years ago we managed to catch the last day of their Lord of the Rings exhibition.

A kiwi

The famous colossal squid that was the first ever to be caught alive

It's not anymore

Beautiful pohutukawa tree outside of the museum

After Te Papa, Mike indulged my silly desire to go to the grocery store. I know it sounds ridiculous, but one of the things I missed the most was New World supermarket and all the different things you can get there and not in the States. For instance...


Tui beer (Mike's happy)

Fresh, live, delicious, gargantuan green-lipped mussels

After indulging in a sweet or two at the supermarket, we rushed off to meet the McGuinnesses. By that time, Wellington lived up to its reputation by amping up the wind and adding some sprinkles, so we decided to stop at one of that Bays and partake in some lunch at Maranui Surf Club Cafe.

That's a boat

Our first taste of green-lipped mussels and an avocado and tomato sandwich

The view from Maranui

With Jenny and John McGuinness

By the time we wrapped up lunch, the sun was starting to peek through the clouds...so we managed to grab a couple of photos outside.

Claire & "Unc" John McGuinness

With Lauren McG

View of Lyall Bay

With Jenny McG

McGuinni!!!

We decided to take advantage of the clear weather to check out the rest of the bays...

Can you guess whose studio this is?

After driving around for a bit, we went up to their son Mark's house on top of a hill:

The view

Their chickens

Their sheep

Time for tea!

Next stop was the McGuinness's home in Lower Hutt for "happy hour" and dinner. :) For those that don't know, the McGuinnesses took me under their wing when I first moved to New Zealand. They fed me and housed me and all but adopted me - and have always been generous with their home and family. I don't know how I would have survived without them. Everyone should be so lucky to have a McGuinness family in their lives, and luckily my friend Tracey does. All sorts of thanks are owed to her for introducing me to them.

Never a dull moment with the McG's (and Toffee)

We had a gorgeous dinner with Jenny, John, Lauren, Reece (and Reece's girlfriend whose name I've shamefully forgotten). Reece drove us back into town, stuffed to our gills, and we went straight to bed.

The next day it was more wandering around, eating, and drinking coffee before our date with the Wellington crew for dinner. I wanted to see my old home, so we wandered over to Thompson Street...

The best little house in Wellington

Flat white and cappuccino at Fidel's

We tried going here (thanks to so many folks contributing to our honeymoon fund!) but were unable to get a reservation

Look closely

Civic Square

Well of COURSE we stopped here

After wandering around, it was time for date night with our peeps. We started off at The Establishment for dollar bubbles (a.k.a. bubbly). I'm sure you know how we felt in the morning...

Fi, her fiance Zvonko, Alastair, Nat, me, and Kate

Luckily we were lucid enough to realize that too much bubbly on an empty stomach is a no-no, so we went down the road to Monsoon Poon for dinner. But not after supplementing the bubbles with wine...