NZ / Australia

I was sitting at a party about 6 months ago, and Alice walked up and said, "Who wants to go to Australia?"

ME. :) 

We tacked on a 3 day layover in New Zealand about a month later, and it was so worth it!  

New Zealand was a wonderland... the glow worm caves, kiwi birds, the luge, the delightful breakfasts...  3 days, of course, was not enough time.  We only got to see a fraction of the North island, and it was amazing.  

And, then, I fell in love with Sydney the moment I stepped off of the train.  I was already falling when we got to the hotel, but the relationship solidified when I saw the Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House around the bay.  The other places we visited in Australia were also full of magic.  :) 

Here's my recap: 

New Zealand:

Lovely breakfasts

Driving on the left side of the road (! That was challenging)

Mount Eden - the crater lookout point

The oysters and our delightfully charming waiter

Sky Tower

Glow worm caves

Kiwi House and Native Bird Park

Rotorua 

Korean BBQ night 

Hot springs pools 

Fog Dog Cafe and Bar

Wai-O-Tapu Scenic Wonderland

The Luge

Hobbiton's last tour of the day (we barely made it!)

Australia: 

Sydney

Harbor Bridge Climb

Sky Tower

Blue Mountains Tour

Featherdale Wildlife Park

Holding a baby wallaby

The koalas

Sydney Opera House

Ben Harper concert right outside of the Opera House (we didn't attend, but we could see/hear it while we were there)

Othello at the Opera House (fantastic!)

The Jacarandas

Melbourne

The walk through the city 

Federation Square

The river 

Shrine of Remembrance

The Botanical Gardens

Banksy exhibit

Night Noodle Market

The Great Ocean Road

The bird on my head! 

More koalas

Helicopter ride

Twelve apostles 

Jetstar

Cairns

The palm trees

Souvenir shopping

Fish and chips

the Great Barrier Reef.. ! 

The bats

Kuranda Koala Gardens