New Zealand
A quick stop on the way to our 6th continent
When we were planning our trip to Australia, we initially intended to fly straight to Sydney from the US. However, while playing around with mileage redemptions, I realized we could stop in Auckland for fewer miles than flying directly to Australia. This allowed us to fit in a visit to Hobbiton, the meticulously preserved Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit filming location of The Shire, and something we’ve always wanted to see.
We’ve dreamed of visiting New Zealand (and Australia) for years, but it always felt challenging to prioritize compared to other destinations. The flights are 15+ hours, hotels/AirBNBs are pricey, things are spread out, everything just felt like it was “more”. Luckily, we were at a point where we needed to use up a lot of airline miles we’ve been saving up and this felt like the trip to do it. Getting extra summer time in the middle of winter was also a nice bonus!
Our flights took us from PVU → DFW → AKL. This was our first time starting an international trip out of Provo, and it turned into a stressful nightmare. We scheduled an earlier flight, but upon arriving, it was immediately delayed for a couple of hours. I quickly switched us to the next departing flight, but the issues didn’t end there. American Airlines had a luggage system outage which meant our bag was stuck on our previous flight’s plane, which had now been delayed several hours. Seeing our old plane just a few hundred feet away, knowing our bag was stuck on it, was painful.
We arrived in Dallas and made our way to the Capital One lounge while we waited for the flight with our bag to arrive. After a couple of hours in the lounge, Ash and Keira went to the gate while I went back through security to retrieve the bag. Fortunately, it arrived with about 20 minutes to spare. Luckily, there was an AA bag check location right next to baggage claim and a security line nearby. With a quick ride on the airport train, I made it to the gate just in time to board. The flight to Auckland was uneventful, and we managed to get some decent sleep, which helped us hit the ground running.
AKL is an excellent airport—not too much walking, and rental cars are easily accessible. We chose Huntly, a small town less than an hour from Auckland, as our home base. Its proximity to Auckland, Hobbiton, and the Waitomo Glowworm Caves made it an ideal location. Each of these spots will have its own post with more details and photos.
Our Airbnb in Huntly was one of the best we’ve ever stayed in. It featured two large bedrooms, a spacious living room, and stunning views. Keira spent hours playing with Daisy and Carnival, the Airbnb’s horse and donkey, which added to the experience.
Although our time in New Zealand was short, it was unforgettable. Visiting Hobbiton was worth every minute of driving on the “wrong” side of the road. People often say the South Island is even more beautiful than the North Island where we stayed, so we’re already planning a return trip to see for ourselves.
