Singapore, Sydney and New Zealand

The last part of the trip is a bit of island/continent hopping.  We originally planned to be in Singapor for a couple days but flights into/out of the Maldives reduced us to about 26 hours.  Our plans look a little like this.   We arrive Monday April 30 @ 10:35pm in Singapore.  We check in for the night at the amazing St Regis Singapore  and will enjoy views of the city that look like this.

The next day we get up bright and early to do a Walking Tour through Chinatown. 

Afterwards we are heading to little India to wander and grab lunch at Gandhi's.  Then it's back to the hotel to pack up and head to meet Wilma and Charles for dinner.  Wilma and I worked to together in London and I haven't seen her in about 3 years.  We have a 12:30am redeye flight to Sydney.

We arrive in Sydney at 10:20am, leave our luggage at the airport and take the Airport Link train into the city to have lunch with Anna Cook, Jacob's friend from college.  After lunch and a little exploring/shopping, we head back to the airport to catch a 6:35pm flight to Auckland, New Zealand, arriving just before midnight.  We are staying in an Airport hotel that night and picking up the rental car bright and early the next day for a 3 hour drive to Waitomo Caves. 

We will be visiting the Glowworm Cave.

and the Ruakuri Cave.

After all that adventure, we will have another 3.5 hour drive to Ika Lodge, where we will spend the next two nights.

The next day we are doing the 19 km Alpine Crossing Hike which should take the entire day.  Below are pictures of what we will see. 

After the hike, it's a home cooked dinner back at the lodge while we rest our weary bodies. The next morning we have breakfast at the Lodge before setting off for Rotura where we plan to visit a Hot Springs Spa, a Maori Cultural Center, and then to what I am most looking forward to the Buried Village.

Then it's back to Auckland for the night.  The next day we are heading overon a Ferry to Waiheke Island, where we will be taking a private Wine and Art tour.  Then back to Auckland, and head to the airport.  We depart at 7:40pm to LA and then on to NYC aka home!!