http://www.deanloades.com Sun, 09 Jan 2011 07:30:02 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en For our third and final leg in New Zealand we had another car relocation to move us from Christchurch to Dunedin from where we'd be flying out. This time we were more luckily with car type, getting a very comfortable Toyota Aurion to drive. We did most of the drive ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/new-zealand/christchurch-to-dunedin-new-zealand/ Over the next six days we took our camper van in a big loop up and through the Lewis Pass across to the west coast then coast to Greymouth, and pack across via Arthur's Pass. There were several highlights along the way. On our second day we stopped at an almost ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/new-zealand/south-island-loop-new-zealand/ Arriving in New Zealand was almost like arriving back in Australia. The accents were not quite right, but we found many things to be similar. The suburbs of Auckland could easilt be suburbs in Brisbane and many of the Aussie labels can be found in New Zealand too. Sophie was ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/new-zealand/auckland-to-christchurch/ The Big Sur, literally meaning "Big South" in Spanglish, is the coastal area a couple of hours drive south of San Francisco. A couple of people had told us it was worth a visit, so instead of hanging out in expensive hotels and hostels in San Fran, we got ourselves ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/big-sur-california/ After spending so many nights sleeping in the car, we treated ourselves to a night at an actual hotel. Sophie was still feeling very tender from the accident and needed some rest, so she didn't get out much that first day. My first impression of San Francisco was not a great ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/san-francisco/ Yosemite Valley is a most amazing place. The main valley, where most people visit, is only 10 or so miles long, but it is so jam packed with spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, beautiful meadows, streams and forests, it's like God himself personally took charge with its creation. The place has ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/yosemite-national-park-california/ It happened on our way down from Sequoia National Park. I don't really have any good excuses, although I think tiredness, in combination with having to drive on the wrong (right) side of the road played a big part. We were happily driving along, coming up to a T-junction, when ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/the-life-and-death-of-a-rental-car/ The drive took us into California and along some really nice roads, one in particular took us down a valley alongside a really pretty river, with the grassy hills on either side covered with purple flowers. We arrived very early in the morning, after sleeping somewhere along the way. It was ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/sequoia-national-park-california/ We passed through Vegas again on the way west, stopping just long enough to have yet another meal from our favourite Thai restaurant, where we were now known by name. From there it was just a couple of hours drive till we were in Death Valley National Park. It covers ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/death-valley-national-park-california/ Being the Grand Canyon and all we couldn't really pass within a couple of hours drive without paying a visit. So from Bryce we drove south from Utah and into Arizona. Nearing the canyon we started passing through areas of snow. At one stage we had to stop the car ... http://www.deanloades.com/travels/around-the-world-2009/north-america/grand-canyon-national-park/