We weighed the pros and cons of traveling on our own versus taking a guided tour. We're pretty confident travelers and enjoy the independence of picking and choosing what to see and how much time to spend in a place, but there was a LOT we wanted to see on this trip, and the logistics of getting to and from multiple cities via multiple modes of transport would have required exceptional amounts of preplanning, as well as added stress during the trip. 

So we opted for a fully guided tour, and ended up having a delightful time! One tour director, Gail, was with us throughout our stay in Australia and a second leader, Mark, took over when we got to New Zealand. Both were organized and efficient, getting us to and from airports and ferries and scheduled events precisely on time (not too early, not to late), and both did a fine job of telling us about their countries (Gail is Australian and Mark a Kiwi), sharing stories about history, people, and current events: we learned not just the "what" of the places we visited but also at least some of the "why" that made them noteworthy. 

We spent a busy two weeks in Australia and an even more event-packed week seeing a few key locations on the North and South Islands of New Zealand. Nothing I write on this website can do full justice to our experiences, no matter how many photos I post or stories I tell, but I'll try to share a few anecdotes on each page. The tour we took was truly about "highlights" - we visited many of the most "famous" or "important" places in the two countries, but many of our stops were far too brief, before we had to move on to the next park, historic site, or ferry ride. I would say we got a "taste" of life in Australia and New Zealand, and I certainly know much more about both places than I did before our visit - and I did get to dive on the Great Barrier Reef! 

Here's brief summary of the places we visited: Melbourne, including Queen Victoria Market and the Melbourne Museum; Alice Springs, where we visited the School of the Air and Royal Flying Doctor Service; Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park; Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef; Sydney, with all of its famous landmarks; Auckland, another beautiful city on a harbor, and nearby Devonport; Rotorua, with its geothermal springs and glow worm caves; Christchurch; Franz Josef and its nearby glacier; Queenstown; Milford Sound; back to Queenstown; and a final day in Christchurch before our return flight home.