I have been planning this trip for year now. Just like anyone training for an Ironman, your life becomes all about your race! You think about times, you train your butt off, you lose sleep, you obsess about your transitions (weird but you think how you can change faster), you spend all your money on crazy things that might make you a tenth of a second faster, and sadly your family can suffer. I was so excited to spend two weeks in paradise with the people I love, my husband and my parents!
Thursday Feb 23- Sunday Feb. 26:
We flew stand by to save some money. (Ladd's amazing uncle works or the airlines) The downfall is that you don't know if you I'll get on. Which is exactly what happened for the first flight. We waited or the next one, we were the last names to get called but only one could go. So, sent my mom. So, it was back to the house to wait until morning for the rest of us. We were able to get a flight to Long Beach, since LAX was booked for days. If you ever fly stand by don't try flying to lax, not fun. My dads sister came and picked us up to meet our mom as LAX. We spent the day going to Venice beach, eating some awesome Mexican food, and walking to a local mall to eat some frozen yogurt! That night we caught our flight to Sydney, we went to Sydney because delta
doesn't fly to New Zealand. We spent the day in Sydney hanging around the bay and going on a great boat ride!
Waiting for our flight to LAX, round 2
Finally getting to Sydney after several days. We started our journey on Feb. 23 got to Sydney on Feb. 26. It sounds worse then it was, we skipped the 25 all together because of the international date line.
Our hotel in Sydney! You better believe I got the top bunk!!
Me and my beautiful mother on our boat ride through Sydney Harbor!
View of Sydney from our boat!
Next off to New Zealand!!!!
Monday Feb. 27:
We got up early and headed to the airport to catch our flight to Auckland! When we got there we were picked up by my fathers old missionary companion Steven Pokere! (FYI, no big deal but he played for the ALL BLACKS). We hung out with him and his wife for the rest of the day. His wife made the best food ever, Bacon and Egg pie. I will be making this soon!!
First thing we saw getting off the plane in Auckland!
Tuesday, Feb. 28:
Time to get ready to head into Auckland!!! We spent most of the day in Auckland. We went to the Sky tower, the national museum, and of course shopping!
Sky Tower we went to the very top!!
The view from the top, Auckland City.
Don't worry the floors were glass in parts. That is me standing on the glass looking down! It took alot of courage to walk on the glass!
Wednesday Feb. 29:
Next on our way to Lake Taupo where the race was being held! We stopped a couple places before we finally got there!
Our bike all loaded up ready to go! If you can't spot mine it is the really cute one with the pink seat and wheels!!!
First stop ice cream, in Pokeno!!! We were on a mission to find the biggest scoops, this place ended up getting second. Oh yes that is a double scoop before and Ironman!!! The ice cream in AMAZING I am going through withdrawals right now.
Next stop the LDS temple in Hamilton. What a beautiful place!!!
That night we checked into our hotel, which was actually a hostel. Word of advice, never stay in a hostel when you are trying to get a good night of sleep!
Thursday March 1:
We got up early to go for a swim and get our wet suits dipped(cleaned) and check in. The wind was starting to get worse as they time went on. By the time we were able to get in the water there were white caps. Since my shoulder injury I wasn't to excited about trying to swim with that! So we decided to go to Rotorua, a near by town.
Agrodome! One of the best places in New Zealand. Here they have every kind of sheep imaginable, which is awesome. Who doesn't love sheep!!!
SHEEP, SHEEP AND MORE SHEEP!!!
Waiting for the sheep show! Look how excited we are!!
Here is the finale of the sheep show. Yes, those dogs are running on the top of those sheep. And by the way those sheep are real life sheep!!! Now do you understand why I love this so much!
Next on the agenda is going on a gondola ride followed by a luge down the mountain.
There my mom goes! She went down the advanced one on her first try, and did well. Then my dad took off on the easy on. He saw a bunch of signs that said slow down, but didn't and ended up in the bush! Maybe he forgot we had an Ironman coming up! I went slow because I was wearing my new $200 Ironman Jacket (by the way I have never bought anything that much, this was a once in a life time thing!!!)
That night we went back to Taupo for the Pre dinner! I was amazing food and fun to see all the athletes. There were about 550 first time athletes, and there were 48 countries represented. The only problem was, the news that they gave us at the end of the race. They informed us that there was a tropical storm of the way, and it was coming on the day of the race. Let the prayers begin!!!! Another meeting was set for Friday to give us an update!
END OF PART 1
doesn't fly to New Zealand. We spent the day in Sydney hanging around the bay and going on a great boat ride!
Waiting for our flight to LAX, round 2
Finally getting to Sydney after several days. We started our journey on Feb. 23 got to Sydney on Feb. 26. It sounds worse then it was, we skipped the 25 all together because of the international date line.
Our hotel in Sydney! You better believe I got the top bunk!!
Me and my beautiful mother on our boat ride through Sydney Harbor!
View of Sydney from our boat!Next off to New Zealand!!!!
Monday Feb. 27:
We got up early and headed to the airport to catch our flight to Auckland! When we got there we were picked up by my fathers old missionary companion Steven Pokere! (FYI, no big deal but he played for the ALL BLACKS). We hung out with him and his wife for the rest of the day. His wife made the best food ever, Bacon and Egg pie. I will be making this soon!!
First thing we saw getting off the plane in Auckland!Tuesday, Feb. 28:
Time to get ready to head into Auckland!!! We spent most of the day in Auckland. We went to the Sky tower, the national museum, and of course shopping!
Sky Tower we went to the very top!!
The view from the top, Auckland City.
Don't worry the floors were glass in parts. That is me standing on the glass looking down! It took alot of courage to walk on the glass!Wednesday Feb. 29:
Next on our way to Lake Taupo where the race was being held! We stopped a couple places before we finally got there!
Our bike all loaded up ready to go! If you can't spot mine it is the really cute one with the pink seat and wheels!!!
First stop ice cream, in Pokeno!!! We were on a mission to find the biggest scoops, this place ended up getting second. Oh yes that is a double scoop before and Ironman!!! The ice cream in AMAZING I am going through withdrawals right now.
Next stop the LDS temple in Hamilton. What a beautiful place!!!That night we checked into our hotel, which was actually a hostel. Word of advice, never stay in a hostel when you are trying to get a good night of sleep!
Thursday March 1:
We got up early to go for a swim and get our wet suits dipped(cleaned) and check in. The wind was starting to get worse as they time went on. By the time we were able to get in the water there were white caps. Since my shoulder injury I wasn't to excited about trying to swim with that! So we decided to go to Rotorua, a near by town.
Agrodome! One of the best places in New Zealand. Here they have every kind of sheep imaginable, which is awesome. Who doesn't love sheep!!!
SHEEP, SHEEP AND MORE SHEEP!!!
Waiting for the sheep show! Look how excited we are!!
Here is the finale of the sheep show. Yes, those dogs are running on the top of those sheep. And by the way those sheep are real life sheep!!! Now do you understand why I love this so much!
Next on the agenda is going on a gondola ride followed by a luge down the mountain. 
There my mom goes! She went down the advanced one on her first try, and did well. Then my dad took off on the easy on. He saw a bunch of signs that said slow down, but didn't and ended up in the bush! Maybe he forgot we had an Ironman coming up! I went slow because I was wearing my new $200 Ironman Jacket (by the way I have never bought anything that much, this was a once in a life time thing!!!)That night we went back to Taupo for the Pre dinner! I was amazing food and fun to see all the athletes. There were about 550 first time athletes, and there were 48 countries represented. The only problem was, the news that they gave us at the end of the race. They informed us that there was a tropical storm of the way, and it was coming on the day of the race. Let the prayers begin!!!! Another meeting was set for Friday to give us an update!
END OF PART 1
Love all the pictures!! It looks amazing there!! Glad you had such a great trip!
ReplyDeleteLove all the pictures!! It looks amazing there!! Glad you had such a great trip!
ReplyDelete