Crowne Plaza Hotel Auckland

Just in our backpackers at the moment, jumping on the internet to check a couple of things and having a chill out. We have spent the day exploring Auckland, going to a market up the road from our hotel, then to underwater world and antarctic encounter where we got up close to some monster penguins, and then had a massive hike carrying our bags from Crowne Plaza to the backpackers. its a big change from the hotel, i dont think julie likes it that much yet but only cause she hasnt stayed in on...

"Every flyer who ventures across oceans to distant lands is a potential explorer; in his or her breast burns the same fire that urged adventurers of old to set forth in their sailing ships for foreign lands". (Jean Battern 1979.). It is early in the morning when we stroll blery eyed through Auckland Airport. The long flight and the cross over the international dateline had left us somewhat disorianted, not only by hours but days. After pasing through imigration easily and having our boots and...

I got up at 6:00 am and got packed. I ordered breakfast from room service (it is really cheap here at this hotel). I checked out at 7:30 and caught a cab to the airport. When I arrived at the Christchurch Airport, there was no one working at the Quantas Check-in Desk. There was, however, a long line of travelers waiting to check in. At about 8:00 am, a couple of employees came wandering in and opened the check-in. I had already used the kiosk to check in, so all I needed to do was to check my...

I got up at about 6:00 am and got showered and shaved. I called at 8:00 am to find out if the kayaking trip was still on. I spoke to Mike, and he said it was beautiful weather and the trip was a go (no x or check boxes involved!). I went down to the lobby and asked the concierge for directions. Let me say a word about directions from concierges...I have dealt with a number of concierge services since I left on this trip. Not all of them give good, concise, understandable directions. However, ...

My day today was not really well planned out unfortunately. My plan was to drive to the Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland south of Rotorua and then to the Gloworm Cave at Waitoma. For starters, Rotorua is not that far from the Coromandel Penninusula, so it would have made more sense for me to spend the night there after kayaking instead of driving back to Auckland last night. But, I didn't do that. So I had to drive 3 and 1/2 hours to get to Rotorua. I had hoped to get there by 10:00 am, so I cou...

We we have handed the van back, and all is well.... no problemo! We then got a taxi into the City of Auckland as we are staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for the next two nights. While in the city, we went for a long walk around the hilly centre, looked in loads of the book stores, and watched a few people 'bungy/skydive' off the Sky Tower - these people are crazy! This evening we had a lovely meal in the hotels restaurant... the 3 course meal was fabulous!