Polynesian Adventures!
French Polynesia & New Zealand
Mo’orea · Tahiti · New Zealand
Exploring French Polynesia and New Zealand.
Stop 1
ATL
Jul 10, 2026
Stop 2
SFO
Jul 10, 2026
Camera roll
Stop 3
PPT
Jul 11, 2026 – Jul 12, 2026
I think that having experienced a 12+ hour flight in the past makes an 8 hour flight very bearable. Especially an overnighter. Leaving at around midnight I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly... but then they served fucking diner lol so I was forced awake. Let me tell you a couple things about the French Bee airlines. It is the budget French airline, which means just like Frontier the seats are so teeny tiny but it's one of those extra wide flights. God damn it was cramped. Add that with the kid kicking my seat for a while and sticking their foot through the gap in the seats and you could've had a miserable flight. But it wasn't! I stayed positive and actually caught like 3-4 hours of decentish sleep. I listened to some chill music and I think I watched a movie... I don't really know. The great part of taking a flight westward is that you can get rest on the flight and then be in the past timezone wise from your starting location. So landing in Tahiti at 5am I felt perfectly acclimated to the time and ready to start my day! With a beautiful sunrise, the warm tropical breeze, and a wonderful week ahead of me I stepped off of that plane ready to meet Michelle and hop on a ferry!
Stop 4
Mo’orea
Jul 11, 2026 – Jul 16, 2026
I love trips where it takes several forms of transportation to arrive at your destination. It can make for a long day, but it's just so exciting. So far this trip we've taken a bus and two planes and now it's time for Michelle and I to take the ferry. On the ferry we got some espressos, a firi firi donut (twisted cinnamon roll kinda), and a sandwhich. Super yummy and a taste of the great food that is to come. At the ferry terminus Michelle's colleague Molly picked us up and we headed towards the research center! The drive was so exciting to see the beautiful offerings of the tropics again: the palm tress, lush jungle, and the beautiful people.
Camera roll
Stop 4 · Day 1
Day 1: Ia Ora Na!
Jul 11, 2026
Damn it feels good to set foot on a new island. Especially after a long journey - I'm starting to get how the explorers from times past felt! Ia Ora Na is Tahitian for hello by the way.
7 spots
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Michelle Working in the Lab
9:20 AM
I got to see first hand some of the work that Michelle and her team do in Mo'orea. Here they're working with liquid nitrogen to sanitize something... yeah I forget what it was exactly they're doing. It was cool though.
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Subsidized Baguettes
1:29 PM
As part of France, Mo'orea has subsidized baguettes. At only 60 cents USD it's an absolutely insane deal. Other foods here aren't nearly as cheap so I'll for sure be pounding a bunch of this stuff!
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Awesome Airbnb
2:23 PM
Checking into my Airbnb I met the host, Tamatoa, who is the coolest guy ever. He's from Tahiti, but moved to Mo'orea for the better, chiller vibes. And he built his entire property himself! There's a Tahitian sauna, fire pit, beautiful sitting area, and a creek running through it all. You'll have to take my word since I didn't take many pictures, but this place is soooooo awesome.
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Catch of the Day
3:33 PM
You'll see plenty of fish just hanging on the side of the road with a price tag on them. This Mahi Mahi is going for 90,000xpf or about $90.
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Naughty Piggy
4:11 PM
This big ol' piggy was fun to watch at first. But then (unpictured) she went straight for my bike that was sitting on the kickstand off frame and knocked it over! It's a fine line between being an asshole and becoming a piece of bacon.
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Gooooooal
4:33 PM
Argentina vs Switzerland game. There are a surprising number of Argentina fans here - not including me.
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Airbnb Kitty Cat
8:13 PM
My Airbnb came with a little kitty cat that jumped through the window and onto my bed. You can't sleep there kitty! But I did put him on the couch where he chilled for a while and then disappeared into the night at some point.
Stop 4 · Day 2
Day 2: Biking around the island
Jul 12, 2026
Today Michelle and I biked around the whole island of Mo'orea. It was about 37 miles and along the way we stopped at many beaches, restaurants, hikes, and vistas! I'm definitely glad we had the electric bikes as there were some pretty big hills we had to climb!
9 spots
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Selfie-ception
9:35 AM
The first stop of our 37 mile journey today is at the base of 'Ōpūnohu Bay at this neat little bridge that crosses the river feeding into the bay. I was taking a selfie of Michelle and I and she was doing the same thing! Selfieception!!!
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Val's restaurant for breakfast
10:09 AM
Michelle and I got a yummy breakfast of smoothies, eggs, coffee, and fruit at Val's. It was absolutely delicious and much needed fuel for the long ride ahead of us. Val also works at the research station as the station manager so it was cool to see her families' restaurant
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Big Statue
11:09 AM
I bet you're wondering what's under that loin clothe huh 😉?
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Church with mountain views
11:23 AM
Seeing a church like this sometimes makes me want to go to a church service. I'm not religious or anything, but praying in this kind of setting would be really cool.
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Local kids swimming at the boat ramp
11:55 AM
We stopped for a swim at this boat ramp out in the "country" and there were some kids messing around as well. While we were swimming and diving off the pier this one kid kept saying "Moussier, Moussier!" trying to get my attention. He didn't speak any English and me very little French, but we made due. He wanted to show me their fishing technique where they tied an entire fish head to a line and dangled it in the water. I'm not sure if they were trying to actually catch anything or just attract sharks... but if it was the later then it worked! A couple of reef sharks came by to see what was going on. Super cool experience!
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Piña Coladas
12:42 PM
We stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch where they had coconut and pineapple juices. Well drinking both at the same time gives you a homemade piña colada! We also got a delicious poisson cru, which is like ceviche, but with coconut milk instead of lime. So delicious.
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Swimming in a Waterfall Lagoon
2:02 PM
This was my favorite stop of the entire day! We biked up this very rough neighborhood road to get to a guy's personal property where the hike started. He charged 2000 per person and told us he'd watch our bikes. Well he didn't speak much English, but that was the shared understanding at least (I think). The hike was about 20 minutes up a bit of a hill and was super muddy. At the top we were treated with this incredible, tall waterfall. It had just rained the day prior so it was extra powerful today. The water was super cold, but I asked myself what would Brendan do? And of course B-lo gets into any body of water so I had to send it. It wasn't too cold honestly and Michelle took this cool picture so totally worth it!
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Fresh Roadside Coco Glace
2:40 PM
This fellow was selling chilled coconuts on the side of the road for 250xpf ($2.50) so we had to get one. He chopped it open right there and we pounded it. It was funny - he gave us the shittiest straw I've ever had the pleasure of using which broke immediately. Seeing this he immediately grabbed us another, which also promptly cracked. He was so worried about us being able to drunk it, but I said no worries and put the whole thing up to my mouth and guzzled it right down!
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Overlook of beach
3:17 PM
We stopped at this pretty overlook for a bit after climbing a huge hill. Since we had e-bikes I wasn't tired or anything, but the view was nice so we stopped.
Camera roll
Stop 4 · Day 3
Day 3: Boat Day!
Jul 13, 2026
Today I joined the ladies on the boat on the final field day of the summer for their project. Our mission was to fill the holes made in the corals that were created to take samples with epoxy. This was to protect the coral from infection or other predators.
3 spots
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Jaden and Michelle at the Bow
11:26 AM
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Boats Anchored in the Bay
11:31 AM
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At the Dive Site
1:17 PM
Molly and Michelle
Stop 4 · Day 4
Day 4: Vive la France
Jul 14, 2026
Today was the France vs Spain World Cup game which started at 9:00am. We headed over to a bar where all the locals gathered to cheer on their home team (France). Well most people seemed to be team France, but a few more Pacific Islander looking folks were rooting for Spain. Maybe there's some beef. Well I'm rooting for the home team... maybe home team is debatable here. Well I'm rooting for a good game. And a good game we didn't get. It was a pretty boring match, but drinking a beer at 9 in the morning is always a good time. - world cup - secret spot - Beach (and wine) - Belvedere lookout - Allo (again)
6 spots
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Rainbow and Pain au Chocolat
8:00 AM
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The Hidden Spot
1:58 PM
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Wine at Temae Beach
2:39 PM
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Sofitel Moorea Resort Bungalows
3:12 PM
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Belvedere Lookout
4:13 PM
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Alo Pizza (again) for Dinner
5:58 PM
Camera roll
Stop 4 · Day 5
Day 5: Work Work Work
Jul 15, 2026
Have I mentioned yet that I was working on the first part of this 3 week adventure? Well while in Mo'orea I was more or less on the clock. Technically on the clock, but mentally sipping a piña colada. Today is Wednesday, which are my busiest days of the week with meetings starting at 10:00 EST and ending at 2:30 EST. That translates to starting at 4:00am Mo'orea time and after a tough night of sleep getting up this early was rough. I never sleep good when I know I have to get up early. After finishing up work I immediately went for a hammock on the water to take a nap. After napping for a couple of hours I helped Michelle with some final cleanup of her project before we checked out local the juice factory.
1 spot
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Rotui Juice Factory & Distillery
3:38 PM
At the juice factory you could see the juice cartons on the conveyer belt as they headed for the boxing machine. After watching how the juice is made we were able to go try some at their juice bar. The lychee one was gross!
Stop 4 · Day 6
Day 6: Na Na
Jul 16, 2026
This is my last day (or morning I guess) in Mo'orea for this trip. It has been such a wonderful time and I'm sad to leave the island, but on to more exploration! After one last look at Tamatoa's beautiful AirBnb I walk down the pot holed road for the last time to the waterfront. And guess what? Today's my lucky day! Right as I get to the road Molly and Lana are returning from the gym and give me a ride back to the bungalows. Michelle and I chill at the bungalows until it's time to say goodbye to everyone and we start heading back to the ferry. We make a couple stops: first for a final poisson cru at Snack Routi, second for a smoothie and to browse some shirts (none were purchased), and third to the bank (gotta pay those taxi bills). We then head towards the ferry were it is mutually decided that we need some coffee so we hit API (I love the name as a coded iykyk) Coffee for a final espresso. Then Michelle finally drops me off at the dock for the 13:25 ferry and I wait there taking a last look at Mo'orea before we cast off towards the bigger island of Tahiti. Na na Mo'orea! Au Revoir!
4 spots
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Bye Bye Tamatoa!
8:39 AM
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Passion Fruit at the Bungalow
8:57 AM
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Poisson Cru @ Snack Rotui
11:00 AM
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Coffe coffe coffe
12:19 PM
Stop 5
Tahiti
Jul 18, 2026 – Jul 19, 2026
Stop 5 · Day 1
Day 1
Jul 16, 2026
Channeling my inner Simar I'm the first one off the ferry and into the taxi. Eco Scoot and fast I said! The driver didn't really understand what I said so I showed him the address on my phone and we took off - at a reasonable, safe pace. The speed will have to wait for the scooter. The scooter rental was chill and my motorcycle license has shown to be useful allowing me to get a 125cc scooter. To be honest I don't think a 50cc would cut it here with how fast some of these people like to drive. The drive to the AirBnb along the west and southern coast wasn't too bad, but there was a slight learning curve with a few road signs. I definitely took a few wrong turns. Otherwise I was just part of the evening commute as people headed away from the city. The AirBnb is just off the side of the road right by the water. The proprietor Steve is a nice fella and said the property has been in his family for over 40 years. Well it seems like it's also been a while since work has been done on the place, but that's fine with me as the prices are cheap. About $60 a night. The property borders the water of the lagoon where you can see the waves crashing in the distance. To end the day with an activity I go to the Vaipahi Water Gardens just down the road. There's a beautiful waterfall that then turns into a creek that fills these beautiful lily fields with water. There's fish and so many different plants. There is also a trail that goes up the mountain following the water source that I follow. I hiked about 2 miles before it got dark so I took the first exit back. Heading home I needed 2 things: water and food. Water was easy. To my initial distrust I went to one of the water sources that are literally on the side of the road. There's just spring water coming out of pipes in these rock walls that locals are filling their bottles at. I was skeptical of how safe the water could be, but decided to go for it. Two days later my stomach is fine and the water tastes great! For food I decided to try some Chinese food. Reading the all French menu was difficult so I went with something I could decipher - beef and ginger. It was great.
3 spots
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Airbnb by the Sea
3:58 PM
My little cottage by the sea for the next 2 nights.
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Water Gardens Waterfall
4:44 PM
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Overlook at the Water Gardens
5:19 PM
On the hike I stumbled upon this beautiful overlook with a panoramic view of the lagoon to the south. It was so peaceful with just the sound of the birds and the waves in the distance. I honestly didn't want to leave!
Camera roll
Stop 5 · Day 2
Day 2: Look Mom I'm Riding the Big Wave
Jul 17, 2026
- Grotto - Vaima Source - Eels - Big wave - Black sand beach - The factory - More water from roadside - lots of moped riding - kayak and big waves - sunset
6 spots
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Grottes De Mara'a
7:49 AM
This grotto is huge and standing next to the pool you can see all the water dripping off of the ceiling of the cave into the water. It was a magical experience and I had it all to myself early in the morning!
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Vaima Source
8:59 AM
The Vaima Source is a little spring off the side of the road that locals enjoy swimming in. Legend has it that the constantly gushing spring gets its strength and energy from Faaravaianuu, the royal eel of lake Vaihiria. The pure water is said to have healing properties and was at one time used as a cure.
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Olympic Rings - Paris 2024
10:31 AM
The Teahupo'o Wave was were the Paris 2024 Olympic Games held the surfing event so they still had some of the things setup there. It was so cool to see both the place were the heaviest waves in the world are and to imagine the surfers here risking it all for gold.
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Plage de Tautira
12:26 PM
Black sand beach of Tautira. I went for a refreshing swim here. Side note: "plage" is French for "beach", but in my mind it's a little to close to "plague"!
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The Factory Pub
1:19 PM
This place had the best ratings on Google for a coffee so I had to try it out. I was the only person in, but the owner was so kind and a fun guy to talk to. We chatted a bit about the town and how much he enjoyed surfing the big wave. What a savage! I got an espresso and a smoothie and played a bit of chess for a while before heading onwards!
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Sunset on the Lagoon
5:42 PM
I love sunsets like these!
Stop 5 · Day 3
Day 3: Chasing Waterfalls and Drinking Beer
Jul 18, 2026
I slept fantastic so that means I'm going to have a fantastic day today as well. I started today with a paddle on the lagoon before heading to a patisserie for a raspberry croissant and a coffee. After that I headed to the Museum of Tahiti and The Islands. The museum was really cool - particularly the part about how the islands came to be settled. It's incredible to think Tahiti was settled only around 1200 years ago. The really doesn't seem so long compared to the history of humanity. It blows my mind to think people were able to traverse the oceans without modern technology into the unknown and settle new lands. If only they had Adventure Mapper! After the museum I headed back to the AirBnb to check out and get on the road south. On today's drive I really just did whatever I felt like with little plans. I stopped at a bunch of beaches to just admire the surroundings and to sit for a while. I saw so many people just scattered around the island enjoying their lives: playing in the water, enjoying time with families and friends, and just smiling and laughing. This made me really happy. I did a couple of cool activities today too. I hiked the valley of the 3 waterfalls and saw all 3. They were very cool and barely anyone was there so I had them all to myself at one point. I tried Mape Chaud (pictures with the red looking fruits), which is Tahitian chestnut in some sort of sauce. Lowkey they were really shit, but I ate like 6 of them. No wonder my stomach is feeling cooked while writing this (the next day). Then I went to Venus Point and checked out the nice beach there. The views to Mo'orea were also really incredible. After dropping the moped off I walked the 3 miles back to downtown with my heavy ass bag. After watching a spectacular sunset with a chill cat I needed to refuel so I pounded a hamburger and my first beer for the night. Then my night continued hopping from bar to bar as I waited for my 4am flight. At one bar I even danced with a Tahitian lady while a traditional Tahitian band played! Way to go Jared. Oh and another lady this morning commented on my blue eyes and how lovely they were - or at least I think it was mostly in French. I think I could do well here. Finally after many beers and a whole pizza I took a taxi to the airport. I told the driver, "Hey I only have 2,660 is that enough to get to the airport?" and he said "It's the meter". Well shit I said that's all the money I have - just drop me off when we hit 2,660 I guess. Well the meter kept ticking up and up getting to 2,500...2,600...2,650... and we arrived. The guy said wow you're lucky and I said all skill bro - keep the change. After that harrowing feat of adventure I finished my day sleeping on a bench waiting for the airport to open.
6 spots
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Le Passionné
8:16 AM
Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!Coffee and raspberry croissant!
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Museum of Tahiti and The Islands
9:42 AM
Exploring the museum of Tahiti and the Islands. Dumb dumb want gum gum!
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The Valley of the 3 Waterfalls
2:12 PM
Waterfalls 2 & 3 pictured here. So sick.
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Tapahi
3:05 PM
Cool geographical structure that was once used as a defense against the French invasion.
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Venus Point
3:14 PM
Where Captain James Cook observed the crossing of Venus (or something like that).
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JOJO PIZZA TOATA
6:10 PM
Yummy hamburger (said like Inspector Clouseau of course) and my first beer of the night...
Camera roll
Stop 6
PPT
Jul 18, 2026
Arriving at the PPT airport at 12:00am I slept on a bench for about an hour before going through security. After an entire day on the moped and a night on the town (and 4 beers) I feel dirty and exhausted. No problem though because soon enough I'll be on the plane and headed towards New Zealand! Pictured is the pizza that I so dearly wish I didn't eat. Free tip: don't pound an entire pizza (after already eating a different dinner) before an international flight. You'll thank me later - or regret not heading this advice.
Stop 7
AKL
Jul 19, 2026
The flight was very nice actually. New Zealand Air's plane was the nicest one I've ever been on. Even in economy I had twice the leg room than Frontier offers, a great movie experience, and a delicious breakfast. I'm flying NZA on the way home too (13 hour flight to Houston) so here's to hoping that plane's the same!
Stop 8
Auckland, NZ
Jul 20, 2026 – Jul 26, 2026
Stop 8 · Day 1
Day 1: Kia Ora
Jul 20, 2026
Kia Ora, or welcome to Auckland. The city of volcanoes - or at least that’s what I’m going to call it.
6 spots
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Ozone Coffee
12:13 PM
Yummy mushroom brioche bun and a coffee. I worked on Adventure Mapper for a bit while also investigating things to do the next couple of days.
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Overlook at Cox Bay Preserve
2:35 PM
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View of the Downtown from Wynard Crossing Bridge
6:28 PM
Liming around the Viaduct area this view caught my eye. I have a feeling that I'll be taking a lot of pictures of the skyline this trip. It's like my camera is drawn to it.
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Beautiful branching tree with Spanish moss hanging down.
6:56 PM
Walking through Albert Park I was struck by how beautiful this tree looked with Spanish moss hanging from it and backlit by a street lamp. It's small discoveries like these in the big city that make me really happy.
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Jalal for Dinner with Michelle
7:29 PM
Me and Michelle met for Jalal cart food after her confrence. She absolutely killed her poster presentation!!! She had a huge line of people just waiting to talk to her and asking when she was going to publish it so they could cite it. So epic!
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Whatever...
8:08 PM
I had to stop for a quick selfie with the WHATEVER sign on my route home. Little did I know at this time, but I would go on to pass this sign every night on my lime ride back to my Ponsonby Airbnb. Great reminder to not take things so seriously. Not a great response to when someone asks you what you want to do for dinner though (@Michelle).
Camera roll
Stop 8 · Day 2
Day 2: Coast to Coast Walkway
Jul 21, 2026
Liming from Waitematā to Manukau in Auckland.
13 spots
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Te Wharekura
9:35 AM
The journey from coast to coast starts at the Te Wharekura community center. Right on the water of the Waitematā Harbour I decide not to touch the water to officially christen the journey as it's apparently unsuitable for swimming. However the lime scooter I am prepared to embark on is quite suitable for this adventure - and my valiant stallion that I am excited to ride upon.
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Emily Place Reserve
9:39 AM
The first stop on the journey is a nice park situated just south of the waterfront. Nothing much to say other than this tree losing it's leaves looks really pretty.
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University Of Auckland Clock Tower
9:43 AM
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Auckland Domain Duck Pond
9:55 AM
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Lover's Lane Auckland Domain
10:01 AM
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Mount Eden Overlook
10:55 AM
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Mount Eden Summit
11:12 AM
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The Garden Shed Cafe
11:56 AM
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John Logan Campbell Monument
1:05 PM
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One Tree Hill Obelisk
1:40 PM
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Arch of Remembrance - Jellicoe Park
2:33 PM
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Te Tātua-a-Riukiuta (Big King Mountain) Overlook
4:24 PM
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Auckland Sunet
5:19 PM
I waited over an hour for the sunset atop the big king. This brings me back to the solbx.net days where I would catch a sunset in a different spot every night. There's something magical about taking the time to appreciate nature's beauty and not just arriving and taking a picture. Sitting in this tree I watched the birds chirping and fighting. I watched the local dogs playing off leash and frolicking in the grass upon the hill. And I watched the city move underneath me as people headed home. The sunset was spectacular and was a perfect way to end a perfect day. I love these types of days that are full of adventure and exploration. I maintain that ride share scooters and bikes are my absolute favorite way of exploring a city. So much fun!
Stop 8 · Day 3
Day 3: J.A.F.A
Jul 22, 2026
JAFA: Just Another Fucking Aucklander. That's what people in Auckland are called since about 1/3 of New Zealand's population lives in the city. Well I was a JAFA today. I got up late, had a coffee in bed, and then meandered around the streets of Ponsonby for a while. Just like any good JAFA would do.
8 spots
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Downtown Viewpoint
9:52 AM
There’s just something about an overlook of downtown that makes me want to stop and take a picture. Well here’s another for your viewing pleasure.
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Ponsonby Central Market
10:14 AM
I went to grab a coffee at a place I found on google to find it’s inside a huge market! This place reminds me of Chelsea market in NYC. Lots of different restaurants and bars. The WiFi is garbage though so I decided to sit on the street corner and watch the people going by.
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Auckland, Auckland
10:50 AM
I'm in love with all the parks in the city. I was feeling a bit off this morning so being able to stumble upon a park as nice as this one and just sit on a bench for a while was incredible and much needed. The birds here have such a unique song. I enjoy listening to them while staring at the downtown.
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Sal's New York Style Pizza
11:41 AM
One bite everyone knows the rules - 6.1. The pizza's good, but not great. Would eat again, but only if desperate and drunk... so maybe tomorrow?
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The Beautiful Words of Donald Trump
4:04 PM
While perusing a book shop I came across this gem. It's a book made up of poems constructed from Donald Trump's sayings. I'd like to hear one about his friends next: "I have so many friends. The best friends. Everyone is always saying - Donald you have so many friends.". Something like that.
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Sky Tower Tower
4:46 PM
Don't look down! At 610 feet in the sky this place is awesome. There is a 360 degree viewing platform where you can see the entire city. I was able to retrace my scooter route from yesterday and could point out all the volcanos and parks I visited. This is something you should definitely do if visiting Auckland.
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Sky Tower Casino
5:34 PM
The casinos fear me. I'm up on Vegas by about $5 and now I'm up on Auckland. You can't lose if you don't play. Welcome to the dragon's den. Wow that was cringy, but the casino here was neat. They had the classic games like slots, black jack, and poken, but then also some more "asain" style games like an entire room for baccarat.
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Yummy Pho
6:14 PM
Stop 8 · Day 4
Day 4: Tour de Waiheke Island
Jul 23, 2026
Taking the ferry to Waiheke Island, biking around, and trying some tasty wines.
10 spots
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Heavy Fog in the Bay
10:29 AM
The fog was super thick this morning causing the ferry to be delayed by ~10 minutes. But even with that I'm super impressed with the punctuality with the Auckland transit system.
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Oneroa Beach Overlook
11:14 AM
Super cool bluff that splits Oneroa Beach in half.
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Waiheke Island, North Island
1:07 PM
The rolling hills of the island are all covered in this lovely, lush grass. This place reminds me a lot of Block Island in it's vibes, but way more hilly. It's definitely a challenge going up some of these hills, but no matter it's a free workout!
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New Zealand Sheep
1:13 PM
These sheep are living their absolute best life. They're my only company up here heading towards the eastern part of the island. I was headed towards Awaroa Organic Vineyard to try my first glass of one, but they're closed even though Google said they're open. After climbing the big fucking hill I'm not upset though since I got to see this wonderful view.
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Waiheke Island, Auckland
1:34 PM
Onetangi Beach is huge!
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Tantalus Estate Chardonnay
2:02 PM
This is the most expensive Chardonnay at Tantalus Estate Vineyards. I believe according to the sommelier: "This Chardonnay unfolds with restrained elegance, revealing a finely integrated interplay of toasted brioche, wet limestone, and citrus blossom, culminating in a long, mineral-driven finish that rewards a patient palate." or something like that. It was very good though and quite refreshing after biking up and up hills for a few hours. Did I mention the hills only go up here?
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The Best Gin & Tonic Ever
2:41 PM
My next stop was The Heke for some lunch and to try their famous gin. Of course if you're getting gin the best cocktail for that is a gin and tonic. It was so refreshing and delicious that I had to force myself to savor it vs guzzling it down and ordering another. There's still quite a ride back to the ferry good sir! Not pictured is a delicious southern fried chicken, which was also delicious.
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Quack Quack
3:14 PM
These ducks are fed by people so they came over to me and started feinding.
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Shelly Beach - Shoutout Mom
3:31 PM
Quiet little cove named Shelly Beach. My mom would definitely love this place both for the name and the closeness to the wonderful wineries of the island. Someday I'd like to bring her here. My dad would say "Lets sail there!" and she would probably respond "Yeah hun... you sail and I'll meet you there!".
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Auckland Skyline in the Fog
4:47 PM
As the ferry nears the city we enter back into the fog, which at this time is also joined by some light rain. Since I'm viewmaxxing I stay on the top deck of the ferry and get quite soaked after a while, but you gotta do what you gotta do for the pic. Maybe some day people will be like "do it for the Adventure Map" if this site ever gets popular. I'll definitely need a better phrase than that though!
Stop 8 · Day 5
Day 5
Jul 24, 2026
Nothing much of nothing today. Just walking around the Ponsonby part of town, grabbing coffee, seeing some ducks, and dinner with Michelle.
7 spots
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Ozone Coffee - Work Day!
11:37 AM
After chatting with Josh for an hour I headed to Ozone to grab a coffee and work a bit on Adventure Mapper. The site is really coming along now!
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Eels in Western Springs Park
1:01 PM
Not pictured here (upon revision) is the eels. If you squint you can barely see one in the bottom left of the picture. But there were a ton of them squirming around in the water. Eels are very important to the Maori people's culture.
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Overlook @ Western Springs Park
1:13 PM
The number of great parks that you can find in Auckland is astounding. There is truly a park within every couple of blocks.
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Hidden Blue Bench on the Water
3:06 PM
My favorite kind of place to find. A nice place to sit, a quiet place to sit, and a secret place to sit.
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Marina with Skyline in Distance
3:24 PM
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Drinks @ 39 Ponsonby
4:58 PM
This drink was so tasty that I got another.
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Thai for Dinner
6:02 PM
Red curry with duck for me and a water for the lady.
Stop 8 · Day 6
Day 6: Piha
Jul 25, 2026
Today Michelle, Madeline, and I headed to the coast to see Piha. Watch out - the weather is calling for strong winds and rains!
10 spots
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Europecar Rental
9:47 AM
I initially was going to get a Suzuki JIMNY, but they upsold me on the hybrid vehicle. Honestly totally worth it for the extra passenger space. They were not able to upsell me the insurance though so I'll be taking very good care of this baby. Driving on the left side of the road doesn't worry me since we did that in St. Thomas. What does somewhat scare me is having the wheel on the right side of the car. It's weird taking turns since I'm so used to taking turns with a left side of the car viewpoint.
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Kitekite Trail
11:29 AM
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Kitekite Falls
11:48 AM
Multi-tiered waterfall.
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Fish & Chips in Piha
1:22 PM
After the hike we stopped at the local bowling club to grab some lunch. It was such a chill spot - they had a fire going in the fireplace, some music on, and a bar and restaurant! I got a local craft beer on draft
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Playground Slide
1:44 PM
Michelle and Madeline both had difficulty going down this slide. It turns out that slides made for children have very tight turns that are difficult to go around when you're adult sized. It's really too bad in my opinion.
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The Best Carrot Cake Ever
1:56 PM
We went to the Piha Store for a coffee and couldn't resist getting this carrot cake and it was the absolute best I've ever had. You could really taste the carrot and it had such a great texture. 10 / 10.
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Big Booty Statue
3:15 PM
I couldn't help my self - I did slap that ass.
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Absolute Legend Pilot
3:23 PM
If you look really closely you can see a glider plane in the clouds near the edge of the cliff. This pilot was an absolute madman diving and soaring in his glider plane in super strong winds by the edges of these cliffs. It was absolutely mesmerizing watching him fly around. He was either incredibly skilled and confident or was just YOLOing, but he for sure was making me nervous. I would love to try flying someday.
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Karangahape Road
5:41 PM
I finally made it to the famous Karangahape Road. The vibes were great and we checked out a couple of vintage shops. The smells from all the Asian restaurants were seducing.
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The Occidental
7:23 PM
Some final beers to close the night at the famous Occidental. Thanks Madeline!
Stop 9
Rotorua
Jul 26, 2026 – Jul 29, 2026
After having a nice breakfast of eggs Benedict with Madeline we bid farewell to her as Molly, Michelle, and I set off for our next destination... Rotorua! It was a bit of a gloomy day, but the drive was still beautiful as we headed through the countryside. The fields were all dotted with sheep and cows just munching away. In the distance there was always some volcano looking hill watching over the farms. Our first stop was the Waitomo Caves where we could see the famous glow worms. The tour first took us down into the caves about 45 meters below the ground where we got to learn about the history of the cave and it's discovery by the Maori people. Our tour guide was so lovely and funny! Then after seeing the cave we hopped into a boat and took a ride in the pitch black under the soft glow of the glow worms. I laid on my back on the boat seat and stared up at these little lights twinkling like stars on the cave ceiling. It was so so so cool. After the cave we hit the road for some quick treats before making it to our Airbnb in Rotorua. After a nice dinner of peanut butter noodles cheffed up by Michelle we hit the hot tub and then watched the first Madagascar movie before hitting bed.
3 spots
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Glow Worms
3:17 PM
The glow worms were far more amazing than I could've expected. Their vibrant, turquoise and iridescent color was bewitching. This photo doesn't nearly do them justice.
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Cave Boat
3:20 PM
Pictured is us coming in to the dock on the boat after watching the glow worms.
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Real Fruit Icecream
4:03 PM
In the USA we call this New Zealand ice cream, but of course here they just call it real fruit ice cream. I chose banana, blueberry, and kiwi and it was delicious. We also got some meat pies and candy!
Stop 9 · Day 1
Day 1: Rainbow Mountain & Redwoods
Jul 27, 2026
Today I woke up before everyone else so walked into town to explore and grab a coffee. Then he headed south to Rainbow Mountain for a hike up the mountain to see some great views of the surrounding lakes, mountains, and rolling hills. Michelle was obsessed with every cow / sheep we passed. Afterwards he grabbed some coffee at a local shop before heading back to Rotorua. There we walked amongst the redwoods, through the government gardens, and inspected the Polynesian Spa. All this before returning home and watching the Sheep Detective!
7 spots
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Kuirau Thermal Park
9:07 AM
I walked through this park in the morning and got my first view of the thermal activity in the area. Everything smelled very strongly of sulphur. In the park there were also public footpaths powered by the geothermals that some folks were enjoying and chatting around.
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View of the Maori Village
9:28 AM
I stopped for a coffee at the Third Place Cafe and it had great view of this historic, but still used Maori village with the lake in the background and the steam from the geothermal vents. It looked magical in the morning sunlight.
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Crater Lake
11:40 AM
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Maunga Kākaramea: Rainbow Mountain
1:10 PM
The hike to the top of Rainbow Mountain was pretty steep, but I loved the climb. The view at the top was 360 degrees of the surrounding area. In the very far distance we could see the peak of Mount Ruapehu, which is the largest active volcano in New Zealand!
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Awaken Cafe
2:42 PM
Yummy post-hike lunch at a cafe in Reporoa. Michelle and I split a chicken panini and a chicken pot pie (of sorts). Molly got a vegetarian toasty (grilled cheese). We all got coffee. The folks in the store were really kind and gave us some great recommendations for tomorrow. And the little boy who was crawling around was so funny.
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Redwoods
4:42 PM
The redwoods here were planted all the way back in 1910ish and are now huge! Pictured here is just one of them, but there was a whole forest that we walked through. There's a strong feeling of calmness in my mind when walking through these towering giants. I really wish I lived near them so I could escape from my thoughts among them.
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Rotorua Museum: Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa
5:27 PM
The Rotorua Museum under the full moon.
Camera roll
Stop 9 · Day 2
Day 2: Spa Day
Jul 28, 2026
Today we headed back down south to see the Geothermal Wonderland! We saw a geyser powered by soap, many geothermal features of all colors of the rainbow, and swam in the kerosene creek. After all of this we headed back into town for a quick bite at a Thai restaurant before exploring the Maori Village. Then Molly split ways to go climbing while Michelle and I hit the Polynesian Spa. Oh what a wonderful time enjoying the several different lakeside pools while watching the sunset and planes land. A truly magical experience.
6 spots
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Lady Knox Geyser
10:27 AM
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Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland
11:04 AM
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Kerosene Creek
1:50 PM
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Maori Village Marae
3:40 PM
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Polynesian Spa
5:11 PM
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Pig & Whistle Irish Pub
6:16 PM
Camera roll
Stop 9 · Day 3
Day 3
Jul 29, 2026
Stop 10
Māngere Bridge
Jul 29, 2026 – Jul 30, 2026
This morning we cleaned the Airbnb and were out the door by 9:30am. We then hit the Third Place Cafe for a quick coffee (as we ran out) and I got a delicious sausage roll. Then we hit the road. On the way to drop Molly off at the airport we first stopped at the Ōtorohanga Kiwi House. Here we were able to see a number of cool birds including Red-crowned parakeets, Kākās, New Zealand falcons, and of course Kiwis!!! I wasn't able to take any pictures of the kiwis, but they were the weirdest yet coolest birds I've ever seen. Their little round butts are so big and they have this mannerism that makes me want to be friends with them. My new favorite bird! After the Kiwi House we headed into Ōtorohanga for some Indian food for lunch. One interesting note was that our server, who was Indian, was being pretty chatty and somehow Molly mentioned a town in India where he was from! He was so happy that she knew about his hometown (it was a big one that is very famous for Yoga, but none the less) and this makes me maintain that people care the most about where they're from and how they're doing. If you can master those points of conversation everyone will love talking to you. After this we headed for the airport where we said goodbye to Molly. I loved meeting her in Mo'orea and then spending 3 days exploring Rotorua with her and Michelle. She has such a good energy, friendly disposition, and is very curious! I hope Michelle gets to work with her again in the future! After dropping her off we headed for the Naumi Hotel in the Māngere Bridge neighborhood just down the road from the airport.
5 spots
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Third Place Cafe
10:07 AM
Sausage roll for breakfast. These have been my favorite new food on this trip. I mean it's the perfect combination of a flaky croissant and beef!
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Feeding Parakeets
12:09 PM
Molly feeding the parakeets at the Kiwi House
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Gecko
12:33 PM
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Tūī Bird
1:24 PM
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Riding Kiwis
1:51 PM
The only kiwi we were allowed to take a picture of. Oh I guess the only you you're also allowed to ride.
Stop 10 · Day 1
Exploring Māngere Bridge
Jul 30, 2026
Michelle and I got up this morning and checked out of the hotel by 10:00am. He headed into the small neighborhood of Māngere Bridge where we shared an Eggs Benedict for breakfast and got some coffees. After breakfast we walked along the water on the Kiwi Esplanade towards the Mangere Mountain. We went strait up the steep side of the mountain through the golden green grass. The view from the top was incredible as you could see the entire town and across the water you could see all of Auckland including the Sky Tower poking out from behind Mount Eden. We then headed back into town towards the car where we stopped for a quick coffee and smoothie at a cafe before continuing on towards the Auckland Arboretum. The arboretum was full of so many new plants that we've never seen before. My favorite where the magnolia trees which were just starting to bloom. The smell from all the flowers was just lovely. Then Michelle and I washed, vacuumed, and refueled the car before heading towards the airport to start our long journey home.
7 spots
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Ruby Red Cafe
10:08 AM
We got eggs Benedict and coffees.
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Walking along the Kiwi Esplanade
10:44 AM
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Offroading the climb up the side of the Mangere Domain. It is steeper than it looks!
11:14 AM
An absolute calf burner, but also absolutely beautiful.
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Mangere Domain Peak
11:27 AM
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Auckland, Auckland
12:17 PM
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The Gardens, Auckland Region
2:03 PM
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The Gardens, Auckland Region
2:35 PM
Camera roll
Stop 11
Auckland Airport
Jul 30, 2026 – Jul 30, 2026
Stop 12
George Bush Intercontinental Airport – Houston 1
Jul 30, 2026
2 spots
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Auckland, Auckland
2:57 PM
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Auckland, North Island
3:45 PM
Stop 13
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Jul 30, 2026
Stop 14
Athens, GA
Jul 30, 2026