Up front I want to say Dan and Amanda were the great guides; professional, friendly, thoughtful. Meals were consistently good and on time. After the trip I can honestly say I wasn't craving anything! There were unexpected snacks like on the mountain top and after a hike. Perhaps the 3 day hike dinners could have been more creative, but personally, I thought they were fine. I loved the 3 day hike (yup weather and all). I was challenged to my max with the Mueller ridge, I am so glad I did the second half! I wasn't a fan of kayaking the first time, but I did enjoy the scenery. The kayaks at Milford Sound were more comfortable, but the trip was weak, and maybe the only disappointing part of the trip. I enjoyed the bike ride, having never done a mountain bike ride before. I enjoyed the swim in Lake Manapouri, we added that to the itinerary. I appreciated the different types of accommodations, backpackers, sheep station etc. Now we are traveling around on our own, these places which are unique to NZ are places we could try on our own! Our group was multiple national, multiple generational and I felt we bonded like a team in a very special way. Making new friends was certainly a bonus I didnt expect. Finally dropping in Head office was smart marketing, I did enjoy meeting the folk behind the scenes.

| January 1970