Summer, fall, and the first few weeks of winter in Minnesota are wonderful.
Also wonderful are the percussive sounds of a glycol/water mixture being sprayed at our plane in the depths of winter as we start a journey towards the tropics or a Southern Hemisphere summer.
The meteorological definition of winter spans three months: December, January, and February. This does not apply to Minnesota where winter can start with a heavy snowfall in October, and continue through much of April. Sometimes it snows in May.
I love the drama of a heavy snowfall, viewed from the safety of our apartment, with the knowledge we won’t have to drive in it. I don’t particularly mind the cold, unless it’s south of 0° F. A walk on fresh, squeaky snow beneath a bright, blue sky is one of life’s pleasures.
By the end of January we’ve had enough of winter. It’s time to pack our meager possessions (at least meager for the trip) into carry-on backpacks and travel to places where we can slather on sunscreen instead of moisturizing lotion.
Honolulu, Hawaii
On Sunday we start a two-month trip. We’ll fly nonstop to Honolulu HNL.
We’ll spend a week on Oahu, Hawaii’s main island, riding theBus (public transit), trying not to add to crowds, seeking B-List places, striving for authenticity, whatever that is.
We’ll fit in the odd feeding frenzy of Hawaiian delights, including Spam musubi, poke, and mixed plates (with macaroni salad, of course).
After a week in Honolulu we’ll be ready to continue our journey.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an easy hop from Hawaii. The flight is about 9 hours, and the 23-hour time difference means virtually no jet lag. We’ll board an Air New Zealand 777-200 in Honolulu in the morning, and be in Auckland AKL late afternoon, next day, having avoided the night.
After a night at an airport hotel, we’ll fly to Blenheim BHE on the north of the South Island.
Internal flights are inexpensive and, for us, low-stress. I prefer to minimize driving on New Zealand’s narrow, winding roads, while my dearly beloved reminds me to drive on the left. We’ll rent cars only for local transport.
After a couple weeks of hiking and some lolling around, we’ll fly from Nelson NSN up to Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, KKE in the far north of the North Island. We’ll hike and, for a change of pace, rent bicycles to explore a former railroad right of way.
Hawaii Big Island
After a month in New Zealand, an overnight flight will take us back to Honolulu HNL. At HNL, we’ll walk over to the interisland terminal to catch a flight to Hilo ITO on Hawaii Big Island.
Three weeks later it will be April. We’ll be ready to come home via Kona KOA to Honolulu HNL, then an overnight to Minneapolis MSP.
Once home we’ll look for signs of spring, but we’ll have to be patient.
