New Zealand Travel Review: Auckland, Glowworm Caves, Wellington, Blenheim, Christchurch, Fox Glacier, Scenic Train Rides

We'd acknowledge that we're no longer nearly as agile and strong as we once were. The mind was willing but the flesh, not so much anymore. Heading out from our home in Huntsville, AL, we had what essentially was an all-day trip (HSV-ATL-LAX) on Delta (service wise, not the airline it used to be. I suppose all the rest of our domestic carriers are pretty much the same). Delta got us there and didn't lose our baggage, but that's the best I can say for them. We connected to our Air New Zealand flight to Auckland which departed at about 2145. 12 hours later arrived in Auckland -- exhausted. (Air New Zealand was wonderful -- best airline we've flown with ever -- I have nearly a million miles in the air so I know of which I speak. Our exhaustion wasn't ANZ's fault -- our getting old was.) If we were to do it differently, we'd have been wiser to lay over in Los Angeles (where we have friends), get a good night's rest from our day with Delta, and make a 2-hour time zone adjustment in the process. We did this coming back and it was much better. Your overall comment about Zicasso I started searching during 2012 and found Zicasso. As we grew nearer to making serious plans, Zicasso referred us to the New Zealand tour company -- and away we went.