Last few days in NZ!

Well what a whirlwind of mountains, lakes and sheep the last five weeks have been! And windy roads...looking forward to letting someone else drive us around for a while.

Nelson was superb and after a quick stopover in Wellington and a trip to Waitomo for the glowworms (they're camera shy so sorry, no pics) we settled back in to home comfort at Sharon's uncle John & Aunt Liz's house. Bliss. Homecooked meals, BBQ's and a comfy spot on the sundeck - what more could you ask for?! And on our last night it was our own private performance by Mr Rod Stewart (well ok, thats not true but with the size of Kelvin's TV you felt like you were right there in the front row as we watched the DVD Live at the Albert Hall).

A great way to end the trip!

Happy Birthday Sharon!

"Happy birthday to Shaz, happy birthday to Shaz, lets go get some booze and cake in, and sit in the park!"

Yep we celebrated Sharon's birthday in style by shopping (of the window variety), eating and drinking! As we couldn't drink in our lovely hostel we took the moonbooted birthday girl, a bottle of vino (in a brown paper bag) and our chocolate cakes (from Rosy's Cottage - heaven) to the grass surrounds of Nelson's Cathedral, where we stuck on the i-pod and ate and drank our way to contentment.

A light dinner, a few drinks and games of chess later (i know, we're party animals!), we headed out to celebrate in the packed pubs of Nelson (except their apparent busiest night for drinking equalled a few people in each pub! Oh well). We were all still merry and the birthday girl was a rockin' on the moonboot as we made our way home!...tho perhaps not as steamin' as her bday message on the wall would have wished for. See pics...

And now we're back on North Island in Wellington with a long drive to the Waitamo Caves planned for tomorrow. Off to see some glow-worms before a quiet few days in Auckland in prep for Oz and Australia Day celebrations...

Boooo, helihike canx!

So after the long drive to Fox Glacier and a booking on the 3pm helihike, we ventured around the very small town. Nothing much happening so we helped the local brownie group out by buying one of the delicious smelling burgers for tea. Tasted good too! After a run in with an irate Spaniard whose car we'd blocked in, we settled in for a chilly night in our dorm for te next days walks. Kim & Laura set off early doors for their 1/2 day walk up the Glazier while Sharon and i dozed in preparation for the helicopter flight and trek around the top. Except - DOH! - it was called off as in the afternoon the cloud came down too low. Booo! So instead we drove up to the view point, had a peek and came back for tea!...saving ourselves $300 in the process. Nice!

Moving on...and on...

This travelling business is tiring you know. Since leaving the smelly sights of Rotorua for Wellington and the South Island i've done little but sleep...oh and shop. Oh and test my driving skills when our 2nd tyre went. Oh and sit and sing Irish tunes in Molly Malones before an early ferry to the South. Actually, we've done quite a lot...no wonder i'm tired. Had a first lie-in in ages today and while that's not much to write about it was bliss to not have to pack and hit the road or go on a trip. Instead we sauntered to cathedral square to check out Christchurch's englishness and take a tour by tram of the highlights...one of which i'm sitting in now on the internet! We're off to Queenstown tomorrow and then Millford Sound - where apparently the did alot of filming for Lord of The Rings, which i haven't really watched, but am sure is beautiful. Then its the Glaziers before we head back up to the North Island and off to Oz...and sunshine! Only 10 days left in New Zealand....eeek!

Stinkin good fun!

O.M.G. I'm stinkin'! And not from travellers poor hygiene (we're actually quite clean and often at the laundromat!). Its because Rotorua is a thermal wonderland, and as a result of all the sulphur etc it stinks! Everywhere! Of eggs! Remember in Chemistry classes when you mixed sulphur with i don't know what and a puff off stinky smoke came out...well times that by one hundred...no make that one million! Poo!

Despite the smell this has been the craziest few days so far. No lazing around for us. Yesterday we headed off to Wai-O-Tapu thermal wonderland just outside of Rotorua to see the volcanic landscape aplenty.

From collapsed craters, cold and boiling mud pools, water and steaming fumaroles this place was vast...and not so easy to navigate holding your nose! Went snap crazy as you'll see on the pics. So wish i had smell-a-vision for you!

After this we headed back to the hostel, via the supermarket, before rushing to the Polynesian Spa, where we hoped we could get rid of at least some of the smell. Nope. This place stunk just as much as we dipped ourselves in the thermal pools ranging from 39-42 degrees, ouch HOT! Relaxing it was, cleansing/cleaning...well thats debatable! It was back to the hostel for a long, hot shower.

Then today it was another jam-packed schedule of fun (minus doing our laundry, thats just dull!). Ok Mam, before you read on this is some of the stuff i couldn't tell you about
until i'd done it, but now i've done it you can know...thats right isn't it?! he!. First it was zorbing. While the girls watched safely from the balcony i was thrown around inside a waterfilled giant ball down a grass track. Absolutely hilarious...and so worth it. Infact i'm thinking about doing it back home (any takers?!). The funniest part was jumping through the hole to get in...and then trying to stand up - impossible!

Next on the list was the Skyline and the Gondola...a skylift, basically, no scariness there. But that would be no fun would it?...so Kim, Laura & I took the Luge back down - a kind of tobogan. Oooh my arms hurt from holding on. You speed down this track and round bends etc. Very funny, but flippin' sore. Did it again though, you know just for the craic! Had to come back up my a chair lift and that was scarier than the Luge.

Not content, Sharon and i decided to take part in the SkySwing. Described as being better than a bungy and scarier than a skydive we were hoisted up in this giant bungy ball then launched at 150mph across towards Rotorua. Eeeeek! Got the DVD but will apologise now as there is the odd swear word in there...actually that's a lie, there's lots. Sorry mum & dad, it was so scary! Prepared me for the skydive in Oz tho :-)

And now as we type away, Laura and Kim are basking in their very own mud pool and seeing if it really is like swimming in silk. Hmmmm. Hopefully have some pics of that soon! x

A cracking start to the New Year...literally!

It only took 6 weeks for one of us to end up in Casualty, and unfortunately for Sharon it was her to take the lead, bless. We had a great New Year in Paihia but in our excitement to get across to the fireworks on the beach poor Shaz twisted her ankle, leading to a fractured 5th metatarsal - diagnosed in Auckland's hospital two days later. Now the proud owner of her very own moonboot (with coordinated socks to go with her outfits) she's doing much better and, fingers crossed, all will be ok in three weeks time before we fly to Oz. Cross your fingers for her please x

Before the New Year kicked off, Kim & I did our Quad biking while a fitter Sharon & Laura went kayaking. The Quads were amazing and the terrain fantastic - although its a thigh clenching experience around the curves to hold on!. We went across lakes, up hills, over rocks and round bends...Unfortunately the attire did us no favours on the pictures, though i do admit i kept the hair net for later, ha!ha!

On the way back we had to pull over due to a blown tyre on the back of the car. Not being pro's at changing a wheel (and also not having the tool to do it!) we were lucky enough to have blocked the drive of a very helpful Kiwi. So when he and his wife headed to the shops, we did our best 'help us' faces, he got out of going shopping and we got our spare tyre put on (we dropped a few tinnies off later to say a big thank you...or it could have been New Year in the car!).

New Year was pretty cool around Paihia, although the pubs were quieter than the locals would have had us believe. We did a short bar crawl along the beachfront, ending in the Lighthouse, which wouldn't be misplaced in Blackpool. Despite its tackiness we stayed there till the bells as the music was promising, the booze flowing and the atmosphere was pretty good. Then we ran out for the fireworks...leading to Sharon's injury and a hobble home! Ouch!

With nowhere open on New Year's day to get our tyre fixed we drove at low speed down the east coast via Marsden Point, Whangarei and Pikiri. Got some cool pics onroute...although you may be sick of seeing white sandy beaches by now, ha!ha! Even passed a Woody's Winners and was tempted to put on a lotto ticket for Baby Bump Woody, but to no avail as it was shut. Boo! Could have been a millionaire by now! Oh well...

Ended back in Auckland to see if we could get a doc for the Cassidy and a tyre for the car. With neither open we settled in for the night and headed to the hospital first thing. The docs were lovely and soon had Sharon strapped in her moon boot. The girl who fitted it was even from Hamilton nr Glasgow (my last old haunt!) and knew Suzanne etc! Small world. All fixed and ready for the off we've driven to Whitianga...a beautiful beachside town in the Coromandel Peninsula. Got a room in a house next door to the backpackers (very cosy!) and settled down to watch Lord of The Rings. Put me in the mood for getting to South Island and seeing the film locations...and also gave me nightmares about spiders! Hmmmm....not good.

Ready to explore (with a spade in the boot) we got our tyre fixed - eventually! - and headed to Hot water Beach to dig a hole. Settled Sharon in a beach chair with a book and set about digging but we were too late for the hot stuff. All aches and pains we headed into the sea to boogie board...great fun, but the water was bl##dy freezing! No wonder you need to dig a hot hole when you get out. Brrrrrrrr! Warming up in the sunshine (given lack of hot water) the setting was fantastic.

And today...well the girls have gone off kayaking around Cathedral Cove while Sharon and i took the less strenuous route aboard a cruise. The cove was stunning...and guess what, there was even more sandy beaches to photograph! Also had a school of Dolphins joined us on route. They were right up at the boat and are so beautiful...and too flamin' quick to photograph! Then we headed into the underground caves to play some music, as me & Sharon got to grips with a didgeredoo (help on the spelling required!). Now we're back in town to chill before heading to Rotorua tomorrow for some zorbing etc... Skydiving on hold till Cairns in Oz - not letting Sharon get out of it that easy, ha! :-) x

Happy New Year from NZ!

Wow, its 2007! Did 2006 fly by or was that just me?

New Year was a blast as we watched the fireworks in Paihia - the party beach town of NZ! Kinda like Blackpool with a little less tack.

And as you've probably guessed, we survived our kayaking and quad biking trips. Photos to follow...i'm so tired, we've just arrived back in Auckland all aches, pains and hangovers!

Up North...

Booo - the ice bar was shut! But the SkyTower was amazing. You can see right across Auckland and watch the occassional terrified face of a sky jumper off the tower, he!he! And, once we'd seen in a merry christmas and been 'tourists' in Auckland, we threw our stuff in the back of the car, fastened our seatbelts and hit the road for Northland.

Wow, this is turning out to be one big road trip too. Despite reservations about travelling the west coast on the way up (apparently its a place for sweet potato lovers, and thats about it) we thought we'd give it a chance. We soon realised Lonely Planet never lies and apart from the odd deserted town and some beautiful views, there's not much up there until you hit the northern point, which we did...8 hours later! After a KFC (and some mash potato!) we checked into the nearest motel, squeezed into one room and hit the land of snoozes to recharge our batteries for the Ninety Mile beach awaiting us. Before we headed to the most northern point of NZ (and the beach) we checked into another backpacker place in Taipa...and boy did this place have character. It was pretty much a shed in this lady's back garden but it was so unique you couldn't help but love it. With its quirky paintings and fairy lights it was a total escape!

Anyways, back to the beach. Wow! Hot sand, soft sand, white sand. Wow! They don't make beaches like this back home (although on the way over the sand dunes i did think i was in Seaton Sluice). You can drive on here with a four-wheel drive (safely) and risk it in anything else, but i think we all agreed our little station wagon wouldn't make it, bless. After a picnic lunch and some shell picking we headed back to the car, only to stumble across a baby shark's head (see pics - its weird) and an abandoned dog. Giving it our water and some attention seemed to be a big mistake. Next thing it jumps in the passenger seat (this is the dog, not the shark!), not to be moved. Uncomfortable on that, it then decides to settle in on the back seat and nothing would deter it or coax it out. Luckly a local woman saw our plight after every tactic failed and came to the rescue. Phew! It still tried to get back in, then followed us up the dirt track till it tired and waited for its owners.

We continued up the coast to Cape Reinga, the most northern tip of New Zealand and took in the stunning views - see pics. Its so relaxing up there and was great to stretch our legs and look out across the sea.

Next on the list of must-sees that day was the World famous fish and chip shop in Montanoui...yum!yum! This place was rammed and feeling more like home than ever. Cold breeze, warm fish and chips and sea smells. Heaven! A reward for all the sights and driving of the day. Back to the 'shed' and it was a quiet game of cards by torch light, a quick vodka and light out. Think we'd worn ourselves out.

And now we're at Bay of Islands. Its beautiful. Going on a sailing cruise tomorrow around the islands and dolphin swimming. Can't wait! And hopefully the sun will stay out....fingers crossed. On Sunday Kim & i are going Quad biking around dirt tracks and across rivers, while Sharon & Laura go kayaking. Its all go now...

Catching up...

Hi everyone. We're now in our third destination, i can't quite believe it. And so far over the past few days its been time for catching up...with neighbours, family, and lots of sleep! No longer required to wake up at 8am for breakfast, trips etc we've been snoozing in to the grand hours of 10am! Maybe the jet lags catching up on us, or maybe its because we've finally found some party spirit and have started staying up past midnight. eeeek! Infact its after 1am now, mad i know to be sitting at an internet point and not down the pub drinking red bull & vodka but a) i've just done that and this is me on the way in and b) i'm waiting up to call home because its Christmas Day in newcastle...oh and the rest of England of course.

So new Zealand so far...landing in the afternoon to a welcome party of the Cassidy's we've picked up our car hire (a lovely, battered Corolla Station Wagon) and spent a couple of nights in the home comforts of Sharon's aunt & uncle's house in West Auckland. BBQ's, a night at the pub and cups of tea on tap it was nice to relax before the Christmas festivities began. I also got a chance to go and catch up with The Smiths and see Michael & Kirsty's new house and 10-acres of land - very nice! The house is great and i can see why he chose it...surrounded by trees, land and ready for him to make it their own, with the help of Ruth, Mick, Kath and Howard while they're in town. Great to see them all, have a drink in the sun and a gossip about New Zealand.

Now we're in the city, in a funky hostel overlooking Sky Tower to one side and Queen Street (with its shops and huge Santa Claus) to the other. Handy for the bars, restaurants and Christmas sales. So handy, in fact, we've checked in for another night so we can grab some bargains with our christmas money and revamp the wardrobe, which after 6 weeks is looking slightly worn out.

Christmas day here has been mad. Its weird being away from home and not having an early wake up call to open presents from your Mum & Dad (yes folks, i slept past 5am this time!) but totally different too. After a long lie-in (we were in the pub till they closed up with another two irish guys - are there any left in Ireland?) we opened our cards and presents (thanks to Sharon's Aunt Liz & Uncle John who gave us each a beautiful present to open each - a sparkly shoe keyring). Then it was a cool box full of ham sandwiches, chicken crisps and drinks and a trip to the beach to see in Christmas Day. Not as scorching as we would have liked but warm and sunny enough to sit on our deckchairs (loaned by the Cassidy's) and watch all the New Zealanders celebrate. Treated ourselves to a nice Italian's for tea before heading back, freshing up, filling in our diaries and going to the pub for one.

And that brings me up to speed as i type away, waiting to catch the family as they sit down to a good old turkey dinner and crackers. Like i said, we're staying here in Auckland until the 27th now so that we can hop up the Sky Tower, do some sale shopping, go to the Ice Bar and celebrate Christmas more awake, before we jump in the car and head up North to the Bay of Islands for some crazy adventures in the air, on land and in water... Merry Christmas everyone, catch up in the New Year!