Lake Taupo, Aoetaroa. 24/02/09
Kia Ora
We sit here on a beautiful sunsetting evening catching up on what has been a decrasingly hectic few days.
It is now a week since we arrived in Auckland with no plan whatsoever as to how we were going to spend the next 41 days.
All we knew was that we where due to pick up exactly the same motorhome as Mavis.
Then it appeared, a whole metre longer than our previous home- ELL1.
We love Elli- she is new(ish), shiny, Tardis-like and has only 38000km on the clock!
However, love was not going to provide any answers to our dilemma of which way to go. But Kimi superman, Steve Scarborough stepped in and saved the day.
We had 1 phone number of someone we knew in Auckland and it was golfer Steve and his lovely wife Jo. We touched base.
With an invite over to dinner and a overnight berth for Elli on the driveway we hatched a plan. The following morning however it was seriously dashed by an atrocious hangover- which also resulted in us leaving our laptop at Steves. So no photos until it catches up with us.
The result of our evenings exploits- we headed south to Waitomoand it's amazing limestone caves.
En route however we called in at A&E after Bugs was smacked in the face by an errant kitesurfer. She is totally fine now although a serious black eye looked really tough for a couple of days!
In the tiny village of Waitomo, which has only 41 permanent residents, Bugs and 1 experienced Glow worm caving whilst Lu, Mads and Geotried Black Water Rafting.
Torrential rain for 2 days had spiced things up a bit and we are now all addicted to adventure tourism, Kiwi style.
Hving then spent the evening in Elli, in a storm, watching the original Danny Kaye version of Hans Christian Andersen, we have been unable to shake off the movies furry, soft focus and rounded view of the world. New Zealand looks good like this....
Rotorua brought us more adrenalin activities, amazing Geothermal mud pools and geysers but most memorably our introduction to Maori culture. Initially i was rather cynical about atending such a touristy event but we decided the kids would enjoy Temaki- an evening in a Maori village. It turned out to be fantastic however with Bugs now firml;y believing that tribal villages full of facial tattooed warriorslurk in every forest. She also did comment that 'Maori food is so much better than what the aborigines eat.'
Our next destination is Napier on the west coast's Hawke Bay- home to New Zealand's finest red wines. So named after and english soldier, Charles Napier, the town was devastated by an earthquake in 1931 measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale and was then rebuilt at the height of the Art Deco movement. Unfortunately for us, it's annual Great Gatsby was last weekend - it is supposed to be superb- but at least we have the vineyards to host us!
Farewell. Pics when we get our laptop back.
Andy, Lu, Mads, Geo and Bugs
xx
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hi to you all, just had an e.mail from Ceci and they looking forward to seeing you all very soon!!!!!! As Ceci said that having had all the heat in Australia, its just typical that there are storms a brewing out inNZ now!!!!! Hoping you all have a great time even so, and am sure you are being the great adventurers you are now!!! Spring is on its way now here back in blighty, the daffs are raising their heads and the days are longer!! thank god at last!! Much love to you all. Ella x
Post a Comment