Booklovers Bed and Breakfast Wellington

... We got to Taupo and found a campsite- I had a temperature and felt really heady so went and bought some peach slices- and a twix for tea! I asked the poor woman in reception about a thousand questions about Taupo and then went to bed early so I could get up and book skydiving. So- a relitavely uninteresting day in Wellington and travelling!

... story of how the first polynesian explorers made landfall here and went about making a home for themselves. We learned something about the conflicts and cooperation between the many different people and how it all fits or not quite fits together to make modern day NZ. I won't quote any of what we learned from Te Papa as I'm sure to remember it wrong and want to avoid any inaccuracies, needless to say if you're interested, it makes for great research ...

... have leapt into your brain upon reading that last sentence throw them straight back out again. This was two rugged, bearded men riding purposefully to seek out lost treasures. Yeah, that sounds pretty camp too so go with whatever you feel comfortable with. Once there we were both careful not to buy anything that weighed too much as we both have a long time left in our trips and a long way to go. I say both of us, I lost sight of Martin for a minute and when he finally re ...

... live!

By the way, the All Blacks received a relatively sound thrashing much to the disgust of most of our fellow passengers.

We had booked what looked to be a really swish apartment in the centre of Wellington - well furnished and spacious - or so it was portrayed on the internet. It just goes to show how deceptive photos can be as we soon found ourselves kicking about in a rather swish cupboard. Put it this way, if IŽd been any ...

... an idea when we went in but sure what the hell, there was no surcharge and there were some punters butchering karaoke so we had a great laugh at their expense). I guess Welly wouldn't be a bad alternative as a city to live in from what we've seen in 2 days. Still New Zealand has many locations to which a person could easily live there and for numerous different reasons! Back to the Intercity Bus tomorrow - here we come Napier and the vineyards!

... Fred) I thought it rolled a bit in the Strait, but having had my seasickness pills I was fine. Once off the Ferry we headed towards the Wairau Valley. We were impressed at the vast fields of grapevines, and some of the trees changing into their autumn colours of yellows and reds. The Wairau Valley tavern where we were intending to stay (they have a NZMCA Park over Property there) had a narrow driveway with too many overhanging trees for us to ...

Woke up in Wackapapa halfway up Mt Ngarahoe (In Tongariro National Park, North Island) to the sound of rain beating down on the tin shed that is the dorm in the Holiday camp. The mist had descended and so had the snow at the top of the road! DoC (Department of Conservation) had closed the huts up the mountains - 100km/h winds up there to boot so did not stand alot of chance ...

... sleep! I managed to struggle out again before creeping back in a little later... Saturday 31st January Sydney Got up well rested and went down to Circular Quay to catch the ferry to Manly. The trip takes about 30 minutes to cruise across Sydney Harbour, then it's a 10 minute stroll through the shops to the beach. It was another very hot day so we lubed up with sun cream and had a walk along the beach before lunching in one of the cafes on the front. Had a look around the shops and went ...

... in a movie theatre with
dear and lovely friends watching a film, and being super cosy as you
attended said film in your pjs. Churchill Dickens (my long term stuffed
bear buddy) felt the event was also rather stellar. And he is very
highbrow. So if he likes something it really must be good.

Sunday
night was also rather super with a family meal out at a thai
restaurant. Sharon and I of course ate duck. Nothing like ...

... most of the central North Island and Lake Taupo from this stunningly attractive mountain I rushed onwards as I was 3 hours behind all the other walkers and thus had some catching up to do was I to reach the shuttle bus in time. The beautiful Red Crater with it's smoking caldera and the green, mostly frozen, Emerald Lakes absorbed my attention so much that I missed the whopping great sign that would have told me I was from now on heading the completely wrong way ...