Base Pipi Patch Lodge Paihia

Saturday night I decided not to go and watch the rugby as I didn't want to be humiliated again in front of a bunch of Kiwi's (good job really as we did lose....AGAIN!). I felt really rough actually - the beginning signs of a cold - probably due to the fact that I was standing around in the pouring rain on the Maori night!! The Danish girls came back from their day trip and invited me to go to the hot springs with them as they thought it might help my cold but I had just done all my laundry (i...

We are renting a red Toyota Corolla and she's sexy. We named her Depenga which is a Boy Meets World reference, except we are Girl Meets World. Driving in New Zealand is like something out of NASCAR. The roads are small and they twist and turn and the speed limit is 100 km/h but with all the turns it feels like something that should be filmed for a car commercial to show how awesome the car performs on such an insaine road. It is too bad the roads take so much concentration because I keep tryi...

So, a new hairdo later and a bit of a flick here and there, we set off to go to the northern part of NZ with Lorraine. First night we stayed in a hostel called "The Pi Pi Patch" (I kid you not). It was in a place called Paihia. by the time we got there we were all pretty beat. Me and Fi with jet lag and Lorraine from working all week and then driving us 2 losers 4 hours from Auckland. So, we all hit the hay to be up bright and early to go on a boat trip and look at some dolphins (cute). Got t...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Hope you all had a good one. I spent mine on an overnight boat cruise thing called 'The Rock' - it was amazing. We all jumped into the sea at midnight, then watched all the fireworks on the shore go off - an amazing experience I will remember forever. Now back on dry land just chillin' until I head back to Auckland in a few days and pick up the tour bus south. Internet cookies running out, must dash. Special New Year's wishes to Karen (and bob), Lou, Emma and Sarah, thanks fo...

Kia Ora! Well, you guys are now officially MILES away! I am now in New Zealand, and I think we're about 13 hours ahead of you guys in the UK. The flight from Perth to Auckland was really cool and although I should have really slept the whole way (as due to the time difference I missed a 'night' along the way) I watched movies, read books and ate food.. I slept a tiny bit though. I am actually really starting to enjoy flying. It's so cool. There's so much to do! haha... We had some turbulance ...

* We arrived in Paihia on wednesday. It is soooooo beautiful! It's also known as the 'Bay of Islands' because it has over 100 of them. I am so jealous of people getting to live here. It's got beautiful beaches, and amazing walks. We were tight-asses and went on a free walk which was LUSH! It was fairly random, and unexpected. We thought it would just be a wee walk but it was a mammoth one, that went through the mangrove forest and ended up at Haruru falls, which were fairly big.

* Aft...

21.01 - Yep, it's going to be an early night for me! It has been a very long day from 06.00 up until now. After getting a lift in Auckland from Alan in his very nice classic Jag, I made a few phone calls. I spoke to Grandma who sound like she misses me and was glad to hear from me, bless her. I also spoke to Jo whom it was good to hear from again. I then caught the Stray bus, finding to my astonishment that there was only one other person getting on! This girl was quite nice, she had a hangov...

18.32 - At first today looked as though it was going to be pretty ***** but in fact it turned out ok. After an early start, I am getting back into my old routine, I did all the necessary (****, shower, shave etc!) then I went into town. The weather up until now has been has been cloudy and dull but then, against all predictions, the sun came out. From then on we had more or less nothing but sun and for this reason I decided to do the Bay Of Islands tour. I had a bit of spare time beforehand s...

19.26 - Woke up early today, I am back in the routine again. No fire alarm this morning either. I have got a new book at last; Bill Bryson's Notes From A Small Island which is absolutely hilarious so I was quietly chuckling to myself as I read it this morning. Me and my mate (can't remember his name!) decided to go to Russell just across the bay from Paihia but still part of the mainland. It took us 5 mins on the ferry and once there, we decided to go to Long Beach just on the other side of t...

18.19 - I was awake in the small hours this morning. I made a mistake just taking my thin sleeping bag liner as I was absolutely freezing. Luckily I had my fleece to warm me up a bit but I was still cold, it went on even longer because of the clocks going back too. I was really glad when I could finally get up and even gladder when it was time to leave. Catching the bus was a bit of a nightmare though. There was a market going on in the town centre at the place where I was supposed to get the...