Bay Adventurer Paihia

We left Mt Maunganui early on Sunday morning and headed for Auckland. Unfortunately to make the trip up north to the Bay of Islands we had to stay in Auckland for the night. We didn't get up to anything exciting that day because we'd already spent four nights in Auckland. We just had an afternoon nap. All the travel ling gets a bit much sometimes and we have to just crash out when we can. That evening we went for a drink with the Irish gang: Niamh, Dave and Aidan as it would be the last time ...

As I will be back in auckland to fly out of NZ, I decided to get out as soon as possible, and head north, to the Bay of Islands. The Stray bus stopped of along the way for some snorkelling at the Goat Island Marine Reserve, and then at Waipu Beach for icecream! When we arrived in Paihai, (and due to my dislike of most 'base' hostels) I was staying with two american girls in the Bay Adventurer hostel (really nice hostel with a pool! although someone went on a bikini stealing rampage and nicked...

Paihia is a nice relaxed place. It took a bit longer than I expected to get up here on the Magic Bus but then I again there were a couple of stops to look at giant kaori trees etc. Actually, some of the furniture made from the giant stumps of these Kaori trees is really impressive but costs an absolute bomb. I stayed in the Bay Adventure backpackers which was really good value as you had full us of tennis courts, hot spa, swimming pool, bikes and kayaik. I did a tour up to Cape Reinga which w...

I knew St. Patrick would get me. I went out on St. Patties knowing that I had to catch a bus in less than 12 hours. I managed to drag myself away from the same "Mystery Pub" that I got sloshed at only a few nights earlier, and at a respectable 11:30 PM. The fear of missing the next day's bus was primary motivation, but their were alternatives, including the feeling that I was coming down with a flu. I stopped at a dair on the way home to pick up some eggs on the way home. I was under the illu...

Gleich am Freitag gings dann weiter Richtung Norden. Unser erster Tag mit Magic Bus. Eigentlich wussten wir noch garnicht was auf uns zukommt. Waren nur froh s ueberhaupt in den Bus geschafft zu haben. Reisten dann mit echt netten und lustigen Leuten. Magic Bus Touren fahren auch nicht direkt zum Ziel, sondern legen so manchen Zwischenstop ein um Sehenswuerdigkeiten und so anzuschauen. Heute auf dem Weg sahen wir einen echt riesigen Kauri Baum, wenn auch nicht der Groesste in Neuseeland. Host...

Well where to begin... the last 6 weeks have been pretty hectic in Taupo, I've biked, kayaked, hiked, partied and partied some more!

I've met some pretty cool people in Taupo, people that are staying long term for the summer and also locals that I've met through working... it feels a bit like Bowness in some ways!

Working at Finns has been a great way to meet people and I was enjoying working there but decided to head north sooner due to the weather not being great... then guess...

Long time no update! Sorry this has taken so long to arrive but the last few weeks have been manic. I was touched by those of you who emailed and messaged me to make sure I'm still alive. It's always nice to know I'm missed. Anyway seeing as I've been gone so long, I'm taking no notice of the groans when you see the notification email land in your inbox. At least this one is "Part 2" so hopefully it might be a short one to ease you back in gently... As if. The last entry saw me floating towar...

Mon 9 Feb - Auckland to Paihia (Bay of Islands) Geez that was only today!! It feels like I've been here for longer. Anyway it was an early start - though the bus was half hour late. Along the way stopped at a couple of small towns more for necessity than for sight seeing. Made it to Pahia by 12.30pm. Drove through town past the Waitangi treaty site which was where a treaty was signed between the Maori people and the British government in February 1840. Headed around the golf course to a looko...

After a slight confusion involving a Magic bus driver taking us to a "look-out point" - across a golf course - when really we should have been getting ready to get on our boat we managed to get aboard, changed into swimming cossies and all. Of course they insisted on taking our photo as we got onto the boat, as they always do in New Zealand. No-one ever buys the photos. I wonder what they do with them all. So onwards on a boat trip. I didn't really know anything about the boat trip, apart fro...

Entry containing 8 photos titled: Ngawha Hot Springs, Church Near Pahia, Lunch with Angie, Bay of Islands, It Says Puke, Treaty House Gardens, New Treaty House, Old Treaty House