Hotel Grand Chancellor Auckland

Here is your to do list.

1) Can you chat to K-bear and get some low down on where to chill in Costa Rica? I will have a yarn to Tez I think he had some pretty sweet photos of it all.

- Talked to Tez he said any where in the islands is mean. He recons if you in Bali just get out of Kuta ASAP. Sounded pretty sweet to me.

... we have a wide range of sizes to choose.

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... the garbled announcements. Adding insult to this they were currently unable to accept credit cards. They were also charging over $9 for a beer! There was no information desk in the terminal - the flight to New Zealand was delayed by over an hour but no announcement, no details on the screen – at least my iphone could give me updates! Note to self – don't change planes in Sydney.

Met a ...

... I didn't get the opportunity. INstead I availed of the live streaming of the entire new a-ha album - I know - such a nerd. But I didn't feel in the slightest bit guilty due to the weather. I needn't say how amazing it is - and you'll all be humming the single shortly - I guarantee ya.

Expressin'

Yesterday - 10 June - I spent the whole day in the bus from Wellington to Auckland. In fact given everything New Zealand has to offer and how extraordinary ...

... Hahei, that was virtually deserted, despite the number of houses, which is due to them all being holiday homes and therefore empty during the week. It had a great beach though, as well as a walk along the coast taking in other beaches, one of which had its own Cathedral Caves!! You'll see from the picture that it's not actually a cave, more of a Cathedral Arch, but impressive none the less. It also meant that we got to see some Cathedral Caves, after missing out in the Catlins, so we ...

... they drive on the left side of the road in New Zealand just like in Australia. It only took me about 30 mintues to get to the Crowne Plaza downtown on Alfred Street. I was fortunate that they were able to let me check in early. I got a room on the 21st floor and parked my little silver Mazda in the claustrophobic parking garage next door. After I got my bags up to the room and got settled in, I went down to speak to the concierge ...

... do the first cave, twas really cold down here was like 16oc and we had to put on our jumpers, brrrrrrrrrrr!!! So we got a look at some glow worms here, but it was in the next cave that we really got to see the glow worms!!! They were amazing! We took this little boat road the bottom of the cave where they were all and it was crazy!!! there were hundreds of them!!! So afer we'd done that we had the rest of the day to chill out in Waitomo, a town which has ...

... 45 mins away, also on the west/Tasman Sea coast, but further south than Murawai. Also a black sand beach with some BIG waves, not such a long beach and not as crowded as Murawai. Surfing not bad but very confused waves and some strong cross currents in both directions. Had some good surfing though. Departed the beach on a somber note as just as we were leaving there was a commotion at the waters edge and it turned out that a body had been washed ...

... own or something) so I'm trying to kill 16 hours in Auckland. I've already taken the free city bus tour (the highlight probably being when I saw a pub called the Edinburgh Castle), seen the harbour front and been up the sky tower. I might try go to the cinema tonight before I have to go back to the airport but we'll see. Can't wait to get to Australia!!

... It was great to speak to him but also made me really sad that I could be there on such a special day.

Katie cheered me up when I got back to the room, reminding me it was just impossible timing, and making me think about what an amazing time we're about to have in South America, after one last half day exploring Auckland.


Lots of love,


Al & Katie xx