Hotel Ibis Tainui Hamilton

I have finally arrived in New Zealand after 26 hours, 1 stop over, and 2 flights and not soon enough. The first flight from London onthe A380 was very cold and no matter how hard I tried to warm up I was battling with hypothermia. I looked like some kind of invalid wrapping myself in a blanket and hobbling up and down the aisles in an attempt to keep warm. The flight from Singapore was slightly more ...

... hair, tanned, thin, maybe thirty-ish and very arrogant. "Where are you from?" "Ireland" (This could be total BS, he sounds Ozzy.) "Really?... huh. How did you get this job at the hostel?" "Because I'm ... cool. You know not everyone has what it takes." "*snort* wow, and you aren't shy about it, are you?" "Nope. Why should I be?" and a player I: "Can you get this for me, I can't find the end" (hands me a thing of cellotape which I easilly unravel) "Ah! I love you ...

... continuing down the windy road to Coromandel Town and then down the west coast of the Coromandel to Thames, where Chopa and Irene used to live. A very scenic drive! We then headed back to their home in Hamilton where we again had a great meal with Joanne and shared pictures of all of our travels and families. We called it an early night - we were exhausted! Monday morning we said a tearful goodbye to our adopted parents - it was such a great weekend ...

... solar power, to minimizing water ussage, major recycling & composting, to using earth friendly cleaning products, to building their new initiatives using recycled building products or earth-building products (i.e., cobb buildings, earth bricks, recycled/reclaimed wood etc.) For our 2 hr work days, we would clean cabooses/cottages and make beds and what not for customers that evening. Not too bad. As we ramped up with 4 hrs per day, we did tasks such as ...

... s stay, however, so we kept on until we reached Hamilton. The scenery in New Zealand is mindboggling. You find yourself in a valley of rolling hills and then you cross a ridge and you are assaulted by rocky fields. Next, mounds appear, next bubbling streams, then a waterfall, then a cliff, then a mountain. Amazing. This country experienced a violent birth, that's for sure. The formations of land could only have resulted from unimaginable upheavals. Livestock-sheep ...

... balcony on his way down to surf. Sweet! But, I knew that Jack wouldn't be home because he is on tour right now and was in Australia. I caught another ride to the beach where I laid out (With sunscreen on, of course!) for awhile just enjoying being there and watching the surfers. Then I decided I should head back up the hill and try to find the house :) I ended up hiking up this trail that I hoped would lead me to the main road, and luckily I ran into a guy coming down and ...

On sunday morning, my friends and I drove out to the west coast of the north island to a little beach town called Raglan! These beaches are well know for the surfers that flock there! Before the beach we made an hour drive out to Bridal Falls (the falls ...

... the hospital pick me up at the bus station and had arranged temporary accommodation at the hospital! Once I got my goody bag of pens and papers from her off I went to get the coach and make my way down to hamiliton. I was greeted then the other end by Mike who was lovely, took me to my accommodation (my own room plus bathroom with shared kithchen) showed me around the hospital introducing me to staff and last of all handed me a book of food vouchers so I wouldn't go hungry ...