The Duke Of Marlborough Hotel Russell

... this time at the daylight. The country looks so different from Australia. It's so lush. In terms of grass it resembles Ireland a bit. There are many cows and sheep on pastures.
Although I was stopping occasionally hunting for camera shots, I made only two proper stops on the way to Tutukaka. One was a winery on Karikari peninsula and the other one was a town of Mangonui. For the night I stayed in ...

The drive to the Bay of Islands was a long one....Bri's directions having got no better than the last venture out into un-made roads. I must learn to punch or punish him harder, but I could settle for the fact he got car sick : O ) This was his own fault as he navigated us around the coast, instead of taking the ferry, which would have saved a couple of hours of torturous roads.....nuffin wrong with my driving! Russell is very scenic, the houses ...

... the main man (half dressed as a pirate, he could have made more of an effort), who shouted a lot and called himself 'super seaman' (i'll spare you the jokes), bought me up a scone with jam and cream. So I had to eat a scone at the top of the rigging whilst everyone laughed at me and I felt quite sick. After lunch they dare you to swing off the yard arm into the sea. Paul and I and this french woman ...

... produced 40,000 books in just 8 to 9 years is utterly unbelieveable when you see just how much work is involved in making them in those days. I bought some cheese and bread and had a picnic in the sun, on a patch of grass by the beach and afterwards walked up to the Flagstaff lookout - great panoramic views of Russell and the Bay of Islands. Back in the town I lay on the grass in the sun for a while and sunned myself before coming back over to Paihia ...

... wurde naemlich von Hundertwasser entworfen, war witzig. Kurz darauf hatten wir es dann an die Bay of Islands geschafft und haben uns in Paihia ein Hostel gesucht. Ich war total begeistert davon, das war so liebevoll eingerichtet und die Hostelmutter war sowas von nett. Es war auf jeden Fall ein Unterschied wie Tag und Nacht zu meinem Hostel in Auckland. Nach diesem schoenen Tag voller toller Eindruecke fielen wir beide ziemlich frueh todmuede in unsere Betten!

... to get up today, but was on the coach for 07.15. Was about a 30 seater, and is a special type of 4 wheel drive coach which is needed to drive on the beach and through streams etc. Tour guide was a Kiwi called Kevin, was very informative and knew his stuff. The weather had got out great in the morning. First stop was a quick walk through the Kauri Pine Forests ( First taste of tropical rainforest ) Apart from a stop to get a drink and buy provisions ( This would be the last ...

... to wake up at 6am and not be able to get to sleep again. Dreading the normal red wine hangover I braved the hot showers (with my sunburn) and realised that apart from being a bit tired, I had no hangover at all. I'm going to have to retest my theory that drinking in the southern hemisphere has no negative after effects!!! Me and Amanda walked to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds for a one hour guided tour of the Meeting House, Waka (war canoe) and the grounds ...

... water out there, so no-one minded too much!

As soon as we got out of the Russell bay, Mike switched off the engine and we hoisted the main sail. Avast me hearties!



It was so much better to be sailing under wind power rather than diesel power, it was so relaxing...



We sailed for about ...