Valdez Motor Lodge - Hastings

<br>near Napier is another city of Hastings, its about 16km away so not too far to travel. We headed there on tuesday for a look around as Hastings is where Splash Planet is where Jo has an interview on Friday. We might be staying in this area a while. <br><br>Tuesday evening we found a camp site to settle for the night with lovely views out onto the south pacific sea. <br><br>Wednesday morning ...

... we then had some photo time in front of the huge teak elephant by the front door of the restaurant. Beautiful sea views over the vines and a thought to get Jim and Dee some vouchers for dinner here as a thank you. So here we are on Sunday afternoon with the prospect of another flight ahead to Queenstown in the morning. Tonight we are going out to the local Thai restaurant for a final meal together.

... gave it a go. (This was after eating gelato).... Let's just say I couldn't make it through my whole four minutes because I was jumping super high. The guys were standing there watching and telling me I was going higher than the posts! Ah, no wonder my legs hurt! But it was fun doing backflips and seeing how high I could get. Funny story about the flips.... they kept telling me to do them over and over again... and finally I had to stop cus I was so tired ...

... early and on our way to gisborne, like driving from vernon to vanc...except that the road was built along the most hilly place in NZ! Not only hilly but it twists all over the place, in and out of the coast and back into sheep infested hills. it was beautiful and we saw a ton of different animals along the way. just a little bit out of town we had the chance to stop at a hot spring and we took it. it was unreal and so nice after a weary treck. then it was ...

... Unfortunately there is no light bulb to light up my room during the evening, so I forced to use Christmas lights nailed to the wall to provide some gloomy light. The kitchen is basic with only a gas stove and a microwave being shared with my 5 South East Asian housemates, the toilet is located outside while the water in the shower is almost always cold. My only entertainment is a laptop but for 30 dollars a week I am going to find nowhere ...

A very early start, a little hungover and we were heading towards Napier (the wine capital of the North). We stopped enroute for those who hadn´t seen a Kiwi bird as yet, so they could check one out in a sanctuary for 4$. We decided to pass on this and sat in the coffee shop, plying ourselves with caffeine and the cookies we had smuggled in from our bags. Lunch time and we had arrived in Napier, we check into our Hostel which was right in the centre of town and after a quick bite to ...

... zu sein, weil ein ganzer Bus voll Oesterreicher uns besucht hat um alles zu besichtigen!!! Alles Obstbauern, einer ist sogar ganz in unserer Naehe zu Hause, Landskron. Es ist uebrigend jetzt schon sehr komisch, wenn man wieder so viele Leute im oesterr. Dialekt reden hoert.... :) Wir arbeiten noch naechste Woche und dann gibts auch bestimmt wieder ein paar Fotos. bis bald Anja &amp; Christian

... staying at a place right next to the beach, hearing the ocean waves crashing all night and breathing in the fresh air. The next morning we got up and ready and had breakfast at a cafe called UJazy that was recommended by the staff at our lodge. It was SO good... I had eggs benedict and Caitlin had pancakes that came with banana and bacon... both VERY good. We got a seat right in the open window facing the street and had fun people-watching. While we were sitting there ...

... what I've seen of it. We are leaving tomorrow morining for Wellington. Maybe I will stop here on my way back to To-Rags. I got a call that my contract job is a go. I start next Tuesday, because Monday is a holiday. I will probably need to be back in Tauranga for Friday though, to prep myself up. Then I get to spend some time in Gisborne on the company dollar! I am really pleased to hear this went through as I am in bad need of cash after my recent poor luck.

All attempts to get the kids to bed earlier so they'd wake in time for an early start failed and we dragged them into their chairs for a 9am departure. Instead of taking SH2 towards Hastings, we ended up at the top of a very narrow hill in Wellington with nowhere to go except down. Very narrow and windy. Got a good photo though. Finally found our way to SH2, only to be waylaid by a group of ...