New Zealnd - flippin' marvellous!!
Trip Start
Jan 04, 2008
1
20
23
Trip End
May 2008
Napier,
New Zealand
Friday, March 28, 2008
Beautiful, stunning, amazing , wow, look at that view!! etc etc
These words plus others found in a thesaurus at "amazing" could suffice as those descriptors as my overall impressions of NZ - the beauty is really something and in a strange sort of way it's kinda overwhelming... Peeps say that South Island is even more stunning than the North - I'm not sure I can cope in that case!
Upon arrival nearly 2 weeks ago now I spent a few days exploring my local environment , had my hair cut, legs waxed, back sorted and then booked my self in for major dental work on the 1st April -seems appropriate!! (A huge filling fell out in Koh Samet -I'm blaming a Thai massage the last bit of which was a couple of sharp blows to the back of the head - it was the next day it fell put with no warning - damn and blast!!)
Today is 28th March and I'm in downtown Napier in North Island
Another shot of same beach
.Flew in from Thailand via Malaysia about 10 days ago and have so far been relaxing at a beachouse belonging to some wonderful friends at a place called Snell's beach about an hour's drive from Auckland.
Currently have the company of the lovely Jo, (one of the girls on the Thailand trip -she had some time to kill b4 starting an organised 21 day tour of both islands) for 8 days and have taken a road trip to Napier about 300 miles drive away.
OK to get a bit caught up, has a good week on Koh Samet - in fact enjoyed more than I expected - beautiful white sands and warm sea so not too much suffering going on! Had a few swims and a had an on-beach pedicure and manicure provided at your deckchair (no need to move even!) for 200 baht -bargain! (60 baht is a quid)
Food was great and cheap altho the service in the restaurant we were required to use - (Joe's) was hilariously bad! The waiters were mostly young guys who seemed to work ludicrously long hours. Their level of interest in customer service was non existent and the wait for food was very long often with items forgotten, food just put down in front of anyone, and if you ordered chcken and rice say, the rice may come first at leasst 20 mins b4 the next part of ther meal. You had to laugh or get really peed off (which some people did!)
Went on a boat trip mid week and did some snorkelling which was great -don't think I've snorkelled since Australia 11 years ago (Anne) Might do some more here at a place called Goat Island Marine Reserve just along the way from Snell's
Liz (from Swindon) n Jo doing what they do best..
.Anyway.... after lots of jumping about.... it's 2nd April today and just been into Auckland to the dental technician (just had 2 crowns done yesterday -don't ask!) and to drop Jo back for the start of her tour tomorrow. Got predictably completely lost in Auckland and spent quite some time trying to track down the N1 North which I eventually found.
Have done some sight seeing around Orewa and Snell's -they're about 30km apart and surrounded by beautiful beaches and regional parks and places of interest - blimey there's so much to do it makes your head spin!! On the way back from Napier which was beautiful and so interesting - earthquake 1931 and thereafter a great many buildings built in the Art Deco style we dropped in at Rotorua -the area alive with geysers (no gals!) and very smelly air. Again really interesting altho the smell does get on your wick after a while. But did see boiling mud and a geyser going off -all very entertaining oh, and some Maori dancing singing and stuff which was great.
Whilst we were over Napier way we also visited Cape Kidnappers a bit of coastline that James Cook landed upon -over that way is the largest mainland gannet colony in NZ? something like that. We took this tractor ride along the beach and to some extent in the sea about 6 km along the coast and then took a steep walk to wheere the gannets were. And were they beautiful? Why yes! and watching some of them coming into land was quite hilarious - landing on their faces pretty much!
Ok , I'm going to upload some photos now and let them do the rest of the talking...
Hope to hear your news soon.
Love and stuff,
Sally xx
Comments
New Zealand loveliness
Hey Sally! Well it sounds like things are rolling along really well for you, you lucky thing. New Zealand is beautiful, isn't it? I can't remember where you're off to next! Have fun (sure you will).
Sheila
stuff to you too
Dear Sally,
Lovely blog, lovely photos, shame about the dentist! Sounds like NZ is suiting you, the pickies look amazing, yes, I see what you mean about that rubbish beach. What can I tell you? Well, two weeks leave fly by, so it's truly wonderful to be back at work. Still day off tomorrow, and they're forecasting snow, I think a play in the snow is just what I need! I hope I can cajole others here out for a frolic or two! Oh what a joyful thought, and with that I think I'll sign off , sending you love and stuff, Liz x x xx
Now New Zealand
Hi chuck. Enjoyed your account as always. Your photos are excellent, particularly the first one with the brooding sky - wonderful. I've heard that New Zealand is the most beautiful place and you obviously think so too. Apart from the blip with the teeth you are having another marvellous time, enjoy every minute. Look forward to hearing about the south island.