After crossing the Cook Straits between the two islands, our two and a half weeks in the North Island saw us both do a tandem skydive from 12,000 feet, relax in numerous hot sulphur pools, watch the NZ V8 Touring Car championship, roll down a hill inside an inflatable rubber ball and spend the money we now don't have.......
Tue 9th Mar - Have breakfast with Henk & Angelina before saying our goodbyes for now. Take our time packing up then drive on to Picton where we wander around town, M gets his haircut, we make some comments on the council notice board (!) and get Fash & Chups before checking into our ferry. Leave Picton (and the South Island) at 7pm and arrive at Windy Wellington at 9.15pm. Rowena's Lodge where we intended to camp is full so we have to drive out of town to Lower Hutt Top 10 Park. Have a late tea in our cabin before bed.
Wed 10th Mar - Get up early and leave by 8.30am. Arrive at Worldwide Backpackers at 9am and go on the slow free internet while we wait for our room to be ready. Walk into town and buy books on Fiji and California then have a $6 curry for dinner. Walk to the Te Papa museum where we stay until 6pm closing time. Burn our photos to CD on the way back to the Backpackers where M cooks spag bol and treats L to a massage.
Thu 11th Mar - Walk in to the city buying cookies and coffee on the way. See the Cenotaph, The Beehive, and The Parliament Buildings before viewing the Treaty of Waitangi at the National Archives and sitting in the Old St. Paul's Cathedral. After lunch we go up the cable car and walk back down to the backpackers via the Botanic Gardens. After a shower we cook tea and walk to "Bats" theatre where we watch a short play called "Inviting Caroline". On the way back we find ourselves in Molly Malone's Irish Pub, where we stop for a few. Back at the backpackers we have our tea of lamb, jackets and corn cobs before crashing out.
Fri 12th Mar - Check out at 9.30am, drive up to Mount Victoria lookout for magnificent views of Wellington. Pick up some supplies and then set off to Napier. As its getting late and its weekend we decide to stay in nearby Hastings in a family (!?) cabin. Have 4 bean veg chilli for tea and write the diary.
Sat 13th Mar - Drive to Napier and take dozens of photos of the Art Deco buildings before setting off for Rotorua at 12pm. Check in to Holden's Bay Top 10 and camp for the first night. Cook beef and veg stew for tea and then watch the sunset over Holden's Bay. Watch the Super 12 (rugby union) game between the Hurricanes and The Cats before bed at 10pm.
Sun 14th Mar - L makes breakfast while M takes the tent down. Leave for "Off Road NZ" at 10am, M does 12 laps in a "Sprint Car" with L as muggins passenger and then go "Zorbing" together - rolling down a hill inside a huge inflatable rubber ball! Go up the Gondola (cable car) for views over Lake Rotorua before 5 trips down on the "Luge". Back at the campsite we check in to our cabin, do some washing and cook Thai veg noodles for tea, before knitting and reading until 11.30pm.
Mon 15th Mar - Have a very lazy morning before going to "Tonic" for leg waxing and a facial each. Later we go on a Maori concert & Hangi (banquet cooked under ground). M is called up on stage to do the "Haka"!! When we get back we go for coffee at Trevor & Andrea's cabin (from Blue Mountains in Oz), who were on the trip as well and we swap stories.
Tue 16th Mar - Drive to Redwood forest and then Whaka village where we see another Maori concert and loads of bubbling sulphur pools and dodgy geysers! Set off for the Coromandel Peninsula at 3pm and arrive at Hahei at 6pm. Treat ourselves to a kitchen cabin and lock ourselves in for the night, cooking steak, corn, carrots and cabbage washed down with a litre and a half of wine and a few games of cards!
Wed 17th Mar - Make our way to Hot Water Beach at 9am (ow!) and start digging a hole in the sand but settle on a vacated pool nearby! Relax in the hot pools until 11.30am by which time it's become a tourist circus. Drive to Coromandel Town, go up "Driving Creek Railway" to the Eyefull Tower and then book a Therapeutic Massage on the way back. After the massage have tea of Spaghetti, mascarpone cheese, broccoli and garlic mushrooms before watching trash TV till 10.30pm.
Thu 18th Mar - Pack up, buy some smoked fish and leave the Coromandel for Cambridge. L feeling poorly so we spend the afternoon in and around the cabin. Book our accommodation for the rest of NZ and then get KFC for tea! Write the diary and play cards until bed.
Fri 19th Mar - Have breakfast of fruit and cereal before visiting Cambridge Thoroughbred Lodge for a guided tour and meet the champion ex-racehorse "Rough Habit". Go on the internet for a couple of hours before setting off for Waitomo Caves. Arrange a tour of the Limestone/Glowworm caves at 5.30pm, which is superb. Have potato, onion and chickpea curry whilst watching an old semi-final of "Stars in Their Eyes", didn't he do well!
Sat 20th Mar - Drive to Taupo and check in to our caravan (!) before heading off to the NZ V8 Touring Cars championship at Centennial Park. Back at the caravan L knits and M cooks tea of chilli before we watch the "S.I.T.E." Final and a film called "Ransom" with Mel Gibson, great film.
Sun 21st Mar - Drive to Rotorua and visit Kuirau Park, before bumping in to Nick, Gilly and the boys at the craft market. All go for a coffee and catch up and then head back to the campsite. Have a couple of beers before starting on the BBQ. Callum trips and badly burns his arm on the BBQ and is rushed to hospital but is ok. Gilly looks after him while the rest of us go for a dip in the Thermal pools before bed.
Mon 22nd Mar - After we check out L goes to see the doctor and gets some penicillin for her tonsillitis. We go for a read of the papers and a relaxing coffee before following the others to their new pad at Tokoroa. Chill out for the rest of the afternoon and then have a takeaway curry for tea before bath time and bed!
Tue 23rd Mar - Woken up by a helicopter landing in the Hospital grounds at 2am and then by A&C at 8am. Have breakfast and relax (!) before leaving for Taupo at 10am. Get picked up by Stretch Limo at 11.15am and taken to the skydive centre. Get kitted up, say our prayers and take off at 12.15pm. At 12,000ft we leave the plane, L first (!), then Nick, then M. What a rush! Sit and have a beer and watch the videos after, not quite believing it all! Go for a picnic and the boys have a swim and build a sand castle (with M&N helping). Go for a coffee then head back via a mad dash around the Huka Falls. Phone Les at 7pm and then have tea and a couple of games of "UNO" before bedtime.
Wed 24th Mar - Pack our stuff and say our goodbyes at 10am - thanks again guys for letting us stay with you! L phones her M&D before we set off for Auckland. Arrive at Mount Eden look-out at 2.45pm and whilst we leave the car for 10 minutes somebody tries to break in and bust the lock, 3 hrs before we are due to hand the car back!!! Check into the backpackers, get a statement from the police, clean the car and drop it off. Have tuna noodles for tea before an early night.
Thu 25th Mar - After breakfast we walk down to the car rental company to hear what the damage will be! Check out our remaining flights at Air New Zealand before walking up Queens Street to the highest tower in the Southern Hemisphere, The Skytower. On the way back we look at Auckland Art Galleries, Albert Park and Aotea Square before sorting out our bags at the hostel. As we are having a treat night we have a shower before going out! Decide to have a drink (non-alcoholic for L) at The Bog (Irish Pub) before eating Antipasto, Steak and Chicken Livers at Milano's.
Fri 26th Mar - Up at 8am to pack and have breakfast of eggs and beans on toast. Send our parcel and postcards home then have a choc experience. Have some dinner back at the hostel before getting a taxi to the airport at 2pm. Fly at 5pm and arrive in Fiji at 8pm. Check into "Sunseekers (mozzie infested) Hotel (!)" and wander in to Nadi town for a look around. Crash out at 10.30 in manky dorm beds. Welcome to Fiji!
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