We are now in New Zealand and have started our camper van road trip. We picked the van up on Tues only to discover that they didn't have any manuals left at the depot so were stuck with an automatic. As neither of us had ever driven an automatic before we were a bit nervous, but actually found it really easy to get the hang of. Although we do still keep trying to find the clutch pedal when starting it or stopping!
After fuelling up and getting important food/drink supplies we were on the road and Lou drove from Auckland to Rotorua. Stayed at a campsite that had its own thermal mud hole and hot pools, and there was a large thermal area right in the middle of Rotorua town centre. Very smelly though! We were invaded by a mother duck and her 8 ducklings the next morning, who were obviously quick to catch on that cute ducklings are likely to get fed by tourists. Lou was right at home as it was just like standing by on FRV at London Colney duck watching!
Chav drove to Taupo on Wednesday morning and we stopped at Huka Falls on the way, to look at really cool waterfall. Then went to the airport where she did a 15000 ft skydive!!!!!!!!!!! We watched the DVD afterwards and the look on her face as she was about to fall out of the plane was priceless! Fair play to her for doing it though. Lou has a mad adventure idea she wants to do when we are back in Auckland- more on that later! Had a slight panic when we could'nt get the fuel cap off the campervan, and it took the bloke at the petrol station quite a while to release it too! Also couldn't get the key out the ignition but some German bloke who looked like a caveman with very attractive greasy long hair came to our rescue!
We are now heading towards Wellington where we get the ferry to the South Island on Saturday. Going to visit one of Lou's dads relatives on the way and staying at a campsite in Wanganui tonight.
