Well since I wrote last we have collected our home and transport for the next five weeks. Now we knew with it being a 6-berth caravan it would be large, however, I think this surprised us all! It's massive, like driving a small lorry. Myself, Lou and Ellie have got used the the beast (aka Barry) and it really is great fun driving around the windy roads on the North Island!
We visited Whangarei where we spent a couple of days. I got to meet up with Peter, a guy I had met at last years New Years Eve party. He kindly showed us around the area that he lives in which was great.
We headed towards Bay of Islands next and stopped off in Pahia. Here we took a boat trip to see the islands more. The trip was called the Excitor, and it did exactly that! It was a high speed boat that travels 44 knots. We got kitted out with waterproof trousers, coats, hats, glasses - the lot. The trip was about an hour and a half, holding on for dear life but it was so much fun. I had wanted to do a dolphin trip at the Bay of Islands, but I also want to swim with them. The weather isn't exactly warm for that at the moment so I plan to wait until we go somewhere else.
We took a look at 90 mile Beach, which isn't 90 miles at all, in fact it's 64 miles. We spent a night in the Coramandel Forest, away from civilisation. Lou and I took a walk the following morning. Well a walk would imply it was a gentle walk, it was an actual trek/rock climb, for 4 and a half hours, non-stop.
We met up with Ben and Aurore, a couple we had met in Fiji at Waihi. Ben makes his own brew and requested we help him drink it as they are soon moving house - it would have been rude not to!
We are now in Rotorua - we met a man called Kev in Fiji who lives here so we plan to meet up with him whilst we are passing through.
So much to still see and do in New Zealand. We have been watching Billy Connelly's tour around NZ which is giving us ideas of where we would like to visit next, following in Billy's footsteps.
Next week will be the Skydive in Taupo - can't wait!
