Well one and all,
Right, the story so far..Got to Auckland safe and sound. Had an ould wonder around the city, around the skytower, the maritime museum and all that sort. Nice city, but a very sane and normal city after Bangkok. By the third day meself and Ois were gettin itchy feet to get outta town and into the green lands. I'd been talking to a few people about campervans, and because of the Lions tour, the prices were super inflated, so renting was the way forward (off season and all). We'd been checking out hostels too, nearly impossable to get any for the Lions weekends, so transport and a bed sorted - off we went!! But we didn't get very far..drove about 20 minutes north of Auckland and stopped to pick up supplies in some tiny town. Of course, the van wouldn't start..so a quick battery change, and away we went. After that, we just stopped in the nearest park for the night..great start!!
Anyway, off the north next towards Cape Reinga..Took a fair while to get there, with stop offs on the way, 90 mile beach, Waipoua forest (giant Kauri trees, 60m tall, 17m wide). Got to the cape just at sunset..for the first time I really felt I was in NZ..just sat there for ages...the pictures will follow..the day after, on to the Bay of Islands. Didn't get much time to check it out - the Lions were playing..watchin the match with 2 other lads, My 'vast' knowledge of rugby showed it's true extent. "do you rate so in so?", "what do you think will be the starting line up?"....?#*!#...all very confusing, so I've taken to setting out me stall from the start. anything rugby, I point to Oisin, anything football, I pipe up..on sports, I'm generally quite (not alot of football talked over here). Anyway, I'll be headin back to the bay of islands for a summer trip and scuba diving, It's amazing up there..
On to Hamilton next, got there on the Thursday night and the Lions were playing on the Saturday. A rugby club next to the stadium set up a "Barmy Army" camp for free. So there we stayed with every other rugby fan from the northern hemisphere. One of the lads from home (Noel Lawler) was about for the Lions too, so had to go out for a few! Got talkin to a chap in the pub who had two tickets for the match at face value, so we had his hand and all!! Some atmosphere at the match, but the Lions lost - a night of playin the football card and pointing at Oisin insued, the Kiwi's are good wind up merchants. Off to Rotorua the Sunday. \r\n
As soon as we got close to Rororua, the smell of rotten eggs from the sulphur was savage. But there were loads of hot springs everywhere. You\'d wonder who ever thought to live there!! We Headed out to a place called Hells Gate one morning..loads of thermal mud pools and vents, Hells gate is a very well named place, really impressive! Took the cable car up Rotorua mountain too, at the top they have a concrete luge back down the hill..some laugh..I beat Ois overall..he was none best pleased, and all sorts of wild accusations were being branded!! bad loser.. While still in Rotorau we had, really had, to go Zorbing. Brillant, some laugh..Get put in a big ball full of water and get thrown down a zig zag, very steep, hill..Common sense really!! Thank god the water was warm, \'cos I was freezing after,. I still would have\r\n jumped straigt back in though!!
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Another lions match, another city..Wellington this port of call.
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As soon as we got close to Rororua, the smell of rotten eggs from the sulphur was savage. But there were loads of hot springs everywhere. You'd wonder who ever thought to live there!! We Headed out to a place called Hells Gate one morning..loads of thermal mud pools and vents, Hells gate is a very well named place, really impressive! Took the cable car up Rotorua mountain too, at the top they have a concrete luge back down the hill..some laugh..I beat Ois overall..he was none best pleased, and all sorts of wild accusations were being branded!! bad loser.. While still in Rotorau we had, really had, to go Zorbing. Brillant, some laugh..Get put in a big ball full of water and get thrown down a zig zag, very steep, hill..Common sense really!! Thank god the water was warm, 'cos I was freezing after,. I still would have jumped straight back in though!!
Another lions match, another city..Wellington this port of call. Parkin and sleepin on the road like a proper jippo! I don't think there was one Lions supporter in the pub for the match - everyone must have gotten tickets.Probably could have gotten tickets for the match, but didn't go lookin for them. Spent two nights there and off to Kiakoura for some whale watchin. But true to form - bad weather, so no watchin was had. Another thing to do when the weather is better...Anyway, I'm in Methven now, just at the base of Mt. Hutt. Got here yesterday. Drove through Arthers Pass enroute, the views there were something special, really amazing!! Good call David, ya had it marked in the bible...We were ment to be fallin over on the slopes all day, but yet again, the bloody weather!! Gale force winds - so no go today..But with any look, tomorrow..That's if mother nature decices to head off and give us a break!! so three days snowboarding here and then back after our leave of absence from the Barmy bloody Army!! Christchurch for the weekend, back to Wellington the next and then a slow meander back up to Auckland to bump the van off. Hoping to get the Tongariro walk on the way back up north.
And that's the story so far, blow by blow..the time you'd have on your hands when nature decides you should send an e-mail back to the homeland!! Oh, I did win a pint (handle) from Ois last night..He was the first to bump into some of his mates, and for that pleasure, I got a beer!!
Well that's that...hope to have a bit of snowboarding done by next time..Till then...loads of love...Nxx
