NZ CONTINUED...

19.9.08...DAY 52...
9.20AM...NO HURRY TODAY...LITERALLY ZILCH TO DO...WE ARE ON OUR WAY BACK DOWN TO PICTON...WE HAVE A FEW DAYS TO KILL.
9.55AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA...ONE FOR ME...ONE FOR MY LOVELY.
10.30AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
11.15AM...BACON/EGG SANDWICH...CUPPA TEA.
12.30PM...BACK IN OUR ROOM.
1.05PM...DISCUSSING OUR NEXT DESTINATION...THE NORTH ISLAND...NOT BEING FUNNY[THOUGH I DO TRY]...IT ALL SEEMS THE SAME...WE'VE GOT FIVE WEEKS THERE...TO KILL?
2.30PM...WATCHING VIDEO...BLIND DATE STARRING BRUCE WILLIS.
4.00PM...VIDEO FINISHED...MEDIOCRE.
5.00PM...HUNGER KICKS IN.
5.20PM...FRYING MINCE/ONION...SPUD/CABBAGE/CARROT ON BOIL
6.00PM...THIS IS ONE OF THE CHEAPEST MEALS WE DO...AND ITS WELL TASTY!
7.20PM...WATCHING RUBBISH KIWI TV.
8.30PM...READING NEWSPAPER...WHISKEY IN HAND.
9.15PM...NU WANTS TO GO ON THE WHALE TOUR AGAIN TOMORROW...SO WE'VE GOT TO BE UP EARLY...GOES AT 10.30AM...OUCH.


20.9.08...DAY 53...
8.00AM...UP I GET.
8.20AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.35AM...TOGS ON.
9.00AM...NU AS WEETABIX...I DON'T FEEL HUNGRY.
9.40AM...WALKING TO WHALE TOUR OFFICE.
10.10AM...NU NOT HAPPY...THE TOUR IS PACKED...THERE IS A PLACE FOR HER...BUT TO MANY PEOPLE...TO MANY FORIEGNERS.
10.40AM...AFTER A LONG THOUGHT...NU DECIDES NOT TO GO.
11.00AM...WALKING BEACH?...I WOULDN'T CALL IT A BEACH...ITS GREY PEBBLED.
12.10PM...BACK AT THE ADELPHI.
12.50PM...TIME FOR A LATE,LATE SHOWER.
1.20PM...WALKING TO PUB...WET HAIR DRYING IN THE WIND.
1.50PM...PUB...FEEL HUNGRY...DIDN'T HAVE BREAKFAST.
2.00PM...ORDERED PORTERHOUSE STEAK/CHIPS/SALAD...NU'S HAVING GAMMON.
3.00PM...WELL FED...WELL COOKED.
5.00PM...WALKING BACK TO THE ADELPHI.
6.00PM...ANOTHER VIDEO[YAWN]...THE DEVILS OWN...ABOUT THE IRA.
7.40PM...VIDEO OVER...ANOTHER MEDIOCRE.
8.00PM...READING NEWSPAPER...THE LIGHTS POOR...STRUGGERLING.
8.30PM...MORE RUBBISH KIWI TV...JAPANESE GAMESHOW!
11.00PM...TRYING TO SLEEP...KIDS RUNNING RIOT IN HALLWAY.


21.9.08...DAY 54...
7.50AM...I HARDLY SLEPT...KIDS/NOISE/MUSIC...TILL ABOUT 3.00AM.
8.10AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.25AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
8.55AM...PACKING...EVERYTHING IN CAR.
9.20AM...BACON/EGG SANDWICH...CUPPA TEA.
10.05AM...HAPPILY LEAVING...NEXT STOP PICTON.
12.20PM...THE 'VILLA HOTEL' PICTON...BOOKED IN.
12.40PM...EVERYTHING OUTA CAR.
1.15PM...RETURNED RENTAL VEHICLE...NU WORRIED ABOUT CHIP ON WINDSCREEN...DON'T SAY ANYTHING!
2.10PM...SPUDS IN OVEN.
2.30PM...TRYING TO CONDENSE ALL OUR'BITS' INTO FOUR BAGS FOR FERRY TRIP TOMORROW.
3.05PM...WONDEFUL BUTTERED BAKED SPUDS.
4.00PM...BAGS STRAINED TO THE LIMIT...BUT I THINK WE HAVE SUCCEEDED...THROWN A FEW THINGS.
4.20PM...BEER.
5.25PM...DECIDED WE NEED FOOD.
6.00PM...IRISH BAR...SEAMUS....WELLINGTON STREET.
6.15PM...ORDERED T-BONE/CHIPS/SALAD x 2.
7.00PM...I HAVE JUST HAD A WONDERFUL MEAL...I RECCOMMEND THIS PLACE.
8.00PM...BACK AT OUR ACCOMADATION.
8.10PM...KIWI TV...GAMESHOW...MAD PEOPLE DOING MAD THINGS...SOMEHOW I CAN RELATE TO THEM!


22.9.08...DAY 55...
6.00AM...ALARM...I DON'T FEEL I'VE SLEPT MUCH.
6.20AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
6.40AM...SHOWER.
7.05AM...ANOTHER CUPPA...DON'T FEEL HUNGRY.
7.50AM...ALL PACKED UP.
8.05AM...WALKING TO FERRY PORT...ARMS STRAINING.
8.30AM...CHECKING IN...ITS LIKE AN AIRPORT...THEY TAKE THE BAGS OF YOU TO PUT IN THE HOLD.
9.20AM...BOARDING SHIP.
9.40AM...CUPPA COFFEE...HOT DOG!?
9.55AM...GOODBYE SOUTH ISLAND.
10.20AM...TIME TO SLEEP.
12.10PM...WOKE UP...NEED LOO.
12.25PM...ANOTHER CUPPA COFFEE.
1.00PM...SHIP DOCKING AT WELLINGTON,NORTH ISLAND.
1.30PM...COLLECTED BAGS FROM CAROUSEL.
1.40PM...PHONED 'ACE?CAR RENTAL.
2.05PM...ACE?CAR RENTAL PICK US UP...THEY'RE A BIT SLOW IF YOU ASK ME!
3.10PM...AT LAST WE ARE SORTED WITH A NEW RENTAL CAR...TO BE HONEST 'ACE RENTAL CARS'ARE A SHAMBLES.
3.20PM...SEARCHING FOR ACCOMADATION WITH CARPARKING FACILITIES...NOT EASY!
3.45PM...ROBYNS LODGE...DON'T BOTHER...WHAT A DIVE...ACTUALLY MY FIRST THOUGHTS OF WELLINGTON WERE THE SAME.
4.00PM...'MAPLE GROVE HOSTEL'...NO ONE HOME...THATS A GODSEND...LETS GET OUTA TOWN!
4.20PM...HEADING OUTA THE CITY TO A SMALL PLACE CALLED 'MANA'...ITS RUSH HOUR...ROADS PACKED...POLICE CARS ZOOMING EVERYWHERE...THE ROAD WE WANT IS CORDONED OFF...MUST'VE BEEN AN ACCIDENT...THE WAY KIWI'S DRIVE...NO SURPRISE!
5.15PM...STILLWATER LODGE,MANA...WITH ROCKY THE DOG.
5.25PM...BOOK TWO NIGHTS...THERES A TRAIN STATIN NEARBY...15mins TO WELLINGTON CITY CENTRE.
6.00PM...BREAD AND CHEESE...CUPPA TEA x 2.
7.10PM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
8.30PM...HEAD ON PILLOW.


23.9.08...DAY 56...
9.15AM...TIME TO...WELL...TIME TO GET UP I GUESS.
9.30AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
10.05AM...SHOWER.
10.40AM...BACON/EGG SANDWICH...ANOTHER CUPPA.
11.20AM...WALKING TO TRAIN STATION...WELL WINDY.
11.35AM...TRAIN WAS MEANT TO BE HERE AT 11.32AM...ITS OBVIOUSLY TRUE...NZ IS LIKE ENGLAND!
11.41AM...ON TRAIN.
12.10PM...WELLINGTON CENTRAL STATION.
12.15PM...WALKING TO CABLE CAR.
12.30PM...ON CABLE CAR TO BOTANICAL GARDEN WALK AND CARTER OBSEVATORY.
12.50PM...CARTER OBSERVATORY CLOSED!...WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL US THAT!?
1.10PM...WALKING BOTANICAL GARDENS...TULIPS AND OTHER FLOWERS EVERYWHERE...ABUNDANCE OF TREE'S...LARGE AND NOT SO TALL...TALL AND NOT SO LARGE?
1.55PM...WALKING 'TINAKORI SREET'...THIS IS WHERE THE PRIME MINISTER...HELEN CLARKE RESIDES...SURPRISELY ITS A RATHER SHABBY STREET.
2.20PM..'THE ROSE GARDENS'...BUT THERES NO ROSES...THEY HAVEN'T BLOOMED YET!
3.05PM...'KATHERINE MANSFIELD' HOUSE...ONE OF NZ MOST FAMOUS WRITERS...SHE HAD AN INTERESTING 34 YEARS ON THIS PLANET.
4.30PM...WALKING BACK TO THE TRAIN STATION VIA THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.
5.05PM...ON TRAIN.
5.30PM...BACK IN MANA...WHER WE ARE STAYING.
5.40PM...SUPERMARKET...LIVER/ONOINS TONIGHT.
6.40PM...LIVER/ONION/CARROTS/CAULI/MASHED SPUD...AWESOME.
7.10PM...GIN AND TONIC/ORANGE?


24.9.08...DAY 57...
8.30AM...GIVE ME STRENGTH...CAN'T I STAY IN BED TODAY?
9.00AM...NEED MY CUP OF TEA TO SHAKE ME INTO LIFE.
9.20AM...SHOWER.
10.00AM...BACON/MUSHROOM SANDWICH...ANOTHER CUPPA.
10.40AM...WALKING TO TRAIN STATION...SUN SHINING...WIND HOWLING.
11.10AM...ON TRAIN...WELLINGTON CITY...HERE WE COME...AGAIN!
11.50AM...WALKING DOCKSIDE TO 'TAPAPA' MUSEUM...NZ NATIONAL MUSEUM.
2.10PM...I'VE SEEN TO MANY MUSEUMS ON THIS TRIP...EVOLUTION/ANIMALS STUFFED/ANIMAL SKELETONS/BIRDS STUFFED/BIRD SKELETONS/INSECTS PINNED TO BOARDS/ODD SHAPED FISH/LOADS OF DIGITAL STUFF/LOADS OF WHATEVER...I THINK I'VE/WE'VE BEEN TRAVELLING TO LONG TO APPRECIATE ANYTHING!
2.30PM...'MACS BREWERY'...SIX BEERS TO TASTE...WHY?...I KNOW I WON'T LIKE THEM...THEY'RE NOT BRITISH!
3.00PM...FISH AND CHIPS WITH COLESLAW SALAD...WAREHOU IS THE FISH...OK/UNSURE...SALAD AND CHIPS OK.
4.15PM...WALKING CITY CENTRE...NU NEEDS PHARMACY.
5.20PM...BACK ON TRAIN.
6.00PM...BACK AT OUR ABODE.
7.00PM...CHEESE/ONION SANDWICH...CUPPA TEA.


25.9.08...DAY 58...
8.00AM...THAT TIME AGAIN!
8.20AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.45AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
9.20AM...BAGS PACKED.
9.50AM...BACON/MUSHROOM/TOMATOS ON TOAST...ANOTHER CUPPA.
10.15AM...PHONED WILLIAM.
10.40AM...EVERYTHING IN CAR...SUN SHINING.
10.55AM...ON ROUTE TO WANGANUI.
11.50AM...FOXTO TOWN...THERES A WINDMILL TO SEE...OK ITS A WINDMILL?
12.25PM...TIME TO DRIVE ON.
1.10PM...BULL TOWN...NU NEEDS A BEER...THIS TOWN FINDS IT AMUSING TO HAVE SIGNS EVERYWHER LIKE...SOCIALI'BULL'...BEAUTI'BULL'...INCREDI'BULL!ETC...WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT!
2.15PM...DRIVING ON.
3.00PM...WANGANUI...TAMARA LODGE...BOOKED ONE NIGHT...DIDN'T LIKE THE OWNER...PRATT WITH PRATTLE...NICE DOG CALLED SPUD.
4.10PM...LAMB/CARROTS/PEA'S/SPUD.
4.30PM...NU DOING LAUNDRY.
5.05PM...RELAXING IN OUR EN-SUITE ROOM.
6.00PM...READING...BEER IN HAND.
7.00PM...ANOTHER FULFILLING DAY?
9.20PM...GOODNIGHT.


TIRED.

BYE FOR NOWZ.