NZ CONTINUED...

22.10.08...DAY 85...
9.55AM...DOING NOTHING TODAY...JUST GONNA FIDGET ABOUT.
10.15AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
10.30AM...SHOWER.
11.05AM...RICE CRISPIES/MARMALADE ON TOAST...ANOTHER CUPPA.
11.50AM...WALKED INTO TOWN.
12.20PM...LOOKING AT GIFT SHOPS...NU LOVES IT...I HATE IT...CHEAP STUFF AT INFLATED PRICES.
2.00PM...NU HUNGRY...I AM TOO...BOREDOM I GUESS!
2.15PM...CAFE RIP OFF...KUMARA PIE/MOROCAN CHICKEN WITH SALAD...BEER...ACTUALLY IT WASN'T BAD...THE PRICE WAS TO MUCH FOR TO LITTLE.
3.20PM...SITTING ON BEACH...NU READING...I'M FIDGETTING.
4.25PM...BACK AT LODGE.
5.10PM...FIDGETTING.
6.00PM...CHEESE ON TOAST WITH ONION AND TOMATO...YUMMY!
7.00PM...WAFFLING WITH ENGLISH COUPLE...THEY'RE BORING.
8.05PM...FIDGETTING.
8.25PM...GLASS OF WINE...NOT REALLY ENJOYING IT...GUESS I'M BORED.
9.10PM...IS IT TIME FOR BED YET?...GETTING MORE FIDGETTY!...THE BAY OF ISLANDS IS A PLEASANT PLACE...SCENERY WISE...BEAUTIFUL...THE PEOPLE ARE A PROBLEM...ALSO THE PRICES.


23.10.08...DAY 86...
7.40AM...WE ARE GOUNG SOMEWHERE TODAY...CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE.
7.55AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.20AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
8.45AM...PACKING UP TIME AGAIN...THESE IS THE WORST PART ABOUT TRAVELLING.
9.20AM...BACON/TOMATO SANDWICH...ANOTHER CUPPA.
9.55AM...EVERYTHING IN CAR.
10.10AM...BANK...ATM MACHINE.
10.25AM...PETROL STATION.
10.35AM...BAKERY.
10.45AM...SUPERMARKET...GOT ENGLISH NEWSPAPER AMONGST OTHER ITEMS.
11.25AM...WAITANGA...TREATY HOUSE...THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT IN NZ HISTORY WAS SIGNED BETWEEN THE MAORI AND INVADING FORCES...I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE MAORI BRCAUSE THEY STILL DON'T HAVE EQUILITY.
12.15PM...HORURU WATER FALLS...OK ITS ANOTHER WATER FALL.
12.35PM...BLEDISLOE LOOKOUT POINT...NICE VIEWS...SIGN THER SAYS 11,278 MILES TO LONDON...DON'T KNOW WHEN THE BUS ARRIVES...NO TIMETABLE!
12.50PM...DRIVING ON TO MANGANUI...HILLY BENDY ROADS.
2.10PM...MANGANUI...FISH AND CHIPS...BLUE NOSE FISH...THEY'VE GOT A FANCY FISH SHOP HERE...WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ONE WE ATE AT...DROVE ROUND THE CORNER AND THERE IT WAS...OUCH!...WE HAD EATEN AT THE CHEAP NOT SO FANCY ONE...TASTED OK THOUGH.
2.50PM...NEXT STOP KAITIA.
4.10PM...WE HAVE BEEN UP AND DOWN KAITIA HIGH STREET 3 TIMES AND HAVE AT LAST FOUND THE PLACE TO BOOK OUR TRIP TO CAPE REINGA[90 MILE BEACH]FOR TOMORROW...GOES AT 9AM.
5.00PM...ENDLESS SUMMER LODGE,AHIPORA...BOOKED 2 NIGHTS.
5.40PM...FELL ASLEEP.
7.00PM...WOKE UP...NU HAD MADE SANDWICHES...CHEESE/ONION/LETTUCE...CUPPA TEA...WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT HER?
8.00PM...READING NEWSPAPER.


24.10.08...DAY 87...
7.00AM...ALARM...DIDN'T HEAR IT...NU DID.
7.15AM...SHOWER.
7.25AM...CUP OF TEA...MADE SANDWICHES FOR TRIP.
7.45AM...WEETABIX.
8.10AM...OFF WE SET...GOTTA BE THERE FOR 8.45AM.
8.25AM...SUN NOT SHINING...BUT THE WIND IS WARM.
8.40AM...PARKED CAR IN TOUR BUS COMPOUND.
9.00AM...BOARDED COACH.
9.10AM...WE HAVE A MAORI GUIDE WHO FIRST SPEAKS HIS OWN LANGUAGE AND THEN TRANSLATES IT IN ENGLISH.
9.50AM...START OF 9O MILE BEACH...WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONLY 64 MILES LONG?
10.10AM...COACH DRIVING ALONG THE BEACH...TASMAN SEA SIDE...I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THE BEACH...I MEAN A BEACH IS A BEACH!
10.35AM...OFF THE BEACH WE COME...BACK ONTO THE ROAD.
11.20AM...RARAWA BEACH...PACIFIC SEA SIDE...HERE THE WHITE SAND IS VERY FINE AND YOU CAN POLISH YOUR RINGS AND COINS HERE WITH A RUB...AND THEY WILL GLEAM...LIKE MAGIC!
12.10PM...NEXT STOP TEKAO STORE FOR AN ICECREAM...AND FOR 2 DOLLARS YOU CAN HAVE A CONE OF TOO MUCH ICECREAM...AND I MEAN TOO MUCH ICECREAM.
12.40PM...OFF WE SET AGAIN...STICKY HANDS FROM TOO MUCH ICECREAM...WE FORGOT THE WET WIPES!
1.10PM...CAPE REINGA LIGHTHOUSE...THIS IS WHERE THE TWO OCEONS MEET[PACIFIC AND TASMAN]...ITS VERY WINDY...LUCKILY NU AND I ARE QUITE WEIGHTY!
1.55PM...BACK IN COACH...FREE COFFEE AND BUN...I TUCK INTO MY OWN SANDWICHES...NICE COFFEE.
2.40PM...OFF WE SET AGAIN...THE RAIN AS ARRIVED.
3.10PM...TAPOUPOTU BAY...THIS IS THE OTHER END OF 90 MILE BEACH...THE COACH DRIVES THRU SOME VERY WEAK WATERLOGGED SAND TO THE MAIN BEACH...THE DRIVER/GUIDE WANTED TO GO ALL THE WAY...BUT THE TIDE WAS COMING IN FAST THAN USUAL...SO HE SAID?...SO WE HAD TO TURNAROUND.
4.00PM...TE PUKI SAND DUNES...TIME TO SAND SLIEGH...I'LL SAY NO MORE!
4.40PM...BACK IN COACH...ON OUR WAY BACK TO OUR STARTING POINT.
5.15PM...DAY DONE...AND IT WAS A GOOD DAY...WORTH THE MONEY...TIME WENT SWIFTLY...AND THE MAORI GUIDE WAS WITTY.
5.40PM...SUPERMARKET...COOKED ROAST CHICKEN/CAULI.
6.10PM...BACK AT ENDLES SUMMER LODGE.
6.35PM...SPUD/CAULI ON BOIL.
7.30PM...I'M FAT AGAIN...WASHING UP SORTED.
8.00PM...READING NEWSPAPER...GLASS OF WINE...RAIN ABSOLUTELY THUMPING DOWN/LIGHTENING.



25.10.08...DAY 88
7.45AM...THE RAIN AS CEASED...RAINED FOR THE GREATER PART OF THE NIGHT.
8.05AM...SHOWER.
8.25AM...CUP OF TEA.
8.40AM...PACKING UP.
9.15AM...LAST OF THE WEETABIX/ANOTHER CUPPA...MADE SANDWICHES WITH YESETERDAYS LEFTOVER CHICKEN.
9.50AM...EVERYTHING IN CAR...EVERYTHING A MESS.
10.20AM...DRIVING IN DIRECTION OF KOHUKOAU.
11.30AM...ON FERRY TO RAWENE...ONLY 10 MINS.
11.45AM...DRIVING ON TO OPONINI.
12.20PM...OPONINI...FAMOUS FOR A FRIENDLY BOTTLED NOSE DOLPHIN WHO FREQUENTED THESE SHORES BACK IN 1955...THE DOLPHIN WHO WAS NAMED 'OPO' BY THE LOCALS ENJOYED PLAYING WITH THE LOCAL CHILDREN...AND WAS APPARENTLY A BIT OF A WHIZZ WITH THE BALL...ALTHOUGH HE/SHE HAD NEVER BEEN TRAINED...CROWDS FROM ALL OVER NZ WOULD COME...THEN SOMEONE SHOT HIM/HER...OH!...OUCH!...WETCHED A FILM ABOUT THE POOR THING IN INFO/MUSEUM CENTRE.
1.00PM...TIME FOR CHICKEN SANDWICH...SAT ON A BENCH OVERLOOKING THE BEACH/SEA.
1.30PM...TIME TO DRIVE ON...DIRECTION OF KATUI...THERE IS A VERY TALL KAURI TREE[TANE] ON THE WAY NU WISHES TO SEE.
1.50PM...TALL KAURI TREE...OK I SUPPOSE.
2.15PM...DRIVING ON TO DARGAVILLE...GREY SKIES ABOVE.
3.10PM...DARGAVILLE...BOUGHT A FLEECE...REDUCED FROM 45 TO 16 DOLLARS.
4.00PM...BOOKED ONE NIGHT AT GREENHOUSE LODGE.
4.40PM...FRY UP TIME...LAST OF THE BACON/MUSHROOMS/BEANS/TOMS/EGGS/TOAST...CUPPA TEA.
6.00PM...TV NEWS...FIGHTING ON THE STREETS OF WELLINGTON...NATIONAL FRONT...BLESS!
6.40PM...SHAVE...COULDN'T BE BOTHERED THIS MORNING.
7.20PM...READING NEWSPAPER...BEER...DREAMING OF HOME...DREADING 24 HOUR FLIGHT.


26.10.08...DAY 89...
7.55AM...BACK ACHING...BED NOT GOOD.
8.15AM...TWO CUPS OF TEA.
8.30AM...SHOWER.
9.00AM...ALL PACKED UP...EVERYTHING IN CAR APART FROM BREAKFAST STUFF.
9.25AM...TOAST AND JAM...ANOTHER CUPPA...MADE CHEESE SALAD SANDWICHES FOR JOURNEY.
9.55AM...WE ARE ON OUR WAY.
10.40AM...KAURA MUSEUM...EVERTHING HERE IS MADE FROM THE KAURI TREE WOOD...LOADS OF OLD PHOTO'S OF WORKERS/MEN KNOCKING DOWN THE TREES AND PREPARING THE WOOD TO BE SHIPPED ALL AROUND THE WORLD...PHOTO'S OF FOLK MAKING FURNITURE...AND ALL THE MACHINERY AND TOOLS THEY USED...IT WAS A HARD LIFE BACK THEN...WE DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY WE ARE...NOT A BAD LITTLE MUSEUM...WORTH A VISIT.
12.15PM...DRIVING ON TO WAIPO...OUR DESTINATION FOR THE DAY.
1.00PM...BRYNDERWYN...TIME FOR A SANDWICH.
1.20PM...OFF WE SET AGAIN.
1.55PM...WAIPO...BOOKED TWO NIGHTS AT THE WAIPO WANDERERS LODGE.
2.15PM...CUPPA TEA.
3.00PM...EVERYTHING...AND I MEAN EVERYTHING OUT OF CAR...A BIG BIG SORT OUT TO DO.
4.30PM...SPUD/CAULI ON BOIL...STEAK UNDER GRILL.
5.10PM...STEAK WAS AWFUL...AND I MEAN AWFUL!
5.30PM...WATCHING NETBALL ON TV...NZ/OZ...THERE ARE A SOUTH AFRICAN COUPLE HERE SUPPORTING NZ...SO I'M SUPPORTING OZ...I LIKE A GOOD STIR!
7.05PM...NZ WON...OH WELL.
8.00PM...PHONED PAULINE.
8.30PM...FILM...A ROOM WITH A VIEW.
10.00PM...BED.


EVERYBODIES HEART DOESN'T BEAT THE SAME.


BYE FOR NOWZ!
7.40