9th november 2006

9th November 11pm... We are tucked up in bed. Sleeping bags, duvets, bed socks, wooly hats and hoodies. Woah! We're in the southern hemisphere. This can't be right. It should be cold in england and hot down here. Yeah right. Last night it must have touched zero. Not a problem if you're in an insulated house or vehicle, but for some reason this thing's achilles heal appears to be insulation. Maybe it was a refrigerated van in a former life and they left the refrigerating units in it, and every time my eyes start to close or a limb is exposed, the evil refrigeration units kick in and I wake up numb. I swear my toes froze to the door last night. Like the tounge scene from dumb and dumber. At least the beer's cold.

This is the first update in a while, so we'll keep it brief. I must first mention the van though. After it took us three and a half hours to get the van, the next seven days uncovered a few problems. Gas leakage. Blocked sink. Fresh water leakage. Rain water roof leakage. Grey water (not poop) backed up in the drains on to my bag and clothes. Two drips to the garage and one to the laundrette. A replacement van. The drivers seatbelt in the new van is faulty. The most frustrating thing is that all the staff are friendly and helpful, but they've not maintained their vans well. I think a large refund plus compensation is due...

30th - Hahei Beach - Corromandel Peninsula. Rainforest and amazing beaches. An impressive introduction to kiwiland. Do you kno why the NZers are called kiwis? Because, the troops used to have kiwi brand boot polish and the aussie army noticed it and started calling them kiwis. Interesting huh!


31st - Hotwater Beach - the beach has thermal springs. You dig a hole at low tide and hot water bubbles up making you a personal spa. As the tide comes in the waves keep the water cool enough for you to sit in - neat-o! Drove down to Rotarua, and had our first BBQ. All worked a treat.


1st - Went to Ta Puia thermal park and maori settlement. They have boiling mud pools, geysers, and the country's official carving school. There was also a performance of the haka with 'volunteers' from the crowd of manly men joining in. Of course, they were short of manly men so I was called up. What an ass. In the evening we went to the Polynesian Spa and sat in a natural hot pool whilst watching the sun set over lake rotarua.


2nd - the first was an expensive day, so today would be cheap. Cruised down to Taupo (via the "Thermal Explorer Highway"). First stop was a huge boiling mud pool. Joey said I should test my swimming strength there, but I refrained. Next, the Craters of the Moon park. A 20 or so acre area of steam escaping from various craters and cracks and crevises due to the geothermal activities underground. Surreal. Thundering Huka falls - very nice. Aratiatia rapids and dam - a creek with a small stream which becomes a thundering rapids when they open the dam three times a day - cool. Finally Taupo Spa Thermal Park. A town park with a river at the end and waterfalls that create natural spa pools. Pretty amazing. Total spent today - $9. Just over three pounds. Good huh? Woke up in the night with the van shaking. Thought it was the wind. Turned out to be an earthquake. Cool.


3rd - Tongariro National Park - the tongariro crossing is one of the most famous walks in NZ. It takes 6-8 hours and is 26km long. You get picked up at about 8 and get home at six. Incredible views and many varieties of flora, fauna, geology and wildlife. Joey and I overslept by four hours so missed out. We did however do a shortened (2.5hr) version where we saw mountains and forests and got to walk behind a waterfall! Muy bien.


4th - cruised to Napier in hawke's bay wine country. This area was levelled by an earthquake in 1931 and rebuilt in the style of the day - art deco, my favourite. Did a self guided walking tour. Some amazing buildinga, but unfortunately a lot of them have all been ruined at ground level when converted to shops. You have to look up to the first floor or above to see the designs.


5th - Anniversary number two! Scrambled egg and beans on toast for breakfast. A gloriously sunny day. A five hour wine tour with many many tastings. A beautiful dinner at the oldest winery in the country, Mission Vineyard, with lovely food and great company (joey) and a mild hangover. A really memorable day.


6th - Drove to wet Wellington. Went to the garage re van fixing. Not the best day.


7th - got the boat to the south island. Pretty uneventful other than nearly missing it! After discovering that rain was leaking in we managed to get someone to drive six hours with a replacement. Stayed in Nelson. More rain.


8th - Drove to motueka near the Abel Tasman national park. In the afternoon we kayaked! The weather was hit and miss, so we weren't allowed too far from Kaiteriteri. It was a tandem kayak and, amazingly we got on alright. Explored some bays and coves and splashed around like children. Have met loads of people in tne camping holiday parks. There are probably more germans and dutch than english and very few other countries represented...


9th - got up earlyish. Back to the abel tasman park. This time a water taxi to bark bay (via split apple rock and a seal colony) and a three hour hike/walk to torrent bay (via a rope bridge!) and then a water taxi back home.


There you have it. Painless eh? Tomorrow we're heading down to greymouth on the way to the glaciers...

Joey's asleep, so no musings from her tonight. So goodnight for now. Sleep well...