Day 101 (Thursday 30/07/09, NJJ) I woke up at stupid-o'clock last night after dreaming that we were late with taking the campervan back. I got up to check the paperwork and it turned out that the campervan should have gone back Wednesday oops! Back to sleep then up at 9am. Packed our stuff up, got the campervan ready to return it then drove to a car wash. We dropped our luggage (there's was loads of it) at the Skyway Lodge where we had made a reservation for 2 nights. Drove to Apollo to return the van. I said that I was [View Full Entry]

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Day 100 (Wednesday 29 /07/09, NJJ) Phoned Joan to see how John is, now he's home from hospital woo hoo! We had breakfast at Cafe D'Amour - a full cooked brekkie each yum yum. Then had ice cream/gelato from Takapuna Beach Cafe, it was lush, even the taster of liquorice flavour was delicious. Had a wander around the shops then drove on to Piha Beach on the west coast. Had a wander along the beach before heading back towards Auckland and stopping at Henderson to look around the shopping centre. In the evening we checked into Manukau Top Ten Holiday Park [View Full Entry]

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Day 99 (Tuesday 28/07/09, NJJ) Left camp around 10.15am. Drove to Auckland, arrived around 11.30am. Stopped at Signal Point and Mount Victoria for views of the city. Had a wander around Devonport where there were loads of nik-nak shops for me and where we had lush fish (snapper and blue nose) and chips for lunch. On to Takapuna, checked into holiday park, used last of our internet time. Had a drive into the city for an hour then back to camp for dinner and relaxing for the rest of the evening. [View Full Entry]

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Day 98 (Monday 27/07/09, NJJ) Apart from popping into town for some food basics we spent the day at the holiday park. Got on top of the laundry, tidying, internet stuff etc. We had a go of putting the tent up which turned out to be successful and quick. We spent over an hour in the pool from 7.45pm relaxing and having fun. Didn't get to sleep until after 1am. [View Full Entry]

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Day 97 (Sunday 26/07/09, NJJ) Drove into Coromandel town but didn't stop. On to Thames just over an hour away next but most places were closed as it's Sunday. Had a roast dinner, Jamie had beef, Nat tried the New Zealand lamb, was nice but not a patch on Joan's or Joyce's cooking. Drove on to Miranda Holiday Park 20 mins away. Got there around 3pm. Straight to the complementary mineral pool onsite (38.5 degrees) for an hour or so. When it came to having a shower I plastered myself in my Rotorua mud that Jamie scooped out of the mud [View Full Entry]

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Day 96 (Saturday 25/07/09, NJJ) Bit worried about John during the night but that's more because we're so far away and can't visit him. Left camp at 10am. Bought a tent ready for Canada and USA. Left Rotorua and drove to Te Puke where we had lunch in back of van. Beautiful sunny day. Drove through Tauranga. Stopped at Hot Water beach, the place where at certain times of day you can dig in the sand and take a dip in your very own hot pool. We didn't do this but we did go to the spot where everyone congregated for [View Full Entry]

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Day 95 (Friday 24/07/09, NJJ) Had a lie in until 10am. Around 2pm we drove in to the city to the Polynesian Spa for some hot mineral bathing. We used the 'Adult and Priest Pools', a complex of seven pools of thermal mineral waters. The pools were of varying temperatures between 38 and 42 degrees centigrade. 3 of them had alkaline waters (good for the skin) and 4 had acidic waters (good for aches and pains). All of the pools are outdoors and even though we had a little rain it added to the experience so we spent 2 hours there. [View Full Entry]

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Day 94 (Thursday 23/07/09, NJJ) Apart form popping out to KFC and the supermarket early evening we spent the day at the holiday park. We bought some Hokey Pokey chocolate which we both now love. Most of the day was used on the internet looking for prices etc. for Canada and USA. Jamie did spend a few hours in the TV room too in the evening. [View Full Entry]

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Day 93 (Wednesday 22/07/09, NJJ) Up at 8.30am. Left camp by 9.15am for ½ hour drive to Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland. After we paid we drove to the Lady Knox Geyser for the 10.15am eruption. It turns out that a park employee tips soap powder into the geyser mouth which causes the eruption. They do this as the geyser would otherwise erupt approximately every 48 hours and they couldn't guarantee a time for visitors. It was actually quite good even though we were initially disappointed. On next to the mud Pools - Nat found these fascinating and kept going on about wanting [View Full Entry]

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Day 92 (Tuesday 21/07/09, NJJ) Drove to Taupo. We bought some audiclear for Jamie as he's still deaf in his right ear (has been for few weeks). The stuff was amazing, sorted him out in no time. Saw a number of views of Lake Taupo - NZ's largest lake but the weather wasn't the best. Lunch was Thai Spicy Pumpkin Soup - yum yum. Drove to Huka Falls - awe inspiring, the power in the water was unbelievable. On to the Craters of the Moon Geothermal Walk. Weird but wonderful landscape with the odd waft of sulphur here and there and [View Full Entry]

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