Hi you'all, (Lynda here) We're on the last leg of our journey now and in America. We reluctantly left Fiji (it was so beautiful) and flew to LA. Didn't really know what to expect (rape and pillage - but no such luck)!! The lovely Mikey was there to meet us even though he'd been given the run around about where we would land. It was lovely to see him again and he hasn't changed a bit - (still gorgeous). After a bit of too and fro-ing we got to our LA base and while we showered Mickey "hung around" and then we were off. To Santa Monica Boulevard - sounds like a song!!! We had a look around and a few beers and then went for a mexican (in fact probably the best mexican I've ever ... read more

(Tina)Hi everyone, its Sunday today and you've guessed it, another hangover, two weeks on the trot, however another fab party! Anyway more of that later, first off I'll start where we left off. Got to Auntie Jan's and Uncle Norm's last monday when we blogged and our plans were to go with them on the Tuesday to there bach (pronounced batch and is the kiwi term for a holiday home), however Uncle Norm had to go and have his foot dressed first thing (he had an ingrowing toenail seen to) only to be told he had an infection and he wasn't able to go. This was such a disappointment to us that we decided we didn't want to go without them, so we stayed put for another night and did lots more catching up and had ... read more

(Tina) What a lovely place Akaroa is, sorry Dad, but its a bit of a French settlement stuck right out on the Banks Peninsula of NZ and it really is beautiful, we had a lovely two night stay, even the local pub stayed open after 10pm! After our whirlwind tour of the South Island is was a lovely place to rest up. (Lynda) Before we left we wanted to visit the Marae (anyone who was paying attention to Karen's blog will know what that is) a Maori meeting house, and yet again a lovely little church nixt to it (the churches here are fab - Tina says they remind her of Little House on the Prairie). (Tina) On Saturday we checked out of the lovely La Rochelle Motel, handed our hire car, undamaged again, just, back ... read more

Karen here, it's my turn. I am officially a TOGA now that I have downed my first LIIT at the Irish bar in Rotorua. Except they called the cocktail "Four men and his Dog" instead of LIIT, but being an Irish bar I guess we couldn't expect much else. Also it tasted crap but I downed it anyway, that's how much I wanted to be a TOGA! Anyway, firstly I'd just like to say it wasn't my fault that we weren't at Auckland airport in time to greet the girls off the plane. It was the pilots fault for arriving 1/2 hour earlier than schedule. Neither was it my fault that it rained for the first time in weeks when we stepped out into the carpark. It's been pretty good weather since then mind you. The ... read more

Hi darls, Lynda here, with our very last blog from Australia boo hoo. What service you get here, wish Arriva would take heed, we were picked up by bus from our hotel in Port Douglas, the driver loaded our luggage (and that in itself is no mean feat, let me tell you), and then he drove us right up to the reception of our new accomodation (Southern Cross Atrium Apartments) all for $6 - what a service and what a bargain!! We had a studio apartment and although not quite as nice as the last one, still good value and fairly well situated near the town centre. I'll get straight to my exciting bits before Tina takes over. First I decided that I hadn't really learned anything about the Aboriginal culture or heritage so I booked ... read more