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Published: July 26th 2009
Crossing the river
Mel had the right idea, but tell that to us!Friday, July 24th
We spent the morning researching campervans and came to the conclusion that, for us, hiring a van is a better option than buying, even though there are a few good deals out there. The hire is really affordable and includes insurance and 24 hour roadside assistance which will come in handy if something should go wrong on those deserted south island roads. There were a few vans to choose from and after a bit of thought we decided to get one without the toilet and shower because it's cheaper and requires less maintenance.
Later we went for a hike to Grannies bay. On the way we had to cross a little river. Talita made it across the loose rocks but Ferdi managed to slip off and had to hike the rest of the way with wet shoes. We got to the bay and saw that there were some dark clouds coming in, so we took a bunch of pictures and headed back. The fickle NZ weather caught up with us and we had to seek shelter from the cold rain beneath the trees. After a minute or so the rain would stop and we'd hurry to the
next bunch of trees where we’d shelter when the next wave of rain came in. In this way we made our way back to the car and by the time we got there the sun was out again. On the way home we enjoyed cake and tea at a friend of Mel's.
For dinner we went to an Indian restaurant (yippee!) and met some more of Nicol and Mel's friends. They're all South African and it felt just like we were in a restaurant in SA. They are all very happy in NZ and the consensus was that it felt like they'd always lived here.
Today's highlights:
1. Short hike along the north shore.
2. Indian food with friends.
Impressions of NZ:
Property is very expensive but you can get a good second-hand car for anything from ZAR10,000. Third party vehicle insurance is also ridiculously cheap. Saturday, July 25th
This morning Nicol went out to do his duty at the Coast Guard. He's a volunteer and once a month he goes out to patrol the waters, do maintenance and respond to emergencies. It's a fun activity and they paid for him to do a whole bunch
of courses. He even got his motor boat license through them. There are exciting opportunities to volunteer in NZ if one were lucky enough to live here.
While Nicol was out Mel took us to the War Memorial Museum in Auckland city. We met up with another friend of hers and walked all over the place seeing some Maori sculptures, houses and boats. The museum has three floors with various displays but we managed only two floors before we were saturated.
Before heading home Mel took us to One Tree Hill. It's a volcanic cone and ironically there's no tree on the hilltop, only an obelisk. Apparently there used to be a tree, but a white settler cut it down in 1852, in an act of vandalism. They tried to plant more trees but they either died or were killed by vandals and Maori protesters. A cold wind was blowing but the view was spectacular. We could see most of Auckland and both the South Pacific and the Indian oceans.
After Nicol came back we got pizza and played a board-game with a couple of their friends. We haven't spent this much time in the company of
other people in months!
Today's highlights:
1. Visiting the museum.
2. Great views from One Tree Hill.
3. Pizza and board games.
Impressions of NZ:
It's cold here, but by all accounts, it's colder in SA at the moment. Sunday, July 26th
This morning Nicol and Mel dropped us at the bus terminal from where we got the bus to Auckland CBD. The bus ride was quick and easy since it has a dedicated lane for most of the way. We wanted to experience the public transport system and while at it, meet up with Talita's friend Nadine. She's been living here for more than four years and absolutely loves it!
Once in the city we looked around until Nadine met us. We had lunch on the Viaduct looking at the yachts. Ferdi had his first steak in a very very long time and Talita had pasta. It was goooood!
After lunch we walked around the CBD area and were amazed at how quiet and clean it all is. We took a break in Albert Park, then returned to the bus station. We said goodbye to Nadine and got on the bus back to Browns
Bay where Nicol picked us up and we returned to a yummy dinner.
Today's highlights:
1. Testing the NZ bus system.
2. Meeting up with Nadine.
3. Exploring Auckland CBD.
Impressions of NZ:
Auckland is a city even us outdoor types could live in!
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Konnie
Konrad de Lange
Biltong in Brownsbay
Hey boeda, as jy nognie dit gedoen het nie, doen jouself 'n guns en gaan soek vir jou 'n stuk biltong by die Suid Afrikaanse Kafee daar in brownsbay. Nicol sal weet waar dit is, dis in die hoofstraat by die beach oorkant Saints Bar. Dis duur, maar worth it!