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Published: February 22nd 2008
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Wednesday 20th Another 'that little bit too early' start, and still only just ready in time - but in a slow getting ready kind of way! After half-hour of collections we're on the way, seeing more Art Deco architecture on the way. Around 10ish we get to Taupo - 20 minutes is allowed here as Eric, our driver, disappears off to drop/collect more passengers. Another 10 minute stop at the Huka Falls, and get a chance to see the view Woshil talked about above the falls, as well as the view below the falls - neither of which I saw last time! Back past the geothermal power station and soon that bad egg smell kicks in again and we're back in Rotorua. After Geoff (Hobbs) in particular raged about the Luge I wanted to have a go! Eric dropped me out there, and I had a nice ride up in the gondola and 2 fun rides on the Luge (one scenic and one intermediate), bought my photo and headed back down in plenty of time. Eric collected me 230 and then said I still had 25 minutes in Rotorua, so a quick nip into the shops, and had that Gelato ice
cream I'd promised myself last-time:best yet! 3pm back at the I-Site, and nearly 4pm we're en route to Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. Hayley, in primary school, sent me a postcard from Mount Maunganui, and always wanted to see it with my own eyes!
Arrive at Pacific Coast Backpackers - they've got pizza/biscuits ready for all the passengers and get us all together to talk through the rules of the hostel - never had that happen before, but it's good because my bag was the last off, and I then got to be one of the first to check in and so got a bottom bunk again - hurrah! Spend a bit of time chilling out before decide to have a shower before go out as feel half-asleep. Going to the pub for a pub quiz/food - starts 8ish. 5 of us from the bus make it, call ourselves 'A Kind of Magic' and end up about half-way down the scoring board, although we got 8/10, 9 and 9 on the first 3 rounds! Nice wedges and a couple of nice, soft glasses of red wine - I may have learned something on my wine tour yesterday. We won several
chocolate fish as well - a Kiwi special - marshamallow in chocolate - not particularly nice, but hey, we won anyway - whoever gets their answer sheet in first gets them! Back to the hostel for a very warm night in the room!
Thursday 21st Spent most of the morning reading and relaxing, before nipping into town to get $80 ready for my surf lesson - decided I wanted to give it another go. Went with
Hibiscus as thought be great to have a female instructor. Rebecca was really friendly, and put me and 2 others with Barbara. I still remember some of my stuff from before, but still not standing properly, so Barbara gave me a couple of different ways to try, and by the end I'd wobbled my way in on 2-3 waves, which is great progress on before. Felt really tired (especially as got to keep the board for an hour after my 2 hour lesson), but kinda happy with what I'd done. Headed back down the street, decided to have the $5 fish/chip/sausage package on the way back - really tasty, and no need to cook anything tonight. Came back to put some stuff on
my face which was feeling rather warm, and settled down with a book/popcorn and an early night!
Friday 22nd Slept in until 8.30 (yes, travelling is lots of early mornings to that is a lie-in!), picked up my book and went into the TV lounge after breakfast and lay there reading until I'd finished by which time the girls in my room were awake. Had a shower, chatted to them and they lent me some Aloe Vera to put on my eyes which were painfully swollen with sunburn by this time - it helped! Then got round to lunch/washing, and have now found a different computer on which the USB/Word works so could upload this blog.
After putting my dried washing away and chatting to my room-mates, finally made it outside - just as it started to rain heavily again. Why did I not try and go up Mount Maunganui yesterday/day before? Oh well, determined to go up it whatever, but as I walk along the central shopping street feels ultra-windy and wonder if it'll be safe. Oh well, only one way to find out, and up I head, past a wedding, through the sheep, and take the
'difficult' climb to the top - quite steep but more than manageable. Am passed by people running up and down though - obviously the local running spot! Great views from the top, rain has stopped and cloud is so high I can still see quite a long way. Run into Tom on the way down, decide as I have no fruit/veg anyway, will have fish & chips again. In one place for the next few days so will find the supermarket and restock my vitamins. Bag is packed, computer is nearly done, few odds and ends to do then can try and sleep in my hot room, and with someone on the top bunk - always squeaks more!
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