"You can borrow the Merc if you like..."

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Good Morning everyone! I apologise that this entry is going to be shorter then the last few, but we are running out of money for the computers, as we've not got that many coins at the moment. Also, no pictures in this entry, as we can't get access to the computer tower, it's all locked up. Hopefully we can edit this entry later tonight.

As you can see from the location we've now left Auckland, and are now in Orewa, about an hour north of the city. Yesterday was the day we picked up the motorhome, which we set about doing after checking out from the hotel around half ten (after getting the last blog entry written up). The motorhome depo is right beside the airport, so we get a taxi back there in the pouring rain. Jason signs all the paper work while I manage to grab around 20 or so maps and discount books they had on offer. We are then taken to see the motorhome, which is huge!! It's 7.2 metres long, it's like an extended van! We are given a brief ten minute tour of how it all works, not long enough to ease either of our minds. Then Jason is handed the keys are we're given a mini map to show where the local Foodtown/Woolworths is (Woolies here is a food shop).

We load up our gear and are given the outdoor table and chair set we had ordered, along with being told we'll need some snow chains, but they are out of stock for our size wheels. We're told to buy some if we can and keep the receit. Jason's not amused that the motorhome (which is a Mercedes, so Mark's name of "Merc" is spot on) is an automatic, but we manage to get to the supermarket fine. Our first food shop costs $102, which isn't bad. We then attempt to get to Route One, which heads North on the west coast. The plan is to have a mini drive and then just park up to get used to the home. However, we miss the turning without realising, and are now on roads that none of our stupid maps are showing. I'm quite annoyed by this, as I'm supposed to be guiding Jason, but Jason doesn't bring me up on it and drives into the centre of Auckland so I can find us on the map again. Half an hour later (and having driven almost back to the Skytower in the process) we get onto Route One.

About an hour into the drive we come up on Orewa, one of two places where the maps show Motorhomes. However, none of our maps have roads in that much detail, so we drive in blind, following road signs. We miss the camp we were hoping to get to, but a second camp we didn't know of, Pinehill, is soon found. The lady at reception takes pity on the two English idiots, and gives us some more maps and a book with a list of all the motorhome camps in New Zealand. We stay here for the night, it costing $26 total.

Our first night in the motorhome went really well, except the rain is really amplified, so gonna wear ear plugs.

Damn, time is up. We'll attempt to update this again tonight at the motor camp at Tutukaka... Love to everyone, please keep your comments coming, we really look forward to reading them!

Elliott and Jason

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Comments

[Lindsey and Graham]

South Island or bust......
We take it map reading was not part of your degree course, Elliott?? and what with Jason thinking the road to Barnstaple leads to London....... this could be a long month for your two! If you run out of fuel money, text us and we'll wire some to you....assuming you can find the post office on the map. Re Sky Tower - Jason - are you the same boy who would not go on anything at that water park in Portugal? Ever thought of being a bust driver - sorry I mean bus driver - Jason? Glad all is going well, looking forward to the next update.... All our love xx

[sam]

how funny!
hey man! when u were in orewa, you were about 5mins round the corner from my mum and dad's place! it's a beautiful beach aye!? a bit of a sleepy town tho!