Leaving Japan after nearly 5 years! Going home the long way, via Tokyo, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong. Great chance to meet up with old friends!
And so the time came for me to leave NZ... I followed Maria to her parents' house and then she went off for a trip south to meet friends. Her ma and pa took me to the car hire place to drop it off and then off to the airport. Everything OK. I threw away a few things and gave Maria a couple of things to put in the Good Will box so I managed to get my total luggage down to about 29 kg which is good for now! No movie on the plne - NOT HAPPY! Well, there was the general one on the overhead screens but they were too far away and it was Frost/Nixon and I couldn't read the titles or see it properly so gave up. Food was good though! Arrived ... read more
Bit cloudy this morning but me and Maria went off to Bank's Peninsula and Akaroa, which is a little bump sticking out into the sea with great views on the way. First we went to central Christchurch and the buildings are really cool! Saw the old uni buildings which are now the Arts Centre and there were lots of stalls and entertainers and stuff on the streets. Saw the Cathedral and Cathedral Square and the big bunch of flowers and walked past the Botanic Gardens and the punting on the River Avon. Then off to Akaroa as the sun came out! Hurrah! Oh and we went to see the Basillica first - they have a lot in New Zealand - I passed a couple while I was driving - like being in Rome or something! We ... read more
A very quiet day - got up early and drove the long long drive back up north to Christchurch to Maria's. Bought a phone card which ran down in like a minute - boo! Drive was about 660km (like 400 miles?) so took like 10 odd hours with stops every 2 of course so I didn't die! Finally got there after driving round the one way system and met Maria's housemates. We sat and drank wine and they were going out on the town at 11.30pm!! Well, sorry I was ready for bed by then, but it was nice to chill and drink!... read more
I could have a bit of a lie in today as my trip was booked for 10.15am. I went to the post office first and bought a box to post my stuff home in. Unfortunately it seems the box itself cost about as much as filling it and sending it from Japan so it seems I am stuck with my stuff unless I can find a reasonable way to send it home... I caught the boat from Te Anau village up the Te Anau Lake. The guy was quite entertaining and knowledgeable about the area and said it was something like the largest body of water in Oceana (or Australasia...) as it is so deep and the other big lakes are quite shallow in comparison. When we got to the cave area I was first off ... read more
Today I had yet another fabulous cooked breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, tomatoes and tinned spaghetti - and cereal and coffee - all included! Hurrah! When I told the people there that I was going to Milford Sound they said it was going to rain BUT that was a good thing as it made waterfalls... Anyway - 2 hours driving to Queenstown and nowhere to park. The girl in the info centre wasn't very informative and said there were only afternoon trips to the glow worms the next day. She said I could park up at the Gondola so I did but I had to park on the grass... The Gondola ride was fabulous and the weather was beautiful so I had a great view of the whole bay. Took loads of photos and then had ... read more
Driving... all day.... Fabulous views - and I took the coast road so radio was good! HURRAH! set off from Kaikoura earlyish though had to get money changed and stock up and then found I had gone the wrong way to the shops... I asked about a thing to put in the tape deck to play CDs like I had in Japan but they were $45!! thats like 16 quid! I don't think so!!! I set up my CD player with head phones so I could switch if the radio was no good. Wanted to see how far I could get and managed 500km to a little place called Omarama, with a couple of stops off of course. Got a little B&B which was fab! All the staff were so friendly in a small town way ... read more
Up nice and early and off walking in the sunshine to Bob's Bay - didn't see Bob though... but did see a guy in full oldfashioned army gear who had been on training that weekend for a trip of brits and kiwis through the desert for some reason... maybe it will be on TV - let me know... Then cake and car to pick up - oops! Automatic... but Ruth gave me a quick refresher and all was good. Then she put me on the road to Kaikoura which should take abotu 2.15 hours.. But the scenery was amazing - sheer cliffs into the sea and I took a bit longer. I stopped to eat at a place called The Store - which had the most amazing views and a really good steak and kidney pie ... read more
Easter Monday. So up early and off to the ferry! Good job it was only a few minutes walk from the Hotel! Another nice day! Arrived in Picton early (about 10.45am) after stunning views through the whole journey. Went to the place where I had sent a mail to book a trip the night before and the woman said they don't do that one anymore only one for $80 and longer. I said "know any others cheaper?" she said no - customer service often hasn't reached here yet! So I went out and into the next place and they sold me one for $55 - up and round the bay and back. Then walked up to Ruth's and it was sooo hot!! Found it no worries and her bro' was just leaving on the 1pm ferry! ... read more
oh no! the worst thing ever has happened... my note book which lucy gave me and I have been writing all my notes in has got all soggy today and the writing has run!!! only the corner of the pages but it is still a bit of a stinker! Anyway - I shall try to get up to date if I can read it... So - 2nd day in Wellington. Sooooo glad I booked for 2 nights so I could relax and get myself sorted! Today the weather was glorious! So off I went up the hill in the cable car and had a quick visit to the cable car museum... yet again I neglected to write the name of the hill down but I am sure I have it somewhere... Then walk through the Botanic ... read more
After a glorious night's sleep Linda's husband noel made us bacon (REAL BACON) and eggs for brekkie and then we hit the road. First we went around Tauranga - Minden Look Out with fabulous views of the whole bay and some crazy deer making the most bizarre noise I ever heard! Next - Mt Maunganui - a volcano right on the edge of a peninsula in the bay. Really cool! We walked around it rather than up and looked at the beaches. The sea was so clear! Drank famous NZ drink Lemon & Paeroa - passed thru Paeroa yesterday and saw the huge bottle! BBQ for lunch - fresh chicked and beetroot and potatoes and salad and local grown fruit! Rotorua - in the afternoon went to Spa town Rotorua. Built on many volcanoes it is ... read more