Blogs from Epsom, Auckland, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania

R: LAN airlines scrutinised our travel documents harder than anyone I have ever seen before. Our onward flight was checked. Our permission to stay in both New Zealand, and Australia (including our eVisitor) was asked for. We had to bring out the iPad several times to prove it. They checked in vain for a paper visa for New Zealand in our passports before agreeing that the British didn't need these to get into NZ! after looking it up. Begrudgingly, after 20 minutes (no exaggeration) at check in, they gave us a boarding pass. Which put us right next to Shelley, my walking buddy from Pucon, on the plane by complete coincidence. Well, after we moved the Chilean man who thought he could sit wherever he wanted. The flight departed at 00.05 on the 8th March. We ... read more

Back to Auckland, where our journey began one year ago. We had just 5 days to sell our car and camping gear before leaving the country, quite a scary prospect. We put posters up in all the hostels, then spent 2 days waiting nervously for the phone to ring...after no success we put an ad up on TradeMe (NZ's version of Ebay) and sold it that day! We've also sold all our camping gear and made a small profit! Who said travelling left you broke?! Anyway, we're back in the same hostel we stayed in a year ago, and have been able to enjoy our last few days in the country now that the car is sold. We went to MOTAT (the museum of transport and technology), it was pretty good...there were loads of old cars, ... read more

Well day two didn't exactly go as planned. Podger was due to get the day off but ended up working so didn't do the plane ride. I went downtown and got set up for the Thialand trip. Took a few pictures of the city and then met himself and we went up to the top of one Mount eden in the centre of the city. One of the 6 volcanos dotted around the city. Mark rosny lives in the shadow of it so we met up for a drink with him and his wife. I took a copuple videos off the view from the top of Mount eden and there are a few pictures of Mark and his other half. Tomorrow and Friday we are going to the beach, absailing, watersports and so on. I hear ... read more

We arrived in Auckland (New Zealand- or Aotearoa, meaning The Land of the Long White Cloud) on 27th June. We were promised 'freezing' weather so were quite relieved when we got off the plane to be met with just a 'cold chill'. We got a taxi to our hostel which was quite a way out of town. As we pulled up, it was rather reminiscent of the hotel from 'The Shining'. We got inside and were a little shocked to find it was actually colder inside than out. We were shown into our 'bedroom' which was actually the lounge with a few random mattresses and fold out beds dotted around with interesting bedspreads and 2 strange boys lurking in two of them. The bathrooms were also a little less than desireable with too many stray hairs ... read more