The last hours of New Zealand...

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Tuesday 4th
Awake 630am again - need to be ready for 730 so get up. Get ready quietly, and my bags don't look too bad - reckon I'll get everything in tomorrow! Several of us are hovering for the bus - a small one this time - I can't sit too far back on these, they sway too much! Get on and we head off - Leftie is our driver again today, this is his last shift for Magic. We stop at Hokianga (for breakfast if desired) - wonder about trying to get an appointment for anti-altitude sickness medication, but it's $70 to get an appointment - not sure, and can possibly get something in the pharmacies. Will wait and see what time we get into Auckland. Plenty of historic houses to see here - don't see too many! Next stop Opononi where some are getting off for the Footprints Waipoua overnight trip, and we go out and find out about Opo 'the gay dolphin' - we're talking 1950s, so gay as in friendly... Spent a summer swimming with people in the bay - unusual to find a lone dolphin. More exciting, found a couple of books for $1 each for the plane - no worries about ditching those on the plane.

Next stop Tane Mahuta, a 2500 year old Kauri tree, still alive (the oldest is 4000+), and the largest 'volume of tree'. Pretty impressive, as was the home-made Afghan cookie to be had there. Bit too many windey roads down, but we make it to another café where the carrot cake is highly recommended. Next stop an unscheduled one - sat on the highway for the best part of an hour waiting for an accident to be cleared. By 330 we're back en route to Auckland, likely to get in about 430.

We make it into Auckland for 455pm, so just time to buy some more Sea Legs and reclaim some money from Magic before hopping on the Airbus Express. John collects me from the Domestic Terminal - he's wearing his Oak Hall t-shirt to ensure that I find him. We make our way back to the house where his Mum has prepared a beautiful dinner, and chat until none of us can keep our eyes open any more.

Wednesday 5th
Had a good long sleep, which I think I'm going to need as today is going to last for about 40 hours! Up for breakfast, then go for a 3+ hour walk with John to local harbour/bridge/volcano areas - including a final steep climb, before we're back for lunch and I'm into the airport just over 3 hours before my flight - seem to just miss the big queues of people checking in, which is good! Check in and through security, etc easily enough. Finish my chick-lit book and leave it for someone else to take, before wandering around in search of water (flights are so dehydrating - and this collapsible water bottle comes in handy to refill after!), then sitting and reading triple Regency Mills & Boon which I got for $1 yesterday - great flight material.

To be continued on Santiago blog

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Photos

Me & a Norfolk Pine
Many such pines can be found, planted by missionaries who liked the perfect cross at the top