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Published: August 2nd 2009
Thursday 16th July....Got up nice and early, layered up for our winter sports adventure, and headed to Whakapapa Ski Village on Mount Ruaperu. We hired some equipment and booked a snowboarding lesson. It was so difficult! And despite having, a very short and unproductive lesson, I was still rubbish!!! Jess fared a little better....but only just!!! After our lesson we stayed on the slopes for a few hours and both managed to make it all the way down without falling over! Still had very sore muscles after though!
Headed to Auckland on friday... driving day. Went into Auckland city and did a bit of shopping before going to the Rugby - All Blacks vs Aussies. NZ won 19-16, was a great match. We met up with Jess' mate Alex and his mates and went out for the eve. Ended up dancing in a latin american club until 4am, and then hobbled home with very sore feet!
A little hungover, we drove up to Cape Reigna on Sunday, right at the tip of north island. (Jess got Dee Dee stuck in some mud, and we only got out of it cos some lovely strangers stopped and helped me push!!!)Cape Reinga is a
very sacred point for the Maori people where they believe souls pass onto the next life. Its also the point where the Tasmin Sea and Pacific meet and you can see where they collide, which was pretty cool. Free camped for the night and hit the sand dunes at 90 mile beach in the morning. Hoped to sand board but no one was hiring boards so we attempted to glide gracefully on plastic bags... not so much! resulted in rolling down the damn things and getting dizzy! Was cool though. Then we went to Waitangi covered in sand. We went to where the Waitangi treaty was signed, an important document concerning British sovereignty where we duped them for land rights. Nice one England. Stayed the night in Russell, one of the coastal towns of the Bay of Islands. Its a lovely area but we decided not to get on a boat to see it properly though found a lovely look out point. Stopped the night in Mangawai and took a lovely 3hr walk around the headlands before heading back to Auckland on a beautifully sunny and warm day. Went into the city for the night and met up with Jess'
friends Charlotte and Carl. And then on thurs we had to give the van back. It was a sad moent saying goodbye to our beloved 'Dee Dee'... One last night in New Zealand and we had goodbye drink with Charlotte and Carl. AND THEN... well, we won $1600!! We got a raffle ticket when we bought a drink, our ticket was pulled, lucky D23 and then I picked the joker out of a board of cards to win it! How cool is that?? Nice little leaving suprise. Friday was a tough day, took JC to the airport, and had a tearful goodbye (only me cos I'm a sentimental old fool....)then spent a few hours bimbling around in Auckland before my long flight home. Hope you have all enjoyed my blog, not sure where the next adventure will be.....watch this space!!!
Much love Don x x x
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karen mason
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sorry it\
Hi Donna, Sorry I meant to reply to one of the other travel blogs but that time thing got away from me as usual. I have really enjoyed reading about your travels yet again and would be telling a great big porky if I said I wasn't at all envious! I hope ypur journey home wasn't too depressing and that you are slowly settling back to enjoying the gorgeous weather that the summer in dear old blighty has to offer?!? It would be good to get together soon to hear all about your travels. Do you have any time? Karen