A Snazzy Wine

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Greetings from the east coast - wine country. After hot footing it from Wellington after our return from the batch we headed out to the Taraua range of mountains where scenery is free and everything else coasts lots of cash - lot. Called the millionaires row of NZ.

We were ucky enough to go to a wine tasting at a very snazzy wineyard where we decided is pretty near impossible to tell the difference between a $10 and a $60 bottle of wine - well almost. Anway the cheese platter and the wines were all very tasty.

We then drove out into the mountains fo a spot of camping and were met with perhaps the most rain i've ever experienced in a tent - still with a very British stiff upper lip we braved the storn and at 1.07am evacuated from the tent to Frank who kept us safe, if not a bit cramped untill the morning light. It was all jolly good fun though and much fun was had by all. Also a highlight was our daring break from the mountains down a little track which saw us have to brave an overflowing ford - took about half an hour to pluck up the courage to cross but Frank did us pround and the back end was only slightly wobbly as we went across. After a brief stop in Masterton from tea and scones we decided to break from our surrogate family (very odd to leave the, after about 2 weeks - and sad - feels like theres omething missing at the moment) and head off to Napier while they went for another night of camping (insanity).

Anyway we're safe and sound in a backpacker lodge in Napier now, cooking for ourselves and enjoying freedom again.

The possibility of a free tour around a sheep tanning factory becons tommorow - yeah.

Always nice to be missed (thanks liv) i'm sure the social was pumping.

see yo oon.
\
marc

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Comments

[Dave]

Helloo peps, happy new year and stuff. vera asked how you guys were, so i said you'd be eaten my a mountain goat. I saw a fox today oh and i've found some great german cheese, umm have fun and remember rain's only as wet as water. Dave

[Sarah]

Happy New Year!
Hi Claire (and Marc, whoever you are!). Just want to let you know i've been following your adventures and it's all very interesting. How long are you planning on staying in NZ for? Are you going to work there?! I've just got a job in Genova, Italy, heading up from Bari on Sunday. Hope to see you soon in some part of the world! Lots of love, Sarah xxx

[Terry Nutkins]

Beard, I salute you
Dude, ace beard. You are a hero. What I want to know is where's claire's beard? very disappointed. Good to see you hav a random new year, twas is sheffield myself wrestling otters with a chap called felix. Don;t have a trim now old boy and I'll see you soon. Big Tezz

[Jo Alsop]

Happy New Year
Hi Claire, have just read all the blogg enteries whilst sat at work being really bored. Your travelling tour sounds amazing glad to see the pics and hear about all the fun stuff you and Marc have been up to. Happy New Year to you and let me know when you get back .........

[Valerie]

you don't know me
Hi you two. stumbled on your log after receiving text from my brother at top of tower at Kuala Lumpar, so went on net to investigate. have read your logs; thanks, great. I worked on a liner circling the world back in 1974, went Australia/New Zealand etc. The internet makes it a very small world now. Happy Nerw Year. Cheers.