The first nine days

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HELLO ALL!!

Well we're still in one piece and have managed not to kill one another so its all good. We've had a few bumps such as trying to put up the tent on Thursday night, full of enthusiasm for the first nights camping, and realising that there was no fly sheet in the tent bag!!! Whoops. Cold night by the beach, but the nice guy in Rebel Sports gave us a free one so its sorted now.

The flight to Auckland was delayed by an hour or so while we were on the plane as all the power went so we just pretended that our flight was 4 hours instead of 2 1/2. We stayed in a hostel in Ponsonby called Verandahs and it was the best. Small and cosy and v friendly. Sent in our passports the next day to Aussie Immagration and walked around the city and headed out in the ferry to Devonport. Its a bit of a strange city but alright. Wouldn't be dying to live there or anything. Devonport was gorgeous - a little town by the sea with fantastic views of Auckland.

The car was dropped off at the hostel on Thurs morning and we bought all the camping gear and headed off to Goat Island for a bit of a snorkel and Pakiri Beach for the night, which was just a short drive outside the city to get us on the road. The beach was closed as there had been sightings of FIVE SHARKS. We ran for the beach with the binoculars but no joy - no sightings 😞 Pakiri is lovely - a real gem out of the way. The beach is a 9k stretch of sand and we were prob the only backpackers in the entire campsite.

Took off for the Bay of Islands the next morning (via Rebel Sports in Whangarei) and took the scenic route via the west coast. Its so different driving here compared to Australia - the distances are so small. We visited the Kauri Forest and visited a HUGE TREE called Te Matua Ngahere. All I can say is its HUGE. Photos don't do it justice.

Arrived in Paihai that night and stayed beside the Haruru falls. B needed a day off so I went to the Waitangi visitors centre the next morning and Russell. Then that evening we went on what has definetely been the highlight so far ... THE ROCK.

Its an overnight cruise around the Bay of Islands. Its an old converted passenger ferry with a bar on the main floor and with bedrooms on the top floor. Everyone on the boat was pretty chilled (max 30 on any trip)and we started off with some shooting practise and a few drinks. Then when we docked we went fishing for an hour or so (I caught a few small ones - nothing like Exmouth lads). We had dinner with delicious mussels and then went night kayaking in the phospherescence. All the fish were glowing in the dark and one jumped into B's kayak (then jumped back out fairly lively!). The next day we were having breakfast and there were tons of dolphins swimming around - baby ones too. Fantastic. Bryan went mussel snorkelling. Then we went snorkelling and kayaking. We ate mussels that were the size of the palm of my hand. Aoife & Glenn - you would have been a happy pair. Bungalow 8 my backside. The scenery was lovely and the weather has been amazing since we got to NZ.

Drove to Tutukaka on Monday and B went diving to the Poor Knights, which are rated as one of the Top Ten dive sights in the world. Then we drove to Hamilton, and yesterday drove to Waitomo Caves and checked out the glow worms... v good. Then on to Rotorua.

Went to see the Thermal geyers today and it was amazing. All that bubbling mud and steam and water spurting out into the air.

I think it has taken us both until today to realise that we are actually in New Zealand. I mean its not like the people look any different and the scenery that we've been seeing has been all beaches etc so not so different to NSW but today we were doing "cultural things" so its starting to sink in! Not to mention the smell in Rotorua. Its constantly up your nose. Ewwwww.

Don't think I can manage to upload the photos today. Hopefully have a bit of time in the next few days as we're taking it easy in Rotorua for the next couple of nights. Off to a Hangi tonight!!!

Hope you all are good. Talk soon. Dearbhs

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