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Published: April 26th 2007
Bry speaking: For those who've not yet heard, we are heading home... as I'm sure some of you will have predicted the pull of work was just too much for me. I will explain in more detail to anyone whose interested, but I had very little choice really and Tom and I both decided that I need to go back. Some will see this as a huge failure on my part I'm sure... who knows... I can only do what I think is right.
Anyway, what this has meant is cutting NZ a little short, so we haven't had quite so long on the North island. We landed in Wellington. It's a lovely city. Tom was particularly taken with the observatory... it brought out all the childlike wonder and curiosity that all who know him love him for! The outer suburbs were lovely too, with really distinctive wooden slatted houses built up into the hillsides with real charm and character. We then hot-footed it to Rotorua district. The highlight for Tom was definitely 'zorbing'... which is climbing inside a huge, water lined, plastic ball and rolling down a hill. I had a go too, but wasn't as smitten. I'd
describe it as much like a big enclosed water slide, but more disorientating. For me, the highlight was the mud pools at Wai Ora. We spent a luxurious hour lathering ourselves in volcanic mud and relaxing in hot thermal pools... it was fab and my skin felt great afterwards. I also did a little flying... really I did! They have this great big fan thing that you can 'free fall' over. Recalling my parachute jump, the sensation is vastly similar, but with much less fear and adrenalin.
For adrelin we opted for a huge sky swing. This consists of a suspended cage which is hoisted up some 60ft, then you have to pull a cord to let yourselves down. It was truly terrifying. We have a little video which we'll add to this entry next stop.
Then, as time was drawing in we headed up to the Land of Aucks... another nice city. We were most amused to find a posh little suburb called Birkenhead. A little explanation... Tom was brought up in Birkenhead on the Wirral, which couldn't really be described as the north west's beacon of sophisitication... apart from Prenton, which is a little up the
way and home to the Thomases!!!! We spent a couple of days mooching up here and now I'm standing at the Samsumg stand at Auckland airport making use of their free internet whilst waiting for a flight to Los Angeles... well we had to break up the flight back home with something! Maybe I'll take a trip to Rodeo Drive...
More photos to follow when we have USB connectivity.
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Ken
non-member comment
Coming home
Good entertainment over the months ... and nostalgia! Finally caught up, so apologies for lack of timely replies. Of course travelling can be wearying to say the least. I can remember when we arrived (1980's speak for 'rocked up', I think) in Hong Kong after 3 months of Asian food and culture and we just couldn't face more Asian food. So we found a UK style supermarket and bought meat and two veg: pork chops, pots and sweetcorn - can still taste it! It gets you strangely! So don't think of it as a failure and on missing out on Sth America, Think of all the superb things you did do, that you otherwise wouldn't have experienced sitting on your butts in UK. One of the phenomenon that you are about to experience upon your return, will be the blank stares of people as you want to go on endlessly with your photos and stories - I mean they are not being unkind but it's a "you have to have been there" sort of thing, to get the full understanding. Looking forward to hearing all about it!When do you get back?