Wellington, Capital NZ North Island

It took us 4 hrs to drive to Welligton from Napier, our longest yet by far. Unfortunately the weather wasn't much better. It was raining, grey and very windy with the wind biting right through you. We booked into our Hostel which was a hell hole but the only one with free off street parking which was essential. The whole place was disguting the showers were filthy the hostel was dirty and the kitchen well gross gross gross when you rung the cloth out to wipe the sides the cloth still stuck to your hands. After that point we decided no more and would pay that bit extra for a nice youth hostel and would pay for parking as well. We booked into base backpackers after two nights in the hell hole and we were back in luxury thank god! The weather remained crappy throughout our stay. We had a few good nights out here saw a few bands not to mention the Foo Fighters who were just absolutely brilliant and at one point Dave Grohl (the lead singer) was actually singing just below us wow wow wow!
Went on a coastal walk around the red rocks and the seal colony only to discover that it is the wrong season for the seals so nevermind but we did have to lend our services to a couple who stupidly drove instead of walking on the rocks and their car had got stuck and we and ok another truck had to pull the car out and saved the day in exchange they gave us a lift back to save our tired legs!!

visited several museums all free so that definitely suited our budget as have spent a fortune so far on this trip but what thehell you only live once!! Visited the Houses of Parliament where we sat in and watched many of the debates well it was quite amusing all these MPs just arguing with each other and not really solving anything makes you wonder why they get paid so much.

all in all an ok city but nothing special especially for a capital city!!

sonya x

Napier

We now headed south east to the Hawkes Bay Region on the south east coastand stopped at the main town of Napier. This region is a big wine making region due to it's hot climate and as we arrived we could see why. The day we arrived it was hotter than that in Lake Taupo without a cloud in the sky and as we drove into the town we were surounded for miles by Vineyards. The town is a small and very clean town, the first thing we did was go down to the beach as usual, this time the beach was just made up of stones that hurt your feet and got stuck in your flip flops. also the sea was very rough if not brutal with high waves and a reef right below it, so we decide against the swiming option and instead went with Sonya's choice of Rollerblading along the walkway adjacent to the sea. Yeah great idea Sonya. Not only did i look a pillock in the blades, i looked a bigger pillock when trying to get my feet to work. Eventually i just about mastered it, doing alright when no-one was about, but when passing someone the pressure obviously got to me and most of the time i had all on staying on my feet. Sonya though just rolled off into the sunset like Easy rider. finally we sat down on a bench to rest and like a fool, i let my feet roll under the bench forgetting i had no brakes, i ended up just about braking my nose again as i ended up face down on the concrete much to Son's amusement. Thankfully we headed back and handed the damn things back. In the evening i got my own back, while i was washing the pots, Sonya was talking to me before turning to walk out the patio door, only it was CLOSED and she went with an almighty bang as she walked straight into it, unfortunately for her the kitchen was full of people as was the patio and everyone fell about howling. Some one tried to make her feel better by telling her she wasn't the first.

The following 2 days were bitterly cold, i even had to wear my jeans for the first time in weeks, rain followed and then wind, for a minute i thought i was back in the U.K. so we pretty much hung around the hostel watching the TV and the soaps so Sonya could catch up with Coronation St etc even if they were 2 years behind, she swore she hadn't seen these perticular ones. (yeah right) and we went on the odd drive with Clifton being one destination. At all locations Sonya refused to move from the warmth of the car. So we just sat in the car taking in the scenery.

Lee

Lake Taupo

From Rotorua we travelled south to Lake Taupo, again the weather was stunning and after arriving at our lovely hostel we went for a walk to the Lake which was huge. The Lake was amazingly clear and with the Glaziers from a nearby National Park in the back drop it looked stunning (Postcard material). On a walk around the town, we came across a McDonalds, nothing new there i hear you say. Well this one had an old used Aeroplane attached to it for the kids to play on, and not a small one either. I couldn't get on it as i was too old. Gutted.

The following day we went on a very very long walk to the Huka Falls and the Craters of the Moon. Along the way we passed a stream running down through the Hills and into the river. The stream believe it or not was red hot and ran into a little pond like area before heading into the river, so we stripped off and had a bathe for a while. The heat of the water comes froms the volcanic elements underground. After this we carried on with our walk to the Huka Falls, about a 2 hr trek but well worth it when we arrived. a fast rapid stretch of water. We then stupidly decided to carry on our walk to Craters of the Moon, another 2 hr walk. this was again a load of craters with bubbling water, mud and steam coming out of them. this took about 40 mins to walk round, as we were both so tired, we just walked round with our heads bowed failing to take it in. After this we were left with the task of a 4 hr walk back but fortunately a couple from our hostel were just leaving the place as we were and thankfully offered us a lift back. Heroes, both of them.

The final day, as it was a very hot day, we decided to head down to the beach at the Lake and have a swim. the Lake was surprisingly warm so we just spent hours idling about swimming and sun bathing, follwed by a movie and some beers back at the hostel.

Lee

Fun in Rotorua

well what can i say defintiely one of the best cities we have visted so far. Checked into our double room in base backpackers what a luxury a room to ourselves. Well as we are on a budget went ot visit the free yes FREE thermal park area cool lots of steamy earth and bubbling mud unable to rub it over us though as its a bit too hot and would prlbably burn us! Spent the reslt of the first day just chilling out and relaxing tis a hard life!
the next day went to wai o tapu a thermal wonderland where we saw the lady knox geyser. Its a volcanic thingamejig that shoots out loads of water at approx 10.15am every day with the help of soap suds! Saw the bubbling mud pools and more volcanic activity very bizarre and it stunk of rotten eggs that would be the sulphur. After our adventure in the mist decided to take lee on his first ever luging experience. Had to catch the gondale up the hill first a bit like a cable car lee not that impressed don't think he liked them too much but then the fun began once we had reached to the top. Safety first we put our little helmets on what plonkers we both looked but never mind then onto the luge track. Its basically like a huge tobogganing track you sit on a piece of plastic thing with wheels and a lever that is your sterring wheel and brake all in one and thats it away you go down the huge hills and sharp turns great fun all you heard was me and lee laughing the whole way down even a granny went on and when asked if she was sure she wanted to do the fast track by the marshalls the looks just said it all and off she went never saw her again so god knows what happened!!
The following day went to the agrodome where agrojetting and wet zorbing was to be tried. Agrojetting - got into our little speed boad on this pond and a crazy man driver who whizzes you around the pond doing 0-100kpm in about 2 secs great fun and wet!! even got a free 3 rides on the pond as he needed to test it. After that it was the wet zorb which is basically a huge plastic ball with a small hole in it and they pour loads of water in it and in you dive and roll down a huge hill getting absolutely soaked and have no control over your body whatsoever! great fun definitely recommended!!
all in all a great time had in rotorua sad to be leaving but not the smell!!

sonya xx

To Tauranga and back

After a short break in Hamilton, we moved along to Tauranga up on the east coast, very hot and chilled out place with plenty of pubs and live music (band wasn't the best, didn't play any oasis) We spent a couple of nights here, but spent the days over the bridge at MT Maunganui which had a great beach to relax on plus the Mountain-ish which we climb much to Sonya's annoyance (232 meters). The waves at the beach were very high, i was itching to get in there on my newly aquainted boogie board, but as it was only a childs, i didn't fancy my chances of coming out of there alive, so i remained on the beach sulking. We also chilled out in the hot spa pools at the base of MT Maunganui as the sun set and the stars came out, a wonderful feeling of relaxation.

After Tauranga we had to head back to Hamilton as Sonya had left her shrunken fleece. It was actually quite nice to head back to Hostel as the couple owning it were so nice to us, even giving us the room that their daughter normally stays in complete with Sky television, which enabled me to watch both NZ against the Irish at the Rugby and the English against the Argies at Football, even if it was in the early hours of the morning. The following day we tried to do our Christmas shopping which seemed weird as it was a red hot day and not the usual frosty, icey, cold day like back home. Unfortunitly we missed the date for sending stuff home for christmas, so none of you are getting anything, SORRY. The rest of the time there was spent chilling out with our hosts.

Lee

Hamilton, North Island, NZ.

We left the lovely Coromandel today and travelled south to Hamilton. Hamilton is the largest inland City in NZ and is a lot bigger than we thought. The weather today is stunning so after checking in to our Hostel, which is a brand new place (opened May 2005) and run by a lovely elderly Scottish couple. As it was a lovely day we decided to take a stroll in the local Hamilton gardens, which is a hugh place and full of some wonderful flowers, after walking for while and getting lost near the river, we eventually ended up on a grass bank next to a large Duck pond and had lunch and a nap.
After waking up slightly burnt, we headed over to Waterworld, which we thought would be a massive water park with slides etc, but turned out to be a dump, basically the same as Bramcote Baths but a lot worse. Eventually ended up back at the hostel for beans on toast (English recipe, Heinz). We head off in the morning to the seaside resort of Tauranga to chill out some more.