Fishing trip and noshing - Sun 10th Jan 2010

This morning up at 7.00 am ready for an 8.00 am start. I was meeting up with Ian who was taking me for a sea fishing trip. Mark at the Albatross backpackers put me on to this. I used to go fishing a bit as a child and always enjoyed it. Ian turned up promptly and drove me over to his house in South Bay Kaikoura. There was one other man who came on the trip called Martin. We had to get on the boat parked in Ian's drive, via a set of steps.

Ian drove Martin and I, who were in the boat on its trailer attached to the back of a 4x4, round to South Bay. His wife reversed us into the sea and then took the trailer back to their house. We set off to the crayfish pots first. When Ian hauled these up there were seven large crayfish the size of big lobsters in the pot. The small ones went back in the sea and the rest, about 5, into a tub.

We then went fishing. He took the boat out to where the sea was about 100m deep and baited the two large hooks on the line with some chunks of fish. Large lead weights tooks the baited hooks down to the sea bed. I caught two fish straight away. A sea perch and a large red cod. We then went back to the crayfish pots and baited them with these fish.

After that more fishing. I caught loads more sea perch and red cod. Ian was shucking scallops which he had caught the day before and stored live in a tub of sea water. He fed some to us raw. They were delicious. The seabirds were very interested in this and gathered around. There were lots of different sorts of albatross.

Ian scaled and filleted the fish we had caught and gave me a big bag plus a huge crayfish to take back with me.

I cooked and ate the crayfish for lunch and then in the evening I met up with my walking friends from the day before and we barbecued and ate the fish. I bought a bottle of Koura Bay sauvignon blanc to go with it. Yum, yum. Then joy of joys a lateish night in the knowledge I did not have to get up early the next day.

Sperm Whales and Dolphins - Sat 9th Jan 2010

Another early start today. Up at 6.00 am in order to get up to Kaikoura Whale Watch departure point to check in at 7.15. Again it would be touch and go whether I could go as it all depended on the weather. The day before many of the trips had been cancelled because it was too windy. Again luck was with me after a rainy night it was a beautiful morning and we set off without delay. The sea was calm but the boat went very fast and I still felt quite sea sick by the time we got to the deep offshore trench where the whales come to the surface to get air in before diving to feed. Their favourite food is the giant squid. Often the squid puts up quite a battle and the whales have fight scars. I can't say that seeing the whales; we saw three, was the life changing experience that some people describe. Perhaps because I was feeling sick and dizzy and also because the rail at the side of the boat was low and I was hanging on for dear life, trying not to lose my camera which is also my mobile phone in the sea. The whales were not that close and were just a grey mass on the surface of the water occasionally blow spouts of water in the air. The thing that was impressive was when they got ready to dive. They arched their backs, went under once and then came up for a last breath of air before the famous tail flip in the air. Needless to say my photos were poor. I mostly took pictures of the sky, so I am using a link to photos others have taken.

For me the second part of the trip was better. The whales having been found we went at a more leisurely pace towards land and found a huge pod of dusky dolphins. There must have been several hundred and they were jumping out of the water and swimming under the boat. I was entranced.I have some video footage which I will upload when I get home. The computers here are slow and expensive.

I was back at the Albatross backpackers by lunchtime and was sitting in the sun reading and thinking about walking up to the headland in the afternoon to see the seal colony when some people who had been on the whale watch with me approached me and asked me if I would like to join them to drive up to the seal colony and then do the headland walk. I spent a very enjoyable afternoon with Paula and John from Wellington and their friends from Staffs in England, Gill and John. The sun shone all afternoon and we walked along the cliff top to the South Bay. The views from the headland were faabeewlus. On the way back the tide had gone out enough for us to walk back along the beach and when we got back near the car park we encountered the seals. In fact you had to be careful. They were all over the place sunning themselves on the rocks. The signs said to keep at least 10 metres away but this proved very difficult. Gill is a knowledgeable and experienced birdwatcher so that added to the interest of the walk as I learned a lot about the bird life from her and the others know a lot generally about the flora and fauna of NZ.

After all that exercise I was ready for a good meal and so went to a really nice restaurant called Hislops. There I had a beautiful ribeye steak cooked to perfection with a selection of veg worthy of my allotment. Again a Seresin wine this time a pinot noir red wine. Delicioso. Then back home for another earlyish night ready for another early start the next day.

The ferry to Picton and the train the Kaikoura - Fri 8th Jan 2010

Another very early start. I was up at 6.00 to get a shuttle bus from the YHA down to the ferry terminal. The ferries from Wellington to Picton, to cross on to the South Island, are very busy and you can't just turn up and get on as you might do on an English Channel crossing. The terminal is more like an airport lounge. You check in and larger luggage is put in the hold. I have such a small case and one rucksack that I was allowed to take it on as hand luggage. The trip was glorious.


The sun was shining and the sea calm. It was very windy on deck but I preferred to stay there to avoid sea sickness which often strikes if I have to sit inside. I found a spot that was out of the wind and sat on my case sunning myself and every now and again got up to look at the views. The trip across the Cook Straight and up Queen Charlotte Sound and into tiny Picton was stunning.

More language problems though. Ferry announcement 'would all passengers go to the dick' no that would be deck!!

On arrival in Picton I was taking the train down to Kaikoura. This involved a short walk down to the train station where, very handy for travellers there was a Subway sandwich shop. I like them as you can get fresh made sandwhich, which has not gone soggy on the journey, for a very reasonable price. Judging by the queue my fellow travellers agreed.

Train travel in NZ turned out to be different from England. You cannot just turn up and get on. You have to check in and are then allocated your seat. Luggage is labelled and stowed in the luggage van at the rear. This makes for a slow start but a comfortable journey as the carriages are not overcrowded. There is only one train a day on most lines and this train links to the ferry and in fact is often late if the ferry is late.

The journey was faabeewlus. The first part to Blenhiem is through the Marlborough vinyards or winerys as they are called here. After that the rest of the journey is by the sea. It seemed to be one long beach all the way to Kaikoura. There was one break in the coastline at an area where a marine salt works has been created. It reminded me of the salt pans on the mediterranean coast of France just north of Perpignan which can also be seen from the train. There are no flamingoes on the NZ one as there are in France.

I arrived in Kaikoura at about 3.00pm and after checking my bookings for whale watching the next day I found my hostel and settled in for an early night read for a very early start again the next day. The hostel was interesting. Not YHA as I could not get in there. Rather I found it through Hostel World and it is called the Albatross Backpackers. It is in the old Kaikoura post office building and is a really nice place to stay. Very friendly and helpful staff and lots of interesting guests. And so to bed ready for the whale watching the next day. Would I or wouldn't I get out to see the whales? It would all depend on the weather?!!

To Wellington - Thurs 7th Jan 2010

I set off for Wellington fairly promptly and after filling up with petrol spent the morning driving through more interesting scenery. I began to realise why it would have been impossible for me to cut across country to Napier on the coast before going to Wellington. There are just no roads in that direction on the map and the reason is that there is a series of steep ranges divided by steep ravines. Often there were high white cliff faces which were very spectacular.

Eventually I rejoined Highway 1 and followed this down through what looked like a series of towns on the coastal strip west of Palmerston North. Finally as I got into Wellington the road changed to motorway and I was not sure where to come off the motorway. There were no signs for the city centre just lots of exits which the names of streets that they led onto. Luckily I suddenly saw tall office blocks that looked like the CBD. I came off at the next exit and low and behold I was right in the city centre near the Parliament building.

Wellington is built on a set of hills and the roads are steep but lead downhill to the sea so I eventually found myself on the harbour front. Another piece of luck as there was a garage there where I could fill up, check the map and return the car to Apex Hire. I was sorry to say good bye to my Nissan Sunny which had served me so well. The guy from the car hire gave me a lift to Wellington YHA and I could relax.

Again a piece of luck as the YHA was right next to the Te Papa museum which was the main thing that I wanted to visit there. After lunch I went and spent a really interesting 3 hours there. I have to say that it is one of the best museums I have ever visited. It is free for a start. I focused on the section about volcanoes and plate tectonics in NZ which after the sights I had just seen was very informative. The other area that I spent a lot of time in was the one about the history of settlement in NZ. I was especially interested to hear about the impact the Maori had on the NZ natural habitat. Apparently they had cleared 50% of natural forest by the time the European settlers came. The Europeans finished the task off and of course there is now very little left. The Maori also hunted the moa to extinction. So the Brits aren't to blame for everything!!

Another interesting find in the museum was this giant squid found in Antarctic waters and brought back frozen to Te Papa to be preserved in this plastic block.

I was able to take a walk aroung Wellington harbour front and town centre after my my museum visit. It is a nicer town to be in than Auckland perhaps because of the harbour views and yet neither city has really wowed me. The shopping centres are very small and some how not as vibrant as the ones at home.

Wellington is a windy city and that night a gale got up and howled around the hostel all night. Next day someone told me it had been hurricane force!!

And now for another volcano - Wed 6th Jan 2010

Today I had to make a decision between heading south to Wellington via the central volcanic area or going via the east coast and visiting Napier. Many friends had recommended Napier as a pretty town with lots of art deco architecture. However I really wanted to get a closer look at the big volcanoes in the centre of the North Island. I had read about the famous Tongariro crossing but knew I was not fit enough to do that and that also I did not have the time. However my Lonely Planet guide said that in summer the ski lifts are open for tourists who want to go up the mountain. The obstacle in the way would be the weather. If it clouds up you cannot go up there.

I set of to drive to Taupo and got there about 9.30 am. It was a glorious morning with bright sunshine. I was very taken with Taupo. I thought it was less touristy and more scenic than Rotorua. The views across Lake Taupo were fantastic. However in the distance where the central volcanoes were there was a large bank of cloud. It was not too late for me to turn east for Napier. What to do? I decided to stick to my plans as the forecast was good for Mt Ruapehu in the afternoon. What a good decision I made. I drove on and after a lunch time stop at Turangi where I managed to picnic in the shade by the river I finally saw the big volocano. It is surrounded by the smaller cones cones if Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe. Mt Ruapehu itself had snow on the top which made it appear even more spectacular.

I drove up to Whakapapa village, (careful how you say that, remember 'Wh' is the pronounced 'f') and from there up to the ski lifts. Two gut churning ski lift rides over great basalt boulders strewn around from the last eruption and I was there. A few minutes more clambering up the slopes and I was on snow, watching kids toboggan. I checked on the map when I came back down and I was only a few hundred metres from the rim of the crater!

What a day. I spent a couple of hours up there and then came down and drove to Ohakune where I stayed in the YHA hostel before the final leg of my drive to Wellington.

Me and the Volcano - Tues 5th Jan 2010

So today was going to be the big day. At last my chance to get to the crater of a volcano. I had booked a trip to White Island which is an active volcano which has formed an island in the Bay of Plenty. I had to get up early and drive for nearly two hours to Whakane on the coast of the B of P. It was a very scenic drive over steep hills and past fantastic lakes. I got there for 8.45. The next part was a one and a half hour boat trip out to the island. We saw some dolphins on the way but more exciting was the flying fish.

Finally we got to the island and then the next hazardous bit was getting from the boat onto a rubber dingy to be transported to a jetty where we landed on the island. After that we walked for about 30 mins and ended up by a fumerole. (have the sound on when you play the video clip below).

This was a vent in the side of the volcano which gave off steam at a tremendous rate. It was like standing right next to the chimney of a huge steam engine. After that was more walking up to the rim of the crater. We had to be very careful where we put our feet and make sure we walked in the footsteps of our group leader as if you stood in the wrong place the ground could collapse below you and you would disappear into a boiling cauldron!

When we got to the rim it was stupendous. We overlooked a huge green crate lake composed of acid water formed from the condensed steam coming up from the ground below. We were there for about 15 mins. Then we made our descent back to the jetty. On the way we came across the remains of the old sulphur factory. It was now half buried in the ash of the last eruption in 2000!

A rainy morning in Rotorua - Mon 4th Jan 2010

I woke up this morning to find it was grey and raining although still quite warm. I had nothing particular planned so thought I would go for a walk and then investigate if the museum was open. There was a chance it would be closed as it was a public holiday, an extension of the New Year weekend.

I got down to the lake front where there is a promenade so I turned left away from the Government Gardens area which I had already explored. The promenade soon ran out but I kept going just to see what was around the corner. I stumbled across the most amazing place. Ohinemutu which is a Maori settlement that is not just for tourists. It is an original settlement which goes back several hundred years and is still used today. The Maori who live there are delighted to show visitors around for a 'contribution' which is the Maori way. They do not allow coach parties but do cater for tourists like me who stumble on the place. After an hour long show round from a guide I set off to wander around the back lane and found more interesting things. There were pools of boiling water by the road side. Some were protected by piles of stones, one large one had a big fence around it. Our guide had said that they regularly used them for cooking and that they also heated their houses by piping the water around. He also showed us the third degree burns he had on one foot. He said this was a common injury for Maori children who forgot about the pools whilst playing.

By lunchtime the sun had come out so in the afternoon I set off for a short drive out of town to see the giant redwoods. As it was quite hot it was a pleasure to do the 30 min walk through the cool woodland. The trees were amazingly big and when I got back to the information centre the woman there told me that these trees grow faster in NZ than they do in California and that they were now as big as the ones on the west coast of America.

By the time I got back into town I was quite hot and I decided to finish off the afternoon with a hot water spa. Against all advice I went to the Polynesian Spa which is right in the centre of town. I had been told that it was expensive and crowded.I decided to take a risk as I didn't want to drive out of town for 20 mins to the other main spa and I also had been told that the view from the Polynesian Spa across Lake Rotorua was very good. It turned out I was in luck. The spa was quiet and the view was stunning. It was a bit pricey at about $20 but worth every penny.

Finally that evening I went to the Tamaki Maori cultural evening with a traditional 'hangi' cooked meal. I would say that it was about as authentic as a medieval banquet in England but it was still and enjoyable evening. And so home and to bed. Not bad for what I thought was going to be a rainy day.

Mudpools and Geysers - 3rd Jan 2010

Today I got up early and set off for the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Village. It was about 30 mins drive from Rotorua on the way to Taupo. I was glad I got there early as it became very crowded later. Also it was still quite cold. Despite the very high day time temperatures it gets very cold at night and this meant that the mudpools etc were really steaming. The view which greeted me was that of a lunar landscape with a few scrubby bushes. Initally there were bubbling mudpools and cavernous craters where the ground had collapsed. You became aware that the ground beneath you was like a honeycomb of boiling water and mud and that it too could collapse! Around the corner was a large lake of hot water which gave of mineral staining mostly red. Bubbles of carbon dioxide came up through the water, hence the name of 'Champagne Lake'. There were three walks altogether. I completed the first and then headed off up the road to the Lady Knox Geyser huge crowds gathered and waited expectantly for the geyser to blow as it was advertised to do at 10.15 every morning. It was nearly 10.30 by the time it got going and this was because it had to be 'fired up'. This was done by a man with a microphone who came down and gave a talk about how the geyser was discovered. Apparently originally it was just a bubbling hot pool. Some prisoners from a nearby prison camp came down to it to wash their clothes. When they went to rinse their soapy clothes there was a chemical reaction between the soap and the water in the subterranean chamber of hot water which caused the geyser to be set of. The man then dropped some chemical substance down the hole and after a lot of frothing and spluttering they geyser set off. It was very impressive as it shot up in the sky to a height of about 15/20 metres. After about 10 mins most of the crowd disappeared leaving a few stalwarts like myself to watch for another hour. It finally subsided but was still bubbling a bit when I left. I then went to finish off the other walks and saw more extraordinary lakes and bubbling pools all of differing colours. This turned out to be a bit of an ordeal as it was very hot and crowded. I went for lunch in the cafe and was entertained by the cheekiest sparrows in the world. They literally come to your plate and pinch your food. I then went back for a last look at some of the mudpools and found that I had the place to myself again. If I was to go again I would have an early lunch after the geyser and then do the walks. Still it was a fantastic visit even if a little touristy. I then went back to town and walked around, trying to get my bearings. I found that without a map I kept getting lost. The streets all look the same and unless you are right by the lake you cannot see it, so there are no landmarks to steer by. I ended up at a huge supermarket called Pak 'n Save which is like a cross between Netto and the last section of Ikea where you go to pick up your flat pack. I couldn't see any handbaskets so had to wander around with a huge great trolley to which I gradually added 2 bananas, 2 apples, a piece of cooked chicken and a pack of salad plus a bottle of beer. And so home for supper.

Rotorua aka Milton Keynes 2nd/3rd Jan 2010

The centre of Rotorua is strangely like Milton Keynes. There are long straight wide roads and loads of roundabouts. On my first evening I set off to walk down to the lake after having had supper in a pub/restaurant called the Pig and Whistle. Generally I do not find walking in NZ towns particularly easy as there is a lack of pedestrian crossings except in a few small pedestrianised areas. You have to wait ages at each intersection for lights to change. It is a bit like crossing the roads near Morrisons at Kirkstall to get across to BHS.

The lake at Rotorua is impressive, in fact when I first saw it coming down the hill into town it looked like the sea. The sea plane made me think of the 30s and I almost expected the Duke of Windsor or somebody to have flown in. There are some interesting old buildings which go back to the days of the early spa. This is the Prince's Gate Hotel and then there is what is now the Museum but was the old baths/pump house in the magnificent Government Gardens.

Everywhere you go there is the smell of sulphur and the sights of plumes of steam all over the place. The issue of smells reminded me of when I first arrived in NZ and was surprised on arriving in Auckland to be able to smell urine where ever I went. I wondered if there was a problem with rought sleepers or too many drunken back packers. Finally when I drove out of Auckland and could still smell it at the motorway toll services I began to think it must be me. I finally realised it had to be some kind of plant when I could still smell it at our island stop on the Bay of Islands cruise. I think maybe a tree which I think is called the Christmas tree. It has bright red flowers with filament petals and is everywhere. Kiwis can't smell it and now I can't either.

The Coromandel - 2nd Jan 2010

The hostel at Thames was small and the people friendly and I got chatting to guests in the kitchen. I was planning to drive up to Coromandel town and then on round the peninsula before going to Rotorua. I ended up giving a lift to Laurence who said he wanted to go to the Celtic fair in Coromandel. He was a very good travel companion and we spent an agreeable time chatting and admiring the view along the spectacular coast. The drive is much more scenic than the one to the Bay of Islands as the road hugs the coast and there is a new fantastic view around every corner. The centre of the peninsula is mountainous and there were some amazing hill climbs before we came down into Coromandel town.

The town like all the ones in the last day or so did not actually have a beach. Again it was on an estuary and after a short walk and a look across the spectacular bay I decided to move on. Laurence was not that impressed with the Celtic fair which was not very celtic and decided to continue with me.

After another very steep hill climb and descent we came down to Whitianga. This time there was a stunning long white beach with very few people on it. The day was scorching so we were able to have a great break from the driving and stroll on the beach and paddle.

We set off again and after negotiating more hills with occasional breathtaking views of the sea we encountered an almighty traffic jam. We took an hour and a half to descend to Tairua. We had the radio on and eventually there was an interview with the police man who was at the source of the problem, a one lane bridge over the river in the middle of the town. This was causing a huge amount of holiday weekend traffic to back up. The policeman kept saying to stay calm 'it's the traffic not the bridge'. I shouted back at the radio 'No it's the bridge'!!! 'We have a few soldiers in England who can build you a two lane bridge in about a week'!!

The one lane bridges are very common out on the country roads and you have to keep your wits about you as even though you may have priority it is the biggest vehicle on the bridge at the time which actually has it! Another hazard is the railway crossing. You may be approaching at 80/100 kph and usually there is a sign which says stop for a red light, but the sign is only on the crossing itself. There are no barriers. Occasionally though there is one really dangerous type. I only realised when I was practically on the crossing that the sign said to slow to 25 and cross after having looked for trains!! Now my rule is to slow right down for all of them.

Having completed the circuit of the Cormandel I dropped Laurence off at a cross roads just south of Thames and set off south for Rotorua. Two hours later after a long straight run with only a few single lane briges and railway crossings I arrived in Rotorua. I smelt it first- sulphur (strangely sweet) and then I saw small clouds of steam drifting upwards in various places. Spooky!

Thames/Tims - 1st Jan 2010

I left Whangarei fairly early and set off on empty road to Auckland. I was aiming for Thames, the town which is the gateway to the Coromandel peninsula. I had a clear run all the way down Highway 1 and through Auckland. There Highway 1 changes from a 2 lane road with passing places to a 2/3 lane highway of motorway standard. I negotiated my way through Auckland with no trouble but suddenly realised that I really did not know what road I needed for Thames. I required a service station so I could pull in and check my map. I had not seen any sign of services since being on the motorway bit and was beginning to wonder if they existed or if you were just meant to turn off the motorway into nearby settlements. At that point a service station appeared near Drury and I got a break and bought a decent road map book.

After that it was easy and I arrived in Thames by early afternoon. The weather was very hot and sunny as it had been ever since arriving in Paihia. I found the mainstreet and pulled up and parked. The 'i site' tourist info office was just down the road and they very helpfully told me all about Thames. At first sight it did not appear interesting but it was fascinating. Like Whangarei and unlike Paihia it was not touristy. It was a former gold mining town and was full of historical buildings from that era. There was a trail around the town pointing out the sites of interest. Even the hostel was part of it. It was the former Lady Bowen hotel and there had been a shoot out there over land rights in the gold mining era.

There was no sea front just a river estuary. There were tidal mud flats with mangrove trees and a sea bird sanctuary with a hide where you could watch the birds. I had the place to myself as I think that all were at the beach or recovering from New Year celebrations.

It was so hot I could not do much exploring so I sat in the shade outside a bar and had a cold drink. When it cooled down a bit I hiked up the hill the WWI war memorial which had a stunning view over the bay. Again I had the place to myself until a family turned up. We got chatting and they were from Croatia.

To finish the day I went for a pizza and beer. The owner of the pizza restaurant told me about a scam that is a real problem for restaurants on the tourist trail. A customer comes in and eats all their meal then claims it was disgusting and refuses to pay. She was a pretty no nonsense lady and did not allow customers to do it. I later found that hostels are now experiencing problems with backpackers, often travelling in campervans, who turn up late and persuade hostel residents to let them in on the grounds they have lost their key. They then use the facilities free of charge and they nick things. They'd better watch out, I'm on the lookout!!!

The name Thames raises that issue of the difficulty I have understanding some antipodean pronunciation. "E" becomes an "I". So Thames is pronounced Tims. When I was booking the Thames hostel I phoned ahead to check they were open on New Year's Day. They said they would be but there would be no chicken at lunch time. I just stopped myself in time from saying it was alright I would eat out when I remembered. There would be not a checkin at lunchtime!!!

Sad Tales - 31st Dec 2009 Contd.

I arrived in Whangarei early and realised in retrospect that I had made a mistake. Whilst at the Waitangi treaty grounds I heard people talking about the Kauri tree reserve to the north of Paihia, about a 25 mins drive. I was tempted to go there because I had heard about these giant trees with very straight trunks. The 2/3 that are left in the reserve are thought to be 2000 years old and can be 5m in diameter at the base. Early settlers logged them into practical extinction. There was the remains of the base of one at the Waitangi site but it was a mere baby at 2/3 metres in diameter. I didn't go because I was worried about getting into the hostel at Whangarei, they were not answering the phone when I rang to confirm my booking. I wish I had gone now as I would have had time to do it before setting off south, still hey ho.

On arrival at Whangarei the hostel was closed so I walked up the hill at the back looking for glow worm caves which had been advertised in the hostel blurb. No sign, so I stopped and asked a lady who was working in her garden. She soon put me straight about the caves which were some way up a remote track and required wellies and a torch and also a hard hat. I had none of those so no caves for me.

We got chatting and I recognised her perfect north east accent. She came from Durham originally and had married her husband also from the north east and come out to NZ as a bride of 20. She is now 67 and has lived in NZ all her married life and hated the place. She misses home but can't go back as her children and grandchildren are here. Tears came to her eyes as she talked about England and how much she loved it. She hated the NZ accent which was why she still had her perfect Durham accent. She said that at 67 she could no longer tolerate the journey back to blighty and that her relatives there were all old or dead anyway. Poor lady.

Whangarei/Fangarayee

I have driven south from Paihia. First before setting off I went to the Waitangi Treaty signing site just up the road from Paihia. Our guide was a young Maori man who very expertly told us about Maori history and culture without overloading us with too much information. I have been intrigued as to why Maoris seem better integrated into New Zealand society than the Aboriginals are in Australia. He went a long way to explain. The Maoris were much more war like in comparison to the shy and peaceloving aboriginals. The early traders who visiting the shores of NZ traded guns with the Maoris, who promptly turned them on their would be colonial masters when they were not happy with a situation.

Another factor was that from the beginning the Maori wanted education from the colonials and quickly became literate in English and other languages. He told us that today Maori have their own schools where their language and culture are taught.

After that I drove to Whangarei - pronounce fangarayee. Pronunication is a minefield here as not only are most maori names very difficult for me to pronouce but also there is the whole issue of pcness and Maori culture. Wh as F in Maori pronunciation and anti pc people don't/won't use this. It's like being in Catalan areas because you can bet your bottom dollar that who ever you speak to will tell you off for using the wrong pronunciation.

Anyway Whangarei initially looked a bit uninteresting. It is on a river estuary and has no beach near the centre. It had a shopping centre which could have been Wakefield with the pioneer colonial look that all small Australian and New Zealand towns seem to have. It turned out have a very attractive marina area where I managed to get a delicious supper of rack of lamb. I was lucky to be fed at all as the restaurant filled up quickly with people out to celebrate the New Year.

The YHA I stayed in is right up on the hill overlooking Fangarayee and the view is faabeewlus. Especially as New Year approached and the lights all came on then the fireworks went up. Strange to be in the New Year before everybody at home.!!

Happy New Year Everybody

We are sailing contd

The cruise then took us around the islands with a stop off at one island. I strolled on the beach and went up the hill to the magnificent view point. Some fellow excursionists went snorkelling. It was then back to the boat for more sailing. Carino cruises.

Many of the magnificent mansions on the private islands were pointed out to us, some with their own helipads. I saw Kiri's place which was a little more modest, though still very large house, on the mainland, with her own motorboat parked off shore. No sign of Kiri herself though. She is known for her game fishing skills apparently and caught the first yellow fin tuna of the season.

At the end of the cruise I was dropped off across the bay from Pahia in the picturesque town of Russell. It was the original capital of New Zealand. Originally a whaling port of great disrepute it is now a very cute town of preserved colonial style houses. A complete contrast to bustling backpacker Paihia. I visited a fascinating museum called Pompallier House where I not only learned a lot about the history of Russell but also all about the tanning and printing processes that went on there.

I finished the day by going back to a wonderful seafood restaurant called 'Only Seafood' and eating a fabulous seafood platter based on sushi and sashimi. With a glass of Seresin wine, wow.

Love to all. Judith

We are sailing

I arrived in Pahia on the evening of Tuesday 29th somewhat hot and tired. The weather had been warm but cloudy and showery on the way up, but the sun came out for the last hour and the temp was 26c. It felt like a long drive because of the early slow moving traffic. In fact it was about 4 hours without rest stops.

Pahia is small town on the Bay of Islands and centre for most of the activities in the area. There was nearly no room at the inn over this Christmas period as it is packed with holiday makers for the Christmas/ New Year break. It was lucky I booked before I came and I think I must have got one of the last rooms in a not so salubrious backpackers place, but its fine as the people here are nice and friendly and it is quiet at night.

Yesterday the 30th I went for a cruise around the Bay of Islands on a catamaran. It was faabeewlus. Early rain and cloud turned to sun and we soon had dophins swimming and frolicking around the boat.

Kia Ora - Tuesday 29th Dec 2009

Not the orange juice beloved of my childhood trips to the cinema but Maori for welcome.

I have been having a great time. I collected my hire car on Tuesday 29th and set of with some trepidation to drive myself out of Auckland. The first obstacle was that I was driving an automatic which I have done before but a long time ago. Luckily Auckland was very quiet as it is still the Christmas holiday period. (It seems really strange seeing Christmas decs every where whilst it is so warm) . In 5 mins I was on highway 1 the main road which runs north to south on the North Island. That soon changed from a two lane highway to an ordinary single lane road. The drive was very slow to start with and there were big traffic jams caused by the amount of holiday traffic and the steep slopes on some of the hills which causes vehicles to back up behind large slow moving lorries. There are a lot of passing lane but they are hair raising because as you speed past the vehicles in the slow lane you can suddenly run out of passing lane and be face with a large lorry coming the other way. Luckily speeds here are low compared to England. Top speed is 100 kph which I think is around 60mph. Still fast enough for a nasty accident if you are not careful.

I've arrived - Monday 28th Dec 2009

Well I've done it! At last after all these years I've made it to NewZealand! I am staying in Auckland for one night. The flight was good in that having splashed out for business class I travelled in some luxury. My chauffeuse Jeanie Bruce arrived at 4.00 pm on the dot. By the time we got to Manchester air port we had swapped our life stories the way women do when they first meet.

No long walk through the airport. I was dropped outside the Emirates checkin and was soon in the executive lounge. There was all the alcohol you could drink including on tap champagne and all the food you could eat. Very comfy chairs and toilets to die for. Emirates

The flight was a little late leaving due to the de-icing procedures but hey better safe than sorry. After a couple of glasses of champage and a very nice meal I slept. Loads of leg room and a comfortable reclining chair.

The arrival at Dubai brought us down to earth! Long queues for a pointless security system where the operatives chatted away whilst supposedly looking at the screens. More luxury in the Emirates lounge though and then off again on the second leg to Melbourne. 13 hours!. Very good sleep though of 4-5 hours and lovely on tap food and more champagne. I was offered access to the first class suites which were even more luxurious beds in cubicles. I decided against as I had settled into my seat in plain old business and there was nobody at all in the first class section which felt bit strange.

I came to regret my decision when I returned to my seat as the man behind me had obviously overdone it on the good food and was producing the most obnoxious, sulphurous gut gas you have ever smelt in your life! Rotorua could not have done better!! It was so bad the attendent had to come and spray airfreshener. You are never far from humanity even in business class.

After a shower in the Emirates lounge at Melbourne and a quick phone call to my friend Pauline we set off on the last leg to Auckland. I sat next to a really nice man called Eric who lived in Auckland and who gave me lots of interesting info about NZ and maori culture and language. I made a bit of a mistake though as in hindsight I probably should have forgone the long wait for the food and the chat to Eric and got some sleep as the flight was relatively short at 4 hours and by the time the food was served we were close to landing. It meant that on arrival I was very tired and my head was swimming. I've learned my lesson. Coming back I will do more eating in the lounges and more sleeping on the plane.

I'm off!!

Hi friends and family. At last I'm doing it!! I have wanted to go to New Zealand ever since I studied the country for A-Level Geography in the Sixth Form. Then it seemed to me like the perfect country. A sunnier warmer climate than England and yet not as hot and dry as somewhere like Australia and without the scary snakes, spiders and crocs of that country. It also seemed to be a crime free, uncrowded, unpolluted country with magnificent scenery. As well as my A-Level studies, I have heard from friends who have already been about the glorious Bay of Islands (Home of my favourite opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa, I wonder if I will bump into her?) and the Coromandel Peninsula on the North Island. Unspoilt, sunny seaside paradises I hear. Then also on North Island there is Rotorua with its volcanic wonders and the central volcanic mountains such as Mt Ruapehu. I have always wanted to go up a volcano.

Moving to the South Island there are even more spectacular, snow capped mountains and this time another geographical feature I have never seen in real life - glaciers. I have always wanted to go on a glacier. (This link is for those in my family, who I discovered recently, do not know what a glacier is!!).

People often talk of New Zealand being like England in the 50s. This is said as if it is a good thing. As a child of the 50s I'm not too sure about that! To me the 50s were a time when orphan children were sent off to Australia, food was appalling and people could be hung for crimes they hadn't committed! However I take the point that it was also a world where there were fewer cars and people on the streets were much politer to one another.

I have other images of New Zealand mostly from films. One of my favourite films is 'The Piano' a wonderful chick flick where the scenery of NZ becomes another character. I will never forget the picture of the surf crashing onto the beach as the woman unloads her incongruous possessions. There is also 'The World's fastest Indian' the film about the eccentric motorcyclist which also evokes the picture of a country where life is low key and easy going.

Well I'm very excited about my visit. If all goes well I could fulfill three bucket list ambitions here. Visit New Zealand, get onto a volcano and a glacier.