Living off Bread & Chocolate ☺

14 Jan 2010

Final stop

Currently in Auckland preparing for the long flight home.

Met up with Wifey's friend just outside of Auckland for more good food and walks to waterfalls. Kindly saved us a few pennies by allowing us to park the van on their drive for one final nights (better than usual) sleep.

Gave back our van and just resting up in starbucks before our flight leaves tonight. Having packed A LOT of stuff and crammed various souvenirs, books and presents into our rucksacks we staggered into town for some rest and much needed coffee.

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Cheers, John

(sent from iPhone)

14 Jan 2010

Paradise with the Paengas

Arriving in Hamilton from hot water beach we met up with Tom and Tash for a wonderful couple of days in as their guests. From the BBQ of gorgeous food, trip to Raglan for brunch, bottle top tricks and Avatar in 3D it was a very memorable couple of days.

One particliar highlight was getting to lace up my boots again and share the rugby field with Tom again for some New Zealand touch rugby. Even Wifey had a go and managed to stop a huge giant kiwi bloke from getting past in her first ever game :) though she was very glad it was only touch rugby ;)

Guys if you are reading this we really cannot thank you enough for everything. Was the perfect end to our travels.

We hope it won't be long til we see them again :)

John and Alex

14 Jan 2010

Baywatch Beadle

Hasselhoff eat your heart out ;)

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Cheers, John

(sent from iPhone)

11 Jan 2010

Beadles in Bag End :)

Awakening to rain and cloud the day soon brightened from the ever prevailing wind as we set out for the Shire and the land where Hobbits dwell :)

Our cosy little motel room, complete with smallest oven yet seen, left us refreshed for another long day.

We visited the Shire in all it's movie set glory and discovered much of the smoke and mirrors employed to create such a fantastic and beautiful illusion on screen.

Having stuck our heads through the door of Bag End, Bagshot row, like so many hundreds of thousands before us, another four hour drive awaited as pressed on to gain further exposure of the Northern half of this great land.

The day ended aside the east coast of the Coronandel peninsula where we hope to catch sight of some Dolphins in the morning before heading to Hamilton to see old and dear friends :)

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Beadle Baggins :)

11 Jan 2010

Napier or Miami?

Art Deco in abundance in Napier on the north island's east coast. Weather was mostly very hot and sunny for the aforementioned wedding of our good friends Steeve and Nicole.

Said wedding was impeccable from start to finish - from stunning settings, cake of the finnest order, hilarious yet composed and touching speeches, followed by moving musical numbers and rock til the earlier hours. Congratulations to the happy couple.

Pre and post ceremony was accompanied by two nights of blissful sleep and comfort in a beach front hotel.

Subsequent days BBQ from Sheldons professionally trained fingers left us not wanting for food for sometime as we made the long drive back inland and north towards Hamilton - eventually settling very late at the last motel available in Matamata nearing 10pm

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Cheers, John

(sent from iPhone)

7 Jan 2010

Glenhall falls campsite

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Cheers, John

(sent from iPhone)

7 Jan 2010

Moody mudpool

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Cheers, John

(sent from iPhone)

7 Jan 2010

Geysers in all their glory

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Cheers, John

(sent from iPhone)

7 Jan 2010

Sights, sounds and sulphur smells of Rotorua!

After staying the night at a lovely free lakeside campsite in Taupo we headed to Rotorua and the Te Puia museum of culture, art and geology.

Some amazing geysers and mud pools we visible on the tour, followed by a rare glimpse of the, now endangered, Kiwi bird.

The mineral pool here is apparently so deep it's deemed bottomless! Apparently "the geologists ran out of measuring tape at the 4km depth mark!!!". Just be glad the iPhone doesn't do smellovision yet as Rotorua's location on top of the geothermal hotspots makes for a heavy mix of sulphur in the air throughout.

Our visit culminated in a traditional Maori show in the main welcoming house which took over 14 years to hand craft all of the interior! And to think I complain about painting the lounge!

We then headed east towards Napier and found a quiet campsite by the river to spend the night and relax.