That it then

What, in December, seemed like a long time suddenly seems like no time at all. After just over 6 months we're in the boarding gate at Singapore Airport waiting to get on the flight to Heathrow.

The Singapore weather has not let us down. It's been 32C both days and so humid when you step outside the air conditioned buildings you get water condensing on your body.

In Singapore we spent our time in China Town, the incredibly tacky Sentosa Island resort and Little India. We shopped around for electronics but they're not that cheap and we don't really have room in our luggage, we're already over our allowance.

We fed ourselves at a hawker stall in Chinatown on Sunday night a Sushi bar, complete with a little conveyor belt bringing the dishes around and a computer to look up what each dish was, for lunch on Monday and an authentic Indian diner in Little India for a Byriani in the evening.

Anyway I think I'll write a little summary of our trip when I get home.

Bungeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I just had to. I couldn't leave New Zealand without doing a bungy jump. Jamie on the other hand prefers to stay in the land of the seated.

At around 3:30pm today I put my life in the hands of two blokes and jumped from a pod under the Auckland Harbour Bridge. I watched the sea approaching at an incredible and frankly unexpected speed and started going back up again with only a few feet to spare. A good 50m drop. Another experience of a lifetime. I'll never forget the realisation, about three milliseconds after jumping off, of what I was actually doing. I had tried not to think about it until that point. I was so concerned with the bit where the elastic stops me that I'd forgotten completely about the bit where I would be plummeting downwards at over 100kmph. What a buzz. I was glad to get my wobbly legs back on terra firma though, I can tell you.

Apart from that we've just been trying the other extreme sport of trying to sell a motor vehicle. We've left it in the hands of some 'capable' people who promise to put the money into my bank account when they get it sold. They get 250 dollars for the privilidge.

The last two nights we've spent on Waiheke Island. This island is a 40 minute ferry trip from downtown Auckland and has, over the years, turned into just another suburb. A rich and green suburb with lots of nice beaches and vineyards at that though.

We stayed at Hekerua Lodge Backpackers. Unfortunately it was one of those places that seems to think it's location is enough. The place was far from clean, had hundreds of rules (including no watching TV before 6pm) and poor old Jamie had bedbugs in his bed which absolutely mauled him over the two nights we stayed. Still he didn't have to pay for the bed after complaining so I'm sure he went home smiling. The wee beggars obviously found my bed a bit too toxic.

Not having a car we just hired a couple of bikes and peddled around and up and down and across the island trying not to get run down by the ridiculous amount of vehicles on the road. Not the kind of island life we're used to.

Anyway today we came back across the water and checked in at Verandah's Backpackers in the Ponsonby area of Auckland. This place is everything the Waiheke backpackers wasn't. Clean, relaxed and easy going. The view to the city centre is stunning too. Ponsonby is the cafe/pub/restaurant area of Auckland and we're heading off out with my old workmate Stewart later to sample the delights on offer.

Tomorrow we're off to the Auckland boatshow, another night here and then we're winding down (if that's possible) before we head off on Saturday night.

Heading south

On Sunday morning we headed off from Whangarei, leaving Northland behind us. We took in the Whangarei Heads on the Pacific coast and stopped at the Scottish settlement of Waipu. This place was settled by a group of Scots who originally emmigrated to Nova Scotia but after that failed they sailed on in 5 ships for 5 months to New Zealand and set up a kind of Scottish christian settlement in Waipu. A monument stands in the town with the names of all the originals settlers and the ships they came on. The town seems immensely proud of their Scottish roots.

We drove on down the Pacific coast to Auckland and stayed at Bamber House backpackers for the night. Next morning we dropped into the car auction place to be told we would make a pretty hefty loss if we sold it there. So we're going to sell privately but use the auction if we cant get what we want for it. No worries.

We then headed south to Te Kuiti, just south of Waitomo Caves. Next day we were going to do the caving we missed out on a month before due to our colds. We stayed at the Casana Mera Backpackers in a nice tree lined spot above the town.

Next we headed off to Waitomo Caves, checked in at the grim YHA then headed to see our old friends the Angoran rabbits getting shorn, it looks pretty brutal but it's good for them apparently, they'd overheat and die if they didn't get shorn.

Then at 2pm we headed for Rap, Raft and Rock. We headed off with 4 not so keen (I think they'd had a few G & Ts the night before) Londoners to the cave.

We got kitted out in wetsuit, white wellies with holes in the soles, climbing harnesses and hard hats fitted with waterproof miners lamps. After a rally down to the cave entrance we took it in turn to lower ourselves down the 27m cavern into the river below. It was like an abseil but you're not touching the edge, it's called a rappelle, that's the RAP part.

After everyone was down we headed up stream, walking through the river, up to chest height in places and only 12C into the pitch dark cave. When we switched our lights off though the glow-worms were there for all to see. Like millions of stars in the pitch black. After about 500m we sat in our inner tubes ( the RAFT bit) and the guide pulled us along the water in a kind of floating train through the dark and under the 'stars' above. We carried on floating back down to where we started, we carried on through and the water got faster and faster and my arse got sorer and sorer. We soon past the last of the glow-worms and were in total darkness. I managed to tip myself out of my inner tube at one point, a very cold experience. After about 300m we left our tubes at the side and carried on on foot ducking through tiny holes in the side and eventually stopping for some hot juice and chocolate. We then headed back, through more tiny caves and then back to the start.

It was getting dark and one by one we climbed back out the wall of the cavern we'd come in (the ROCK bit) . To be honest it didn't look easy but when you got up there it was a bit of a doddle, even in the near darkness. Another great day out, or in?

Anyway next day we headed back north to Raglan, surf country where we stopped off a month ago on our way South. We're taking three nights here. First day it just rained and we just went for a few walks about town. Yesterday we went surfing, my first proper go. We got the proper sized board for learners and as I was the only attendee I got the one on one treatment. It took a few attempts but by the end of the day I was standing on the board riding the waves, just the foamy ones mind. Jamie just continued on his practice from what he learned last time we were here. In the evening we took in an open mic night at the local pub. It was pretty good and despite this being late November it was warm enough to sit outside in just a fleese, it would have passed for a cracking summers evening back home.

Today we're going to have to start thinking about going home, it's our last night in a hostel before we sell the car hopefully so we need to get rid of pots and pans, plates etc etc.

Just 8 more days to go. The other day I read a story that summed up what's so good about this place. Robbie Williams last album only sold 15,000 copies here. I tell you these guys get it over here they really do, they dont get sucked in by commercialism. Poor old Robbie knows where he's not wanted and isn't coming here on his world tour, he's got 4 dates in Australia though.

Bay of Islands

Monday morning, we rise to the same blue skies and glaring morning sun as the previous day and as before the showers soon arrive. We decide sitting around for another day is not an option so seek out advice on the fishing opportunities nearby. Our ever friendly host Stefano gives us a couple of ropey looking rods and sends us on our way to Mangoniu just up the coast. 'Use squid off the wharf and you should pick up some kawahai or even john dory, oh and can you take along the teams football strip to the luandrette'.

So off we headed, dropped of the washing and picked up some hooks, weights and bait from the shop. I soon hooked a little spotty (wrasse). That went back. After about half an hour I got the big bite and after a bit of a struggle landed a nice kawahai of about 4lb. That was lunch and got a gonk on the head for his troubles. Kawahai are salmon like sea fish which shoal around the inshore waters. They used to be far more prevelant but due to their close proximity to the shore they have taken a bit of a beating. They are still very numerous though.

Jamie eventually hooked into one too and after we got it ashore we popped him back and went on our merry way. Fried in flour and served up with tartare sauce it made a very tasty lunch.

Next day we headed off south to Paihia. The sun was shining and the showers fading fast. We stopped in the tourist town of Kerikeri and drove out to Matauri and Tauranga bays, idyllic little holiday home hideaways.

We checked in to Captain Bob's Backpackers in Paihia. Booked the car in for it's WOF (MOT) the next day. We need this to help sell it next weekend. The rain kept off and we had a look around the village to see what was on offer.

Next day we booked our half day cruise round the Bay of Islands. Fullers are the main company and we just went for them. They took us over the bay to the little town of Russell first. Russell has a very checkered past. In it's early days it was a place where the sailors took leave and law was non-existent. Charles Darwin described it as 'full of the refuse of society' after his visit. It's changed a little since then and the little harbour is full of little boats.

We headed on round all the little islands with their expensive houses and flashy boats. As we got further out towards the mouth of the bay we came across a pod of bottle nose dolphins, the biggest of the dolphin species and they came over to play in the bow wave and have a look at us. They're no where near as flashy as the dusky dolphins but they had one baby one with them who seemed more than happy to do a few tricks.

We soon had to head off though and after going through the 'hole in the rock' in one of the outer islands we steamed home, stopping for an hour at Urupukapuka island for wander around.

We got home to find the car had failed the WOF and needed a new shock absorber but the stunning sunset kept our concentration from the bad news.

Next day we took the short walk from Paihia, across the bridge to Waitangi. The birthplace of New Zealand. This is where the original treaty was signed between the Maori cheifs and the British. The Maori agreed to give up sovereignty in return for becoming British subjects with all that brought (trading, security etc). The treaty was signed by many of the northern cheifs and taken on a tour around the rest of the country to collect as many signatures from other cheifs as possible. This was by no means the end of the conflicts between the British and the Maori but provided a basis for the future relations between the two and is still very relevant today and called upon by modern day politicians as a legal document.

After a tour of the grounds we went for a game at the highly recommended Waitangi Golf Course and indeed it was a cracking course and they even let scum like us play. I bet they wouldn't let us play again if they saw us going round though.

Next day we headed off early, south to Whangerei to get the shock absorber fixed. We were astonished to be met by yet another friendly mechanic ( I never knew they existed) and by the end of the day the shock absorber was fixed and the car had it's WOF.

We watched the mighty Wellington Hurricanes put the New South Wales Waratahs to the sword to book their place in the Super 14 finals next weekend where they will likely play the Canterbury Crusaders of Christchurch for the title. An all New Zealand Final, they are loving it over here.

Today the heavens have opened again. It's to be expected though, it is late November and we did get to play a round of golf the other day in our t-shirts and pick up some late autumn sunburn.

It's grim up North

OK so Wednesday in Omapere, the weather continues on the heavy showers and strong winds theme. So we didn't get across to the sand dunes on the other side of Hokianga Harbour for a bit of sledging. We went back down to take a closer look at the giant Kauri trees instead. Astonishing natural wonders that they are.

Next day we went to do some bone carving. We popped down to the house of Jim Brodie and his wife Charlotte, Maoris of Scottish descent. Jim showed us all we needed to do, from drawing our pattern (I chose a traditional maori symbol of a hook, representing prosperity, freedom and also the hook the mythical Maui used to fish up the North Island, Jamie made his own pattern of the ever friendy bird the fantail which often comes to say hello when we're out and about). We then chose our bone, cow thigh bone and cut out the outline using the traditional maori tool known locally as the Dremmell Multi. From then on it was a case of trimming it down, filing it then sanding and polishing to get the final master-pieces. I have to say Jamie's is pretty damn good and Jim agreed. Mine is more of a ''representation'' shall we say.

Next day we headed further north, over the hokianga harbour on the little car ferry and up through the rolling greenery to Ahipara, at the south end of Ninety Mile Beach. The Endless Summer Lodge (ironic as the summer has clearly ended) is and old kauri building immaculately kept and right on the beach. We checked in and then took a walk round the headland to see the sunset and the surfers taking on some tasty looking waves. It is allegedly possible to surf for a full 3 minutes on one wave if you start far enough out round the point. We watched to sun set then back for another night in.

Next day was more of the same heavy showers and a strong south-westerly blowing across the beach. We decided it was time to take a go at surfing, why not?

We hired our boards and wetsuits from the hostel and headed off across the sand. To say the least it wasnt a success. The waves didn't last long enough and when they did pass they left a very strong current dragging us further along the beach. We looked up and not even being able to walk in the water and about 400 yards from where we started, headed back in. We tried one more time but it was pointless. An experience all the same.

Next day, Saturday, we left Ahipara and got on the Sand Safari bus tour from Kaitaia. This bus took us up to Cape Rienga, the most northerly point of New Zealand where the Pacific Ocean and Tasman sea meet. They were crashing together below the lighthouse. Beyond the lighthouse is a Pohutukawa tree standing all on it's own on the cliffside. This is where the Maori believe the dead leave this world and travel down to the underworld through the roots of that very tree.

On the way back we drove down the Te Paki stream to the northern end of Ninety Mile Beach. Half way down the stream we stopped off for the traditional sand dune sledging. Quite a buzz flying down the dunes, holding on for dear life and taking the odd jump here and there. Our driver also kindly informed us of all the gruesome injuries which have befallen previous sledgers and even one fatality. That actually makes it more dangerous than bungy jumping in New Zealand, a lot less expensive though.

We drove on down Ninety Mile Beach, which is infact 64 miles and is a designated highway. Halfway down we stopped to admire the handy work of some less than clever people who managed to ignore advice a few months back and stayed on the beach with their car when they had been warned to leave because of an impending storm. Needless to say it was only the occupant who left the beach that day. Their lovely old mercedes sits, half buried in sand, a monument to their stupidity.

When we got back from the tour we headed south through further rain to Kaoe Farm Hostel. This place came highly recommended and indeed is a cracking little haven. Add to that the owner is a football mad Italian with Sky TV in the garage along with table football, three large sofas, computer games and he has a football pitch in his garden. He also makes fresh pizzas of which I shall sample tonight. One of the reasons to come here was to watch the FA cup final but by 2am we were long gone citing previous boring finals as good reason not to bother. We woke to find the game had ended 3-3 and gone to penalties, still we slept well.

The showers continue to roll in and are forecast to do so for atleast 2 more days. The South Isldand is getting a real blast of winter though with snow down to 200 meters and the town of Twizel cut off. Some people believe it should be left like that, the Rough Guide author for example infamously suggested it be permanently evacuated.

A fishing boat also sunk in the far south with 6 people feared drowned. Doesn't sound like much fun down there, unless you're into your skiing.

Anyway, we're assured the sun will come back so in the meantime we'll stick to the computer games and table football.

National Park to Northland

On Thursday morning we headed off across the Tongariro National Park to Turangi. We drove up the road to the ski centre on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. The little huddle of ski lodges and lifts sits on the vegetation free volcanic rocks half way up the mountain, a strange sight and to think the volcano erupted only 10 years ago and theoretically could again at any time. Infact there are notices telling you what to do if it does. Running not being one of the options.

We then drove on round to the east side of the central volcanoes back to Extreme Backpackers in Turangi at the south end of Lake Taupo. We stayed here a couple of months ago when we did the tongariro crossing. Speaking of the crossing it claimed the life of a 64 year old American only a few days ago. The weather closed in and the pair got lost and confused and were found halfway along the track, both had hypothermia and one died soon after being found. It's a dangerous place and so many people seem to underestimate it.

Turangi really is one of the best trout fishing spots in the world and at this time of year, if you get the rain the fish move up from the lake to spawn in the Tongariro river. Anyway, despite the lack of rain I had a go in the afternoon, I caught a couple of wee ones but the big boys proved elusive, as they did for all the other fishers I met, or so they said.

Next day it was raining all day and while Jamie was in bed all day with his continuing cold I headed off to see the sunset over the volcanoes and what a sight it was. Just as the sun was dropping all the rain clouds cleared and the reds and oranges lit up all the high cloud around and above the mountains. Amazing.

Next day, Saturday, we took the road north to the much derided city of Hamilton, it's the biggest inland city in NZ with a population of around 120,000. It's got no mountains, no lakes, no sea nearby so it's pretty difficult to find things to do. We were there for the Super 14 rugby match between the local Waikato Cheifs and the New South Wales Waratahs from across the water and who we saw beat the ACT Brumbies in Sydney. This time we were supporting the home team and they suprised everyone by crushing the Aussies with some lovely flowing football. A great game and as it was the last home game of the season we were allowed onto the pitch afterwards. Quite a unique experience, nice pitch too.

Incidently the owners of the backpackers were originally from Scotland having moved from Kirkaldy to Hamilton in 1958. It cost them nothing and they had a house and jobs waiting for them when they got here after a 5 week voyage. Some very interesting stories they had.

Next day we drove up to Helensville North of Auckland. We stayed at the amazing Malolo House hostel, a former hospital and done out more like a hotel than a hostel. We both still have our colds hanging on so we bit the bullet and got ourselves anti-biotics to finally kill the things off after 2 weeks it's getting a bit annoying.

After Helensville we headed up the West side of Northland. This area is famous for it's kauri trees. These huge monolythic trees used to grow eveywhere in this part of the world but the early settlers took most of them away and sold them for timber. They were highly prized due to their shear size ( the biggest being 26ft in diameter) and the fact the were straight. They grew straight up and only had branches at the top so huge volumes of wood would come from one tree. The lengths of timber were excellent for boat building and the gum was gathered too for use as varnish and in the making of linoleum.

We popped in at the much renowned Kauri Museum and it is deserving of it's reputation. It has copious exhibits from photographs of the old loggers and their dangerous work to working examples of saw mills and the processes used to mill and transport the timber.

We then drove up the coast past some of the still living kauris left and on to Omapere at the mouth of Hokianga Harbour. On the other side of the mouth are some huge sand dunes which we plan to sledge down later. The hostel, Globetrekkers, is excellent too. Everywhere seems pretty good now that there are so few people here and we can get alot more space to ourselves.

Taranaki

Mt Taranaki in the rain above.

On Friday night my cold/virus thing deteriorated and my tonsils felt like they were going to suffocate me. The virtues and anti-bacterial properties of manuka honey (from bees which cultivate the manuka tree flowers) have been something we've taken an interest in over here so I took a spon full. Almost instantly the pain went (due to the honey coating the infection) but by the morning it was all but gone, another spoon full and within an hour or two it was pretty much done away with. So the manuka honey seems to work pretty well.

Anyway suitably cured we headed to the town centre of New Plymouth. We had a look around the Puke Akiri museum, basically a cut down version of the big New Zealand Museum in Wellington and equally as interesting. We then took a drive along the foot of mount taranaki and back.

Next morning we went to see the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. The Lonely Planet says that even if you're not interested in contemporary art you should still go. Well I'm not interested in contemporary art but I went along anyway. Suffice to say I'm still not interested in contemporary art. I can only assume that the artists works have so much about the wrongs of humanity because they feel so much guilt at ripping off everyone by producing so much rubbish.

There was actually one piece which simply consisted of some grey acrylic on a frame. It was entitled 'grey acrylic' and to be honest it was very thought provoking, thoughts like, was this guy just the first one to have the balls to exibit something so obviously useless and un-interesting.

Waste of time!

Next we headed to our lodgings for Sunday night. The Camphouse lies 1000m up on the east side of Mt Taranaki. It was just on the bottom of the cloud line and we were in cold greyness but could see the sun blessed fields stretching out below the mountain.

The Camphouse was built in 1855 and actually bares bullet holes from the Maori-European battles which took place in the area.

After a good nights sleep we woke to see all the cloud had cleared and we could see all the way to the central volcanoes 150km away, one of which we climbed 2 months ago. What a view.

Jamie had also developed a cold overnight too and this continued. Either it's the same as mine but alot worse or it's a totally different virus and alot worse or he's just a big wooss. I'm going for the latter. He spent most of the next two days in bed at our farmstay hostel in Hawera, South Taranaki. Wheatly Downs is run by the same guy who owned the other two places we stayed in in Taranaki. Nice guy, absolutely loaded but still working on his dairy farm.

Today we travelled the 140km Forgotten World Highway between Hawera and Taumaranui and on to National Park which is right on the foot of the central volcanoes we could see from the camphouse. The snow is beginning to coat the mountain tops, the trees are turning more and more and t-shirts outside are no longer an option. It's the NZ equivalent of November now.

We're just going to spend the next few days trying to recover from whatever that virus was and see if we are capable of doing to caving by the weekend or not.