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Kia Ora! This week I have mostly not been writing my blog! I have received a telling off from Laura...thanks mate. Unfortunately it wont let me put pictures on any more either so..... I am afraid you will have to try and imagine.
I left Rotorua what seems like ages ago to head South to Taupo a town on a huge lake in the centre of the North Island. I met Johnny, Freddy and Jo nearly as soon as I arrived and the following day we went for a walk to the amazing Huka Falls via a park with a thermal stream. Thats definately my kind of stream, warm like bath water! The following day I played crazy golf with my 3 new friends and its fair to say I am rubbish!
After a couple of days in Taupo I caught The Naked Bus (luckily not a dress code) to Napier where I stayed in a prison. Whilst waiting for the bus I met Brian an American who was keen to give me his e-mail address and some apples..random! The first people I met in prison were Rachel and Andy who had obviously been very naughty as they have been there for a while. They invited me to a Black Seeds gig and offered me chocolate, both of which I accepted - Me Likey! The showers were particularly interesting here, a mixed block with short doors, the options were water on / water off, no temperature control - well I suppose it was a prison! It was also quite important not to time your shower for when the prison tour came round unless you really wanted 15 strangers watching you.
I decided to hire a car to do the remote east cape. The first night I wanted to stay at the Eastenders Backpackers at Tikitiki which had the stables attached. I took the precaution of driving 24k past the turning! I was cross with myself at first and then I realised it didnt matter so I cheered up and was much better company for me! I was the only person at the backpackers which was on a farm with lots of baby animals. In the morning Reg pulled up with a quad bike with 4 horses in tow to take me on a ride. It was fab and we got to canter through the surf, ride through the river and up to the top of the hills where Reg pointed out his family Marae (meeting house). Afterwards he invited me back to have a cuppa and meet his wife, I was greeted by some very bolshy lambs he was hand rearing. Ah!
Next stop was Te Kaha via the manuka honey shop and then on to Whangamata on the Coromandel where I went for a walk to a waterfall which I couldn't find! Honestly its a wonder I have got as far as I have. The Coromandel was very pretty round the coast on a gravel road lined with Pohutukawa Trees, dodging sheep and cattle and driving through fords. Unfortunately I didnt do my homework and after a while I came to the end of the road so I just had to turn round and drive back!
When I got back to Napier I went with Rachel and Andy to an agricultural show where Andy (a mechanic from Norfolk) was a bit too good at judging Alpakas!
On Saturday I met Danny who I had met on my road trip. He had driven down from Gisborne to Napier to take me out to dinner! Thats about 2 hours drive (I know I was shocked too). Had a really nice evening and he has taught me some Maori words and beliefs which was interesting. In the end he stayed at the prison and took me to Taupo to catch my Stray Bus south...what a nice man.
My bus driver was Scoobs again and we arranged to have a couple of drinks in the evening. In actual fact he got alot of free drinks so I didnt spend much and had a great night! One of the girls in the bar agreed to do a naked run for 4 free shots and she shall forever more be known as Naked Girl. On the way back to the hostel we went through the drive through McDonalds without a car but they didnt seem to mind. Just as well as we were much too intoxicated to drive!
Thats the end of installment number one, just one more to go til you are all caught up!
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