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Hi to everyone,
As some of you know I have decided to cut short my trip and return home and this will probably be the last instalment of my blog...If homesickness is missing family and friends then I've got it bad ! I will be back in 'Norn Iron' on Saturday 28th June.
Last instalment was from Queenstown, middle of the south island and I'm now back in Auckland, top of the north island. The bus was bunged fron Queenstown, with no snow lots of skiers were leaving. We had a long day travelling with just an overnighter in Christchurch. Pretty nondescript large expensive city. Had a repack of my bag, needed to squeeze my sleeping bag in, so dumped a few items.
Then on to a quaint town called Kaikoura on the east coast. Weather had turned nasty and heavy rain forced the swimming with Dolphins to be cancelled. Natalie didnt get to go Whale watching either. Alot of the bus was coughting and sneezing, colds all around including me and Natalie. I treated myself to dinner out at a hotel and enjoyed spectating on the weekly pub quiz. Checked in at home with a few phone calls and emails! Thanx to all who got in touch.
Next morning (wed 18/06) up bright and early to get the ferry from Picton to Wellington. A very smooth 3 hour crossing. Settled in Base, Wellington.The way the Kiwi Experience buses run I,ve got 3 nights here. Cooked for myself in the hostel kitchen and just chilled 1st night. Quite tired moving everyday and it was good to unpack. Next day spent over 5 hours in New Zealands museum 'Te Papa' (our place) and did a bit of window shopping, also treated myself to a couple of pints with my dinner. Wellington has an old fashioned cable car which leads to the Botanical Gardens, so next day spent several hours there with a picnic lunch. Very odd seeing spring bulbs at the end of June. Wandered through the university quarter to see the Parlament building, its shaped like a large beehive. Wierd, and Chinatown is on a long road called Willis Street (thats 1 for Richard!) I was dragged kicking and squeeling(not) into a bookshop and after 2 hours ended up with a very informative book about Maori Moko's!
Saturday 21/06 I arrived back in Taupo. Weather was very cloudy and sky diving was cancelled, many disappointed faces on the bus. Think I chose well to do my sky dive on the way down. I shared a twin room in Base with a Dutch girl called Natalie. Shes going south and just finished the 'East As' tour with Eddie. I got caught up on my laundry etc. and phoned home. Hey, Jaimee's passed all her exams, yea ha, well done daughter no:1! Dinner was in a cafe with the All Blacks whipping the English, at rugby, on the big screen.
Today is wet...very wet! Dropped of a few in Rotaroa, (smelly place, all geothermal activity and mudpools ) wasn't tempted to do Zorbing again,lol, but at Hot Rocks hostel picked up about 12 travellers including Phyon, from Hong Kong, met her in Kaikoura. A friendly face and good company up to Auckland. We stopped for lunch in Matamata (Hobbiton to the LotR's fans) and arrived here in Auckland about 1430 hours in bright sunshine and with blue skys. Hugging trees seems to be the thing to do here in NZ!!!
thats it for now, seen you all very soon
Love Janet xxx
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