Spent a day in Napier - there was an earthquake there in 1931 and most of the place was destroyed, so the whole place was done up in art-deco styley - people flock there to see the architecture and have art-deco conferences and stuff. Treated myself to a single room in the Criterion Art Deco Backpackers (after working for so many yrs at the Criterion restaurant in Clacton thought i had to stay there). As i was in my own room i treated myself to a Hells Gate mud p...

After the stench of Rotorua I went to Taupo and got another hostel room to myself - the benefits of going out of season. It was lovely and warm in the day but quite cold of an evening, looks like it'll get a lot colder as i head further south, uh-oh... The first day i got there i walked up to the bungy area (didn't do it of course - i'm not that crazy...yet). A girl was filming her friend jumping but the camera didn't take it, ha ha. That evening i had a seafood...

After leaving Paihia I decided to go to Hamilton, and use it as a base to go to Matamata (where hobbit houses are) and the Waitomo gloworm caves. I already had advice from Suzanne not to go to Hamilton, so was aware it was a non-venue, but ignoring Suzanne's advice i still went. Turned up at a hostel which was quite odd - it was run by these 2 old people, who's lounge was in the communal area of the hostel. It was just like an old people's home. Weird. See the ph...

Paihia is a lovely coastal tourist spot, and checked into Saltwater Lodge hostel and upgraded to a dorm with single beds, tv and a towel. The luxury!!! Could do with a good nights sleep as throat was still painful and v tired. 2 other sensible "oldies" also shared my room. Walked to the info place and booked a trip for the day after to the northern most point - Cape Reinga. Had a look through the town (didn't take long) and went back to my room to fin...

The first task i needed to do when arriving in New Zealand was to do some laundry. After a week in america and 2 weeks in hot, damp Fiji, my washing was starting to become a bio-hazard. Oh how i miss communal laundry facilities (they were the exact machines used at university) with the same queue issues and random pants everywhere. The first day i wake up (with a sore throat) and go on a free tour around the city by Stray (similar to Kiwi Experience, bus tour...