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We arrived in Auckland to cold and rainy weather instantly reminding us of England! Our hostel offered a girls only floor, the sanctuary, with fluffy white towels, free shampoo and hairdryers which lifted our moods slightly. After taking advantage of the free drinks on the plane and being handed a free glass of champahne voucher on arrival we decided we may as well head to the hostel bar. We tried unsuccesfully to trade free beer tokens with guys in return for a drink and couldnt find a karaoke bar for leanna again so we called it a night.
Next day we wandered around Auckland and found there wasn't really a lot to do unless we wanted to go up another sky tower or do another bridge climb! We walked round the harbour and to a cafe for lunch but Leannas too small trainers and Nikkis blisters from her bridge climb made for an uncomfortabel and very moany afternoon! We got back to use our free 30 minutes in the spa, a rooftop jacuzzi where we chilled out and waved to people looking down from office and apartment blocks.
Leanna has decided that to last the trip she'll have to stop and work to make some more money and as she's already visited New Zealand before she'd much rather miss out here than on South America so she thought this would be the best place. So next morning while Nikki caught the Kiwi expereince to tour the north and south islands Leanna headed down to Nelson on the south island to do some fruit picking. Hopefully in a few weeks we'll meet up again to finish the last part of New Zealand together and then be ready for the South America leg. Leanna will update us on how working life is but the majority of the blog will probably be about what im seeing and doing.
On Thursday the Kiwi bus left at 730am heading to Pahia, a town in the bay of islands. I spent the 4 hour bus journey meeting loads of people who i'll probably see a lot of in the next few weeks as we are all on similar bus routes. We arrived in Pahia where some people headed out on speed boats to explore the islands while me and a dutch girl, Lisette, caught a ferry to Russel, the 1st capital of New Zealand. We walked up to the flagstaff to see amazing views over the bay of islands and then across to the beach before getting a fast boat back. Started out the evening at the hostel barbecue having a few drinks with the other girls and taking advantage of more free drinks tokens! Moved on to the lighthouse for a free hour of drinking for ladies and then onto saltys bar for 2 for 1 on cocktails, a pretty cheap night all in all! Spent the next few hours dancing off all those free drinks and introducing ourselves to the locals.
After 1 hours sleep I was up at 7am for a day tour to Cape Reinga, the very top of New zealand. We were driven for 3 hours past stunning lakes, hills and coastal towns by a loony driver who told us all about Maori culture and entertained us all the way.We stopped at an ancient Kauri forest to see 1000 year old trees before walking out to the lighhouse at the cape and looking out to the point where the Tasman and Pacific oceans meet. In the afternoon we drove through the Te Paki quick sand stream with our fingers crossed that we'd make it across as a lot of people get stuck! From here we struggled up to the top of the giant sand dunes for my 2nd go at sandboarding. Much scarier than in Brisbane as we hurtled head first towards the stream we'd just driven through. 3 more god at this before leaving covered in sand and pretty knackered from climbing up the hill! On to 90 mile beach to find dinner for our bus driver, Tua tua shellfish, which we found by heading into the sea and digging our toes into the sand until we could feel them. Some people were brave enough to try them but they looked too slimy for me. The highlight of the day was driving down 90 mile beach at 90km/h in an 80 seater coach with the waves crashing out beside you!
Unable to resist the toga party in our hostel we went out again that night although I resisted the urge to wear my bedsheet, turns out I was in the minority! Our last day in Pahia was spent walking to the grounds where the treaty of Waitanghi was signed, sitting on the beach and walking around town in the sun before heading back on the kiwi bus for a night stopover in Auckland before heading south tomorrow.
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