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"So, are you guys living out here now?" Snow Patrols guitarist enquired.
"No mate", Dan replies pointing to the LoveBug. "We'll be sleeping in that tonight."
"Fair play to you!"
Snow Patrol give the stereotypical Irish response to most statements.
THE FINAL WEEK
Our remaining week or so in New Zealand was scheduled to be a quiet one, partly because we'd already seen and done pretty much everything we'd planned to and partly because the allotted New Zealand dollar pot had runeth dry. So, it was just a matter of enjoying the camping in our home on wheels, seeking out as many beaches as we could and most important of all, ensuring that we had no food left over, even if it meant eating 3 tins of beans a day - a 'chore' Dan wholeheartedly enjoyed!
Before all this though, we had a date in Auckland with Irish popsters, Snow Patrol and a rare opportunity for us to catch a live band, in fact, an even rarer opportunity for us to actually go out after dark. Naturally we hooked up with the band after the gig, one of the many benefits of having to spend the night sleeping just outside the stage door in the small venues car park.
THE FAR NORTH
The next morning, as campervans and big cities don't traditionally mix well, we headed out straight away for the far north, home to some of New Zealands oldest traditions and also its best beaches. Although the driving and the surrounding beaches we found were excellent, it appeared that the far north had coast to coast camping restrictions and the total freedom we had found over the last 7 weeks was harder to come by. We somehow managed it though, even if if each nights stop over resembled scenes from the old Vauxhall Corsa TV ads (the one where the cars play hide and seek!) Our overnight stop offs at the perfect Langs Bay, Wooley Beach and Lake Taharoa more made up for the hassle.
So, a week later with tans suitably topped up and the can store adequately diminished, we headed back to the city, to say goodbye to the 'lovebug'. The 1994 modified Toyota Townace had been our friend and companion for 8 weeks. 'Crap and unfunny' it may have been, but loyal and reliable to the end. We salute you Herpie, so long mate.
AUCKLAND
Auckland's urban sprawl is huge, it occupies an area larger than that of London, but houses only a million people. Saying that, it's over a quarter of the population of the entire country, so in New Zealand terms, this place is massive. We didn't really have an agenda as such for our short stay in the city, just to get a feel for the place, look around and get some much needed rest before our mammoth 17 hour flight to Brazil on Monday. The city centre is, as you'd expect, pretty cool. Much bigger of course than anywhere else we'd seen over the past 2 months,but still totally walkable. The highlight being, the 329metre Sky Tower, a structure you can actually pay to jump from attached to a wire if you're that way inclined.
We're staying a couple of kilometres out of the centre in a sleepy, but cosmospolitan suburb. We've spent our mornings browsing book shops and sitting in coffee shops and our afternoons relaxing by our hostels pool - the perfect tonic and just what the doctor ordered.
New Zealand as a whole has been a highlight of our entire trip so far. Another destination we've vowed to return to one day. How can you not find solitude and peace in a country where sheep outnumber people by 10-1?? As the Maori would say "Ka Pai Aotearoa", Thank-you New Zealand.
Our journey stretches ever onwards.
Next time we update, we'll have South American sun on our backs....it's time to samba.
Lots of love, Danny & lj xxxxx
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