Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
We had an eventful day travelling from Cairns to Auckland via Brisbane. Obviously there is something highly suspicious about me - perhaps it is difficult to comprehend how an educated and enlightened lady like me can truly be married to someone like Rog! Anyway first of all in Cairns airport I was selected to be personally checked for traces of explosives; then in Brisbane I was also picked out for a full body scan; and then to add insult to injury once we had arrived in Auckland a sniffer dog suspected my cabin bag of harbouring food, necessitating yet another search!
Even the flight was challenging in that we were delighted to see that "Argo" was one of the inflight movies and since it had recently won a load of Oscars decided both to watch it. Unfortunately it took R 3 hours+ to watch what should have been a 90 minute or so film, because he kept leaning on his control panel and having to resume the film from the start. He must have done this at least 20 times (no exaggeration) and my enjoyment of the film was substantially impaired by his cursing!
Auckland was good - a bit like a NZ version of Sydney with lots of nautical goings on and a happening buzz about the place. We had a full day with a harbour cruise, an exploratory city walk, visit to the Art Gallery and a trip up the Sky Tower (the tallest building in the southern hemisphere) where we were able to watch people walking round the outside platform and jumping off. There was also a NZ version of X Factor auditions going on - so all go and plenty to watch. In the evening we treated ourselves to a rather nice dinner in a harbour-side fish restaurant recently patronised by Beyonce and Jay-Z!!
On Friday we picked up the camper van with a great deal of mixed excitement/apprehension. Unfortunately having taken almost a month to get used to an automatic car with indicators on the right we are now back to a manual van with indicators on the left. Consequently we spent today with a fair amount of kangarooing and flashing our windscreen wipers! We also spent 30 muntes looking for the DVD player only to find it was integral to TV. Anyway we are now beginning to feel more comfortable with the van even if it does rattle one hell of a lot when we are driving.
We drove north first calling in on Whangarei where they have another impressive boat collection in the town harbour basin and some interesting falls which our book describes as the Kim Kardashian of falls - not the most impressive but possibly the most photographed!
We also visited some wonderful public loos in a small place called Kawakawa. They were designed by Hundertwasser an artist who I recall quite well from one of Bon's GCSE Art projects! Rog went in with his camera ready to take a photograph but noticed that there was a young boy in there and became anxious that he might be accused of paedophilia and immediately lynched and so thought better of it!
Tomorrow we have booked a day trip cruising on the Bay of Islands and swimming with dolphins. Fingers crossed!
- comments
Bon Had to Google Hundertwasser but I remember now! How on earth you remember, I've no idea. Still laughing about Roger on the plane. Hope you both get used to the camper van soon!!x
David Glad to read that all is going so well - lost touch for a while - could not make the link work but worked around it! Hope you enjoy NZ - we have this on our agenda for the future too! Dad is fine and Chris doing a great job looking after him. Planning to see him on the 17th - Mary and I will take him to the Grand Hotel for birthday meal - Catherine planning to be there too plus next day as well possibly. The girls are both well and the weather here is a bit milder right now with some sunshine today - probably not to last! Enjoy yourselves. All best wishes. David & Mary
Catherine Missed a few days so only just seen this! Soooo funny! With all the elements of high drama, excitement, misfortune, possible perversion and criminality plus adventure! A heady mix!!! I can see the two of you starring in the new reality soap on Channel 4!!!! xxxx