Rockhampton (21.02.16)

Our next port of call was Rockhampton, a mere 420km from Airlie Beach. We were jusr using it as an overnight stay en route to Bargara.
There's nothing much to be said about the journey,  the landscape was pretty much the same, field upon field of sugar cane, very uninspiring I'm afraid.

 Occasionally there were warning signs of areas that had a high crash rate and this in turn prompted warning signs about driver fatigue:

1. Rest and Refresh

2.  Break the drive, Stay alive

3.  Rest or R.I.P.

4.  Stay alert, Accidents hurt

There were also a couple of sets of signs: 1)  How far to go Dad?  2)  How far to go Mom?

                                                                   3)  3hrs to Rocky kids

                                                                   1)  Play trivia games to stay awake

                                                                   2)  What is the highest mountain in Queensland?

                                                                   3)  Mount Bartle Frere

                                                                   4)  Continue playing trivia games

 Steve now thinks I'm an anorak! I think I've started a new trend - spot the road signs but I like merge like a zip best.

 Eventually we reached Rockhampton, a large city and thank goodness for James and his slight rights otherwise we would never have found the motel we had booked for the night. When Steve went to reception to register he paid cash for the room hoping to use loose change for the odd $2 of the $102 needed.. Unfortunately he was 30 cents short so had to give the guy $110 so ended up with another pocket full of change, which he hates, not understanding why the guy couldn't just have waived the 30 cents. Gatherings our cases and armed with tea bags for the much needed cuppa we head for room 112. I was slightly behind Steve still trying to grab what I wanted from the cases in the boot when I saw him heading back towards me muttering to himself. It transpired that the room hadn't been serviced as the bed was unmade. It was with great delight and a smirk on his face that Steve returned to reception to graciously receive an apology from the guy who had given him a pocket full of change.

Hydeaway Bay

As we had decided on a rest day, I decided to try and get my hair done, if not coloured then at least cut. I honestly can't remember the last time my hair was this long, almost all the colour had grown out and it was getting difficult to handle. I found a delightful young Irish girl who could not only fit  me in but could do it straight away. $45 for a shampoo and cut, an extra $20 to blow dry ($1=50p. Approx)  It was so hot and humid I decided against the blow dry as I knew it wouldn't be long before my hairline would be damp with perspiration anyway. So she washed my hair, sat me in the chair and made the first cut - too short but once she'd started she had to finish by which time I knew all about her travels with her boyfriend, their future plans, that they probably wouldn't get  married yet but they  didn't wañt to wait too long before the babies came along and wait for it she couldn't master Irish dancing when she was at school. I'm not sure where that statement fits in with the master plan,  perhaps she saw it as a genetic defect she was going to pass on to her children or she just didn't want me to talk about River dance, who knows but she obviously felt the need to confess.

I've written previously about secluded coves on the beach but we found the best place ever that afternoon. We followed yet another 'scenic tourist route' but this one wasn't signposted.  I'd found it in one of the guide books and as it was supposed to only be a 35minute drive from Airlie Beach we decided to go and have a look at Hydeaway Bay

We missed the first turning and had to backtrack but after that by taking a couple of turns by chance as the signposts were practically non existent we came to Hydeaway Bay. Neither of us were particularly impressed,  if you must camp the site that was advertised looked ok, there were some nice houses but where was the sea? It was buried amongst the housing estate and not visible from the road. Steve in his usual way carried on driving through the village and we came to an unmade track.

Now he says that he is going to call me Tess from now on as I'm always in expectation of something but I don't know what. I won't shame him by telling you why Tess but if he mentions it you have my permission to give him a slap! Anyway,  I think he is also in expectation of something but his eternal optimism makes him expect something better and in this case he got it right. We followed the track and ended up at a holiday resort right on the edge of the beach. We were greeted by a very friendly chappie who insisted we throw his stick into the sea for him to fetch and he even gave it back to us to throw again. The main office building which was also the bar and restaurant had a large terrace which led onto the perfect sandy beach which was so perfect we just had to stop and have a drink. Never has a mojito tasted as good. We read the menu which made our mouths water but unfortunately it wasn't the right time for us to eat, Steve bless him, offered to take me back the following day for lunch but as we were due to leave it didn't fit in with our travel plans, I will just have to remember that mojito and dream about the beach,

The only downside the 35min drive the book said it would take was way out, it took us longer than that 

Outer Reef

When we were back in Cairns we went on a boat trip to the Barrier Reef to snorkel and dive, reasoning that we never have the opportunity again. The same  could be said of the Whitsundays, I know you should never say never but lets say its highly unlikely we will ever  be in this area again.

 Airlie Beach is considered to be the gateway town to the Whitsunday Islands and it certainly appears that way when you see the full extent of the tours on offer. We considered going on an overnight sailing boat tour but decided that it wasn't good value for money, about $890 each then we toyed with the idea of going on a tour that involved visiting 2 or 3 locations  but I wasnt keen on that idea as it would have been a full day in the sun and me and the sun only get on for short periods of time. I don't think Steve was that keen either, he investigated what they classed as a half day tour but even that was 6 hours.

 So, after all our discussions and investigations there was only one option left and that was to fly. The suggestion came from him that doesn't do flying especially in a small, single engine plane with a propellor.  I was over the moon because I couldn't think of a better way of seeing the islands and getting them in perspective than from above. We were also pleasantly surprised at the cost, only $199 for an hours flight, some of the day boat tours were $180.

 We were picked up from the hotel and driven to the airfield. There were 3 groups of 10 but we were all together for the safety briefing. First of all because we were flying over water we had to strap life jackets around our waists and then strap ouselves into the seats using a lap and diagonal belt.  ( With all this preparation I imagined Steve getting more and more nervous but he seemed ok.)  The seats were  down each side of the plane so everyone had a window and a view. I got myself ready, camera in hand.

I cant even begin to explain what it was like seeing the Barrier Reef from above.  As we flew over the islands although they made a good picture they all looked the same although on the ground I'm sure they're very different. The outer reef was absolutely fabulous, a beautiful turquoise sea surronding the luminous , green of the coral all detailed and  outlined in brown, making it look like a lace pattern.
We flew over the heart reef but it was quite hard to see as its tiny, only 17 metres across. The plane then turned to give us a good view of the famous Whitehaven Beach. the sand looking much whiter than at ground level. The Co pilot said the weather conditions were perfect and they usually only get 1 day every 3 months when the visibility is as good and the sea was as calm so I consider the money well spent

Airlie Beach (17.02.16)

View from the 3rd floor

Another superb view from the terrace looking over Airlie Beach marina from the 3rd floor. Oh lordie does anyone know if you can buy oxygen cylinders in Woolies? No lifts so by the time I get to the door to the apartment I'm bushed, perspiration dripping from my nose and running down my neck, the humidity is high.

Totally self catering for the next few days so off we pop to Woolies supermarket to stock up on essentials and what we needed for the 4 nights menu we had agreed upon. Next door to the supermarket was a BWS (beer wine and spirits - I don't actually know this for a fact because I haven't spoken to Mr Google about it but it appears that alcohol is only sold through licenced shops) so we popped in for a bottle of wine to go with the steak we had bought. I discovered a raspberry alcopop which I could well become addicted to but to get back to the wine - we only recognised one bottle in the whole shop, a Galleo zindanfel at $12. Most of you know we are complete wine heathens but I'm sure when we get back we'll get a lesson on what we should have been buying from our wine connoisseurs J&J

Apart from being able to cook I managed to catch up on the laundry as there was a washing machine, tumble drier, iron and ironing table. Doing laundry on holiday is usually a no no but I had 2 full loads so thought it was time to do some housekeeping!

We went for a look around and found it to be a very pleasing town, geared up for backpackers and geriatrics alike, there was something for everyone. There was a lido/lagoon totally free which we went to a couple of times. The water was so warm it was like being in a bath, perhaps that was intentional as at least the youngsters would get a good wash down and it was needed it was so hot.

I took the opportunity to get a haircut, decided against having it coloured until I get back home, but its a wee bit too short but at least its cooler and at the end of the day it grows.

Thankfully we were in the apartment when the tropical rain storm hit, boy did it rain. One compensation the beautiful rainbow that appeared right outside the windows

 

High Street

Lagoon

Rainbows end? Not so nice now!

Townsville (16.02.16)

View from the 8th floor

On our journey to Townsville I had earmarked a visit to Babindas Boulders - can you imagine the comments that were being made on the way! The story behind the boulders is that an Aboriginal girl threw herself into the stream when separated from her lover. The stream then became a gushing treacherous river flowing between granite boulders. Today its an idyllic spot for a swim in the clear water, perfectly safe in the designated area but the currents and flow of water past the 4metre high boulders have claimed several lives so there are no go areas too.

Unfortunately because there hasn't been too much rain in the area the river wasn't gushing or particularly fast flowing but that in itself allowed us to see more of the boulders. I think that I  see a certain type of bird in one of the rock formations,  use your imagination and tell me what you see.

By lunch time we were near to Mission Beach, another vast stretch of golden sand but deserted because of the stingers. You can just about see the stinger net in the photo. We had smoked salmon salad on freshly baked baguettes while watching the waves roll in and out. What could be better than that?

We found the hotel in Townsville thanks to James, the little man hiding in the sat nav. He sounds awfully posh as he tells us 'slight right' but he cerainly knew his way round New Zealand and now  he's doing a grand job in Australia. We were on the 8th floor so had a beautiful view of the Esplanade and onto the sea, all I can say is thank goodness there was a lift.

For our evening meal we decided on a curry so armed with directions from the guy in reception we set off but you know what its like when someone gives you directions they assume you have a basic knowledge of the area.. Anyway by sheer luck we found the restaurant but it was only a take away so we asked again for directions to a proper restaurant. Was lady luck shining on us, we found it but realised it wasnt licensed to sell alcohol so leaving me to ponder the menu Steve went off to buy some beer. While he was gone a guy came in and sat down on the next table. It was obvious he was free spirit, his all over tan, his rucksack and guitar gave it away. When Steve returned he struck up a conversation with this guy realising they had Birmingham in common both of them being born there but about 20 years apart. He was a cheeky chappy managing to talk the owner of the restaurant into letting him use his mobile phone to arrange his overnight accommodation and us to give him a lift there. What a carefree life he leads, busking wherever he feels like spending the summer and organising bike tours in Amsterdam in the winter.

Do any of you see an owl?

Stinger net, Mission Beach

Port Douglas (14.02.16)

 After the last 2 days when the pace has been a wee bit hectic we decided to have a day of rest. Several people had recommended Port Douglas as a good place to chill for a couple of days. It was only 60km north of Cairns so we set off as soon as Steve had collected the hire car. When he got to the hire company office he was told he had been upgraded but horror of horrors the upgrade was a tank or what is better known as a SVU - Steve hates them! Still a car is a car especially when its a hire car and at least there was more room in the boot or should I say our wardrobe.

 We wallowed our way up to Port Douglas and found our hotel..........when we booked it we had to tell them what time we would be arriving,  about 18-19.00. Steve had an email say that at that time reception would be closed but there would be a welcome letter waiting for us. We thought this a little strange but hey ho if reception closes early it must work forI them.

 Indeed there was a letter waiting for us with the key to our room. Oh what a strange and different place:
Reception area was completely open for anyone to walk into at anytime
There were approx 20 push bikes against the wall
A pile of deck chairs, sun beds and parasols adorned the middle of the area
There was a group of ice boxes in varying sizes along side half a dozen shopping bags on wheels
Books and DVDs overflowed from the bookshelves
Kids toys and board games all over the place.

 When we got to our room there was the usual free toiletries and a supply of tea bags, coffee, milk and sugar but what surprised us was the gas bb'q on the terrace. For our use. We sat down on expensive, comfortable chairs on the terrace, cups of tea in our hand. Steve read the magazine which he thought was one produced by the local councils, full of adverts for local businesses but non the less a classy looking magazine. He passed it to me saying "you should read this, its all about the hotel and has obviously been commissioned by the owners" so I did. It turned out that a group of 5 'girls' bought the hotel in a serious state of disrepair and it has undergone almost complete refurbishment although future improvement is also mentioned in the magazine.What was really amazing was that all the stuff in reception was there for guest use and was totally free and theres more - you could also borrow a laptop, card reader and various usb connections.  The laptops were on a first come first served basis but we managed to get one so I was able to back up all the photos just in case.

As we were unpacking Steve asked me about my Valentines card, you know the one he hid under the telephone directory in the previous hotel bedroom. What I couldn't quite understand was that if Steve thought fit to keep it a secret and hide the card, how could I be expected to gather it up when I was packing. I wonder how long it will remain hidden, depends upon how comprehensive the cleaning is!

We had a good rest which left us raring to get to Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands, although we had an overnight stop at Townsville en route

terrace next to the rain forest

Port Douglas Marina

Top of the high street

The Great Barrier Reef

Can you come to an area of outstanding natural beauty, an area of diverse ecosystems the likes of which is seen nowhere else on earth and not see it? That's the question I have been asking myself ever since this holiday was booked.

Although I'm a good swimmer I have a strong dislike of seaweed, an illogical fear of fish and lets not even talk about wet sand! Give me a nice clean sanitised pool any day!  However I had made my decision and as long as I could return to the boat if I didn't like what I saw then I would give it a go and book an introductory dive. Have you ever regretted a decision and wished you could change your mind?

We opted for one of the smaller boats who only took 35 passengers but visited 2 sites, booked the tour and gathered on the jetty at the appointed time. As we boarded the boat we were issued with a mask, snorkel, fins and a stinger suit and its about now I start to feel panicky.  Unfortunately or fortunately, due to my medication, it was a thumbs down for me with regards to diving but I could snorkel or could I?

When we arrived at the first site I donned the stinger suit and prepared to leave the boat. The snorkelers were split into 2 groups, each one with a guide, and would be in the water for 1hour whereas the divers were in 3 groups and only had 20 minutes underwater. I waved goodbye to Steve and set off with my group. When I got into the water and was struggling to put my fins on I kept telling myself it would be ok without Steve to hold my hand. I concentrated on breathing and at first stayed close to the guide but soon relaxed, there was too much to look at it took my mind off what I was actually doing. The guide left us after half an hour and we were left to our own devices as long as we stayed a reasonable distance to return to the boat. Could I do this on my own, it was now or never so guess it just had to be now.

I must admit that I was a little disappointed, although the coral was beautiful and fascinating I thought it would have been more colourful than it appeared and also that there would be more fish - too much TV - although I did see a giant clam, turtles and parrot fish. Steve had an average dive, he had a painful ear and knee and had trouble with his buoyancy.  Unlucky for him but absolutely great for me because he decided not to dive again but to snorkel with me so when we arrived at the second dive site we set off together.

This second area was on the continental shelf so the coral was much deeper in places and I'm not sure why but it was far more vivid in colour. There were certainly more fish and they appeared bigger. I kept loosing Steve, he was busy videoing with an underwater camera we had hired, but it was so much better when I did catch up with him.

I am so proud of myself and glad I conquered my fears because I will never again have the opportunity to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef

Karunda and Rainforest

I had pre-booked this outing before we left the Uk. It included pick up and drop off at the hotel which was useful as we weren't picking the hire car up until tomorrow. The trip began with a ride in a gondola above the rain forest. There were 2 changes on this ride, each one at a different level of the forest where we could walk around pathways in amongst the trees and plants. It was fascinating to see how the plants had adapted to the environment each one struggling for the light using any means they could to reach the top of the canopy.

When we got to the village of Kuranda at the top of the gondola ride we were to be taken round a wildlife park but when we arrived at the collection area we found that we were the only 2 english speaking people all the rest were of asian background and had their own interpreter (it was Chinese New Year and Cairns was full of visitors wishing to celebrate the event whilst enjoying a holiday)  We knew that we wouldn't be able to hear the ranger speak, even though it would be in English, because of the noise level (these people are extremely noisy and it pains me to say it but quite rude at the same time) and we wouldn't understand the interpreter.  We didn't actually complain but we made our feelings known so this rather nice lady arranged for us to have a ranger take us round on our own.

The next part of the tour involved a ride through the forest and along the river in an amphibious vehicle,  a world war 2 duck where, thanks to the lady, we had priority seats at the front so at least we could hear the ranger/driver.

This was followed by a series of dances by an Aboriginal group, spear and boomerang throwing which we decided to miss out on in favour of a cup of tea.  Steves brain was working overtime and he has a question for you - if a boomerang always comes back to you why do the shops sell them in packs of 10?

The final part of the day was the return journey down the gorge and through the rain forest by rail,, which took an hour and a half. Construction began in 1886 and finished in 1891 but it was built  entirely by hand. Well, that's an hour and a half of our lives we won't get back. It was slow, monotonous and  the forest was so thick that we couldn't see what the commentary was telling us about.  The carriage was hot and uncomfortable with no ventilation,  I think most people thought the same as me, l just wanted to be back either in a cool shower or in the pool.w

what you don't want to meet while having a swim

sleepy koala

Kangaroo feed time

Army Duck

Kuranda rail

G'Day Australia

Stepping out of the airport terminal at Cairns was like stepping into a tumble drier, it was so hot that I soon had little rivers of perspiration running down my back and nose. All I wanted to do was chuck myself into a swimming pool!

The beachside area of Cairns, the Esplanade, was beautiful. It was a grassed area but it had plenty of benches around to sit on and plenty of shade giving trees. It was fronted by a wooden boardwalk which continued into the harbour area around the jetties. At the one end there was a public lagoon, a salt water pool which proved very popular with the locals and visitors as you are strongly advised not to swim in the sea without a 'stinger' suit on because of the deadly box jellyfish, irukandji and other marine stingers a'coming to get you. Around the lagoon is a picnic area with lots of picnic tables and yes I'm telling this straight and the photo is here to prove it, free barbecues.  There were about 4 of these buildings each with 4 barbecues in them.  Unfortunately I couldn't persuade Steve to try his hand.

On a short trip into the city centre we saw all the big names, Prada, Loius Vitton, Dior etc and wait for it Woolworths. Yes my friends Woolworths is alive and kicking, selling mainly groceries but household products are there too, in lovely clean well organised aisles.

Tomorrow is a rest day with nothing planned so it looks like it may be a day by the lagoon.

The Esplanade,  Cairns

Saltwater Lagoon, Cairns

Free Bb'q

 

 

Poroporoaki New Zealand (11.02.16)

How quickly has the last month gone, in fact I think its only been 2 weeks since we arrived.  There's still so much I want to see and do. The weather has been  the biggest problem and yesterday showed us what it could have been like had the weather been ok. Dont get me wrong we have had a couple of days of rain but missed out on a lot of the showers however the skies have been grey and overcast for most of our stay.

Anyway after a small domestic about the time we needed to arrive at the airport we went to bed, alarm set for 03.30am. (there was no way I was going anywhere without washing my hair) , 

How is it that when you can have a lie in you're awake early but when you have to be up and about you oversleep? Alarm bells woke me with a start so like a good wife up I jump and make a cup of tea for him that doesn't do mornings. A few grunts acknowledges the fact he has a cup of tea waiting so off I go to shower. Hair washed and as clean as a new pin I return to the bedroom to find Steve snoring and his now cold cup of tea untouched. He eventually gets up, showers and we stuff the last few bits in the cases.

 its a good job we were early because we had to fill the car with fuel before we could take it back to the hire company. We had passed a service area on the motorway the night before but despite the low fuel warning 'ding' having gone off Steve didn't stop - "there's plenty of fuel we'll stop in the morning"  However when we got to the service area there wasn't one on our side of the motorway but not a problem as the junctions were close we could exit the motorway and drive the other way, get fuel and then rejoin the motorway in the right direction again. Unfortunately in between the services and the exit slip road we realised the  opposite carriageway was closed with road works so our plan was thwarted. No problem there's bound to be another one on our way to the airport. So for the next 20km I was quietly panicking, making polite conversation to hide both my anger and anxiety to a background of 'dings' warning us we had no fuel and  not a garage in sight. We just about made it on petrol fumes with great sighs of relief from both of us.

 The fun didn't stop there. The weight restrictions on our luggage for this part of our trip were less than on the long haul flights and I knew we were close on our limit. I'll admit to having gone on about it but I didn't want to have to pay excess baggage fees. It was with my fingers crossed we approached the check-in desk. To my surprise our hand luggage was over but our hold bags were underweight. This resulted in us having to distribute things around the cases to get within the weight limits. We were on our hands and knees infront of all the other people waiting to check in but managed to do it without putting our dirty washing on show!

All sorted Australia here we come!

Last Day in New Zealand (10.02.16)

Our last day in New Zealand and guess what - the sky is a cloudless, wall to wall deep blue and its hot! All we have to do is to drive back to Auckland for an overnight stay so that we can get to the airport by 05.00hr tomorrow for our first of 2 flights to Australia.  To get to Cairns we have to go via Brisbane.

It was such a pity that the weather hadn't been so good because the Bay of Islands was a beautiful place but at least we actually got to see the scenery on the way back. Steve rated the road as a 'prince' so all was going well until........
Remember the scenic detour to the oil refinery and housing estate we took on our journey to the Bay of Islands? Well we saw the signpost for it and recognised the junction where we had rejoined the main road and of course had a good laugh about our little adventure.  However, it was less amusing when we saw the road which we had first taken which was only about 4km away from the other yet we had travelled approx 15km on the scenic drive! Duh, 15 versus 4 doesn't take brain of Britain to work out we'd made a cock up

You all know Steve, never learns by his mistakes and we took yet another detour but this time I was in charge so with map  in hand I  guided us along a 'king' road where we found some beautiful coves and beaches. We also found the inevitable waterfall and because there was a structured pathway to the bottom decided to go look. When we got to the end of the path Steve couldn't resist the temptation to go for a dip and swam right underneath the cascading water.

Unfortunately by the time we reached Auckland it was rush hour and we got stuck in a traffic jam but eventually reached our overnight stay about 30km from the airport. Guess what though by this time the sun had disappeared and it was raining.  I don't know about a nail in the coffin I think its probably another coffin as far as Steve is concerned, I'm not even going to ask him yet, I'll give it a few days.

Trip around the Bay

We were up early ready to join our fellow shipmates as we cruised the seas among the 49 islands within the bay. How thankful were we that we weren't hanging around the town today - 2 cruise ships moored off shore. Can you imagine how many pairs of white trainers that amounts to?

The usual queue followed by the greeting talk and introduction to the crew but what's this person doing here holding the mike? It's a, it's a woman and she has just mistakenly said she was the skipper, I wont even go there when Steves penny finally dropped.

After the safety briefing during which everyone feels fine until they start talking about seasickness and how to deal with the white paper bags strategically placed in every seat pocket, we set sail at least motored off towards Rusell. This was followed by, followed by, followed by and by the time we got to the 6th 'by' every one had had enough.  Admittedly they all appeared picturesque and all slightly different but to quote (or almost) a friend of a friend  "Oh look Steve its another one of those wee islands"  once you've seen one you've seen them all!

The skies were grey and there was a large swell which meant quite a number of those white bags were required. A dear friend will agree with me on this -  Thank goodness for arm bands, Steve had no problems at all,  To cap it all when we reached the iconic hole in the rock we couldnt pass through because the swell was too big.

Home we went weary and dejected and yet anther nail in NZ's coffin.

Photos

Its easier to post the photos first and write about them affer so the first couple are what we would be looking at if we had a sea view and the third is a waterfall we visited when the weather improved.

What I should have been doing is explaining the photos I've posted  but I'm sure you are all getting sime idea of what we are up to and hey no one's perfect and I can't help it if I forgot to label them!

While I'm at it you must all forgive both my spelling mistakes and grammatical errors - you wouldn't believe that I passed my English A level but it was a very long time ago.

Rest and Relax

After a good nights sleep  everywhere looked much better. Although our room didn't have a sea view the  hotel itself was beach front. There was a large cruise liner moored in the bay and the passengers were just in the process of disembarking for various excursions. As the liner was offshore they first had to be transported to the jetties by boat and then by coaches to wherever. Steve worked out, all figures approximate, that if there were 2500 passengers all wanting to get off the liner then there would have to be 100+ boat trips to shore and then 40+coaches. Needless to say the town centre was rammed and I apologise if you are an avid cruise goer, with people wearing ID badges, backpacks, carrying umbrella and wearing new trainers (white ones)

The weather brightened up after lunch and we were able to appreciate the very picturesque area we were in so with fingers crossed we booked a day trip for the following day on a catamaran which took us around several of the islands within the bay

Bay of Islands (07.02.16)

Oh what an awful morning,
Oh what an awful day,
Weather has got us just feeling
That the rain is here to stay

You've heard of cats and dogs, this was cats, dogs, cows and sheep!
Really, really, miserable plus the fact that the roads were busy because it was a bank holiday weekend. So, even though we hadn't given anyone else permission to use our road everyone and their grandma were out for a jolly!

We had a 330km drive most of which was done in the rain with such low cloud our visibility was severely restricted. Just after we had stopped for lunch Steve was so fed up of driving with the crowds he turned off the main road following signs for a scenic tourist drive. The signs said follow the brown shields so follow them we did. First we came to the 'Visitor Centre' for an oil refinery, then did a tour of a new housing estate and finished by driving past lots of building plots for sale!  It was either a good marketing ploy or the shields were there a long time before the houses, but an oil refinery?? You have to admit New Zealand has it all but this attraction rates pretty low on the extreme sports register.

Eventually we reached our destination and if the sun was out it would have painted a pretty picture but as it was we just had to use our imagination.
 

Huntly (06.02.16)

After leaving the glowworm caves we headed north and ended up at Huntly  which was the half way point between Waitomo and the Bay of Islands.  We decided to head north rather than spend our last few days in Auckland.

 Huntly is about as exciting as damp fireworks that won't light on Bonfire night. The accommodation was fine but the town was boring. We tried to find a restaurant for our evening meal and there were a whole 2 both of which looked like cafeterias and were completely empty! We chose the Old Court House, eat on our own and were ripped off with the steak we had ordered. Its only saving grace was a really pleasant Korean girl who was restaurant manager, barmaid, waitress and general dogsbody all rolled into one! 

However as we drove down the high street we counted 8 takeway  shops, indian, chinese, turkiish, fish and chips, bakeries, just about all you could fancy.

Now if the restaurants were empty but there were all these takeaways that were open I can onl draw one conclusion about the residents of Hùntly - they must be lousy cooks who are antisocial and as boring as the town itself. Steve thinks I am being unkind but has to agree with my assessment - who would want to live here?.

Waitomo Caves (06.02.16)

Rain, rain go away
Come again another day
Steve and Barb want to play

We visited the Glowworm cave today. The tour started with us descending appriox. 45metres underground by way of a series of walkways and staircases. The cave was discovered in 1895 by a Maori and an English man who entered the cave by way of the river.

 The stalactites and stalagmites are incredible, about 30 million years old, and the fact that they only grow 1 inch every 500 years means that the caves are the same now as when they were discovered.  (apart from the concreted walkways and the metal staircases)

The tour ended with us climbing into a boat in the pitch black, for a short trip down the river. There were hundreds of glowworms all shining their tails all over the ceilings and walls. It was magical.  We were warned not to talk because the noise would probably make the glowworms stop glowing - its the first time in ages Steve has actually been quiet for 10 minutes.

Road signs

This sign amused both of us when we first saw it but if it works and traffic merges in turn then fine, we just thought it could have been worded better. We were never around to see if it worked.

Thinking about it though if had been worded sensibly we probably wouldn't have noticed it!!

As we have travelled around we have noticed several oddly worded road signs - Share the Road, Smooth Riders Ride Smooth to name just a couple.

Catching up (05.02.16)

Today was a day of rest, catching up on  sleep and relaxing to recharge the batteries. We Did however manage to speak to both of the girls which was great. I  know this will seem stupid but even though I miss them while I am in Crete this is different somehow and I'm missing them more than ever
Love you both loads xxxx

Poroporoaki (farewell) South Island ( 03.02.16 )

We had a couple of hours spare before we were to catch the ferry from Picton to Wellington so we took a 35km detour from Picton to Havelock which took us along the Queen Charlotte Drive. As we rounded the first bend a massive cruise liner came into view so naturally we stopped for a nose. Look at how small the coaches alongside the liner look then you can imagine how big it was. We presumed that it was moored in this spot because of its size, there definitely wouldn't have been room for it in either the harbour or the marina. The area was obviously set up for large ships to pick up the logs to transport them to wherever. I'm not sure whether or not I would appreciate being parked next to a working woodyard after paying all that money for a cruise!!

After a small rest on a bench (being a passenger and in charge of navigation is hard work) we set off again.  The road was certainly very scenic and had lots of lookout areas which, of course we stopped in, incase we missed something. In one of the small villages about 10km into the drive there was a mobile coffee shop strategically stationed by a car park fronting the water - nice spot to sit and enjoy an ice cream, so tthat's exactly what we did. I had a strawberry thick shake, Steve 2 scoops of ice cream in a cone. When the lady handed him the cone it was obvious that most of it would end up down his t-shirt as there was such a lot of it In the cone, so much that he had to ask for it to be transferred into a cup. (P & C even more than Malia) By the time we had finished our ice creams it was time to head back for the ferry, what should of taken about 30 to 45minutes to do the 35km there and the same to return  had taken us about 1 and a half hours to do approx 10km!!  The return was made without a stop!

Steves first, and probably his last, contribution to the blog:

You have to kiss an awful lot of frogs before you find the prince and there has been quite a few frogs (long, straight roads) before this one (a windy road that is a more challenging drive)

The ferry crossing was smooth and 3 and a half hours later we were docking in Wellington, North Island.

We spent the night in Wellington and the following morning visited the national museum 'te pa pa' in the city centre. It was fascinating and certainly nothing like the museums I remember visiting as a child. There were an awful lot of interactive displays and lots of short videos and films but as there wasn't a specific path to follow and you were allowed to meander around as you wished we felt you would probably miss quite a lot of things out.

Wairau Valley (02.02.16)

After a bacon buttie which we think we deserved after a rotten night we set off on the coast road. We detoured to Tauranga Bay to see the long established, breeding fur seal colony that has been there for years. There is a paved and fenced walkway to the top of the hill where you can look down over the rocks to see the seals. I think they must have known we were coming armed with cameras hoping to catch them 'au naturel'. We saw about 4 in total and they were hardly discernable against the rocks!  The rest had 'gone fishin'

I hoped to get a photo of Steve thumbing a lift to London while leaning on the lamppost but either that was exceptionally tall or Steve is more vertically challenged than I thought he was. There was no way I could fit them into the same frame. A job for photoshop me thinks.

Time to cut across country to the Wairau Valley.  The landscape changed from the mountains of the glacier highway to the rolling hills that we had first seen in South Island.  The nearer to our destination we got the wider and flatter the valley floor became as it followed the path of the river. There were acres and acres of vineyards as far as you could see. I'm sure that the amount of grapes these vines produce would make enough wine to fulfil the whole worlds requirements.