Wednesday, February 28, 2007
spelling!
Just realised I hit the publish button before checking spelling and grammar so do apologise for the errors below! Doh!
Auckland airport is tedious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So we are currently enjoying (?!?) the delights of the Quantas Club Lounge in Auckland airport while suffering the equivalent delays when travelling Easy Jet / BA / Czech Airlines between Gatwick and Prague. Flight should have left at 7.30pm and at the moment are hoping to head off over the Pacific towards LA by 12.30am ... are the delights of modern airtravel. What is quite amusing is that I am just reading a Jeremy Clarkson book at the moment where he informed me about 2 hours that he would award the prize for the worst form of travel of any kind to Quantas Airlines as he has never been on a flight of their's which flew on schedule. I think it may be an omen!
Dom has had to spend the last couple of hours trying to instill guilt into me over my desire to buy up half of duty free ... the big fluffy lambskin cushions would be really comfortable for our overnight flight though! Think even the shops are shutting up now so I may have missed my chance ... just all the more reason to have a good old shop in the US. Anyway shouldn't really complain I guess as at least I am not battling with leaves on the line / overly frosty frost or some other such excuse on the trains up to town.
Anyway .... going to go and see if Dom has heard any more updates and we will blog again asap. Very strange to think that I could be on Rodeo Drive 8 hours ago when we get to the states (follow that if you can ... this whole date line thing does my head in a little!)
See you soon
A xxxxxxxxx
Dom has had to spend the last couple of hours trying to instill guilt into me over my desire to buy up half of duty free ... the big fluffy lambskin cushions would be really comfortable for our overnight flight though! Think even the shops are shutting up now so I may have missed my chance ... just all the more reason to have a good old shop in the US. Anyway shouldn't really complain I guess as at least I am not battling with leaves on the line / overly frosty frost or some other such excuse on the trains up to town.
Anyway .... going to go and see if Dom has heard any more updates and we will blog again asap. Very strange to think that I could be on Rodeo Drive 8 hours ago when we get to the states (follow that if you can ... this whole date line thing does my head in a little!)
See you soon
A xxxxxxxxx
Monday, February 26, 2007
Last few days in NZ
Hi all,
We are now in Auckland, seeing the sights and getting ready for our trip across the Pacific to America.
We have had a fantastic time in NZ, and spent the last three weeks seeing some of the North Island -- we have visited Napier and its Art Deco architecture (courtesy of a complete post-earthquake rebuild in the 1930's), where we also did a little more wine tasting, and can heartily recommend Mission Estates to anyone (note: only place they export to is Sheffield, so Becky we have a mission for you!).
We then headed on to Lake Taupo, where we spent a couple of days chilling out and fighting off traditional British colds :-( ... the lake is beautiful, and the nearby falls also very impressive. From Taupo we also visited the "Craters of the Moon" - which is a very smelly and very active geothermal area.
Our next stop was Rotorua, which also boasts a pretty sulphurous atmosphere (which Anne kept trying to blame on me) - it does also boast a fine selection of hot springs, which we sank into for a good half a day; as well as visiting a traditional Maori fortified village and attending a Hangi banquet (a traditional Maori method of cooking, where the food is buried in baskets above hot stones for several hours to slow cook). Some of the best lamb we have had in NZ - and we've had plenty to compare it with!
From Rotorua, we then headed north into the Coromandel and to the famous hot water beach -- where we were able to dig a hole in the sand and sit in hot water (heated from active geothermal underground steam etc.) whilst the cold sea water gradually washed over us. A quite bizarre, but brilliant experience. From there we drove around to Auckland for one night, before meeting up with Sarita, Hamish and their little boy Mason.
We spent a week with them in the Bay of Islands (specifially staying in several places in and around Paihia) - during the week we visited Cape Reinga, the northern most point of NZ where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. We also cruised the Bay of Islands and attempted to swim with dolphins.
Photos to follow soon. Must dash, one minute left but a further update once we reach California.
D&A.
We are now in Auckland, seeing the sights and getting ready for our trip across the Pacific to America.
We have had a fantastic time in NZ, and spent the last three weeks seeing some of the North Island -- we have visited Napier and its Art Deco architecture (courtesy of a complete post-earthquake rebuild in the 1930's), where we also did a little more wine tasting, and can heartily recommend Mission Estates to anyone (note: only place they export to is Sheffield, so Becky we have a mission for you!).
We then headed on to Lake Taupo, where we spent a couple of days chilling out and fighting off traditional British colds :-( ... the lake is beautiful, and the nearby falls also very impressive. From Taupo we also visited the "Craters of the Moon" - which is a very smelly and very active geothermal area.
Our next stop was Rotorua, which also boasts a pretty sulphurous atmosphere (which Anne kept trying to blame on me) - it does also boast a fine selection of hot springs, which we sank into for a good half a day; as well as visiting a traditional Maori fortified village and attending a Hangi banquet (a traditional Maori method of cooking, where the food is buried in baskets above hot stones for several hours to slow cook). Some of the best lamb we have had in NZ - and we've had plenty to compare it with!
From Rotorua, we then headed north into the Coromandel and to the famous hot water beach -- where we were able to dig a hole in the sand and sit in hot water (heated from active geothermal underground steam etc.) whilst the cold sea water gradually washed over us. A quite bizarre, but brilliant experience. From there we drove around to Auckland for one night, before meeting up with Sarita, Hamish and their little boy Mason.
We spent a week with them in the Bay of Islands (specifially staying in several places in and around Paihia) - during the week we visited Cape Reinga, the northern most point of NZ where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean meet. We also cruised the Bay of Islands and attempted to swim with dolphins.
Photos to follow soon. Must dash, one minute left but a further update once we reach California.
D&A.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Wellington Rugby 7's
Hi all
We have arrived in Wellington, and are in the middle of attending the Rugby 7's -- as you can see from the photo there's no expense spared on people's costumes and about 90% of the crowd is one sort of get up or another.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/3949498a10.html
Just finished inflating the blow-up sheep, so we're heading off for today's matches now.
We hope to upload a few more photos to Flickr over the next few days so keep your eyes peeled.
Glad to see that England finally beat the Aussies in a cricket match -- can't believed they waited until we'd left Oz to do it though.
Hope full England rugby team do well today against Scotland. 7's team was finally knocked out last night after some good early performances.
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