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ROAD TRIP!

Over the three weeks the boys were here 1388 digital photos were taken, since Spike has returned to the UK the films from his S.L.R. have been digitized and returned to me. I can't put even 1% of these on the website but then I don't think I would want too. We spent a large amount of time driving and the digital cameras were abused badly.

I have written a diary of the two weeks that is below with some low res photos. There are some links to other pages with extra photos on the days we spent in the mountains and the day we swam with dolphins.

The final page of photos are high resolution and are Lala's choice of the nicest that we have so people can use them for backgrounds on their PC'c.

Both Spike and Mike have put togeather websites of this trip and the photos can be found there too.

(B)

SAT 23rd -

(B)Strictly speaking the boys do not arrive until Sunday and the road trip has not begun so the diary should not start yet. But there was one thing we did today that was highly important for our trip. I checked the car because we were going to do a long drive. When I checked the oil I noticed we didn't have any, the dipstick was not wet at all. I filled it and decided to keep an eye on it, over the next three weeks we drove 6000km's it drank 7 litres of oil.

(C) We could have been a bunch of dipsticks ourselves after raving about the car over email for 6 months and then it not working. Doh!

SUN 24th -

(B) We picked the boys up from the airport and took them across to mount Victoria to see the view of Auckland. They snapped away like Japanese tourists but we have a photo of the view on our Auckland page. Then we wandered up to the Waiwera thermal pools to get rid of their achy jetlag and soak in stinky hot water.

MON 25th -

(B) Whippet claimed to have no problems with jetlag so we made him drive to taupo (4 hours), where we visited the craters of the moon and Huka falls. Lala drove from there to Wellington for the evening ferry. On route to Wellington we saw sunset over mount Ruapehu. When we passed the cookie time cafe the boys were so exited they had to take photos and even got the owner to open it so they could do the Japanese tourist thing. Today ended at about 4:30 in the morning when we rolled off the ferry and into our cabin for num nums and nap.

(C) Its amazing what you can get if you just ask - I went into the shop next door and asked if my over excitable boys could see inside the plane and would you adam and eve it, they let us. I think they expected small children rather than big boys though!!

Gorillas in the mist he he he.......this is the craters of the moon its a bit like a Doctor Who set. (The Cafe's at the bottom of the page)

TUES 26th -

(B) Late start this morning and when we talked to the campsite man he suggested we drive straight to Franz Josef. As this would save a days travelling we decided to do it and did another 10 hours driving. We stopped for lunch in a drab depressing town called Greymouth and didn't take any photos. I am all dehydrated and wreaked after the drive.

WED 27th -

(B) Our first day of not driving and we wake up to wet miserable weather so like true brits we decide to climb the glacier. As we have not paid for a guide we use the cunning plan of following a guided group at a discrete distance and seeing where they go. We ended the day with a glass of wine in a jacuzzi as we were all cold and damp. I am still not feeling too good and chundered at this point so don't drink for the rest of the evening.

(C) Spike made full use of his nickname and played silly-muppet's on the ice with his spikey boot things. We babysat the funky gibbon while they walked up the rest of the glacier as I'm a wimp and thought I would fall through a crevice.

THURS 28th -

(B) Spike was far too enthusiastic this morning and forced us to get up early, as the weather was fine. We decided to go on a helicopter ride and we got dropped off right at the top of the glacier to do snow angels. The rest of the day went a bit down hill, we visited a seal colony that had no seals and lake Matheson had no reflection, as it was windy.

Hover your mouse over spike and watch the little fellow climb.

FRI 29th -

(B) Had another early start and got to see the reflection on lake Matheson today, amazing. Then for another monster drive though Wanaka and Queenstown and to Manapouri. We stopped for about 20 minutes in Queenstown to book a Doubtful Sound cruise and to buy some food.

SAT 30th -

(B) What a day I will let the photos do the talking this place is amazing. Back at the motel in the evening Lala fell over and sprained her ankle so can't drive again for the whole trip.

SUN 31st -

(B) Carla was dumped in the back of the car and not allowed to move as we drove all day towards mount cook. We stayed in the nicest little cottage in Twizel.

(C) Still Ouch. Twas nice to sleep in a more comfortable bed than the last two night though - makes waking up in the night in agony a little more pleasant. Any sympathy yet?

Right is is a picture of doubtfull sound, in the afternoon when the wind died down.

MON 1st -

(B) Carla still can't walk and decides something might be wrong with her foot. The boys take the car to Mount Cook and we find that Twizel had a doctor but no taxi service. Lala walks to the doctor who tells her to keep off her foot and sends her walking home again. The lads get back after a days climbing and driving lessons for spike and we all eat stew.

TUES 2nd -

(B) We drove from Twizel to Hanmer Springs, where there is a large thermal resort. On route we stopped near Oxford (A tactic Mike should appreciate) and got huge steaks for dinner. We spent the afternoon basking in scalding sulphurous water and emerged stinky but refreshed.

WED 3rd -

(B) Spike drove the scenic route from Hanmer to Kaikoura, the whales were far out to sea but the seals were in the car park. Then we returned to picton for the next mornings ferry.

THURS 4th -

(B) We got a mid morning ferry and got into Wellington at 1:00 this is not good as the drive north to Auckland takes a long time. I drove then Whippet drove, Lala and spike fought like children and stuck crisps up their noses for 10 hours.

FRI 5th -

(B) We got up late and had pies on the beach. We picked up mike from the plane and headed for Waiwera again. Once Mike was suitably refreshed and stinky we continued north to Paihia.

SAT 6th -

(B) Up early to swim with dolphins, we realise the cabin we have to stay in has the most amazing view. We spend 5 hours on a boat and don't see a single dolphin so it is free tomorrow. Tried fresh oysters and was not impressed, they are a bit like a large lump of snot and don't taste as nice.

Dolphins!!!!!

SUN 7th -

(B) Up early to swim with dolphins, it is one of the best things ever they are so smooth and fast through the water it is hard to describe and the photos don't do them justice. We swam with bottle nosed dolphins and on the way back we saw common dolphins and brides whales. We visited the Waitangi meeting house where the treaty that made NZ a single country was signed. We topped off the day with a roast dinner and lots of beer.

(C) Some mouldy call it the Cheaty of Waitangi because it was offending there traditions (or something like that). By the way you pronounce Maori as if your saying mouldy.

MON 8th -

(B) Again we drive, this time to the Waitamo glowworm caves, a mere 7 hours in the car. We stayed the night at a novelty motel, we got a converted train carriage; another room was a converted 2nd world war plane. How cool?

TUE 9th -

(B) Spike and Whippet do adrenalin pumping cave expedition, Mike goes under ground rubber ringing, Lala and me go to the beach. We are looking for fossils, as we have been told that the beach there has some good ones. I do possibly the stupidest thing I have done for a while. The starter motor on the car has been playing up and I go driving on the beach and stall the car. Oops, luckily it started and we all continue onto Taupo to see a Kevin "bloody" Wilson concert. He is a very funny man.

WED 10th -

(B) Spike drove to Rotorua and then we started spending money as if the holiday was over. We played on the luge, the Zorb, a reverse bungi and had a hangi (traditional maori meal and concert) for our evening meal.

(C) Finally some daftness that I can join in with. Couldn't swim with dolphins coz of ankle and couldn't go caving and I'm sure there is something else but can't remember it so I had lots and lots and lots of fun in Rotorua. Oh yeah, couldn't drive; but I think Spike made up for the lack of la la driving.

THURS 11th -

(B) Mike drove us back to Auckland in fine style; I have not seen anyone thrash a car that badly for a long time. (It may be that Mike is used to his high revving sporty cars and did not notice that our old diesel tank red-lined at 4000 rpm) Full marks for style Mike. We went out to dinner with Mark and Noelle as a thank you for abusing their hospitality.

FRI 12th -

(B) Said goodbye to the boys; Mike left for the South Island and the other two returned to the UK. A bit sad really it wasn't until they had left that I realised that I missed all you fools in the UK, I had been working hard and had not really thought about it until then.

Whippet doing his best impression of an Imperial Storm Trooper!, What can I say over 50 hours in a car and you get very bored.

And below is cookie time (A DC3 Cafe)