Its Dark Down There...

Just got our cheap underwater camera developed and thought we'd share some of the pics. As usual with these cameras most of the pictures are just a black blur but a couple are pretty neat.

Front Row Seats Anyone?

The sun has been blasting down for the last few days here as the weather has taken a massive turn towards sunshine (and sunburn) highway.

This morning we took a drive out to the A&P show in Richmond, which is a kind of country fair thing with agricultural suppliers selling tractors, a food market and lots of animals events like dog trials, cattle and pony shows etc.

We stumbled across an iconic kiwi activity upon hearing a rumble of noise from one of the farm barns. Inside was a raised stage with 4 blokes going hammer and tongs

Close(ish) Call!

Seems we missed being smacked bang in the middle of a volcano eruption by just 3 weeks. Not sure weather to be pleased or disappointed about that! Obviously I wouldn't be the first one signing up for a magma bath but to have been on the mountainside as it kicked off would have certainly been an experience to remember! 

North Island Phase 1

Arriving back in sunny nelson marked the end of our north island tour...the first part anyways! W'll be heading back up again in 3 weeks to take on the Waitamo Caves, Matamata Hobbiton village, climb Transkei and lots more. We collected some interesting facts/stats and thoughts along the way which we thought we'd share with you...

Upgrade with a twist

Arriving in Palmerston North we could virtually see the ferry home back to Nelson. Been on the road for 3 weeks and looking forward to relaxing a little. I'm sure that sounds stupid because you'll no doubt say that we're practically holidaying around the world, but it’s not always comfortable and is most definitely tiring and stressful at times when you're trying to find somewhere to park the van up at 11pm at night in a town you don’t know after driving for 6 hours surviving on the crumbs at the bottom of a cookie bag. 

Sneaky Taranaki

New Plymouth sticks out on the west coast of the North Island. The curved shape of the region is caused by a volcano named Mt. Taranaki. Maori legend has it that Taranaki had an affair with another mountain which was in a relationship with Mt. Rapheu. These mountains can be very promiscuous, in fact we've heard through the grapevine that there’s a kiwi author working on the release of 50 shades of rock...

A taste of home

South of Hamilton is the city of Cambridge. Food is a big deal to me. It looks good and it smells good then I’ll try and eat it. Picked up a tourist map when we arrived in Cambridge knowing full well from the lonely planet book that it is a popular town for English expats. Around the outside of the maps they have advertising spaces for local attractions and places of interest. I glanced around the page and what I spotted blew my mind. A simple advert plainly titled "Traditional Homemade Cornish Pasties".

The other end of the world...

We popped in for a flying visit to the Waitangi treaty grounds where the British and the Maori signed the Waitangi treaty to formalise the British occupancy of New Zealand. Reading into the history will show you that the two sides understandings of this agreement were very different, and over the next few decades much blood was shed in various wars for land and occupancy in the country.

The Poor Knights

The Poor Knights Islands are a marine reserve with pending world heritage status of the coast by Tutukaka in the Northland, and one of the worlds top 10 diving sites. We’d been tipped off about an activity called Perfect Day where they take you 24k’s out into the Ocean where the island is and let you Snorkel around the reserve.

T'aint so grim up north

Been a while since our last update, it’s pretty up north but once you leave Auckland facilities (particularly internet) get a bit sparse on the ground.

We arrived in Auckland aiming to catch the US election results roll in, but after a few hours of searching could find nowhere that would show it on tele. Only sports...typical.

Mountains, Mountains & More Mountains!

After rolling down a Giant hill in what can only be described as continuous body slam (Zorbing), we decided to take it easy and drive up to Tauronga. Pronounced To-ron-ga after miss pronouncing it to pretty much every Kiwi we had conversed with.

We arrived at our camping ground with a huge agenda and not the fun sort! Washing a billion loads of washing, filling 80 water bottles and a charging 12 different appliances with our one tiny adapter.

How do you like your Eggs in the morning?

Rotarua is apparently the most visited location in New Zealand. I get that, its a pretty unusual place. What I don’t get is how over 70,000 people can live in a town that constantly, in every nook and crannie reeks of boiled eggs.

Volcanic Quest

The next day stocked up with food water and other delights we headed for Tongariro National Park to conquer a Volcano! (You can guess who’s idea this was) Arriving closer we got a glimpse of the three mighty volcanoes dominating the landscape. All three of them are currently active volcanoes and the most recent eruption was back in August.

Taupo

After our trip back in time, The classic cars, Flappers and beautiful Art Deco buildings we decided to head on up to Lake Taupo. As the evening closed in we caught a glimpse of a phenomenal pink sunset engulfing the lake.

A few nights earlier we had met a Canadian couple that had “house swapped” their home with a Kiwi couple for a two-week holiday but were now touring the island in a camper.