Hey there everyone,
sorry its been a few days, but we just havn't had the time to go online in the past few. ok...so lets see what exactly has happened since the last post...
Wednesday: Another early morning to catch the ferry to Auckland for more Van-shopping, and this time we actually managed to look at two! But neither were exactly what we were looking for, so we decided to keep looking for the moment, so no show-stopping developments there. Probably the most impressive thing about today was the insanely ridonkulous amount of walking we did! It was crazy! We thought we did a lot of walking on monday in the city, but oooh no...today we at least doubled that! We went all the way up Queenstreet (which is all a gradual hill), then halfway back down again before we realised we had lost the piece of paper we had written all the numbers we had collected for the Vans! So while Boh waited for pizza I did a speedy retracing of the top half of the street, including a quick second climb of the most AWESOME building ever! It's some sort of cinema complex, but thats relatively unimportant when compared to the sheer size of this place! it was huuuge, and we went aaall the way up the stairs (twice for me...). After giving up on finding the numbers, we ended up going back to collect them all again, off the noticeboards of numerous backpackers
hostels, before heading on out to the "AA" building (and no, we have not become alchoholics and had to join Alchoholics Anonymous...it is the NZ version of the licensing department) which was probably another half hour walk. Then of course we had to trek all the way up to Albert Park, the route to which, by the way, we think is representative of NZ being a country full of ludicrously steep hills. Finally it was back down to the ferry to head back to our island paradise (lol). Anyways, I suppose all this is not quite so impressive of you don't know Auckland, but lets just say it was a big day for walking (we did the sport proud...hahaha...walking...a sport...).
Thursday: Now today we had put aside as a historical learning day, with our trip to "Stony Batter", the WWII gun emplacement on the northern tip of Waiheke Island the compulsory activity, as it was our last day on the island. After a lazy morning and a tentative start for the "red rocket", we started out on the scenic drive Ginny had marked out for us, touring around the northern half of the island, which is largely farmland and vineyards. Speaking of vineyards, if any of you guys back in Aus. have been grape-picking, and found that it was hardly the easiest job in the world - YOU SHOULD SEE THIS PLACE - they put vineyards EVERYWHERE! On the side of small mountains, for instance. After discovering this, we decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing we had missed the season for picking and pruning...not so bad at all...
Anyway, after a few wrong turns, and a bunch of pretty awse photos, a slightly scared Bohdi (the roads here are pretty narrow, and it kinda freaks you out when you notice the cliff dropping off right beside you), and I arrived at the old outpost. As the land aroung Stony Batter is privately owned, no cars are allowed past a certain point, but the short walk to the site (about 1.3km) was beautiful, with the rocky outcrops, sheep, and palm trees (yep, palm trees...) in plentiful supply. The gun placements are actually built into the hillside, so are connected by a warren of tunnels, which, while quite interesting, I found more than a little frightening, especially when the lady there giving directions gave really crap directions (I suppose she was a volunteer, so we can hardly complain...plus, we could have had a fully guided tour for $15 more....but we thought the $8 entry fee pretty much filled our historic learning budget). So after a VERY roundabout walk back to the car after leaving the tunnels, it was home for our last night at Kerry and Ginny's.
Today: After a fond farewell to Kerry and Ginny, who caught the ferry in with us as they are headed off to Brisbane for a few days, it was time to find out exactly how much luggage is tooo much....and I'm sad to say that that amount is faaaaaaar outweighed by our ridiculous amount of crap. (Sorry mum and dad...you were right! lol) So after an embarrassing trek up Queenstreet (possibly doing long-term damage to both our shoulders and our pride) we finally found a hostel with vacant double rooms (haaaleluyah...haleluyah...- choir of angels sing), we settled in for our first night as true backpackers (minus the backpacks...and plus about a tonne of luggage).
Hopefully tomorrow will be the day we finally find our new best friend for the rest of the trip!
We are headed to the local car market held every saturday here in Auckland.
Wish us luck,
xoxox
sorry its been a few days, but we just havn't had the time to go online in the past few. ok...so lets see what exactly has happened since the last post...
Wednesday: Another early morning to catch the ferry to Auckland for more Van-shopping, and this time we actually managed to look at two! But neither were exactly what we were looking for, so we decided to keep looking for the moment, so no show-stopping developments there. Probably the most impressive thing about today was the insanely ridonkulous amount of walking we did! It was crazy! We thought we did a lot of walking on monday in the city, but oooh no...today we at least doubled that! We went all the way up Queenstreet (which is all a gradual hill), then halfway back down again before we realised we had lost the piece of paper we had written all the numbers we had collected for the Vans! So while Boh waited for pizza I did a speedy retracing of the top half of the street, including a quick second climb of the most AWESOME building ever! It's some sort of cinema complex, but thats relatively unimportant when compared to the sheer size of this place! it was huuuge, and we went aaall the way up the stairs (twice for me...). After giving up on finding the numbers, we ended up going back to collect them all again, off the noticeboards of numerous backpackers
hostels, before heading on out to the "AA" building (and no, we have not become alchoholics and had to join Alchoholics Anonymous...it is the NZ version of the licensing department) which was probably another half hour walk. Then of course we had to trek all the way up to Albert Park, the route to which, by the way, we think is representative of NZ being a country full of ludicrously steep hills. Finally it was back down to the ferry to head back to our island paradise (lol). Anyways, I suppose all this is not quite so impressive of you don't know Auckland, but lets just say it was a big day for walking (we did the sport proud...hahaha...walking...a sport...).Thursday: Now today we had put aside as a historical learning day, with our trip to "Stony Batter", the WWII gun emplacement on the northern tip of Waiheke Island the compulsory activity, as it was our last day on the island. After a lazy morning and a tentative start for the "red rocket", we started out on the scenic drive Ginny had marked out for us, touring around the northern half of the island, which is largely farmland and vineyards. Speaking of vineyards, if any of you guys back in Aus. have been grape-picking, and found that it was hardly the easiest job in the world - YOU SHOULD SEE THIS PLACE - they put vineyards EVERYWHERE! On the side of small mountains, for instance. After discovering this, we decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing we had missed the season for picking and pruning...not so bad at all...
Anyway, after a few wrong turns, and a bunch of pretty awse photos, a slightly scared Bohdi (the roads here are pretty narrow, and it kinda freaks you out when you notice the cliff dropping off right beside you), and I arrived at the old outpost. As the land aroung Stony Batter is privately owned, no cars are allowed past a certain point, but the short walk to the site (about 1.3km) was beautiful, with the rocky outcrops, sheep, and palm trees (yep, palm trees...) in plentiful supply. The gun placements are actually built into the hillside, so are connected by a warren of tunnels, which, while quite interesting, I found more than a little frightening, especially when the lady there giving directions gave really crap directions (I suppose she was a volunteer, so we can hardly complain...plus, we could have had a fully guided tour for $15 more....but we thought the $8 entry fee pretty much filled our historic learning budget). So after a VERY roundabout walk back to the car after leaving the tunnels, it was home for our last night at Kerry and Ginny's.
Today: After a fond farewell to Kerry and Ginny, who caught the ferry in with us as they are headed off to Brisbane for a few days, it was time to find out exactly how much luggage is tooo much....and I'm sad to say that that amount is faaaaaaar outweighed by our ridiculous amount of crap. (Sorry mum and dad...you were right! lol) So after an embarrassing trek up Queenstreet (possibly doing long-term damage to both our shoulders and our pride) we finally found a hostel with vacant double rooms (haaaleluyah...haleluyah...- choir of angels sing), we settled in for our first night as true backpackers (minus the backpacks...and plus about a tonne of luggage).
Hopefully tomorrow will be the day we finally find our new best friend for the rest of the trip!
We are headed to the local car market held every saturday here in Auckland.
Wish us luck,
xoxox
And BTW everyone (mitchell), it seems we can reply to comments...thanks for ur stalking evry1
ReplyDeleteHave been hanging out to hear what u have been up to...so thanks for that. Had a giggle at the mental picture of u 2 carrying 60 odd kilos of luggage thru auckland. U will be feeling like real travellers now! Sending luck out to the universe for u 2 find a great vehicle in the first 5 minutes...so hope the universe is listening. Luv ya guts xox mum
ReplyDeleteYay they reply too!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the whole van thing guys :)
And as mitch mentioned I'm going back to Perth, I'm waaaay to city to survive all of the rain Denmarks getting.
Love you both x
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, learning by your mistakes is another. Ah well least you will be fit by the end of your travels. Hope your get your perfect van and can end your misery of carrying all that luggage before you do yourselves an injury. Sounds as though you are having a great time which is the main aim. Miss you heaps, saving lots on food which is a bonus, take care and don't procrastinate too much about the van - just buy the best at the time. Love you XXXX Bohs Mum
ReplyDelete