Rotorua is the last port of call before we attempt to drive around the East Cape. So far we've stayed in a different place every day we've been in NZ and travelled over 1400 km. Now NZ is beginning to smell. Rotorua is famous for its thermal activity and the sulphurous smell is very strong in the centre of town. A public park allows free access to a geo-thermally heated lake, numerous ponds and bubbling mud. A few of you have probably caked yourselves in the famo...

This is coming from Auckland. We landed here last Saturday but have returned on our way south. Life in a camper-van is great. Home from home every time you go anywhere! In Northland we visited Helensville, Shelly Beach, Russell, Haruru Falls and Warwera.

Tasmania is a wonderful place, but we actually left there about a week ago. The pressure of having to look for strange orchids has almost overwhelmed us. So let's catch up with recent events. It was a wrench to leave Tassie. The weather had been excellent and spring flowers were showing themselves. That is except for the greeny, brown and white diminutive greenhood orchids. They all look rather similar but in fact there are over 40 species. A few are represented...

Today we're in Launceston, Tasmania. Wineglass bay is as beautiful as it appears in the photo. We were there a few days ago staying with a former colleague of Ana's. Although turquoise today, Wineglass Bay was so named because huge numbers of whales were dealt with here in the past, and the sea went red with their blood. Today it's an idyllic place to swim or walk and not a building in sight. Just pale sand, blue sky and blue sea. It's spring here, so it's not...

After a short stay in Sydney, we spent four days in Katoomba. This is a major centre for the Blue Mountains. And it rained for two and a half days and two nights continuously! See photo of the patio at the YHA! We have been in Canberra for a few days staying with Dilys, Rod's sister and we will return to Sydney via the coast road today.