Happy new year everyone! Just a quick blog before we set off on another road trip.
Christmas was weird. We spoilt ourselves immensely with an apartment, food and booze. We visited an ice bar on Christmas eve which was ace-even the glasses were made of ice and there was an air hockey game where the table was made of ice! We had a lovely Christmas lunch at a posh hotel before chilling on our balcony in the sun drinking cocktails. We even managed an hour in the gym and hot tub in our apartment block on Boxing Day which was a first!
Then it was back down to earth in a dorm before meeting up with Ben's dad to travel to Waiheke island for the wedding of Lucy; Ben's cousin, to Kiwi Sam.
I met Ben's aunties, uncles, cousins, partners and lots of Sam and Lucy's friends. We were staying in 4 houses all in a row right on a cliff over a beach and bay. It was lovely apart from the remainder of Australia's cyclone that visited us! We did have a gorgeous day on new years eve where we had a party between a couple of the houses but my tan is pretty much Manchester standard by now:(
Apart from the wedding and celebrating the new year, we ate so much and drank equally as much (you'll be happy to know that there was a large supply of cheese available which I ate religiously). We also went to one of the 17 wineries on the island for some tasting but the weather halted doing much else.
We are now back in Auckland set to head south tomorrow in a car. Unfortunately the campervan dream didn't work out, they were just too expensive. We've bought a waterproof tent this time and an airbed (so Ben can't moan about his boney hips). We just need a stove and some cutlery bits and we'll be fine. Ben's dad has a car and we'll stay with him for a couple of days before going our separate ways.
We have 14 days to reach Queenstown near the bottom of the south island which should be enough time I hope. Hobbiton, Mt Doom, the Fox Glacier and maybe a skydive (close your eyes Mum!) lie along the way.
Hopefully I can blog before the two weeks are up!
20 days until I'm home...