Captains Log. Star Date 30.10.05 (my birthday!) We went to Mt Munganui from Rotura and were pleasantly surprised by a bout of sunshine! We climbed Mt Munganui the first evening we were there and got to the top in time for sunset, that was really cool. The view was really nice anyway but all the more special with the pinks and reds in the sky. We had planned to only stay 3 nights but once we discovered the beach that changed! We ended up staying for 5 ni...

Captains Log. Star Date 23.10.05 Yesterday afternoon we discovered Zorbing! It was so much fun! Basically you get an inflatable hamster wheel, big enough for one to three humans to fit inside, and fill it with some water... then roll down a big hill inside it! We had to dive into the inner ball, which of course Stuart had no problems doing, I on the other hand, got half way and lost momentum so Stu had to drag me in the rest of the way! lol! Stuart did ...

Captains Log. Star Date 21.10.05 Last night we went to a Maori night in a village, it was really really good! We started off in the waka (coach ,although the maori word is actually canoe, as this is how they got from village to village in the old days) where we were told about the protocol of entering a marae (village) We had a really lively, (crazy maybe) bus driver who made us all row on teh way to the marae and shout "huh" on each stroke. We h...

Captains Log. Star Date 20.10.05 Hello campers! We went from Wellington to Napier, which is the Art Deco city of New Zealand. Its called this because all the buildings are Art Deco style and very colourful etc. (as a result of a big Earthquake that wiped out the city in the 1920's) It was a nice sunny day there so we had a wander around the 'beach' front (similar idea to that of Kaikoura beach) just a chill out stop really, but a nice place to visit and the ...

Captains Log. Star Date 16.10.05 Wellington! Officially half way through our time in NZ and onto the North island we have come! Firstly a quick catch up on things we've done before getting here... So! Christchurch, for the second time on our trip (as we flew into there for those of you not paying attention at the back) Christchurch is known as the "English City" and it makes sense to me after seeing the rest of the places in the South Island, it de...