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 nights, and chilled out on the beach most days, a great way to end the month here in NZ. One morning I had put my straightners on and left them (clearly) in the middle of the floor, as you do, and Stuart hadn't noticed this and managed to jam his big toe right inside the two plates! What a blister!! On our last day there it was pretty cloudy and so we went for a walk along the beach, we were walking for an hour or so when we spotted a naked man, thinking he just didnt want to get white marks (which he certainly didnt I might add) we carried on walking... then we spotted another, and then another and deduced that we had stumbled into the nudist area of the beach! We make a quick u turn and headed back to the clothed area! : ) We arrived in Auckland and had a wander around, as it was Saturday we went to the pub and started my brithday commiserations, oh sorry I mean celebrations! (getting old and wrinkly now) We went for a Thai meal (which I later threw up due to a bottle of wine and fair few beers, but lets not dwell on these small matters) and then went to the harbour and went to a bar which reminded us of Chicagos from the music. We drank and were merry. Last day in New Zealand today, its been fun! Tried some new things and learnt a bit too, what more could we ask for??? (4 weeks of sunshine??) Thanks everyone for my cards, texts, pressies and the dollars! They will indeed come in handy, spent on cheesecake and the such likes I'm sure ; ) was nice to have a touch of home on my birthday! Over and out xxx