Today is another travel day to get to our next destination in New Zealand, which is Rotorua. Gradually we all appear out of bed and meet up for coffee or tea. Except for Billy and Lis, that is, who have taken Baz and gone off for a Forced March Yomp across the woodlands!! There are some strange folk in this world !! Lol….. When they returned we were told that they had done about 6 Kms or so but we think they attached the pedometer and Baz and sent him off running !!! Baz was more than happy to have been out for his morning run and was still in hyperactive mode, running around the house like a whirling dervish !! More stories and reminiscing over breakfast soon had us realising that we must prepare for the off. The car was reversed down the drive and the now, packed once again bags, were piled up ready for loading !! "HOW DID WE DO THIS BEFORE ?? " Was the cry heard from John, who by now was underneath an avalanche of luggage !! Once rescued, everyone had a say as to how they think it had gone, but eventually we found a way to stack it all back in and still leave enough room for passengers !!

Job done, time for the off. It was a somewhat tearful parting for some, as memories were still flooding back that had been spoken about but were not going to get aired on this meeting !! The van, having been loaded, had been driven back up the "hill" of a driveway as we feared it would not make it fully loaded with luggage and people, so after many hugs, kisses, handshakes and ear rubs for the dogs we said our warmest goodbyes, with wishes that we could all meet again sometime soon somewhere and climbed the mountainside once again !! All safely seated and belted in we set off on the next part of our wonderful journey !!

First stop though was for fuel !! Wish we had these prices in the UK !! Tank filled it was onto motorway 1 to head south, initially in the direction of Hamilton. The motorway was relatively clear of traffic and was nothing like the 'moving car park' that it had been the night before for Pat & Paul when they went to visit Ginny !! Over the main bridge towards Auckland and onwards we went. We found the turn off for our direction and continued ever onwards !! After about an hour and a half, which was about half way as far as time went we found a quaint little roadside café.. It was decided to stop as some of the other places we had seen beside the road did not look at all appealing or very clean and a toilet break was going to be needed anyway. It looked as if it were really a garden centre but had a café as well. Food and drink were the order of the day for this visit and it was noticed, with glee, that they produced homemade pies !! "Brilliant" was the cry, "Pie and Chips" "How wonderful" !! However disaster was about to strike when it was discovered that they do not actually do chips (or even fries).. Well, you can imagine the comments that were issuing from the "boys" … !!! "Oh well, just pie it will have to be then !!" said in a very unhappy and sulky manner !!

However, They were excellent !! Washed down with tea, coffee or milkshake it didn't matter, the pies were very nice indeed, which turned the "boys" back into happy bunnies !!

Everyone fed, watered and toileted, drivers changed, back on the road we got !! Again it was quite a pleasant drive, this time more through countryside than motorway which gave us more to look at in passing. Before long though, we were actually nearing Rotorua. Lis had taken a few screen shots on her phone of the roads we were looking for and we coupled this with the map. One wrong turn, a quick recovery and we were outside the new "home" !! We all piled, fell eased our way out of the van and were wandering around wondering if we were early !! It was almost 3:00 in the afternoon but there was no one here and e no way of entering without keys or security pass-codes.. we must have looked like a band of travellers lost (which, in fact, we probably are) as a very nice lady from the next house popped her head over the hedge and asked if we were ok ? She was obviously used to this situation happening as she said she would pop over with the spare key, that she had been entrusted with, open up, reset the alarm and let us get sorted !! A couple of minutes she reappeared with said key, opened the door, did her magic with the alarm and we were in !! Wandering through the house went the "girls" choosing who was having which room ! The "boys", as usual, were left to act like pack animals and drag their weary carcasses in with their loads of luggage, and deposit it where needed !! This done, we ferreted around to find if we had wifi and what the password might be !! Success, we managed to find it, Paul got the laptop fired up and searched through our files to find the details of this "house", Oooops, check in was supposed to be after 4:00 0'clock !! Oh well, we were in now.. We tried to contact the owner and left her a message, but no reply…. Trev was dispatched with the "spare key" from the lady next door (as we had found the house keys) and to ask if she could give us the alarm codes.. A little later he returned, "Lovely old lady, she gave us the code, no worries, but did state that normally a man came down at about 4 o'clock to let people in" No one turned up but we were in anyway !!

"A cup of tea?" was the next cry ! Lovely idea, except we had no milk, Lis found a location of a shop that was apparently nearby and could be walked.. Luckily though it was decided to take the van as quite a bit of extras were also going to be needed !! Off went Dee, Trev & John for a "quick shop" in the van ! What seemed like hours later the reappeared telling us about the shopping vagaries of New Zealand, in that the superstores are not allowed to sell spirits ! They can sell beer or wine only !! So they had also gone to find a liquor store to get some bailey's !! However, as they could only find a large litre bottle they had decided not to get one as it might not be consumed before having to leave New Zealand, after a little bit of humming and haaing Lis said that she quite liked Bailey's so it probably would get drunk !! Ok , Trev and Paul would now go back out and get a bottle ! Poor John though had spent the last hour or so trying to source a 'T' pot !! Not one was to be had so Trev & Paul were tasked to find one as well !!

Off they went in the van, found the liquor store and purchased the Bailey's, next stop the superstore !! Surely a teapot would be easy to find here……. No chance, even the staff were not sure but pointed them in the direction of the Town Centre to look for a Mall.. Back in the van they went off in search of 'the mall'… Passing the sulphur springs, their noses were invaded by a rather nasty pong !! Having driven around for a while they were on the point of giving up when Paul spotted a homeware shop !! Into the carpark they went but alas the shop was now closed as it was 10 to 6 in the evening !! As they were driving out of the carpark Trev noticed another store entrance which looked like the 'mall' !! In they went, found the store (which looked more like a cash and carry) and proceeded to wander round aimlessly until Trev spotted some frying pans hanging up, they wandered in that direction and found the required teapot !! When they got to the counter, they placed the teapot very gently onto the end and pushed it gingerly towards the young girl behind the till !! She looked quizzically at them but carried on, as she went to lift the teapot to scan the bar code Paul shouted out and the poor girl nearly died !! By now, of course, Paul & Trev were in hysterics and fortunately the girl could see what they had done and joined in with the laughter also !! Teapot got, back "home" so that a cup of tea could actually now be had !!

Whilst they had been out Dee had started the cooking for our evening meal… She had decided to be kind to the "boys" who had gracefully gone without their chips at lunchtime and fried them some up.. superb.. what a great idea !!!

Once again fed and watered, it was time to settle down for the evening to watch a bit of the local news, catch upon facebook, post a few notes about the day or start the next epic novel for the blog !! Many photos had to be downloaded and prepared and sorted for the blog albums. Eventually, with all this completed, another day in the wonder trip done, it was time for sleep again !!

Night all !!!!