Christmas in Auckland and the trip to the South Island Well it's was finally that time, we had been on the road for around 3 months and it was time for a break for Christmas and to earn some money to keep us on the road. We were lucky that Anna's cozen Toby and his family were off to the UK for the festive holidays and had asked us if we would like to house sit for them and to look after the dog. We were both very happy about this and on the 14th of December ...

Gisborne and Lake Waikaremoana Well finally we had left the East Cape area and left behind a windswept landscape with small run down towns and campsites with water that you could not drink and we welcomed the sunshine and beaches of Gisborne. As Gisborne was the first large town that we had been to for a few weeks so it was time to spend some time doing the blog and emailing family, it was also a great place to fill up with fuel for a good price and fill the ...

The East Cape The drive to the East Cape proved a rather bleak yet beautiful affair. We took the coastal road, which hugged the sea all the way along, affording us fantastic views over the South Pacific as we went. I noticed the difference in the colour of the sea from milky green when it was cloudy to vibrant milky turquoise on sunny days. The sea was pretty choppy and rough, with the miles of empty brown sand beaches littered with ocean detritus; namely branch...

Rotorua This was a very special place indeed! Those who have been there will know what I mean. Rotorua is famous for its unique geothermal environment, as well as being a very accessible place to learn about Maori history, culture and beliefs. I was really intrigued about visiting the area and was certainly not disappointed. The first impression I received of Rotorua as I drove us in was the increasingly strong stench of sulphur! I suggested Tim open the air ven...

Karangahake When we had finished exploring the Coromandel Peninsula, Tim and I met up with my cousin Toby and Jo for the weekend in Karangahake. It was great fun to catch up, and to travel in convoy with their beautiful 1974 Volkswagen Kombi called Zeus! We found a tranquil campsite nestled in a valley, complete with piglets to feed and an animal petting area. Tim introduced them to his famous steak sandwiches, and we spent the evenings happily quaffing wine and...