A 4-hour stopover in Raratonga was not the 'business class' travel we have come to expect! Leaving NZ at 9.45 pm on 19 July and arriving in Raratonga at 3.45am the same day left us feeling a bit strange. We did not think it would be a major airport but the international section only opens for a few hours for the 1-a-day Air NZ arrival and departure. They do have domestic flights but only staff these during daylight hours. About 30 minutes after we arrived, ou...

Well that's about it from NZ - has been good but perhaps not the best time of year to visit. There again we did enjoy the snow and it certainly made for spectacular scenery with the snow-capped mountains (certainly made a change from green). Tomorrow the Cook Islands and not sure how 'surfing the web' will be out there but you never know we might try 'surfing' for real - now that would be a sight!! Back to Auckland on 24 July for our flight out to New York on ...

After an overnight stop in Orewa (just north of Auckland) we arrived in Paihia early Tuesday afternoon. Sunny and warm we secured a studio apartment with complete glass frontage and balcony overlooking the Bay of Islands which contains about 150 - not all within our sight though! Alas, only able to enjoy 1 night on the balcony, wine in hand, admiring the view and then came the rain. Fortunately, there were a few spells where 'rain didn't stop play' and we manage...

With the sun making another guest appearance, it was a pleasant journey towards the Western Bay of Plenty. It is certainly 'kiwi growing' country (the fruit that is); miles and miles of kiwi orchards with the town of Te Puke being the 'Kiwifruit' capital. The brown furry friend is worth $2 billion a year to the Bay's economy - must be someone else out there eating them besides me!! Tauranga is one of NZ's fastest growing cities and situated on a bay is used fo...

Really only stopped at Whakatane as we were too tired to go any further. The largest town on the Eastern Bay of Plenty and situated on a rivermouth but it's neighbouring town has a picturesque stretch of beach and at last not black sand. Not sure why the bay was named but by all acounts because of its magnificent stretches of coastline. We now have a claim to fame because the NZ Prime Minister stayed in the same motel as us but the night before. She was attendin...