Suffering from an eclectic mix of emotions as it's our last day!

Weather a little better yesterday, so decided on a boat trip over to Waiheke Island and a tour around it. Unfortunately, the bus tour was spoilt a bit by a load of Chinese people who kept talking really loudly over the commentary. After a lot of complaints and 'sssh's' from other bus people, one woman was obviously unhappy about having to try and speak quietly and ranted on very loudly in Chinese, some of it directed at one of the Sssher's in front of her - me! It was actually really funny and the poor other people in the group were really embarassed. One told me in her broken English that the lady was insane. Would have been great to have known what she was yelling.

After our international experience, we went around a village and had lunch, then got on a bus back to the best beach we had spotted whilst on our tour and lay there for an hour or two with the sun peeking out from behind heavy clouds now and again. And we still caught the sun! No wonder NZ has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, you have to be so careful.

Last night we had a lovely meal at a waterfront restaurant and reflected a little as our holiday comes to a close...

Today we have done a little retail therapy and are now catching up on facebook requests from our fellow Contikities, most of whom are back home, and we're going to have a nap later and just chill. We extended our stay by a night so that we could have use of our room all day, although we're not sleeping there as we're off to get the airbus express at 7pm.

As a trip summary, it has been excellent and we have been really lucky. It looks like we're coming in on budget and we have scrimped at all, in fact we've been a bit spend happy. We've seen the most beautiful sights and done the most exciting things. Our tour was absolutely excellent and we had an amzing group of people to share it with. We have met the kindest and loveliest people, and also the rudest and disgusting. It feels like we've been away for more than 3 weeks and although I don't want to come back, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at home. And not living out of a suitcase!!

Sad things that have happened whilst out here: Sir Ed died and some of Auckland came to a standstill for his funeral (we avoided). A British tourist was murdered in Taupo the night that we were staying there after she was drinking in a bar near us (glad no-one walked back alone). Cyclone Funa came in and took away our beach paradise (bummer) but at least the weather was still better than S.Wales and Gloucestershire :). Heath Ledger died yesterday (Ok, an Aussie, but still headlining here and probably in news everywhere.

Great things - too many to write!!! But all noted in my camera and diary.

Home from Friday afternoon, so give us a text/email/ring anytime from then. Looking forward to catching up with you all.

Love,

Louise and Chris, sunny and hot on our last day, Auckland, NZ.

x