28th January 2011

Today Dave had a couple of jobs to do in the morning (he is an airport shuttle driver) and after we went for a coffee at the mall and spent the rest of the day chilling out. They grow their own veg and we had some corn on the cob with lunch which was SO good. And so nice to be able to eat it now my braces are gone!

They asked me to spend less time in the shower as all their water is rain water and gets stored in tanks...oops.

Cyclone Wilma is due to hit tonight and the wind has been picking up all afternoon so we shall see what tonight brings :o/

Bed time early tonight!

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29th January 2011

Last night the wind and rain got so heavy that I got a little bit freaked out and tried to close the window but snapped the handle off! Whoops!

And this morning, I tried to open the bedroom door but it was stuck and I managed to pull the handle off! WHOOOOOPS!

I'm not clumsy...honestly...

Today we went shopping and I stocked up my food bag ready for my week on the bus from Thursday 3rd. I also bought 'Eat, Pray, Love' which I am looking forward to reading.

We went for a coffee at a lovley cafe called Walnut Cottage and Dave took them some of his homegrown cucumbers. As he walked in they said 'Oh, it's the cucumber man!' which I laughed at and he said 'they used to call me the marrow man but I shrunk...' which made me laugh harder. It doesn't take much!

This afternoon we went round to San and Dave's son and daughter-in-law's and they are so lovely. They are called Sean and Lynne and have two children, Aimee (14) and Ryan (11). Aimee was camping so I didn't get to meet her but Ryan was there and he is really sweet. We ended up staying for tea and I ended up being invited to stay the night! I went back to San's to grab some stuff and saw a beautiful beige 1971 Super Beetle for sale across the road....I want it :o(

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30th January 2011

Last night I slept really well and had a nice long shower this morning as they are on mains - I even managed to shave my legs! Sean dropped me back about 10am and we went for lunch to Puhoi Pub which is a very kooky place with a beer garden full of bikers and a front door covered in bras :o) There is foreign money and photos stapled all over the walls along with various forms of ID that people have left behind over the years. The bar man is called Amego and he is very friendly.

We had a nice omelette for lunch and as we were leaving Dave fell down a step and landed flat on his face :0/ He thought he had broken his wrist so I drove them home but luckily he was just grazed and bruised. After he had washed the wounds they weren't too bad. He was very lucky. He said he had been going there since the mid 70's and had never fallen down that step so it must have been my - Calamity Jane's - fault!

I think I should just stay indoors and not touch anything!

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31st January 2011

Today for lunch I had a home made tomato soup that San made and it was YUMMY. We went round to Sean and Lynne's again this afternoon so I could meet Aimee as she came back from camping. I booked my hostel for Auckland on 2nd while I was there and it's Nomads on Fort Street. I then got informed that Fort Street used to be the red light district of Auckland! They said I could earn some extra money for travelling while i'm there, hahahaha.

I am coming down with a cold :o(

x

1st February 2011

I went to the cinema with Aimee this morning to watch Black Swan but they wouldn't let her in as you have to be over 16 so we watched Gulliver's Travels instead. It was funny but Jack Black is becoming a stereotype of himself and it's getting a bit samey. But apart from that it was good!

Aimee came back for lunch and we had corn again, a veg omelette and rhubarb pie and ice cream for dessert :o) Apart from the pie and ice cream I have been eating so well here - better than I have the whole time i've been away! I EVEN ATE 3 PEARS.

Whoooooooa.

This afternoon I watched 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' and I actually quite like it. I'm a reality TV sucker. Apart from Jersey Shore - that show makes me want to throw the TV out of the window.

Tonight I am taking them out for an indian to say thank you for having me :o)

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2nd February 2011

DAMN CORIANDER. Yet another meal ruined by the evil weed. Last night at the indian restaurant I ordered vegetable fried rice and the first mouthful nearly made me gag. They were only tiny shreds of coriander but they were enough to send my taste buds spiralling out of control. I did my best to eat around them but they kept finding their way into my mouth until I literally could not eat any more. San and Dave enjoyed theirs though! In future I will remember to always ask if there is coriander in the dish before I order it.

When we got home San made me some soup as she didn't want me to go hungry - she is such a lovely lady and always feeding me!

Today I finished my book (Eat, Pray, Love) and gave it to San to read. I spent some time packing and playing on my phone and we went to Sean and Lynne's to say bye as I am leaving tonight.

I have decided that when I finish the tour next week, I will go back to San and Dave's for 3 nights before I go to visit my cousin James so that will be nice.

I am currently sitting in my hostel in Auckland and am very sweaty as the humidity is ridiculous. Only 6 weeks and 1 day until I see Benji!

Lots of love to you all

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