Monday the 8th-- Brads is on a sabbatical from work and has offered to drive us around the surrounding areas so that we can sight-see from the car! We started in Hamilton as the Kiwi team were practising for the game v the aussies the next day. We met up the mark greatbatch who is the coach now and also brads introduced us to vettori the captain. Nice to mix with the celebrities! We then went to lovely surfing place called Raglan for lunch. Then back to Hamilton, where much to my horror Brads had put my name down to play in his weekly 20 over cricket league. I can assure you that the standard was not the highest, but still very nearly stressed me out! My 2 overs of off-spin were treated with disdain and my fielding was like mr Blobby! In fact Brads nearly exploded when, off his bowling, the ball went no further than 7 feet from the batsman-the wicketkeeper fell over!-i wobbled in and tried to effect a runout with my world-famous underarm flick!-the ball at no time ever got nearer the wickets than the original 7 feet and the batsmen ran 2!! However brads and i opened the innings in our reply and despite nearly running brads out in my keeness to get off the mark we both retired at 30. The match was won and all was well. We met up with Greatbatch for dinner and talked about old times.
Tuesday was spent at the cricket--great seats in a corporate box that Brads controls--free booze and grub all day! Match was crap.
Wednesday we went to Rotorua and did the touristy thing with the mud pools and maori dances etc, good fun. Then on to mount manganui to see a friend of brads. We had a great bbq meal and stayed the night.
Thursday we drove the scenic route back to brads house--taking in Waihi beach and some lovely scenery in some old gold mining country. In the evening we went to a local restaurant on a winery estate and had a sumptuous meal with brads and kelsey.
Friday was another glorious day and Margaret and I played golf at a nearby course. The course was not in great nick but then neither was the golf. At least mine wasn't--margaret gave me a good beating! The price was good-- £40 for 2x greenfees + club hire. The main activity of the day was a super 14 rugby game in Hamilton in the evening, which of course Brads has control of another box. So again we had the full works with fantastic seats. Unfortunately the home team lost.
Saturday was our leaving day and after brads had cooked us his famous breakfast sandwich, containing bacon, avocado, beetroot, hash brown. houmus, tomato, mustard. we said goodbye and set off for Taupo. Brads has been fantastic and we have forgiven him all the drunken performances in the uk!!
Saturday temperatures were 10 degrees colder! Still sunny but not what we have been used to. Taupo is a big adventure centre based around a large lake. Impressive but we decided against the bungy jump.
Then it was a 2 hour drive through great countryside to Napier in Hawkes Bay. A very interesting place with a lot of history, based on their recovery from the earthquake of 1931. A lot of the shops are "art-deco", and the whole place has a nice quaint atmosphere. It was full of french tourists from a ship in the harbour. Our motel was not good but we did have a lovely fish meal around the corner. I had Guernard and M had John Dory. So sunday we moved just 20 miles down the coast to Haverlock North, This is serious wine country and has spectacular scenery. We had a picnic on the peak of Te Mata for lunch then went to a beautiful winery called Craggy Range. We sat on the "terroir" drinking gorgeous wine and listening to Charles Aznavour pouring his heart out, looking at the most spectacular view of the Peaks you could wish to see. Margaret went for a swim in the motel pool (too cold for Mark Spitz).
Monday we are due to set off for masterton near wellington--should get there about mid afternoon. Brads has arranged for us to stay with his mate"Buck" Anderson (ex all black).
Then tuesday night we are due in Wellington then the ferry crossing to the south island on the wednesday. My fingers are crossed for a calm day!