We left Hahei bright and early and headed towards Raglan. On our way we stopped at a small town called Paeroa for a bite to eat. Paeroa is only known for one thing and that is the 'World Famous in NZ' drink lemon and Paeroa. Every shop fron is decorated in L&P merchandise (even though it's now owned by Coke and brewed in Auckland). The only sight really worth seeing is the giant L&P bottle, and being tourists we had a big group photo next to it. ( I ...

After getting back from the Bay of Islands I spent a couple of days in Auckland. I jumped on another Stray Bus and headed south from Auckland. The first night was to be in Hahei. Our bus driver was called Skins. We had a really good mix of people on the bus, Brits, Irish, Germans, Dutch, Italiam, Argentinian, Swedes, Americans and Canadians. Ski was giving us all the lowdown on the local history, culture and nature on the bus while on our way to the Cormantal ...

I took a day trip to Cape Reinga which also takes you along 90 mile beach (even though it's only 64 miles long!) 90 mile beach is actually classed as a road but can only betravelled when the tide is out. The bus we were in was more of a converted 4w dive truck and just as well because there was a few cars half buried in the sandwhere people had been caught out. We pretty much just squeezed through in time as the tide was coming in fast and parts of the beach w...

I decided the book the Stray bus tour which takes me round allof the North ansd South Island. It cost me NZ$1200 (£545) of my hard earned bucks so it better be worth it! I was picked up by the Stray bus at about 8 this morning to head up to the ay of Islands and Cape Reinga. The Bay of Islands is one of the prettiest places in NZ (or so I'm told) with turquoise water and about 150 islands with beautiful sandy beaches. The samll town of Russel is the birthpla...

I arrived at LAX airport about 3 hours before my flight was due to depart at 1145pm. At checkin the American woman working for Qantas said that I must provide documentary evidance that I would be leaving NZ within 6 months of arrival before she would give me my boarding pass. I explained to her that being a British citizen I don't need to have an outwards ticket booked unlike American Citizens but she was a bit of a b**** and wasn't kistening to a word I was sa...