Hi Everyone,

Got up today, 28th December for my "Stray" bus trip up to Pahia, being int he Bay of Islands. A 5 hour bus ride with 5 fellow backpackers so the coach was really quiet.

On the way we stopped at a nature reserve for a bit of tree hugging! and then onto a wildlife conservation area to see live Kiwis and Possums....see the pictures! got some great video too!!! (not on the site as it takes so long to upload!)

Finally just before Pahia, we stopped to look at some famous public toilets.....again see the photos..I could be smart and tell you who created them if I had my Lonely Planet book, but I gave it away the other day!

Pahia was a lovely place - typical beachside being full of hotels, hostels, bars and restaurants.

In the afternoon of the 28th I booked my boat cruise for the 29th and then took the ferry across to Russell and walked around. Russell being famous as virtually the first european settlement in New Zealand.

A relatively quiet evening just went out for eats and a few beers. Met some nice german students up from Wellington for the christmas period. Bored them with my stories about the Boys trip to the 2006 World Cup.

29th December - Up early for the boat cruise - a good morning out on the sea, going around the Bay seeing all the different islands...then out to the farthest point of land with a bog hole in the rock for the obligatory boat through the hole trick!!! The best bot was the fiching boast and seeing people hold up their catches! wow the fish were absolutely massive. Also saw fish swimming on the surface and they were absolutely huge too......and loads of them...guess fishing here wasnt that too demanding to catch something.

Spent the lunchtime moored up next to a little island and went ashore for a break and some rays. Then back to Pahia.

Int he afternoon I walked to the Treaty National park, about 3kms. Its where the treaty between the Bristish and the Mauoris was originally signed. Very interesting place and beautifully maintained.

Then at 5pm it was back on the Stray Bus for the 4 hour return to Auckland as my flight to Hong Kong leaves at 9pm the following morning.

Nace (Nacey) the Kiwi female driver on the bus was an absolute laugh. I learnt more about Kiwis and what makes the place tick in that 3 hour conversation that I did in all my previopus 3 weeks in the country.

Sat up front with her and we both wore wigs and hats for a laugh...got some strange looks...still it is the festive season and so stupidity reigns!!!!

Steve