We like Hamilton immediately as we managed to find a belgian bar where we enjoyed a few beers and a meal before heading to the cinema. Have a non-sight-seeing day the next day and get loads of chores done, including getting the van looked at as it has been making a shrieking noise! Fortunately it was fixed easily and only cost 38 dollars (about 15 quid!). That night we were treating ourselves to some motel luxury so that we could see the Spurs West Brom ga...

After a long drive north from Auckland we finally make it to Pahia, meaning "it's nice here" - and it was. We meet up with mum & dad again and head over to Russell on the local ferry. We walk up the hill to a famous flagpole and see a great sunset before heading back into town for another great meal. The next day we take a boat trip around the Bay of Islands to see the Hole in the Rock, which we were able to go through in our boat (very exciting!). We als...

Finally mum & dad have arrived! Seem to have been looking forward to seeing them for weeks now. We decide to grab lunch at the airport to catch up before heading to Mount Eden - an extinct volcano cone that is now covered in the greenest grass you've ever seen. Again great views are provided from the top. We check into our motel with mum & dad (a treat for a couple of days!) and head out for a wander around Auckland Domain where we see a band playing in t...

Our first excursion in New Zealand was to the Coromandel Peninsular. First stop, Thames. We checked into our first motorhome park and managed to plug in our new home and settle in for our first night. Amazingly slept well and set off for a walk up, up and up a hill behind the campsite past several old gold mines. The views at the top were worth the haul and the climb over rocks down the other side was pretty exciting. Another good nights sleep and we...