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Location Date New Zealand 
1332460800 Queensland New South Wales -
Location Date Hamner Springs 1332460800 Franz Joseph 1332028800 Queenstown 1331769600 Christchurch 1331078400 Nelson 1330473600 Raglan
1329696000 Paihai 1329177600 Auckland 1328745600
Time for our much awaited dolphin safari, we jumped on the boat and headed out awaiting a radio call with coordinates of where to find some dolphins. We were extremely lucky that someone radioed in that a whale had been spotted and a Manta Ray, our driver floored it towards the sighting and sure enough a mother and her calf (whales) and a massive Manta Ray came to say hi. Next up was a dolphin sighting and though the 7 dolphins didnt seem interested in us we geared up and got into the water in attemped to swim with them. This isnt sea world, we were in their environment and had to repect them and let them swim around us if they wanted to. It was an amazing experience, they were great to watch!
The next day we jumped on a coach at 7am heading north to Cape Reinga. After a long driving stopping at Manginangina to hug a 2000 year old Kauri tree (for good health), we arrived at the 90 mile beach (actually only 64 miles long). After driving along it, stopping to collect what looked and tasted like muscles, we arrived at the massive sand dunes. Now it was time to sandboard down them which was awesome fun. Next up we got back on the coach and continued up to Cape Reinga. This is the most northern part of New Zealand and where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific ocean (you can see waves from one direction hitting the waves from the other direction.... its really quite something). The day was finished off with free fish and chips (fush and chups) on the coach and we arrived back completely knackered at 7pm.
Our plan the next day was to rest but instead we drove 300km from Paihia down the west coast. This included a very bendy drive through the Waipoua Kauri forest, but there really isnt much to see down this part of the west coast so we kept going until we reached the Auckland road. When we got there we realised we were 10 miles from the first DOC campsite we stayed in Uretiti so we thought we might as well stay there and take advantage of the beach in the morning.
After a chilled morning on the beach we set off to Halmilton to see one of Chops' Uni mates Clare and her fiance Paul, that lived there, which was really nice and Halmilton itself is a pretty cool little city. The next day all four of us headed to Raglan for the day and spent some time on the volcanic black sand surf beach. We decided to stay for a few nights here and finally found a second hand surf board. Its only a battered 7.9 BIC board, but we havent got the time or money to repair dings and it worked in Raglans 2 foot sucky surf.
Off to Rotorua today for some white water rafting... much love Tim and Chops xx
- comments
Teguh Hi Grace,Barbadian here. Anytime of the year is good, there is always ssunhine about 30degrees C, we have an average of 365 days a year of ssunhine although it does rain sometimes, not often enough though. No immunation necessary but some mosquito repellant is recommended as far as your safety is concerned, Barbados is pretty safe but you should not be too conplacesent, take normal precautions, tourist do get robbed sometimes because the foreign currency is better than our local money:US$ 1=BDS$ 2). It is very easy to get around especially if you hire a vehical, which won't be very expensive. As far as hotels please visit tripadvisor.com and read the reviews, Sandy Lane Hotel is very expensive and you will get better service elsewhere. Come and have fun.
Alana Kia ora NeilIf you want to know about the migration gain/loss for SA, then email the shppiing companies and ask how many containers they are shppiing in and out of SA for families. For the number of saffers living abroad just wait for census figures to be made available. UK and Oz had a census last year and we have ours next year.As for you hearing saffer accents, it's not surprising. I'm assuming that you live in a well off suburb in Auckland. These same suburbs are where most of the 50,000 plus saffers in this country live. In Wellington I very rarely hear any saffers.I'm guessing that your matric reunion in the UK was pre-GFC. How many are left there now, I wonder?You seem to me to be very unhappy with your life in this country going by your obsession with SA migration figures and the fact that you are on this website. Come on Neil, admit it (if not to us, then to yourself) you want to return home to SA!!!!