Dave & Margs' Travels

27th December was a early start for the long trip to Milford Sound. It turns out Milford Sound isn't actually a Sound at all but I can't remember the exact definition of one but as Milford was created by a glacier it isn't.

The rainy weather made for spectacular waterfalls en route down but sadly also misty views on the boat trip so not easy to get a distant view of the scenery. It was stunning though and yes we go soaking wet as we stopped under a waterfall. We saw seals lazing about on a rock but no sign of dolphins.

The fields on the journey were purple from lupins - fascinating for the Japanese tourists on the other buses (once their driver had woken them up of course!). We drove on ending up at Tuatapere.

Q Tuatapere is the NZ capital for what?

Dave kindly (?) paid for us to go out on a jet boat ride in the shallow river after all the Kiwis did invent the jet boat as our driver liked to tell us with great frequency. We hurtled along the shallow river doing turns and spins and going so close to shore we soaked a cow. All good fun.

Whilst on the subject of sounds - as we are travelling around on the bus the driver tends to put Cds or peoples IPod or MP3 player music on. Suprisingly Gomez was in the collection of Bryony, team Japan, the driver and another random bod. Other notables was back on the East Cape where Jim had Kosheen with him. It is nice to hear music that we are familiar with. Oh and thanks to Darren who loaned an MP3 type thing - we have music too.

No it isn't something you do after a few drinks! It has actually been a good way to earn a few drinks.

Stray, the bus company we are travelling with, has a sister company which hire out Space Ships. They are bright orange long cars (don't ask me the make) and you can drive around in them by day and they have a small cooker in them and crockery etc and then you sleep in them at night. There is no way they would be any good for Dave and I as we just wouldn't be tidy enough, we seem to use all the space in even the largest room we have had.

Anyway our driver likes to play Space Ship spotting as we drive along and if you manage to spot one and yell Space ship before he does then you earn yourself a beer. Dave and I have needless to say been very keen on this and whilst all the others have been dozing in the back of the coach, no matter how tired we are we sit up the front and keep look out. The best tactic seems to be if one chats to the driver and then the other one can spot!

So far we have gained at least three drinks for me and half a dozen for Dave. In fact after paying off his debts within a day the driver owed Dave a six-pack but as he got us the honeymoon suite complete with whirlpool bath in Dunedin for cheaper than we could get a normal double, we let him off them.

Answering quiz questions has also been rather profitable. I think he will be pleased when he is rid of us!!

Dave insisted we got up early on Boxing Day - a struggle for me.
We found a decent cooked breakfast and internet and did washing (an admin day). I also managed to see quite a bit of a Pompey game on TV - not all bad.

We went up the cablecar to get views of Queenstown and the lake and then wandered round the shops. We also had a reccie for a potential volleyball court. At 6pm we met many of the others from the Stray bus and with our newly purchased ball of string rigged up a volleyball net between two trees on some grass near the beach and about 10 of us played a scrappy but fun game of volleyball with a few others watching.

Once again when we came to eat everywhere seemed to have closed its kitchen so we had fish and chips by the lake and joined the others on a pub crawl. It was our last night with the three Scottish lads Richard, Barry and Chris so about a dozen of us did a tour of five of the local bars before frequenting the hostel bar. New pool game: - start with the white ball on a note and you have to hit it down to the far cushion back to the top cushion and land back on the note. No-one won but great fun trying.

Christmas morning and thanks to all the guys/ girls / family / friends / Maddy who gave us cards to come away with and the pressies too - great and very much loved and appreciated. Pompey will see NZ. We went for breakfast (scrambled eggs and salmon on toast) to line our stomach but did the opposite as we both suffered upset stomachs!

But we met the others about 12 and went to the World Bar to go to the Orphans Christmas. We have got on really well with a dozen or so of the people on the bus and so it was like having Christmas Day with adopted family. We had walked in with Dave's birthday cake, but no Dave so suprise he got a free bottle of champagne - which of course we helped him with. Lots of drinks later and random conversations, (the Japanese Girl who for ease I call F is a dolphin trainer soon to be car saleswoman), and we had roast lunch (sadly for me lamb!).

The guys & girls on the bus had got a card and birthday cake for Dave for his birthday and with the balloons we had blown up we made the best of his birthday; Dave wearing his loud Hawian shit from the Horley crew.

Next activity - Maori dancers and somehow both Dave and I managed to get up on stage. Dave did a sort of Hakka and I did a well known part dance.

Q what dance did I do?

We had great fun doing and hopefully more video to bore you with. Later we had pudding and then pressies from Santa (Irish T-shirt and a bag) and then dancing. Our driver and another one got us shots of something in teapots and together with free champagne, bought drinks etc we had a merry Christmas. After dancing there till 10pm we moved back to the hostel bar for more partying. The most disappointing thing - the DJ only played 30 seconds of Insomnia.

A very different Christmas in a place with no street decorations and no tinsel for sale (thanks for the flashing badges Keith) but a we had a great time with random people.

December 28th

So this is out of sync re what we are doing but it is too good an opportunity to not tell you here and now re our day.

An early start as we headed off for a farm tour where we saw working sheep dogs rounding the sheep up and getting them in to pens etc. One was quiet and thoughtful ( a heading dog) whilst the other was noisy and agrressive even walking on the sheeps backs. I tried to be a farmer and seperate shorn V non-shorn into different pens but they were a bit to fast for me. Next activity - shearing. Both Dave and I had a go. It was easier than we thought, although I found it tiring on my hands. I also had to get the sheep down the trap door. Great fun - and I got the T-shirt thanks Scott. I also guessed nearest the number of lambs born and won some sheep skin gloves and all before 9.30.

The Farmer asked for volunteers for his naked calendar 2008 and a certain someone was up for the challenge and the bus departed late due to an impromptu photo shoot!.

We drove speedily with no stops on to Invercargill and Bluff where we just made the ferry to Stewart Island. A few of us were having second thoughts when it was so rough on the crossing but an hour later we safely arrived. It is the same distance as the Channel if you wanted something different to swim Lee.

We were lucky with a chalet which had a double bed for us and a quad room and twin for some of our other friends - more about them later. then we went for a quick walk to the hill for a photo and a drink in the pub. A pub which overlooks the sea and has internet which is where I am now. A great view of the harbour and sea and I am drinking a VB. This is my second visit to the pub, in between our first and second we have been out on a fishing boat catching Blue Cod for a bbq tea with the others. 5 of us from the bus went, Dave and the girls. We went out a long way and then drifted and fished by casting the line overboard. There were loads of albatross and other bird life flying along side. Dave started first and got the hang of it after a while and I was useful at first but did manage to catch two at once. My big one got away. Dave caught the biggest of the two of us. So here I am struggling to type due to cold hands about to finish my VB and go home for a BBQ. Great Day.

We had a long drive from Franz Josef to Queenstown, a couple of food stops and waterfalls etc on the way. Dave and I went to PuzzleWorld which had a room full of faces that appeared to turn their heads and follow you as you moved round the room, a room where the floor was sloping so water appeared to flow up hill and other holograms and random things.

Next stop the Kawa??? Bridge - the original home of bungey. Dave had felt the need to jump off before and as he had won a freebie off of the driver, he tied himself to Bryony (a great girl from the UK that we have spent quite a lot of time with and had great fun) and they did a double. I found no need to jump - in fact watching made me feel rough.

We had splashed out in Queenstown and have a nice double ensuite with lake view. This did mean that we weren't allowed back in the hostel bar where the others were after midnight. It was all quite strange really as we were all kicked out the bar at 11.50 and then those staying could do back in after midnight. No big count down. Dave and I went down to the lake and sat there to see the new day come in and we had the benefit of a small firework display courtesy of a boat on the lake. It sent the ducks scattering in many directions.

So here are all the questions etc. A WELL DONE means it has been guessed - otherwise ANYONE / EVERYONE free to guess and answer. We need more entrants! Its not too late.

Just in case you feel Jan has taken too much of a lead. Double points to the next correct answer if it isn't Jan :-).

(PS thanks Darren for the list).

Q1 Guess how much our check in luggage weighed.... any guesses?

Q2 What was the first thing Margs thought she has lost?

Q3 Who was the last person to text us before we left the uk?

Q4 What was the name of the sailing yacht we went on? G? cheating is allowed. WELL DONE JAN GUNHANA II

Q5 What did I (Margs) lose and have to replace?

Q6 Possums are a great problem as they eat so much vegetation and Kiwis say the best possum is a dead possum. How many dead possumsdid Dave and I see on the day trip to Cape Reigna?

Q7 What do possums and polar bears have in common? WELL DONE JAN - hollow hair

Q8 How many different beers has Dave tried in the first week in New Zealand?

Q9 Q What time was sun rise (at Rere NZ)? It was lovely.

Q10 Quess the nick name of the Eagle Ray that Dave and I felt?

Q11 What animal did Old MacDonald have on his farm - a clue - its a bird. WELL DONE JAN - Peacock which liked to do its stuff on the deck of the cabin next door.

Q12 What level was snow at in Km on the Tongaria Crossing.

Q13 (at Hunters Vineyard) of the 9 which was our favourite wine?

Q14 (Thursday 21st Dec) what is our current driver's name?

Q15 (Next activity - Maori dancers and somehow both Dave and I managed to get up on stage. Dave did a sort of Hakka and I did a wellknown part dance.) What dance did I do?

A couple of walks en route including a trig walk to see snow covered mountains and sea at the same time and on 22nd in the evening we arrived in Franz Josef which is where I am writing to you from now. I am bizarrely in a red bus looking out the window at snow capped mountains and blue sky with just a few clouds in the sky. How is that for a view Mr Denton!

We took a heli-hike trip this morning, a glorious cloudless time, and flew in helicopters up over the Franz Joseph galcier and then landed on the ice. The advantage of being small is that I sat at the front although it was a bit of a shock when we started to dive to turn to land. On the ice we attached talons to the hiking boots we had been given, picked up our ice axe and followed our guide for a wander round. We climbed up and down over the rough terrain, passed through a narrow ice gap and climbed through a hole. There were a few cracks and drops to the side of me which were a bit bigger or deeper than I would have liked, but Dave of course was unphased and wanted to know why it was so slow! We had a bout an hour and half walking around on the galcier, seeing the blue ice, before the helicopter returned to transport us back to base. A beer at the pub after, sitting in the sun eating a caramel slice and then a spell in the hot tub afterwards and it is still sunny and shorts weather. What a great day. And I have seen snow before Christmas, although from what i heard there might be more colder stuff down towards Queenstown and there shouldn't be!

If we don't get to blog again before Christmas, and lets face it there is drinking to be done tomorrow night and we have a long day ahead travelling all the way to Queenstown, we wish you all a very Happy Christmas. Enjoy. We'll be thinking of you as we are at 'The Orphan's Christmas Dinner' complete with a drink, roast, Santa and a Maori show. We're looking forward to it.

Thursday 21st we drove south via the Buller Gorge to Barrytown a old mining town which now consisted of a pub, a few houses and a school. En route there were lots of scenic photo stops and we visisted the pancake rocks and blow holes although we didn't really see them at their best as the tide was low. In fact to tell the truth Dave and I didn't see them at all and came out wondering where they are but some of the others said that were unimpressive and not really 'working'.

Before morning coffee / shopping stop the driver.....

Q what is our current driver's name?

..... said we would have fancy dress tonight and the theme was geeks with a prize for the winner, so very relunctantly (as Dave and I don't like that sort of thing) we found a chriety shop and bought some clothes. After our BBQ tea we went and got changed and to everyones suprise, including yours I am sure, I walked in in a dull grey dress accompanied by Davina, an older lady in greeny/grey dress, black stockings, red shoes, blue handbag and dare I say it I suspect her long white hair may not have been her own! Very possessive of her handbag Davina played pool whilst holding on to it all the time. Perhaps that was to keep hold of her prized possession a book entitled... ' 1,000,000 Things You Didn't Need to Know about Signal Box Levers'. It was the start of a lively night, including free drinks which the driver owed us, dancing on the bar and Davina bless him winning a free bungey jump. It was a great night with nearly all 16 of us dressing up including the 2 Japanese girls who just laughed when they saw Dave.

Thankfully we had a lie-in the next morning (we'd nicked the driver's bed as it was the only double) and had a much needed lie-in. Others went bone-carving or kayaking.

Shortly after arriving on the South Island, our driver realising the sort of people that are on the bus, stopped at Hunters Vineyard for wine tasting. We tasted a total of 7 wines many award winning etc.

Q so of the 9 which was our favourite wine?

Back on the bus we drove on to Abel Tasman where we were staying at Old MacDonalds Farm, with a selection of animals. Dave and I had a small cabin with a nice deck to sit on in the sun. We booked a sailing trip on a catamaran with a guy who alledgedly had been inside for bank robbery and Dave accordingly nicknamed him Robin. We were picked up the next morning and driven to the beach where 8 of us boarded the Cat. Sometimes there are things you don't want to know, and the fact that it was the skippers first week and previously he had driven the motorised water taxis was one of them.....

We motored up the coast visiting Split Apple Rock etc and stopped at Anchorage Bay for lunch and a walk around to a cave which looked like it had an elephant coming out of it. We had sailed for a little of the time up but sea breezes tended to get stronger in the afternoon so we were hoping for a good trip back. We called in an island and motored round it as there was a fur seal colony on it, but there were only a few that were a bit sleepy so we didn't even bother taking a photo - the ones in The Galapogos had played and been more fun to watch.

As we headed home the sail went up and we gained speed. The other Cat in the group sped off into the distance as it was more of a racing Cat and then our skipper had no-one to watch. We stayed on the same tack for a long time heading out to sea, (do Cats usually drift around at the front as they sail? I don't know), and then more or less took the sail down and motored round to change direction before setting off on the same tack again. To say I didn't feel very confident of the skiper and his mates abilities was getting more of an understatement. Eventually he decided he couldn't cope with the wind and the sail came in (maybe damaged as there was a loose rope) and we motored back. (Where were the Darvills when we needed them, with all their practise they could have sailed us or at least motored us into the sun so we had some nicer weather!)

They said it was freak winds as it changed 350 degrees in 10 minutes and that loads of kayakers were having to abandon their boats as it was too windy and get the water taxis back. We weren't too sure; it was a little bit of a disappointment and given a choice we would be on a yacht anyday.

And on that farm he had a .....

Q I'll leave you to guess but a clue - its a bird.

At Old MacDonalds is where we are now waiting for the bus... but moe on that later.

Back to Taupo.
Lovely weather but not a big town and as we didn't feel the need to jump out of aeroplanes we sat by the lake and had a drink. The lake is bigger than Singapore, so a fair size. Back at the hostel it was happy hour and then the bar was still open and then there were other pubs to visit so it was what you'd call a big night. In honour of our friends in Horley Fellowship who were having their do 13 hours later is how I like to think of it.

The next day was foggy in mind and weather which is why we had had a late night and not an early one. The Tongaria (sure you don't spell it like that) Crossing was cancelled due to poor weather so no early start and 7 hour walk for us. In fact the coach journey was pretty bleak with little to see in the mist.

Q what level was snow at in Km on the Crossing.

Anyway The Peak next accommodation was superb so a great place to relax.

Next onto Wellington where we went in the museum, walked along the waterfront, went up the cable car, had a nice fish meal and stayed in the accommodation the queen stayed in in 1953 (decor hadn't changed) before catching the ferry to Picton and the South Island and nicer and vineyards :-)

As mentioned Rotorua is one of the places where the earths crust is at its thinnest so after arriving in Rotorua, staying in a nice modern backpackers with nice kitchen, we went for a wander to the local park to look at the boiling mud, bubling hot pools and fenced off areas where stem rose from the ground. One had erupted earlier in the week throwing mud and stuff over the nearby trees and bushes etc.

Dave cooked and we went to a local pub to use our free beer vouchers (The Pig and Whistle as it used to be a police house) and then back to the Lava bar for the beach party complete with sand on the floor of the bar. Great for people watching.

We made an early start the next day and got a bus to Te Puhia where we had a guided tour, learnt about Maori culture, looked at traditional buildings, some Kiwis in a bird house and saw the erupting geysers (pronounced guy-sers). Lots more boiling mud (my favourite) and various bubbling water etc were also around the park.

Next stop.... Taupo.

We didn't really look around Rotorua, just ate out at a new restaurant - very nice and left the next morning on 'Sunny' a different pass which goes to East Cape or East Anglia as I like to refer to it. A minibus of just 9 of us, it was a long days travelling in nice sunshine to Hicks Bay, via a traditional Maori meeting place and church in Rotorua, and a beach stop for lunch where Dave chatted to a gut with a motor that took his fishing lines 1.5 km out to sea.

At Mel's place the accommodation we were staying at, the Maori guy there held a hungi (meeting in our honour) and Dave was one of the two Chiefs amoungst us to speak and say hello. Dave and I had another caravan, this one with a view of the sea and rocks from the foot of our bed. We had bought food for a shared bbq and after a few of us played Trivial Pursuit - not a good idea at the best of times but when it is the New Zealand version it is even harder. My advise if ever you play is that when in doubt in the Uk version you would guess Paris, guess Rotorua.

We hoped to go fishing the next morning but it was too windy and suprisingly it was also too windy for s0me of the others to go horse riding - we weren't having cyclones! We went for a walk and tried to chill out but the weather wasn't that good and the Maori host didn't make us feel very welcome - he had lectured Richard (the other chief) on lack of respect as we had left the bottles and cans out (tidily) after our game waiting to find the recycling. Eeverything seemed to revolve around 'lack of respect'. The driver took us for a drive to an Oil (tree oil) shop and a nearby wharf. After a nap we were then given a talk on traditional Maori tatoos before we finally had time to ourselves and Dave cooked Venison Sausage Stirfry. Superb.

Ah the dunny... nearly forgot to mention it too faced the sea too and had a gap cut out and glass put in so you could 'sit and do and look at the view'. Nice view but not very relaxing after the first time I saw one of the guys peering in at me trying to see if it was occupied!

We left Joes and headed for Rere and headed for FUN! Leo and Dean at the accommodation were very laid back so no tight rules.

Dave and I spent our first night in a dorm. So competition - this one only open till Dec 22nd - how many nights will we spend in dorms in our trip?

We went rock gliding which is one of the top 101 things a Kiwi should do. I was very nervous but after a couple of goes with Leo helping me (!) I went down twice on my boogie board with Dave next to me and I cut him up both times. I laughed so much the second time I couldn't get out the pool at the bottom. Next to some other thermalish pools and lastly a waterfall that you could walk behind. All good fun ad a great drive through scenic wine country and hooting the car horn at sheep to make them jump. We had a bbq and sat round the fire, watching shooting stars.

So did I mention we were right on the east coast? The sea was at the foot of the bed and so was sunrise.

Q What time was sun rise? It was lovely.

Then I dozed for a bit before we went to feed the Sting Rays. They do lots of eco tour type things form there and Sting Ray feeding was one. We went out to a ledge in the reef in our waders and waited for the sting rays to come round. They nuzzle up your leg looking for food, quite wacky. We also saw one Eagle Ray which has a flatter head and more pointer fins than the Sting Rays.

Q Quess the nick name of the Eagle Ray that Dave and I felt?

As Leo fed him we had our hand next to his to feel it. Great. An excellent few hours on the East Cape, we left with a smile on our face and headed back to Rotorua - a place smelling of bad eggs (ie sulphur) and one of the places in the world where the earth's crust is at its thinnest.

(written part in Rotorua - just a backpackers & also in Taupo. I think they should have more licenced internet cafes (keep pubs as pubs, licence the cafes!)

So here we are, Monday, at Waitomo Caves Info Centre, somewhat south of Auckland. We have just been to see some Maggots burning their poo or as the marketing guys like to seel it, we went into a cave of glow worms. Don't really need to tell you much more about what glow worms really are, enough said. We went into the cave and in the light we could see just a few of the glow worms and the silk threads hanging down that they use to catch their food. Further in we got into a boat, turned all lights off and drifted down stream. As we became accustomed to the dark we could see more and more glow worms until the ceiling became like a whole new universe.

Saturday we left Auckland, and en route we stopped in a small town where we saw a Santa parade - like the Hayling Carnival but wishing you a happy Xams. At Hahei Dave and I had a double room which was actually our own little caravan. Excellent. We walked to Cathedral Cove and saw the view and caves etc and then back at base the driver took us to the thermal beach where we could dig in the sand and make ourselves a hot water bath. After much discussion and much disagreement on where to dig, ( some water was too hot and some just cold) we ended up with enough room for about 4 of the 13 or so of us. That is the problem of arriving a little too late on a saturday - the prime spots had gone. Off the beach we could see dolphins swimming. Back at the site the driver cooked a massive bbq where quantity wasn't a problem. We also had new zealand mussels and also pipit (?) shellfish picked up off the beach which were a bit sandy.

Yesterday we moved onto Ragland and spent the afternoon on a very windy black sanded beach in a howling gale (ok not north london tornado style, but very gusty). (By the way did you know the uk has more tornados per land mass than any other country?). dave and I attempted to practise volleyball before the driver took us to see the impresssive 55m Bridal Veil Falls.

thats it for now... off to Rotorua

Well it has been good to get the texts and emails syaing you have been enjoying the blog but we need a few more of you to sign up for the blog comments so you can join in the quiz..

Latest table..

After 3 questions (in order of response..)
Darren 0
Jan 0
Paula 0

So you three are entitled to new guessses on the first three questions and here are the next questions...

Q4 What was the name of the sailing yacht we went on? G? cheating is allowed.

Q5 What did I (Margs) lose and have to replace?

Q6 Possums are a great problem as they eat so much vegetation and Kiwis say the best possum is a dead possum. How many dead possums did Dave and I see on the day trip to Cape Reigna?

Q7 What do possums and polar bears have in common?

Q8 How many different beers has Dave tried in the first week in New Zealand?

look forward to hearing from you.


PS Am writing this in a backpacker place in Ragland having just had spicey burgers for dinner.

We arrived in Auckland and made our way to Royal Oak where we were staying with Rebecca & Matt (R&M),(Margs worked with Rebecca at CP Ships). R&M took us on a tour of Auckland starting with one of the highest points, One Tree Hill, now 'No Tree Hill' after some Maoris attacked it (having hired a chainsaw from the company Matt worked for. Next Mount Eden so we could see the view of One Tree Hill and also the proposed site for the World Cup stadium - renevating the current old one. Down towards the water and we ate & drank in the Viaduct area. The tour continued but after a couple of beers, the jet lag caught up with me and I only saw glimpses of Mission Bay, the museum and whereever else they took us.

Monday was Admin Day - washing, shopping, money etc preparing to go up north. So Tuesday we started to Stray - ie started the firdt of our trips with Stray Travel. The bus headed north towards Paihia and we stopped to see the Kauri trees - very big trees, some as old as 800 years but about only 3% of the original forest areas remain due to deforestation of the years and no new trees can be cut down. Further on we visited a bird rescue centre and got a chance to stroke a kiwi bird - of the feathered variety. Larger than I thought. Oh the only other thing we did was see England throw away a draw in a bar after a chaep BBQ.

The Wednesday from Paihia we made an early start on a trip to Cape Reigna in the far north. More of the rare trees and on to the light house at the Cape where you can see the Tasman Sea (on your left) meet with the Pacific Ocean (on your right) and you can see the different coloured water where they meet. (sand I reckon!). Next Sand boarding. Dave hurled down the hill on his thrid attempt and dramatically came off as he was too far forward, although his previous two attempts had seen him reach the stream at the bottom of the hill and get his shorts wet. Not liking steep slopes and knackered after climbing up the dune I had one bungled attempt which was very unsuccessful.

We then hit 90 mile beach a long sandy beach which is only 64 miles long. (It was called 90 mile beach as the farmers reckoned the cattle would walk 30 miles a day and it took 3 days. - the cattle were obviously a bit slow). We stopped at intervals for photos before heading back in shore and down to teh Ancient Kingdown of the Kauri tree where you could buy beds, dinning room furniture, coffee tables etc for vast sums of money. These Kauri are from the swamps - there seems a great supply of these trees that have been preserved in the swamps from before the last ice age. The centre piece of the museum is the staircase carved out of one single section of trunk. Special foundations were put in place and then the tree carved out (total 6 man months) and the buiilding built around it. New Zealands best fish n chips on the way home and back to Paihia where we had a couple of drinks and games of pool (Dave beat a couple of challengers) and great photos of the moon rising of the town of Russell.

Thursday morning we boarded the G? a 65ft sailing yacht, which initially motored us passed penguins and onto an island for a walk round and then sailed us back. Dave was very helpful with putting up and taking the sails down where as the skippers mate comments 'Margs likes to sit and look glamorous and take photos' - if only it was that easy! I did however steer it back to Paihia where we had to get the coach back to Auckland. Top tip if near Royal Oak and you want something to eat - try the Lucky Horse - a Chinese cafe which serves portions twice the size you are expecting - we could have shared one but having ordered two we got stuffed!

Friday - Admin Day - Dave bought himself some trousers and we visited Victoria Market where I bought something. In the evening we went out with R&M to a local pub for food and having moved to a quieter spot when the DJ started a random woman tried to climb up Matt to turn up the volume on the TV when she saw Rod Stewart was on. Strange.

With a garland of flowers round our necks our first views of Samoa was during the transfer to our accommodation. The Samoans live in open houses with wooden poles round them and a wooden and palm leaf thatched roof. As we drove along we could see them sitting in their mosquito nets or watching their big screen TVs.. Our accommodation was an old colonial house -not an open air fale - on the beach near the capital Apia and so you can imagine me writing this there with gekkos climbing the walls and making their noise - not sure if it is vocal or not?

An early start in the morning, we left our main bags and were ready with just rucksacks to go to the other island Savaii. Pity the cabbie wasn't ready and was 20 minutes late, even more so when the ferry pulled out just as we got there. He said the next ferry was in two hours but it wasn't so we waited nearly four hours till the next one. We should have got the bus, it would have been twice as long as the taxi, but we'd have got the same boat and it would have been a hell of a lot cheaper.

Docking on the other island, we found our bus, it was full. But the locals realising it was the one we wanted, got off, took our bags off us, got back on with us and we set off only to be stopped 100 yards later by the police as Dave was standing in the stairwell. We and the bags got off. After discussions that it was our bus and no we didn't want to wait three hours for the next one, everyone standing on the bus squeezed up a bit and Dave and I and the bags got back on the bus. Dave was on one foot and I was on two next to each other so balance wasn't good, but as we were so crammed we couldn't go anywhere anyway. It was a good 10 minutes before anyone got off. About 15 minutes later I was given a seat and later Dave sat too. It was about a 50minute interesting journey.

The beach fales, right on the beach just screened by small palm plants, were the traditional wooden fales with panels of woven palm leaves on the sides for privacy. They had an electric light, floor mats, matress, pillows, sheets and a mosquito net. Oh and part of a coconut shell that you could use as a brush to remove all the sand that got in. Shared facilities were in a brick building a few metres away. The beack was beautifl white sand and was lined with cocnut trees and there was a volleyball net but half the court was washed away so a bit unfair on the rules.

Dinner, much needed was beef, fidh, rice, cucumber and a veg that looked like pineapple and tasted great. The night before there had been 20 staying, but our first night there was just 6, so Dave and I shared a couple of Vailima beers and rambling (The Gatwick-style) conversations about films, drinks, old peoples homes, travelling etc with a german girl and three people from the Czech Republic. Thankfully their common language was English. We retired to the sound of the sea, (the waves broke on the reef further out) and gekkos running about the fale. I ws pleased of the mosquito net so the gekkos wouldn't crawl on me.

Breakfast was fruit, toast, fried egg and pancakes. We tried to sort out our island day tour but there were insufficient people to run it, so we considered a bus to the the far west to look into 'tomorrow', we were on the world's most westerly island, but the thing the lonely planet didn't say was they only run once a day so we would have to come back the next day. Hiring a car was another great idea until we realised we had left driving licences in the luggage on the main island Upolo. We looked at emails on the net but as it was 20 minutes to look at 12 emails we decided it was too slow for the blog.

So a chill out day, spent sleeping, reading (we both read a book in a day, that tells you how little else there was to do), swimming, taking photos and doing nothing. It was very relaxed but a little frustrating as we had hoped to see the various sights on the island. The showers were cold but as it was so hot and humid it wasn't a problem, you waited until you were hot for a shower and you soon warmed up again after. Dinner was chicken, fish, rice, sweet and sour sort of veg and we had lost one of the CZech guys but were joined by and American guy and his Samoan dad. A short chat and and early night, ready for an early start.

We missed breakfast and caught a bus (less crowded, we got a seat) to the ferry, to miss that one as it was just pulling out too. We hated ferry wharfs as we waited another two hours, and we'd finished our books! The other side we caught a bus to the main town to the bus station. We got off, got on another bus went to another bus terminal and back to the first one. Another passenger advised us to get off and get a taxi as he was driving round looking for passengers! We got off and found a food court, we had missed breakfast after all, and then walked to the accommodation. By the time we reached the colonial house it had taken 7 hours from the beach fale and we were a bit too late to go to The Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Samoan laid back ways don't match with tourists trying to see the sights in 4 days.

We went snorkelling at the local Marine Reserve, ok and refreshing but not over exciting. We did however, meet a couple who recommeded a round the island trip so we booked it. We also decided we hadn't really seen much of the active Samoan life so went to a Fia Fia night with buffet and saw the traditional Samoan dancing and lads performing the Fire Dance which looked very dodgey to me, all that baton twirling with fire both ends. The show was good and we made a good effort to try all the different things on the buffet.

We were of course the youngest on the day tour, which took us round the east of the island and showed us beaches, waterfalls and view points. As we drove through the villages the guide explained the Samoan way of life, the hierarchy in villages, funeral rituals, how they survive cyclones (it is cyclone season) etc. He was proud to be Samoan, feared the culture was dying and was very interesting. Lunch was at Lalomanu beach, another glorious white beach with fantastic snorkelling. For those keen divers and snorkellers amoungst you, we saw.... lots of coloured and stripey fish :-). The driver and guide cooked a bbq lunch and we relaxed after before heading for more waterfalls. We also spent time with a guy who explained all the benefits of coconut trees and there are loads, and made coconut cream for us. It was a good trip.

Back at the colonial house, only the young girl was working as the others were all at the Xmas do - a drag queen competition. She clearly didn't like being alone and so decidedd to make us the traditional Samoan 'Cava'. So we sat crossed legged and drank the 'dirty water', thought of you Darren! Then I was taught Samoan dancing, followed by Dave being taught the man's dance. Hopefully the video came out. :-) A Kiwi guest returned and as we wouldn't be leaving her on her own we left in a taxi for the hotel where our pick up was and waited till gone midnight for our transfer. As we sat and waited we discovered our bitten we were by the mosquitos and we were sitting targets to be eaten even more. Dave's foot was swololen with bites and we both itched. As we boarded the plane we weren't sure we would return to Samoa, our only memory at the time being mosquito bites (oh and the cochroach at the airport), perhaps photos in England will change our mind.

so vital things to know if you go Samoa...

The pace of life in Samoa is very laid back and very chilled which is great.............
...BUT ALSO VERY FRUSTRATING.

Don't try to plan to get anywhere in one day.
Don't try to see more than one thing a day.
Most paces, tour operators etc don't take credit card.
Beware of mosquitos - they eat lots!
Plant a coconut tree - they are so useful, everyone should have one.

On the plane we slept through Saturday (3 hour flight) and arrived in NZ on Sunday.

Not much to write ... but I liked the subject title!

From Oz we flew to New Zealand, with an airsteward who Dave thought was like Jim Carey.
After a while at Auckland, we flew to Tonga, met off the plane as it refueled by military guard and heard rumours from people told to leave of riots etc. We stayed long enough for me to buy a sew on badge to prove I'd been there and the plane to refuel. It was Tuesday night. And hour or so later, we landed in Samoa, it was now late Monday night. Tuesday was going to be a very busy day - the busiest and longest day of our lives! Very strange.

For those of you who are wondering and the one who actually asked, I will tell you where I would have written this (not where I am) if I had had the time etc. This and the previous Oz reports would have been at Sue's. The ones I wrote were at Sue's dinning room table, not necessarily an exciting venue, but if I had taken the lap top thr few metres outside into the backyard I would have had a view of gum trees, eucalyptus trees and been serenaded by Kookaburas and parrots / paraquets. A very chilled setting with national park area only metres away... that was out 'home' in Oz, thanks Sue, it was much appreciated.

So not too many entrances in the competitions so re the Oz ones... her are the answers.
We were going out and Dave was trying to find a pair of trousers only to remember there we hanging in the wardrobe in Singapore.. oops! And I am Rudolf - um Red nose!!

Anyway Monday, we got a lift of Karlyn and a train and arrived in the city and met Jess for lunch. Those in Horley may remember Jess who was barmaid in the Gatwick pub. Great to catch up with her if only briefly. We walked through Chinese Gardens and went into the new Australian Wildlife Centre - home to only native animals. We learnt lots of great facts eg did you know there are more nocturnal reptiles (or was it snakes, or was it just animals (be good if I actually remembered the facts)) than day ones. Eucalyptus leaves are toxic to Koalas so the first thing they eat is a special poo from their mum which gives them all the necessary bacteria.! We saw parrots, butterflies, insects of all sortes, loads of snakes, spiders, lizards, lots of nocturnal creatures (I think they should put infra-red next to them so you can find where they are), wallabies (my fav), koalas, etc. A good place.

We walked down to Darling Harbour and had a drink, tried to pretend we weren't POMs (lost the 2st test by then) and then back to the pubs in the Rocks we'd been to with Sue. A walk, a ferry and a walk and we met Sue, her brother Ian and Karlyn in Balmain for a farewell evening drink.

Sue, being the perfect hostess to the end drove us to the airport, joined us for breakfast and later texted us to tell us the Airbus 380 was landing in Sydney. We found the gate and although we didn't see it land, we watched with a hord of airport staff as it taxi's to the gate. A big plane!