29th February
Did blog from Hamilton but ran out of time since we got 20minutes free and it was all over before I knew it.
Hamilton is quite a pretty place compared to the one at home. Not connected at all.
Main street is called Victoria Street and we went to look at 29 but it was a car park.
The Bay of Islands was fantastic. We were on board a jet boat all day and we sailed among the Islands with all their history. The final thing we did was head right out to Cape Brett and the skipper went into a cave which he said was going to be a hole right through sometime and then to our surprise we went straight through the Hole in the Rock. Quite awesome!
Next day we took the trip to Cape Reinga which is the northernmost tip of North Island. Wendy would like it because it has a lighthouse.
From there we went to some huge sand dunes. They are at least fifty feet high. We got out and the driver produced boogy boards for those who wanted to sand board down. Your Dad went down twice. I think I have a video on my wee camera!
Through the dunes we went to Ninety Mile Beach (actually 64 miles long) and we drove south in the special coach all the way. This was after we had to get out and wait while the coach was towed out of the wet sand and our coach then towed another coach out when they got stuck. Just like Northern Ireland.
We are now in the sulphur area at Rotorua. Your Dad can't smell a thing so you know how much sense of smell he has!
On our way here yesterday, we went to the Waitomo Caves. We went underground and saw stalacmites and stalactites but the most spectacular were the glow worms. We sailed on a boat in the river in the cave and had to be so quiet otherwise the lights would go off. It was just like a very starry night. Beautiful. We then went to Agrodome where we saw the sheep, shearing, dogs and cow milking. As it says in the guide book--- a bit corny but very entertaining. When we came out it was very wet which spoiled our visit to the Wildlife Park. We did see the very shy, rare kiwis in their nocturnal home but it was not very nice walking around. Could have spent more time on a good day.
Today we went to the Te Puia Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and Thermal reserve. We saw the geysers(pronounced guisers)and the hot mud. Sat on a stone to rest and it was lovely for a wee while but was quite hot. Even the paths were hot to walk on. This afternoon we went on a "Duck" tour --- an amphibious land/sea craft built at the end of WW2 for the beach landings. We went into the Blue Lake and another one (forgotten the name for now) and a wee tour round the around the area on land.
Getting ready for our Maori Hangi Dinner and Concert now.
Will let you know how that goes later.
Glad to hear the sale went through OK. Emmotional but one less thing to worry about for MO.
Hope all well and Abi enjoyed her camp.
LOL M&D
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Friday, 24 February 2012
Have left Aukland today and driven up north to a place called Paihai which is very historical since that is where the Treaty of Independence was signed by the Bristish and Maori Chiefs. We had a really good guide at the Treaty Grounds. We saw the Treaty House of the British Resident and the Te Whare Runanga (The Meeting house, Maori Waka ( the thirty five metre long war canoe).
We were the only two from our group who went on the Bush&Beach tour from our hotel in Aukland. So we shared a guide with a young Canadian girl from Alberta. We went into the tropical forest, saw a lovely waterfall and ended up on a beach on the West Coast very close to where the film "The Piano" was filmed. We really enjoyed getting out into the countryside.
On our city tour in the morning we visited the Aukland Museum which was built originally as a WW1 war memorial but it had been refurbished a few times since then. We went to see the Gallipoli bit and got emotional all over again. The museum is best really for its Natural History section.
Getting to know the folk on the group but there is a tendency for those on the Hong Kong extension to stick together.
Good to know the messages ae getting through.
Hope dogs and everyone are fine.
LOL M&D
We were the only two from our group who went on the Bush&Beach tour from our hotel in Aukland. So we shared a guide with a young Canadian girl from Alberta. We went into the tropical forest, saw a lovely waterfall and ended up on a beach on the West Coast very close to where the film "The Piano" was filmed. We really enjoyed getting out into the countryside.
On our city tour in the morning we visited the Aukland Museum which was built originally as a WW1 war memorial but it had been refurbished a few times since then. We went to see the Gallipoli bit and got emotional all over again. The museum is best really for its Natural History section.
Getting to know the folk on the group but there is a tendency for those on the Hong Kong extension to stick together.
Good to know the messages ae getting through.
Hope dogs and everyone are fine.
LOL M&D
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Well, guess where we are?
We arrived in Aukland at 11.30am local time and it is now 1.30pm
Flights are long and not too comfortable but at least they were both overnight so to speak. No more flights for three and a half weeks!
Hong Kong was amazing and we packed such a lot into our two and a half days. We did a city tour which took us up to the Peak to view all round but nowadays there seems to be a haze most days. We had a really lovely guide called Tak. He was so informative and amusing. We went up in the funicular rail and you could feel the g-force it was that steep. We went to Stanley Market where the expats live and relax while working for the big companies in the city. We had a ride in a sampan in Aberdeen harbour where there used to be 50,000 people living as the boat people. They have mostly all been tranferred to skyscrapers and have given up fishing.
Another couple and us shared a taxi next morning and went to see Chin Li Nunnery and the Kowloon Walled City both very interesting in different ways. In the Afternoon your Dad and I went on the Star Ferry back onto Hong Kong Island--- seniors free! We then caught the Ding Ding tram which runs from East to West of the island. No matter where you go you pay getting off and seniors were $1 (10p). We ended up at the terminus with the tram and in order to go back the way it came it went left up the middle of a busy street market. The stalls were varied but the one I loved to see from the top of this tall narrow double decker tram was the one with the live fish tanks!
Next morning we went on a tour to the New Territories right to the border with China! Quite amazing to see the city of 11 million just on the other side Shenzen. Industrial factories and high rises by the hundred.
We saw a taoist Temple right in the middle of another market and a walled village belonging to the indigenous folk of Hong Kong. One man died in 2005 and he was from this family and was an MBE.
On the way back we went to the original border called Boundary Road now and went into a bird market . This is what elderly men in HK do to pass the time. But it was so sad to see these beautiful birds in tiny cages.
As you may have gathered we did enjoy our time there. We ate Thai and Chinese (real local one but they were lovely to us) .
Both fine looking forward to meeting the rest of the group (27) . We were 11 before. One couple from Carnoustie.
Love M&D
We arrived in Aukland at 11.30am local time and it is now 1.30pm
Flights are long and not too comfortable but at least they were both overnight so to speak. No more flights for three and a half weeks!
Hong Kong was amazing and we packed such a lot into our two and a half days. We did a city tour which took us up to the Peak to view all round but nowadays there seems to be a haze most days. We had a really lovely guide called Tak. He was so informative and amusing. We went up in the funicular rail and you could feel the g-force it was that steep. We went to Stanley Market where the expats live and relax while working for the big companies in the city. We had a ride in a sampan in Aberdeen harbour where there used to be 50,000 people living as the boat people. They have mostly all been tranferred to skyscrapers and have given up fishing.
Another couple and us shared a taxi next morning and went to see Chin Li Nunnery and the Kowloon Walled City both very interesting in different ways. In the Afternoon your Dad and I went on the Star Ferry back onto Hong Kong Island--- seniors free! We then caught the Ding Ding tram which runs from East to West of the island. No matter where you go you pay getting off and seniors were $1 (10p). We ended up at the terminus with the tram and in order to go back the way it came it went left up the middle of a busy street market. The stalls were varied but the one I loved to see from the top of this tall narrow double decker tram was the one with the live fish tanks!
Next morning we went on a tour to the New Territories right to the border with China! Quite amazing to see the city of 11 million just on the other side Shenzen. Industrial factories and high rises by the hundred.
We saw a taoist Temple right in the middle of another market and a walled village belonging to the indigenous folk of Hong Kong. One man died in 2005 and he was from this family and was an MBE.
On the way back we went to the original border called Boundary Road now and went into a bird market . This is what elderly men in HK do to pass the time. But it was so sad to see these beautiful birds in tiny cages.
As you may have gathered we did enjoy our time there. We ate Thai and Chinese (real local one but they were lovely to us) .
Both fine looking forward to meeting the rest of the group (27) . We were 11 before. One couple from Carnoustie.
Love M&D
Friday, 3 February 2012
Trying out again
Beginning to get excited again. Dad got currency and I have downloaded several books to the kindle and so all set.
love M&D
love M&D
Monday, 3 October 2011
Final lap
Since so many people were getting off at Trondheim, we had our farewell dinner last night. It was fine with a lot of palaver but OK. Woke up in Trondheim very early. Had our breakfast and up to the Centrum at eight am. We got as far as the Cathedral and back to Husflidden but that has gone quite upmarket now and there was nothing we fancied. Nearly got lost on way back to Nordnorge but made it with five minutes to spare.No further long stops until we disembark in Bergen tomorrow at 2.30 pm local time. Saw your photos. You both look quite pleased with yourselves!Lol M&D
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Concert etc
Great to know you are receiving. It is quite a struggle to get onto the net sometimes.
The Concert in Tromso was excellent. Three blokes--- a baritone, a wind instrumentalist and a pianist/organist. Singer was so pure it was lovely. The Sibellius was "Be still my soul" and they did an Irish melody which was "Be Thou my Vision". The rest were Norwegian or Sami folk music.
Yesterday afternoon we boarded a smaller vessel in the Raftsundet--- a narrows near Trollfjord--the boat just kept the same speed as the big one and we crossed without incident along a gangway. This included a baby in a carrycot of about 4 months.This was for the Sea Eagle Safari. And boy we did see them. The ladies held out their hand with food and the gulls came to pick it out of their hand. Then the eagles came at the side and were fed a fish. Trying to get a picture proved very difficult. You had to focus on where the fish was thrown and try to snap as they swooped down. We saw at least eight or more.
Hope the running did well. Love M&D
The Concert in Tromso was excellent. Three blokes--- a baritone, a wind instrumentalist and a pianist/organist. Singer was so pure it was lovely. The Sibellius was "Be still my soul" and they did an Irish melody which was "Be Thou my Vision". The rest were Norwegian or Sami folk music.
Yesterday afternoon we boarded a smaller vessel in the Raftsundet--- a narrows near Trollfjord--the boat just kept the same speed as the big one and we crossed without incident along a gangway. This included a baby in a carrycot of about 4 months.This was for the Sea Eagle Safari. And boy we did see them. The ladies held out their hand with food and the gulls came to pick it out of their hand. Then the eagles came at the side and were fed a fish. Trying to get a picture proved very difficult. You had to focus on where the fish was thrown and try to snap as they swooped down. We saw at least eight or more.
Hope the running did well. Love M&D
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