Baba´s Kiwi Newsletter – 8
Kia ora lovely readers!
I hope everything´s alright
with you. I´m still doing great :)
Another month passed by and
2/3 of my year are over. The last few weeks were quite emotional: Goodbye to my
colleagues at work, to Wellington (at least like I used to know it
for the last few month), my flat and somehow my home I was allowed to enjoy...
But then something else
starts: TRAVELLING with the best brother in the world ;)
Day 219 – 236 / GOODBYE
WELLINGTON
JEFFERSONS
After an „old“ flatmate
(who lived there 1,5 years ago already) asked if she could move in again I gave
up my room for the last 2,5 weeks and moved in with Adam. Even if it is early
days and we are not togehter for long yet we both considered it a good test and
a challenge ;)
Wellington gave me a
wonderful last day with sun and a fire – just beautiful!
MAREN
I even managed to catch up
once more with Maren, and her friend from germany, in Wellington. They have
been to Samoa and checked out the north island before they headed of south.
Unfortunately they had really bad luck with their Camper which they bought from
a german couple. They seemed to be nice but actually sold them crap and just
after Auckland the motor already started smoking... and that from your OWN
compatriot :( sad!
BLENHEIM / GOLDEN WEDDING /
73. BIRTHDAY
On my second last weekend I
did it again and made my way to the south island to celebrate Jenny and Ian´s
golden Wedding as well as Ian´s 73. Birthday. This time I was on the smaller
„Bluebridge Ferry“ and got a little bit sea sick – but without vomating! ;)
First of all they forgot to
pick me up as busy as they were and then the ferry was an hour late – which
matched again with the pick up then :D
I think I haven´t entered
the house yet, immediately got a full glas of wine and was asked if I can do
cake icing... GREAT :) Right in the center of action on a friday evening we
prepared the room, iced the cakes and even had dinner in between. After Ian 1+2
arrived from Christchurch with the 3 kids we had a full house ;)
It continued the next
morning and just before it started Pip arrived as well, almost directly from
Australia. The celebrations were nice and later we went for chinese food and
watched rugby afterwards.
And as well sunday morning
it went on with cooking and baking as it was Ian´s Birthday. The weather was
fantastic and we just had a buffet in the living room and sat outside the sun
shining on our full belly´s :)
It was a great change to
Wellington – especially the weather ;)
JOB
After the last two weeks at
the Reserve Bank I got an „apprentice“ fort he last day to show him what to do.
Unfortunately no one else applied fort he job so they have to continue with
temps for now.
As well on that day I found
out (from my agent at the temp center) that the bigger boss from the Cafe
wanted to buy me off (from the temp center to spotless) and make me work for
Spotless. What should I think about that? In the beginning he had problems with
a temp handling cash (which I actually could understand) and after 3 month he
wanted to give me a job...
Sue and Kylie (my
colleagues) organised a „High tea“ to celebrate Kylie´s 30th birthday coming up
and my goodbye. As a goodbye present they gave me a New Zealand cooking and
baking book – I was really happy J and touched!
Besides that I´m looking
forward to my holidays and not having to work :)
CAR
Baba Black Sheep is doing
great :) After I got a jumper cable and a bottle of oil as a
goodbye present from Adam it runs smooth! As well the first week on the north
island it ran great and didn´t complain. Fingers crossed that it stays like
that!
WEATHER
The spring in Wellington still didn´t get
better and is cold, windy and rainy. On one weekend we didn´t leave the house
again and stayed with indoor activities as well as sauna and spa. The weather
is defo nothing I´ll miss ;)
ROADTRIP
Day 237 – 240 / WELLINGTON
– TAUPO – AUCKLAND
On a Wednesday morning then
I started to make my way up to Auckland. I have to say that the driving or
better left traffic feels normal now :) It was a wonderful
day and so I took my lunch break in Taupo and after 8 hours finally arrived in
Auckland. It sounds like a long drive but actually it doesn´t feel like as the
scenery is just beautiful.
Luckily I could stay with
Pip and as the next day was still nice we drove up Mt. Eden, went for Thai food
and to a Shopping mall.
Friday night we were
invited by the neighbours for dinner and I had my first „Pawa“ (the inside of
some Mussle). It was great – but it is as well unbelievably expensive!
12 at night the time has
come – I picked Martin up from the airport ;)
As he could feel the Jetlag
a little we spent Saturday still in Auckland. With his first „Pie“ in his belly
Pip, Ian and Frances took us to the beach, to see Gannet colonies and after
that we visited 2 vineyards for some wine tasting. Later we even had Fish
´n´chips and Martins first day in New Zealand already turned out quite „Kiwi“ :)
Day 241 / AUCKLAND –
OMAPERE
Sunday morning we headed off
direction north. Up the westcoast through the Kauri Forest to visit Tane Mahuta
(the biggest Kauri Tree alive and very important to the Maori). I forgot about
the really curvy streets up north and how long it can actually take you
(without a german Autobahn). But his is the great things with Roadtrips – you
can be spontanious :)
Day 242 / OMAPERE – CAPE
REINGA – AHIPARA
After an early start we
took a little ferry to cross an arm of sea to get to Ahipara. We dropped our
luggage at the „Endless Summer Lodge“ and continued, armed with bodyboards, to
Cape Reinga. Was quite a drive but it was worth it again: great weather,
stunning views and for 15 minutes we were actually the only persons at the
lighthouse :) WOW
On the way back we went
sandboarding down the giant dunes and checking out Ninety mile beach couldn´t
be missed. A long and wonderful day ended with fireworks as it was Guy Fawkes
night.
Day 243 / AHIPARA – PAIHIA
– KAWAKAWA – TUTUKAKA
From Ahipara we drove
through Paihia (lunch breack) and Kawakawa (that´s where Friedrich
Hundertwasser has chosen to live and built this little place some toilets to
say thank you – and now all tourists stop here to pee :)) before we arrived in Tutukaka. Hardly any hostels here, we
ended up in a holiday park and slept in the security van as nothing else was
free – but at least better than the car ;)
Day 244 / TUTUKAKA – WAIPU
COVE
Here our first activity was
happening: diving / snorkeling. As I don´t have a diving license I came to
snorkel at the poor knight islands while Martin went diving. Quite cloudy on
the main land we had luck with the weather again :). Fantastic day!
The next night we spent on
a camping site in a hut in Waipu cove, directly on the beach.
Day 245 / WAIPU COVE –
AUCKLAND
There we spent as well the
morning and drove back to Auckland around lunch time to pick up the key to
Pip´s bach and to spend another night in Auckland.
Day 246 -249 / AUCKLAND –
WHANGAPOURA
Another nice day was
waiting for us and so we decided to go up the Skytower and head of to the
Coromandel Peninsula in the afternoon. The view was great as it was very clear.
As well the drive to
Whangapoura had Charme. We drove directly
along the coast with a few great lookouts and views over great bays. As
we arrived at the bach late afternoon we still could enjoy the last few ray of
lights :)
The next day we decided to
follow Pip´s clue and lay on Chum´s beach. This is one of the top 20 rated
beaches in the world and only accessable by foot or boat. So we made our way
over stones during low tide and through the bush to spent a fantastic day on
this beach! Amazing! It is no
secret anymore but at least there are no cars aso.
The weather on sunday was
not as nice anymore so we planned to do the Cathedral cove coastal walk and hot
water beach afterwards to sit in the hot water. Unfortunately it was quite
tight with the low tide and I messed it up as well, so the pools were already
gone and we had to live with a shower at home only. But postponed is not
declined ;)
As the house was booked
after the weekend we striked off down the east coast in the morning and simply
stopped again at hot water beach. And this time it worked :) Even if not the digging – but the sitting in the hot water
hehe. It is always nice! Later that day we drove to Mt. Maunganui – I haven´t
been here, too – where there should be great waves to surf. And here we are now
– waiting for the perfect wave :)
This is it for this time. I
have one more news in regards to Australia: they confirmed me another Working
holiday visa within ONE day :) So I could
stay another year there and work.
I can not really get used
to the warm Xmas. Everytime we see a Xmas tree I got reminded but it doesn´t feel
real... well, after 30 years in the cold with snow that´s not a surprise. I
hope you have a great advents time ahead of you with snow, Glühwein and
everything else needed :)
Kia ora – Barbara
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