Just one or two thoughts on the matter. Probably because of stuff on Twitter about soil quality etc. Round here there are lots of cows and some sheep. Not many dairy cows and fewer than there were, apparently. As well as the piles of sand, there are peat bogs which were drained for farming in the 19thC. Mainly still peat as they have been used … Continue reading Farming

So today, I set off to go to the hairdressers and the money machine. Discovered I had left my purse in my other bag, went back to the bedsit and started again. Hair is shorter but otherwise much the same. $! As there is a cruise ship in town – a small one, according to the hairdresser, only 2500 people. Next week they’ve got one … Continue reading Today, Matthew, I have mainly been spending money

Well, here is a thought. On this trip I have met the nice bilingual Swiss family in Easter Island – parents on a year’s sabbatical from work. At least 3 Germans on the boat – university professor, woman who works in logistics for Nivea and young bloke who works in purchasing for Audi. All on unpaid year off. Then I met two Australians yesterday who … Continue reading Sabbaticals

As going to the northernmost end of New Zealand would involve a 3 hour drive in each direction, I decided to go on a coach trip. This involved a sort of coach / lorry combination with 4 wheel drive which allowed us to go on the 90 mile beach. Which is actually only 88 kilometres long. It was named by Captain Cook on his first … Continue reading The far north

Well today I went on yet another boat. All the way out to The Hole in the Rock – no messing about with romantic twaddle around here! On the way, saw 3 Brydes whales, common dolphins and fur seals. Again, no photos of whales. The dolphins were more cooperative. Got barbecue lunch (included) on a beach on the way back. Very nice. For more about … Continue reading Bay of Islands

So today I have done exciting stuff – laundry, printing out and posting off my proxy voting form – and been to Waitangi, home of the Waitangi Treaty, promulgated in 1840 between the British crown and representatives of the Maori people. Remarkably civilised for its time – especially in light of how we took over a lot of other people’s countries – but the English … Continue reading Waitangi

So my first day has gone peaceably. Breakfast in bed reading the paper, wondering what bird it is makes a noise like an old mobile phone. Paihia is an almost entirely tourist place – at least 4 backpacker’s hostels (one with a bra on the grass outside. A good party one presumes?), several bars apparently specialising in beer and pizza, gifty souvenir shops and many … Continue reading Paihia

Well well. New Zealand tv appears, so far, to be very similar to ours. Bake Off, The Chase, Coronation St, MasterChef etc. Some of them local remakes, some of them ours – Davina just swam past my semi conscious gaze. Am expecting Midsomer Murders any moment. The first night for two weeks that I have slept in a bed that wasn’t rocking! Continue reading An evening in

So we got off the ship at 9am Thursday. Took a taxi to a hotel that offered day passes – dump the suitcase and sit in the air conditioning. Could have used their pool but my costume was still wet from Bora Bora. After a great deal of sitting around, left for Auckland at 2am Friday. That was all there was of Friday as, following … Continue reading Onward….

Last day of the cruise! Wonderful stuff. The staff and facilities are lovely and they really take care of you at all stages. Worth the vast amounts of money. Well, Bora Bora is another atoll, a mountain surrounded by lagoons and expensive hotels. Went this morning to feed black tip sharks and stingrays. The rays will feed from your hand and even nosed up to … Continue reading Bora Bora