Friday, 15 October 2010

Middle Earth - Well, Auckland anyway

Quick update before we head on out of Auckland on our New Zealand leg of the tour - can't wait to see something slightly prettier and 'outdoorsy' than Auckland. We had planned to be here for 2/3 days whilst we found a camper van and planned a route but because we are ridiculously bad at making decisions we have ended up staying a week! oops. The days pretty much went - camper? car? van? tent? camper? car? camper? car? stay in NZ for 2.5months? don't stay that long? stay? don't stay? arrrrrgggghhhhh! We thought we had fund a compromise with a car that turns into a bed but at the last second found that camp sites are as expensive, if not more so than hostels to camper van stay soooo as it is actually still quite cold in New Zealand and will be even colder on the South Island I decided we should stay in hostels because I Do Not want to be running round freezing campsites from shower to van wrapped in just a towel. I have 'promised' Duncan that we can camp out a couple of nights on the North Island as well as when we get to Australia...we'll see.


So Auckland... it is freaking cold here after the tropical heat of Fiji! We have stocked up on extra jumpers and long sleeved tops. We found some funky vintage clothes shops in the K road area and a market area similar to Camden called Victoria Park Market, although it wasn't as big as Camden.


Guess what the best thing about Auckland is though? It isn't the Sky Tower which gave us 360degree panoramic views of Auckland and information about all the different landmarks. It wasn't the really cool pub with table and floor lamps attached to the ceiling and the most difficult and high-tech pub quiz I have ever seen. It wasn't Kelly's Aquarium and Antarctic featuring the cutest penguins, hugest stingrays, shark tunnel and various other tropical fish. It was, in fact, visiting the Parnell Village with it's cute village shops with large bay windows, brick cobbled streets, and wood direction signs. This place is home to the best Hot Chocolate I have EVER had! (I forgot my camera this day so sadly have no photos) It was huge, dark, thick and glooped off the spoon. Topped with cream and chocolate shavings ...DELICIOUS.

Time to get the hire car now and explore Middle Earth, xxx

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