Splash Planet

Today we had a brilliant day and just what was needed to lift me out of the down in the dumps mood into which I was sinking. We got up fairly early had our usual weetabix with honey (4 for Sam, 3 for me and about 12 for Will) and then we drove to Splash Planet about 20 mins up the road. This is a water park and we were a bit worried that the rain which has dogged us for the last two days would continue... but it held off. If you went to a theme park in England when the school hols had just started it's rammed and you have to queue for at least 2 hrs for each ride and it costs about £70 to get in... but not in NZ, this is when the lack of people is a blessing. We paid £35 for the three of us and took a picnic of salmon and avocado sarnies and spent the day shooting down tubes into massive swimming pools. It was brilliant. We also played crazy golf, went on go-karts and jungle buggies and spinny dingy things. Whilst we were there we met up with a family from the camp site so Sam also had more kids to play with and honestly, there were no queues... unbelievable.

We spent all day there and left as they closed the gates, we drove back to the campsite and cooked up a pasta with mushrooms, courgette, aubergine, asparagus, onion and garlic with tomato and cream sauce mmmmmm... followed by chocolate and red wine (coke for Sam). And we have just realised that we have now passed the 4 month mark today!!

I would attach a picture from the splash planet but the stupid camera broke again (we will have to pick up a new one in the Jan sales) so instead here's a picture of all the lovely surfers from the Mount... by the way Mum and Joni thanks for the girly hugs xx

Xmas time...

We are still on the campsite in Napier and Sam has spent two very happy days playing with his mates on an enormous jumping pillow, in the pool and is currently zooming around on a go-kart!! The site is full of kids which is brilliant. Meanwhile Will has gone mountain biking with his friends and so I am sat here in the computer room waiting for the computer to charge and feeling a bit sorry for myself because I want a friend to play with too!

The guy Will is mountain biking with is the one whose house we are going to over Xmas, we met them yesterday and they seem very nice people and it sounds like there will be quite a few people arriving at their place over Xmas. This will be good as it's cool to have people around but it also makes me a bit nervous as they are all people that I don't know and I hope they are all nice! This is where boys and girls don't work the same way, Will says 'Of course they are all nice, they're my friends' and logically I know that, but being a girl it's also nice to get a hug and a bit of re-assurance, that's when you miss your girly friends the most!

Today me and Sam went for a walk into town and had a cake and a drink in the local bakery, we agreed that we really like Napier as it's a big town but not so big as to be overpowering and it has the Xmas spirit that was missing from Gisbourn. There's also quite a bit to do here and we will visit the water park and the aquarium over the next couple of days. The weather here is changeable at the moment and swings between being overcast and drizzly to sunshine but so long as it's not raining lots it's fine. We will head to the Mahia peninsula in a few days (I can't believe it's nearly Xmas - It doesn't seem so close!)

Attached a picture of the van and Don (the lovely guy who lent us his workshop in the Mount)

Napier

Today we drove to Napier which is a pretty cool town and is the Art Deco capital of the world having been re-built in the 1930's following an earthquake. We wandered around the town for a bit and had some lunch and then drove to a camp site in town in the hope that we would find some kids for Sam and guess what - we did! Sam now has a new friend called Shane who he has been happily playing with for the last few hours.

Tomorrow we will go to 'Splash Land' which is a big water park nearby with loads of slides etc and probably a great day for Sam. As you can tell we are starting to settle into life in NZ a bit more now and the lack of people and funny green hills isn't quite so daunting anymore.

That's it for now as am typing in the dark and can't see the keyboard and we are finishing a bottle of red wine. Will says please all pray for waves!!

Moaroara springs... I think

Last night I had a stern word with myself and have managed to stop moping around, in fact we had a lovely day today. We woke up and drove to the local store where we picked up some bacon and then parked up by the river and had for breakfast a lovely greasy bacon butty complete with posh ketchup mmmm... it beats the weetabix which we have had every day since we arrived in NZ and none of us can face eggs again after the overload in South America.

Full of breakfast we drove 50k up the coast to a place which has hot pools which you can bathe in. The pools are set in a lovely rainforest environment and we walked in the rainforest for 30 mins until we came across the pools. There were 3 pools, one was freezing, one pleasant and one boiling and so we hopped between the three (well I avoided the cold one) and chatted to a couple from Bournmouth a couple from Holland, a couple from Germany and a guy from Chile. It was lovely, sitting in a hot bath for an hour or so. Sam played in the river and tried to climb a tree (unsuccesfully) I like it when he does things like that it reminds me that he is only 12.

Tired and happy we drove back to the same camp site as last night and are now sat in the van, Will sleeping, Sam reading and I'm about to make tea (butter chicken curry with beef) and do French with him. Tomorrow we are heading inland to a lake in a nature reserve where you can hire boats etc which will be brilliant... see I had forgotten that you have to go out and make fun things happen to have fun.

Mahia... I think

We have finally left Gisborn and drove down the west coast in search of somewhere new to stay. The road was windy as ever and still reminding us of tellytubby land, took us over a mountain pass and into the clouds so it was super foggy. It's a bit drizzly here today. After the mountain pass we realised that we had little fuel and no cash so we stopped to find out where we could find these things... as I said before, these aren't exactly the busiest towns around. We were told that there was a petrol station and a cash point 8k away at the Mahia Peninsula so we headed in that direction and filled up but we were unable to find a cash point which would take our cards. So back into the van and we drove around the peninsula... it was very pretty but guess what? No people!! I think I have agrophobia and am developing a fear of empty open spaces filled only with sheep!! We drove on to the next town, I'm afraid I don't know the name (only that it begins with a W) and so we decided to spend the night here as there are lots of people and shops etc. It's very pretty and we are camping by a river.

I don't think it's necessarily that I need to be in a town because I was fine in Nicaragua and El Salvador in which there were very few people, but there was at least a nice little community and I think that's what was missing in Gisbourn... oh listen to me moan, perhaps I should just stop thinking about it and get on with it! Emily I will follow your advice, we are headed to the South Island and then will head back to the top of the North Island and do the Coromandel etc as we have heard that it's lovely, where did you live when you were here?

We also spoke to Will's friend who owns a house on the Mahia Peninsula and has invited us for Xmas. There will also be an 8, 12 and 14 year old there so happy days for little Sam. Right off to mark Sam's English and eat a spag bol prepared by Will.

Jolly nice people

Today Will had his tooth extracted and is doing fine (although he can't eat tonight he he he). Will and Sam both had a surf this morning and Sam is really pleased as he has been getting some really good waves. We went to the YMCA to see if there were any kids activities going on but it's different to England as they don't seem to have any holiday schemes here for the kids, I guess they must all just go to the beach. You would think that now school has finished the town would be teeming with kids but it's not, you would also think that just before Xmas the streets would be filled with people doing Xmas shopping but they're not, it's all very strange, where is everyone?

I have to keep reminding myself that we aren't in England and that everyone smiles at each other here, and just because someone is smiling at you it doesn't mean that they want anything from you or are a bit strange, it's just that they are generally really friendly, trusting people. Perhaps it's because it's such a new country and doesn't have all the mistrust and grumpyness that seems to come with being English (or in fact European). As I like smiling at people it's great that people smile back, although occasionally it is nice to slip back into a bit of UK grumpyness and not smile at anyone for a while.

I think we may move on from Gisborne in a couple of days. I can't say I have really bonded with the place it's an odd town and as I said before it's a bit empty. Next stop Mahia peninsula and hopefully a tonne of kids.

Thanks for all your comments on the last post it was lovely to hear from you all and we love you all lots. Grandma Lynne how about we schedule a call at 9pm your time tomorrow that's 10am our time the following day?

Toothache

Today we went to the dentist as Will has really bad toothache, we went to one who said they only had one dentist and directed us to another with 4 dentists and they agreed to see Will. It turns out he has a decaying tooth and can either have root canal which will cost a fortune or just have the tooth taken out tomorrow so he has opted for the second.

It was also a day for sorting out things like flights to Bali etc and checking out our insurance (for dental cover) etc. It's nice and warm again here although it fells quite muggy tonight and I hear they may be rain coming for the next few days but we'll see. We have bought steak for tonight which we will cook on the campsite BBQ and have with a salad. It's nice to be able to cook our own meals and obviously saves us cash as well (that said we did have a McDonalds for lunch, but that was so we could use their free wi-fi)

Life in the van is still ok. We have quite a routine going now for setting up the beds in the evening and folding everything carefully away in the morning and we all seem to sleep quite well although the bed is giving me backache if I lay on my side but it's ok if I just lay flat, we also still have to sleep on a bit of an angle as the beds a bit short. Sam seems to sleep well although he claims he's not (which means he may have opened his eyes once in the night). This evening I am going to read my NZ book to try and find some stuff to do on the way south. I would like to visit a Mauri site with Sam as I think it would be educational for him and there is an interesting relationship here between the Maori's and the European settlers. It's a bit like the UK I think in that the government would like to think that all is ok and they make efforts to incorporate Maori culture into everyday life, such as using the language on the signs etc... but the people say that there are still lots of divisions and that things can't be smoothed over as easily as the government would like to have you believe... but that's only the European point of view it would be interesting to hear the Maori side... although the Maoris do look quite big and scary.

Yesterday I was having a 'what the hell am I doing here' day. Just walking along wondering why we are travelling around the world and why we are not cosied up in our house in England enjoying the winter snow, mucking out in the freezing cold and drinking mulled wine... but then I chatted with a few people and realised that this is just as good only different. That it's nice to experience different cultures and see the way that people celebrate in different ways. When I say to people here that I miss the snow they look at me like I am a complete lunatic! I guess holiday times make you nostalgic and Xmas is a time when we would be together with friends and family but it's only a year and we have already done 4 months!! I don't want to wish my time here away but being away does make you appreciate what you have left behind (I think I felt like this before - sorry if I'm repeating myself).

I think one of the problems is that we are not yet in a proper routine here although one is slowly starting to form. It's good to be able to update the blog again ( pics coming soon) and Sam and Will are surfing again. I am also getting back into a book and have started yoga again today and schooling is back under way with a regular pattern, so I think once the routine is more settled so I will feel more settled.

Right off to cook steak and drink red wine - it's not a bad life ;)

Camping

If you think the English weather is crazy you should try New Zealand!! Today we woke up to lovely sunshine after a boozy night on the campsite. A few couples got together and drank wine and beer (and some jamesons!) and we had a lovely steak salad whilst Sam played with his friends Tom and Will. The drinking went on until about midnight when the Jamesons ran out and the noise levels were getting a little too loud for camping comfort... needless to say there were a few thick heads this morning and a few red eyed people wandering around the site. One couple were the parents of the kids, another Scottish couple have just emigrated here and are driving around until they find somewhere to stay. Then there were the friends of the couple with the kids and a random couple from NZ who are travelling for 6 months in a big converted horse box!

This morning we went with the other family for a surf around the bay and I chatted to a man in a car for about 40 minutes whilst Will and Sam went in the sea with the kids... Sam got some fantastic waves. Then we had an amazing burger and Sam had a whopping ice cream. This afternoon we have chilled out at the camp site, studied some French, done the laundry and had a nice shower. Most of the campers have left now as the weekend is almost over. We will stay a few more nights as Will wants to see the dentist as he has a whopping toothache. We have just met another couple travelling from the UK (unfortunately no kids).

So now we are off to find the leisure centre to find more kids - wish us luck.

Cccccold....

I know i have no right to moan whilst most of you are buried under 10 ft of snow in the UK but when the sun isn't shining here it's blimin' cold. And today is one of those days, it's amazing how much the weather can effect your moods. Yesterday was brilliant sunshine and good waves, we wandered through town and bought some xmas pressies and best of all, a van pulled up next to us on the camp site with a 13 year old and a 16 year old complete with lovely mum and dad. The kids surf and the parents drink wine and beer, perfect.

Sam spent the evening with the boys and we chatted with the parents (Martin and Michelle) about the trip and bless them, they have invited us to stay when we get to Australia. So all was well... and then today we got up to clouds and wind and it's cold. But we have a plan, we are going to check out the olympic sized pool here and see if they have any kids events on over the holidays and there is a golf course we are going to find so all is not lost.

Life in the van is pretty good and the sleeping arrangements are working well. Last night I made a disgusting stir fry, tonight maybe pizza hut (don't fancy cooking in the rain). Must go now as Will is going to call his Mum (Dee, have you had the baby yet?)

Gisbourne

We woke this morning to sunshine (thank god) and spent the morning pootling around the campsite, Sam enjoyed watching the TV for half an hour, a rare opportunity for him these days and Will sorted all the food out in the van. Then we went for a walk around Gisbourne. As it's the 'Surf Capital' of NZ we were surprised by how un-surfy the town centre is, with only two surf shops and about 20 book shops. Still it is a nice town and looks a whole lot better in the sunshine... even the waves have picked up and it looks like the boys will get a surf today (hooray).

We have decided to stay a few more nights on the campsite, generally there are more kids around on the weekend so it will be a good chance for Sam to make a few friends. We have also had a chat with the tourist info people so we can see what kids events are coming up over the holidays here as the kids break up from school next week... so it's looking good for 2 of our 3 requirements we have surf, kids (almost) and so far no coffee shops but I have had to give up coffee as Ellie turned me back into an addict and I had a raging headache for the first day that I had no coffee so I have decided to ease off for a while. As for future plans... we have none... we want to do the North and South Island and will probably stay for a bit with Will's friend on the Mahia peninsula. Right now I am headed for a lovely hot shower, Sam is back in the TV room watching 'Wizards of Waverly Place' and Will is out in the sea worrying about sharks... happy days!

The East coast

We have now left the Mount and have driven around the top part of the East coast and are now in Gisborne (the most Easterly place in the world) and the place where the sun rises first. Captain Cook discovered this place and there is a big statue of him here and lots of roads named after him... driving through NZ is a bit like driving through tellytubby land or a lego land. The landscape is made up of green hills and valleys covered in even greener trees, with the occasional lake or river shimmering at the side and sheep dotted around. Every so often you will come across a farm house along the windy road and perhaps a farmer herding sheep along the road and everyone gives a little wave as you pass. It's very unpopulated and the towns that you come across have a few houses, a village shop and not much else! It looks like England but with palm trees but it's a bit strange because there is just no-one here!

We of course drove in search of waves but didn't find any until we got to Gisborne, where we are now going to stay a few nights. It's raining here and very dreary (we miss the Mount) but perhaps the sun will come out tomorrow. That said, we are all in good spirits and have found a nice place to camp tonight. The site is on the sea front and has a building with a nice kitchen and a games room so we don't have to stay in the van to cook and get everything damp. Sam has been reading gossip mags on the drive over (well, he said he was reading but he could have been looking at all the boobs)!! He is now clued up on who is marrying who and who is divorcing who in the celeb world - very educational. The van has proved to be a success and Will laughs at me (and gets cross with me) because everything has it's place and I am super organised... still he was grateful when I could quickly lay my hands on the sowing kit to remove the urchin spine from his foot!

Right now Will is cooking a butter chicken curry, Sam is doing science homework and I am updating this. I think we will stay in Gisbourn for a while and see what delights it holds for us. Love and miss you all.

Back in the game...

Well, thanks to the lovely Brett and Ellie we are now back in the game and more blog posts will be coming your way (and more pics once I upload them). The reason that Brett and Ellie have saved the blog is that they have now left NZ and have left behind their internet connector with us... they have also left us loads of food and cutlery and bedding for our van which is now finished, We used Don's workshop and built a fab table in the van which collapses at night and turns into a comfotableish bed... it's very swanky. We have lovely foam mattresses which were professionally covered by Don. Sam has a fold out foam mattress which was professionally covered by Coralie (Ellie's next door neighbour) and all these lovely people helped us out and gave us their time and their stuff for free,,, we love NZ!

We have all surfed and me and Ellie went for a lovely horse ride on the beach, we have eaten lovely food and are just having a great time. Yesterday we spent our last night with Brett and Ellie and a couple of their friends, Jamie and Mattie, at a music festival near to Mount Maunganui. A music festival here is very different to UK, it's a much smaller scale, more like a local festival, with a beer tent, a small stage and maybe 100 people, but it was great, we sat in the sun and drank a few beers listening to the music and Sam played rugby with a few kids. The festival finished at 6pm (bless) and we went to the campsite which was beside the river and free... Sam, Will and Jamie went in the river on the surf boards for a paddle and then we had a BBQ as the sun went down. Sam also had a go at fishing with his mates and has decided that he would like a fishing rod from father Xmas this year. All in all it was a perfect evening and we were very very sad to say goodbye to Brett and Ellie this morning :(

We drove back to Mount Manganui and decided to do all the touristy things we had missed out on. We walked up the mount which took about an hour and was beautiful (Will went in bare feet and is now foot sore!!) then Sam and Will went for a surf and afterwards we went to the hot springs for a soak, followed by a kebab!! We are all now in the back of the van parked up by the sea and Sam is reading, Will is snoring and I am updating this... sorry it's been so long I'm sure I have missed out loads of things. I hope you are all not freezing too much in the UK. Me and Sam wish we had snow but we have a Xmas tree in the van, loads of tinsel and advent calendars (much to Will's disgust). More updates tomorrow evening as we head off up the coast on our NZ roadtrip.