Another early start this morning saw us checking out of our lovely little apartment (my new model for the perfect first flat) and hitting the road again to go to Montville, the place to be for arts and crafts in the mountains. We went to the Poets Cafe, a beautiful 20s style verana building with curlicue iron work and art deco windows. We sat outside, under a shade, looking out over the valley and nervously eyeing the horribly large spider on the balcony rail about two meters away. This thing was hairy, black as night and about as big as my hand. Apparently, it doesn't like to bite humans...but I have heard that before, concerning sharks.
We had some beautifully light fruit scones with jam and cream, edging back into the English mentality with morning tea seemed to be a good plan. Then, we had an explore of the boutiques of Montville, enjoying a specialty sweet and fudge shop, an African store and some wonderful glasswork from an artist who actually used to live in Bren's house, the one we are currently staying in!
Then, we found the alpaca shop. I have a small obsession with alpacas and I was actually crestfallen when I decided that it would probably not work in my favour to bring a small Alpaca figurine away with me. Just writing about it brings back the sorrow. Doh.
Well, we departed Montville, sans alpaca, and stopped off only once on the way back to the house to buy sushi for lunch. We ate this on the deck, which has purposefully been aged to resemble Japanese wood, with chopsticks and earthenware mugs of green tea, so as to taste a little of the flavour of Bren and Reg's life in Japan.
Then, I spent about an hour on the phone (or the Skype headphones and mic set, depending on how accurate you would like me to be) trying to persuade Vodafone that I really do want to cancel our broadband contract, as we will no longer be in either New Zealand or Australia.
Since then, I have been spending almost two hours trying to bring this blog up to date! Phew! Meanwhile, Alex has been helping out with the gardening and assembling a photo slideshow to upload once we are back.
So, today is our last full day. Tomorrow, we go into Brisbane to catch our flight back to London. We stop off in Singapore for a few hours, but I don't think they will let us out of the airport. We will be going from our regular 30 degree, sunshine and blue skies, crickets chirupping constantly to the dull grey skies of England, with its rain and its reported -8 degree temperature. Mind you, that was -18 last week, so that is something I suppose!
I will update about the journey when we get back and I have a minute amongst all the reunions and unpacking. We'll put the last of the pictures up and get everything sorted. After that, I plan to try to do a weekly update about our plans for our next big adventure, as well as any other travelling we might happen to do on the way, round the UK and maybe, hopefully, some of Europe, while we save money for the next big trip. So if you are interested, check in every so often, or become a follower for updates.
Thanks for reading!
Since then,
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Purpose
To follow the adventures of Alex and Emily as they journey through the Southern Hemisphere, as well as to save money on phone bills and prove we have not been eaten by sharks.
The Trip So Far
So far, we have trawled accross North Island, relaxing in hot pools on the beach in Kawhia, smelling the Sulphur in Rotorua, Caving in Waitomo, waiting out the rain in Taupo and snowboarding the day away on Mt. Ruapehu.
We crossed to the South Island and went round the West Coast, stopping in Nelson for quadbiking, Westport for seals, Greymouth for the best fish and chips ever. Fox glacier for an icy hike, Mt Cook, Queenstown, cruising round Milford Sounds, getting academic in Christchurch and onwards to kayak Abel Tasman.
Back in North Island and through Napier, sunning ourselves on the beach in the Coromandel, zipping on to Northland, seeing the Hundertwasser toilets and relaxing by the sea in Paihia, finishing back in Auckland.
Now we have no car, and very little money. We are living in a tent in Hastings and there are no jobs to be had. It is thunderstorming. Times were bad.
However, we made it back to Auckland, feasted for the entire Christmas period and then moved onto Melbourne, Australia for New Years Eve! We trained it up to Sydney for the obligatory tourist visit and then went further up the coast to Brisbane. We stayed with Emily's Uncle and Aunt and went all urban, then moved on to Melany to stay with Alex's Aunt and Uncle in the mountains. Now its time to leave and return to Pomgolia, with its freezing temperatures and grey skies. Doh.
We crossed to the South Island and went round the West Coast, stopping in Nelson for quadbiking, Westport for seals, Greymouth for the best fish and chips ever. Fox glacier for an icy hike, Mt Cook, Queenstown, cruising round Milford Sounds, getting academic in Christchurch and onwards to kayak Abel Tasman.
Back in North Island and through Napier, sunning ourselves on the beach in the Coromandel, zipping on to Northland, seeing the Hundertwasser toilets and relaxing by the sea in Paihia, finishing back in Auckland.
Now we have no car, and very little money. We are living in a tent in Hastings and there are no jobs to be had. It is thunderstorming. Times were bad.
However, we made it back to Auckland, feasted for the entire Christmas period and then moved onto Melbourne, Australia for New Years Eve! We trained it up to Sydney for the obligatory tourist visit and then went further up the coast to Brisbane. We stayed with Emily's Uncle and Aunt and went all urban, then moved on to Melany to stay with Alex's Aunt and Uncle in the mountains. Now its time to leave and return to Pomgolia, with its freezing temperatures and grey skies. Doh.
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