Auckland

The days following our Waihiki island trip were great. I met Chris my childhood next door neighbour for a walk to mission bay. We sampled some of the 'world famous in new zealand' lemonade and had some chips down on the front.

Later that day I went to play Ultimate Frisbee with Kat. It was really, really fun. Unfortunately I did smash a small girl square in the face from about two meters away; I think she'll be ok, I heard black eyes were all the rage anyway!

Kat also got a far more spectacular smack in the face, accompanied by a nose bleed! It really wasn't her day as we finished early as she sprained her ankle.

Friday night brought with it more than its fair share of drunken debauchery! I met Chris for his leaving drinks. All that I remember from the night is that I had a good time. I received a text at 5am from someone called Katie. Katie simply told me that she had never seen someone doing such crazy dancing and that I was very funny.

Saturday I was of course a shell of a man. My only productivity came from going for a walk, then Shopping with Joe. We spent sooo much time In this random TJ Hughes style shop and ended up buying some pretty trendy matchin pyjamas. 

Sunday and my final full day in Auckland I bought a car. My mechanic roommate Tomas and his girlfriend Sabrina came to help me pick a good one. Tomas, with his limited English was very funny. He would be looking at a car and then simply walk off muttering "no good, next car." He also had some great chat with a woman trying to sell us a car, he kept pointing out all the (many) flaws politely as she tried to flog me what was evidently a piece of shit!

I finally bought a Shiny silver Nissan Pulsar! Very exciting!

After the car market Joe and I visited the Pacific island festival. It was really good fun with lots of live music and some fantastic food.

Once that all closed down I dropped Joe back and chilled at Mt Eden for a bit while I waited for Kat to get home so I could come over.

Waihiki island

Today Joe, Charlie and I rented some mountain bikes and hopped on the ferry to Waiheki island.

And what an Island it is!

We zoomed around the roads and bike paths cross country and down along spectacular bays. As I was chief leader and navigator, it wasn't long before we hit obsticles!

Trying to follow the 'bike path' up to a view point. Very curious that this root was listed on the biking map seeing as it involved about a million steps!

Once we had scaled the summit of the beautiful cliff face we hopped back on the saddles. Here I had a bit of trouble also. On trying to turn a sharp corner a made a super slow motion fall off my bike to the delight of Joe, finding it hilarious that my head was less that 3cm from a big pile of animal poo. He got his comeuppance shortly after with a hilarious tumble of his own. Just when we were up and running I tried to jump a ditch on the bike and this time slow motion fell straight over the handle bars and flipped over. I was then stuck straddling the handlebars like a wear spooning position. Charlie had to try and de-tangle me as Joe was laughing too hard.

We peddled through the rain and stopped for lunch under cover of a children's playground.

Shortly after lunch the sun came out to reveal glorious blue skies. We found a rope swing on a golden sandy beach. We all had a go, including Charlie who took a lot of cajoling. Joe and I also tried to do some matrix wall running to very limited success.

On the way back to the ferry terminal we stopped at a charming little winery for a while to sample what New Zealand has to offer. Before enjoying a spectacular sunset on the beach.

Back to Auckland

Yesterday was the last day of the tour. After a beautiful and fun hike through the forest past riverbanks, mangroves, waterfalls, and thick woodland with Norman we got back in the bus for a long trip back to Auckland. 

The long delays due to roadworks and accidents didn't dampen our spirits. I fact it spurred us on. We were singing songs and playing games the whole way back!

That evening I hit the hay pretty hard for a busy day today.

Today I ran the coast to coast walk....twice!

I did the 16km one way walk taking in mount Eden and one tree hill during the afternoon. It was good fun but a bit too far! My legs were giving out, on the way back, I just had to keep trudging on! I can barely walk this evening but I did meet Jana in the kitchen and I think she's pretty keen to join our road trip.

More of the Bay

I didn't get off to a flying start this morning!

I set my alarm nice and early so I could enjoy the sunrise. Long story short I slept straight through it along with the five minuet long alarms set to try and rouse me from slumber.

When I finally did get up the skyline was still beautiful.

The trip continued to be taken from a dream as I enjoyed a steaming bowl of porridge in the golden morning sunlight looking out to sea.

Once my porridge was well digested we went for a snorkel and a hunt for sea Urchens to eat. There were soooooo many fish, it was fantastic. All different colours and sizes! The best thing was the captain, who had come in with us, showed me if I craked the spikey Urchens open the fish would eat the animals innerds. So I spent about an hour diving down under water and feeding all of the crazy coloured fish. My best customer by far was a unicorn fish -I doubt that is the breeds real name but it did have a spike on its head-.

After the fish frenzy I got warm again as I had opted out of the wetsuit resulting in me shivering like a jack hammer! No place better to warm up than on the shores of a deserted golden beach!

We had a bit of a hike, played some touch before swimming back to the boat. Here Hendrick, Ryan, Norman and I had a shot of sea urchin guts.

I spent the rest of the day in the life boat reading my new book, life of pi.

We got back to land at around 3pm and Norman and I enjoyed a fun game of tennis until it was time for dinner.

That evening we had a few drinks -a few meaning I lost count- and a bloody good boogie. We had silly wigs out, Rhianon got on Karioke and good times where had by all.

Bay of Islands

After meeting with my new tour group last night we rose early this morning to drive up to Pahia, the gateway to the bay of Islands. 

We made three pretty cool stops on the way up to Pahia. We stopped at an old community jail for some classic picks in the stocks and also with the hugest tree ever!

The next stop was by goat island for some snorkeling. Although bloody freezing this was pretty cool as I got to dive down in the crevasse between coral beds and see some pretty huge fish. Hendrick our tour leader had brought a rugby ball so it was great to get that back in my hands as well!

Our final stop was by a spectacular waterfall. The surroundings were so lush and green with the drop was simply perfect.

And then we arrived in the small town of Pahia, and to 'The Rock'. The rock was to be our home for the next 24 hours. A perfect old fashioned tug boat. The inside completely wooden with fishing rods and sea memorabilia adorning the walls and charming rafters. Complete with a pool table, which was an interesting choice for out at sea exploring and bar.

After we Haad made ourselves at home and played a game of very wobbly pool the paintball gun came out!

A rubber duck was tied to the back of the boat and we all had a good go at shooting at it. Amazing fun and a good team builder.

With the excitement of the shooting my mischievous side came out. No sooner had we stopped motoring had I corrupted Norman a German chap in my group and we jumped from the top deck into the sea! A great idea, until we climbed back aboard to a furious captain!

We got our wrists well and truly slapped but were still allowed to do a bit of fishing.

The best thing about fishing was Rhiannon, a welsh girl who caught one of the first fish. She made it clear she liked the idea of having a photo with her fish. Until she actually saw it and became terrified of the slimy active little bugger. Her face was a picture when Louis, a crew member, tried to get her to kiss it!

I got two hooks, but only one of which was a fish! The other was very exciting! It was clearly a big one as it was moving around an aweful lot. It looked like Norman had got an equally sized bite. We wrestled and pulled, only to find out we had hooked one another! 

After a spot of fishing we had a beautiful BBQ dinner as the sun set over these little volcanic patches of paradise.

After the sun went down was when the magic really started though. We took kiacks out into the tranquil bay. At first I didn't understand what was happening. With every sweep of the person in front of me's blade the water seemed to change colour, a vibrant greeny blue glow. I thought it must just be a trick of the star light reflecting off the water so I spent my time looking up at the stars with Rhianonn and the other girls on the trip. 

As the surroundings got darker the paddle strokes got harder to explain. The water was glowing, but surely it can't be, but then the guide explaned. Living in the water are billions of single celled organisms that absorb the light in the day time to give it off at night when movement occurs.

Tonight was the single most magical night of my life.

I plunged my hand in the water, the bright green/turquoise light shone vividly around my hand. As I moved my fingers the glow came lighting up my palm like magical cool flames. A sweep of the arm and the rich glow would linger just long enough to light the gentle ripples of the oceans surface. As I was enjoying this natural light show my attention was taken by the rich dark purple sky. A shooting star streaking overhead burning out amongst the diamond like lights shining down out of heaven onto me.

I'm not by any means an emotional person but I could not fail to understand the majesty all around me.  

I paddled back to the boat slowly, enjoying and memorising this staggering experiance and praying never to forget theses solitary moments I had just spent with the world.

I grabbed my snorkel and took the plunge again. This time to have the cool flames dance off my entire body. Giving a blazing glow to light my path as I swam through the cool water out to a dark area not too far from the front of the boat. 

I could never tire of the beauty around me or the feeling of childlike happiness being so close to nature this evening had given me. Eventually I swam slowly back to the boat.

I arrived to a crowd, each with expectancy and marked joy spread over their features. As I climbed aboard, unfortunately, these looks changed to a variety of mirth, disappointment and confusion.

I Had not been missed on the boat. When someone had spotted my subtle glow in the distance, and the smooth repetition of my stroke, combined with the regular puffing of my snorkel exploding as I exhaled they had worked themselves into a frenzy! So disappointed they were to see me, most slumped back of to the fire place. 

They had mistaken me for a dolphin!

Final destination, well kinda...

Off I went, to my final country and home for the next twelve months. New Zealand.

In the style I have become accustomed to; I made this last trip incredibly hard for myself.

At the airport with an hour to spare, passport safe, all looking good.

"And where is your Visa sir?" The kindly pacific island woman asked... Shit.

In my excitement I had forgotten to actually read my visa confirmation email past the word confirmed in the second line. The rest said I had to log in online as a user and confirm and print the documents. I ran down the travelator like a 1990's gladiator! I think my gladiator name would be 'sunburn' or maybe 'catastrophe' I would pick one of them as I feel the obvious choice 'Dickhead' wouldn't get past the itv commissioning committee pre watershead.

It doesn't end there. I got to a computer. What's my username??? I have $2.39 on my mobile. A very rushed call to New Zealand immigration and a print fee that felt as good on my wallet as prison rape and off I go, checked in and ready to go!

The flight was at least un eventful. I waited a few hours at the other end, excited about the final leg of my trip for Cat who had kindly offered to pick me up. Unfortunately as 8:30 rolled around I realised my Australian sim was not working... Bugger. Hand in the pocket time again! I paid out for the pay phone and used all of 20 seconds of my 10 minuet minimum spend to find out Cat was just outside.

Cat, who I had spent Christmas and new year with picked me up and took me to her lovley home. I bonded with Brendon, her housemate straight away as he was off to get a kebab! I jumped in and had a munch before a well earned rest.

The next day I got a bus into the city, after Cat had gone for business in Dunidan. As I was checking in who do I see but Steine. The girl I had undercharged for her trip and ended up taking to a pool then BBQ on the Yarra river bank!

We had a strole along the quay before I left for another knowledge bomb at the Maritime museum. The museum was distinctly average until I found the museum tour, which I swiftly joined. I later found out it was a tour organised for a cruise ship! No wonder I was the youngest by 40 years!

Later that afternoon I met Joe. I say met Joe... He tried to make me jump but accidentally ran square into a glass wall, bouncing off like a startled fly, leaving me at first confused then laughing my tits off!

After we devoured an entire chicken I met my bay of Islands tour group for a beer or three.

Last days in Melbourne

After getting to bed at 6am on Saturday night/Sunday morning a relaxed day on Sunday was a necessity.

A huge group of us went to the park and had a BBQ, played some frisbee and generally had a good time.

In the evening Joe and I won my first ever game of beer pong! We took Charlie and James down!

Monday evening was also going well. Before as a leaving present I did two suicide shots with Billy and Clay (snort the salt, drink the tequila and squeeze the lemon in your eye). This was followed by going to bed to find my mattress had been robbed. 

I then hung out with Charlie for a little longer before joining my room mates Danni, Brendon and Amy for a four person cuddle!

Another highlight of my final night in Melbourne was striding across the bar to my ex-room mate and saying "that's a nice jumper Tom, where did you get it?" The cheeky bugger had stolen my only jumper and by chance had decided to wear it on my last night!

I took no shit and eventually got it back!