Paihia and Points South

So, we're leaving Paihia today, on a beautiful sunny day. The weather has actually been pretty humid and very hot, so not ideal, but Carrie and I have been wave-jumping and the kids have been fooling around on the shore, so all is going generally pretty well. Tim has gone for walks, and yesterday, the Cockburn Hellums went over to Russell on the pedestrian ferry (sounds odd, like walking on water, but you know what I mean). I stayed in the cool air-conned hotel room and slept for a while. Then we tried to get to dinner in the hotel, but the restaurant was full of a group having a buffet, so we ordered room service and ate in our rooms. We have a lovely view of the ocean, but I think we'll be camping for a while hereafter. We've camped one night, at Taputaputa, the northernmost campsite in NZ. It's just a few minutes from Cape Reinga, and gorgeous. Unfortunately, one of the tent's flaps got left open, and we got bombed by mosquitoes until 3 am, when Tim discovered the problem. No-one slept very well, but running around in the surf the next morning made up for it. The tent itself is huge - Tim can stand up in the middle of it with about 6 inches to spare - but when we opened it for the first time, it had muddy footprints and leaves and the end of a balloon inside, plus, worse, it has a hole in the bottom. We have to wash the bloody mosquitoe squishings off but after that we're taking it back, or at least having something to say to the people at Kathmandu about it.

We're off to Auckland this morning, with a stop at Goat Island Marine Reserve on the way down. We'll be spending the night in Auckland, then heading to the Coromandel, a short visit with David, and then Hot Water Beach. Can't wait. After the week at Hot Water Beach, we'll be heading over to Waitomo for the glow worm caves and black water rafting, and then around to Rotorua and stinks. Again, can't wait, except, perhaps, for the stinks. The time is passing quickly and everyone is enjoying themselves. I'll write again when I can, and perhaps post some pictures of the kids running around on the beach at Taputaputa.

I hope everyone is well and keeping warm, unless you're in NZ, and keeping cool. Mum, the picture of the amaryllis is just beautiful. Thanks for posting it, and thanks, too, for posting the picture of the hoarfrost. It's hard for the family here to remember cold, and the picture reminds me of it, those beautiful crisp cool sunny winter mornings. Joyous, those memories are. Carrie still can't believe she's in NZ. I know just how she feels. It took me years to believe that I was here. I'm believing it more day by day.