Auckland, New Zealand

Arrived in New Zealand!

Took public bus from the airport and was quite surpised to find the bus driver asking me where I wanted to go, so he droped me off right outside the hostel front door! Hostel is huge, has bar and a cafe (with an all you can eat continental breakfast for $5!). Just wandered around the harbour the first afternoon looking at all the huge fancy yachts.

Took a free tour yesterday of North Head and walked over the harbour bridge (looks like mini version of the sydney one), had to wear a harness which seemed a bit dramatic for what it was, good views of the city though. Also went nice little beachy place called Devonport.

Today is the first proper rainy day since leaving home, still warm though. Just wandered around Auckland and went up the sky tower.

Tomorrow i'm going to travel to a region called Northland and the Bay of Island for a few days. Sound like a nice place but I think the weather is going to be dodgy.

last day in oz (for now)

Went to Coogie beach this morning and attempted to body surf on the huge waves, good fun but spent the first 30 minutes getting bashed around by the waves and doing forward rolls on the sea floor, good fun though! Then had my first fry up of the holiday, inch thick toast with all the usual stuff, very nice, sorry no photo this time :-)

Yesterday I walked up the 'east pilon' of the harbour bridge, oddly the pilon is on the south shore which confused me a little. Then wandered around a historic (or so all the guide say?!) area called the Rocks and visited the Sydney Observatory. Continued to take hundreds of photos in an attempt to take the perfect Opera House and Harbour bridge picture, think they need a bit of editing!

Just been busy packing my stuff as i'm off to New Zealand early tomorrow. Will have to come back to Australia. Bit annoyed I didn't take a trip to the Blue Mountains which is not far from here (it kind of looks like a mini grand canyon with trees in the photos i've seen).

Beach again

Took a ferry to a place called Manly with some others from the Hostel. Manly is kind of like an Australian version of a seaside town, not quite the same as Blackpool but I did have some nice fish and chips.

No problem getting onto the internet here, might be more difficult when i'm moving around in New Zealand though.

stuff

Spent ages uploading photos (see link on the right) so running out of time to write this blog. Done lots though:

Opera House
Australia native animal zoo
Harbour Bridge
Bondi beach
Darling Harbour
IMAX (bigest in the world)
Tamamara beach
Botanical Gardens
Woolloomooloo Harbour (yes, thats a real place)
New Year eve at Opera house (I travel half way round the world then spend new years eve with people from Stoke?! good fun though)

Sussed the trains (underground thingy) out and found it really easy to get round. Most people seem to be traveling alone too, so easy to get to know people.

Got a bit burnt at the beach yesterday so trying to stay in and rest today. Watched the cricket and stuff on the tv (huge plasma screen).

got to go, will try write mroe stuff next time.

Happy New Year!!!