Andy & Gillie's Big Adventure!: Idiot dancing is alive and well...

I’ll come to that later. Suffice to say that we have had such unexpectedly lovely weather, combined with wonderful experiences and a dearth of wifi over the last two weeks, that the blog has taken a bit of a back seat. If you care, please accept our apologies. If you don’t – well, you won’t have read this far!

As with many things, in blogland less appears to be more, if you get my drift, so we’ll condense this one into a bit of an edited highlights package, which should be more manageable, dear reader.

Our Airbnb in Auckland was lovely, just a shame we couldn’t have stayed longer, but the open road was calling and we headed intrepidly north, staying in the car park of a community sports and athletics club on the Friday night. Our new campervan, who we have christened Meg is the biggest yet. We can both stand up and move around in her at the same time! And the shower and loo are ‘capacious’ – as the estate agents would have it.

On a whim, we booked a trip up 90-Mile Beach to Cape Reinga for the Sunday and had a completely brilliant time – shooting along the beach in a converted lorry with a coach back, with a great commentary from a very passionate driver. Lunch, visits to The Gumdiggers’ Buried Forest and the cape, plus – a highlight – sand-boarding down a 150-metre sand dune! Wild horses too!

Anyway, we got back in time to see New Zealand’s cricket adventure come to a sticky end against the Aussies. Just wait till The Ashes…

The next few days saw us taking in some fabulous walks and stopping at some beautiful spots: Whatuwhiwhi; Doubtless Bay, Mangonui; a seven-hour round trek from Paihia to Russell, followed the next day by a strenuous hike around Otehei Bay. Some of you may have noticed my feeble attempts at punning a couple of those places. Still looking for a pun on Urupukapuka…any suggestions?

After our marvellous outings around the Bay of Islands – surely one of the most beautiful areas in New Zealand, if not the world – we had a couple of freebies and some awful Easter traffic before arriving at the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga. Mmm nice.

Actually it was completely awesome. Check out The Carnivorous Plant Society and Hipstamatics, both excellent and very different bands, who we saw for a grand total of $4 on Easter Sunday. Then off to the Jazz Village on E Monday for more great music. Especially a young lad no more than 15, looking 13, fronting a three-piece with his little sister on drums! They were called Situation Vacant and he was playing some of the most mature and confident blues/jazz lead guitar. Think Pat Metheny or Joe Bonamassa in five years.

The reference in the title to Idiot Dancing…anyone of a similar age to ours who went to gigs and festivals in the late Sixties/early Seventies will surely remember the idiots who always stood up in the middle of the crowd and danced as if there was no-one watching. Well they still exist in NZ and it was great watching them strut their stuff to some of the most undance-able music!

After the festival we drove back towards the Coromandel Peninsula and stayed at a couple of beaches – Waihi deserves a mention only because we don’t know how to say it, as with Hahei – go on, have a go! Cook’s Beach was where Capt. Cook first landed in New Zealand and determined the Longitude for the place by aligning with Mercury, or something. Anyway, it’s in Mercury Bay. Go figure.

During our trolley around the Peninsula, we have done some more excellent beach walks – to New Chums Bay, where we didn’t make any and Cathedral Cove, where we did – and are now in Coromandel Town thinking about dinner.

A word about the driving. While the stopping – campsites, free camps, beaches, mountains, forests, lakes, rivers and everything have been truly lovely and awe-inspiring, the driving has also been a delight. Or it would have been if all Kiwis were banned from doing it. The roads are much better maintained than in Oz and the routes are spectacular – you really know you’re travelling some great drives, with massive switchbacks and zigzags both up- and downhill, long slopes with amazing views, hitting the top of a mountain and descending into primordial rainforest. As some sloganeer once said ‘Getting There Is Half The Fun’. In this case (s)he was right.

Probably one more from Kiwi-land then off to LA and the start of a new adventure. Bye for now.

PS It’s Friday again and nearly ‘wine time’ so I’m going to be quick! One thing Andy didn’t mention with regard to NZ drivers is we’ve heard that they don’t have to learn to drive! Also there are only two driving schools in the whole of the country for those that think it may be a good idea if they did. Scary or what?? Apart from that we have been so delighted with the far north of the North Island, especially the Bay of Islands. The scenery is out of this world, sooooo beautiful and Paihia and Russell the most gorgeous of little towns, right on the bay looking at the turquoise blue sea. They both have a great atmosphere with lovely shops, bars and restaurants. Bliss! We have been mostly blessed with blue, blue skies and lovely hot sun...maybe our big woolly jumpers brought for NZ will come in useful in LA?? Spring will be springing when we arrive so hope not. The day we fly out of Auckland, 21^st April will mark 7 months since we left the UK! Thanks to all those who are keeping in touch, we love to hear your news.

Now where’s that wine…?

Loads of love G. xxx