The last week-and-a-bit have really just been one big chill-out in Auckland. Overall I’ve done nowt except relish the delicacies I missed from home. Baked beans, proper milk, salt and vinegar crisps, chocolate that doesn’t taste like chalk. The cinema across the road has been well used despite the cost (damn their “blockbuster” pricing policy which means every film worth seeing costs $NZ15 for 6 weeks after release) and I’ve been having soup and fruit smoothies for brunch every day.

I have yet to jump off the Sky Tower, partly as it’s far too expensive and partly because I’m chicken. A lot of organisation has gone into the next couple of weeks, though. Planning, scheduling, picking cheap companies and good routes through the south island. And then Lisa went and threw it all to pot by not giving birth on Wednesday like she was supposed to. It now seems like little Megan won’t see the light of day before next Monday by which time we’ll be in Rotorua.

Typical.

Our schedule, for those of you who care is as follows:

Saturday 27th – set off from Auckland in a knacky-looking cheap hire car for Rotorua. We’re spending 2 nights there to look at geysers and bubbly sulfur mudbeds. Why we’re spending all this time to listen to glollopy farty noises when I’ve been eating beans on toast and omelettes for 2 weeks is beyond me, but hey.

Monday 29th – leave Rotorua and drive a little bit down the road to Lake Taupo for more scenery spotting. Assuming Louise hasn’t abandoned the car due to lack of oxygen and taken up residence on the roof rack.

Tuesday 30th – arrive in Wellington where I need to hand in my passport and hopefully get another Vietnamese visa. This takes 4 days, though, so I’ll just have to cross my fingers till I get back up from the south island.

Thursday 1st June – traipse over the water on a ferry to Picton, collect a different car and drive down to Christchurch via Lou’s uncle’s. Arrive early enough in Christchurch to provide Rob with cake for his birthday and then drink all his and Pam’s beer.

Fri 2nd to Mon 5th – eat all of Pam & Rob’s food and use their car to get places around Christchurch. Hey, we’re on a budget here. And I just twigged Rob reads this so I better add that we’re only making full use of the generosity shown by a wonderful couple of the best friends a person could ever have. I also promise I won’t allow Lou to “hide” any of the cats in our luggage when we leave.

Tue 6th to whatever the 19th is – drive a campervan around the south island. This is where the nice pictures and videos of me screaming as I fall off tall things will come from. Updates may be sporadic depending on internet availability.

In the meantime, we’re off out to a comedy show tonight and then to see X-Men 3 tomorrow. Civilisation – enjoy it while it lasts.