Tauanga’s bay has been formed by a volcano pushing up out of the sea right at the end of a spit of land. This huge bay is perfect for giant container ships and cruise liners who dock there to load and unload their human and commercial wares. It took me a bit by surprise when I walked around the corner of the main high st and saw that someone had found some very convenient parking for their cruise ship. It also explained the deafening mooing that had pierced my hung over head that morning preventing any further sleep recovery.
Cold From Above, Hot From Below
OMG WHAT A LONG DAY! Literally did so much stuff today is hard to think it’s all happened in one 24hr period!
Woke at Sally’s in Auckland and finally, after 3 days of talking about it, the weather was good enough to go paddle boarding… Good enough, but not great as it started raining. But I was wet anyway from falling in often enough it didn’t matter. We probably were only out for 45 mins but it was long enough for my stomach. I’m definitely a land based mammal… Paddle boarding was good fun tho, if a little tricky to master. I was on the longest, largest, most stable board and I still looked like a kangaroo on an electric fence, not graceful like Sally and Asha.
Recovery Road
Last night was awesome, but I’m paying for it this morning. After breakfast, a lot of water and an aspirin I’m feeling better. I decide to go for a walk into Paihia to see what was going on. Turns out not much, it’s a really small town. However most of the tours and activities leave from here into the Bay of Islands. There is even a helicopter parked on the beach waiting to take people for rides!
Paihia Party
Out of auckland, if you want to head north, you take the State Highway 1. It’s really the only road to get you clear of the sprawl and is much like any other highway. But soon this generic road turns into a (moderately) high speed roller coaster of a road. Its sweeping curves loop around the geological features and farms. It looks uncannily like middle england except as a dream your remembering where everything is picture post card pretty and the roads ripple like a ribbon into the distance. It even lead to Snells Beach in my fantasy.
Tiha Ducati Ha!
Once again I’ve chosen a non-typically good looking bike, a Ducati Multistrada 1000DS… Its got a strange nose, much like my Versys, but I love it.
Strolling Through Sky Town
I like to learn the history of a place, but I’m not a fan of guided tours. Not so much the tour, but having to share street space with a group of tourists. I find it incredibly annoying and rude watching a group of people all taking the same photo, that you could have found on google, while a guide is trying to tell you the history of a place. People who basically walk around with their cameras in front of their faces documenting EVERYTHING aren’t actually experiencing anything more than life through a camera screen, so they may as well have stayed at home!
Bike Hunting
I’m leaving the last plane in a dream-like state. I’m glad the airport signs are big and yellow because it makes them easier to see through my sleep deprived eyes. I’ve been warned about the airport security regarding pests and fruit and mud, so I declare the dustiness of my boots to the government and they ask me to stand on a sponge…. Am I still dreaming?
Bathroom Plans
As a bloke, it’s an unwritten rule that you don’t talk to each other while in the bathroom. No one wants to be addressed whilst holding their junk. And for good reason, the automatic response is to turn and face your new friend, which you wouldn’t keep very long if you were mid flow…
New Adventures
I decided to quit my job and travel.
Its been a long time coming but ultimately it came down to realising I’m only going to be young once. And, if I don’t get out there and give myself the opportunity to star in life’s stories, I’m not going to have any to tell when I’m old!
Beautifully Balanced Ballet
Ballet – Not something I have given much thought to, till I was offered to accompany a friend. Mostly I’ve just seen the cliche tv sketches of “typical” ballet scenes; ludicrously skinny ladies in pink leotards and tootoo’s (no idea how thats spelt, but it looks like the sound of a toddler’s steam engine… ) prancing around with cartoon-strong men who take too long in the changing rooms adjusting their 2nd pair of socks…