OTOROHANGA, NORTH ISLAND

Day 335

Friday 1st February 2008

Otorohanga Holiday Park, North Island $15 each for tent site.

What a beautiful morning! No dew or rain droplets on our tent , just a very beautiful day!

We decided to go to the beach!

Goat Island beach is pebbly, like Brighton, and rocky, and it has magnificent sea life, we’ve heard. There were a lot of people snorkeling and diving, in wetsuits! Since we were not preparted to hire wetsuits or snorkeling gear, or go in as was, and be cold..we decided to go for a long beach walk!

And it was so gorgeous….

Greg was getting pretty anxious to get to Auckland so we stayed about 2 hours at the beach, just absorbing it all and asking the snorkellers what they saw. Not much, they said, the underwater life had mostly been disrupted by tourists!! We were happy with our walk after that!

We stopped at Tony’s café in Warkworth for lunch and contemplated our camera situation! What to do? The lens was stuffed and the only place in NZ we could get it fixed (after reading the warranty form) was in Rorotua, in Wellington!

We wanted the camera to take photos now…so..we decided to buy another one! It’s our most prized commodity..and possession. We couldn’t live without it! And..we decided after taking over 20,000 photos with the Samsung..it was probably TIME to get a new camera! We’d get one in Auckland. And we’d visit the camping place, R and R Camping and get the pump for our mattress!

We found a good camera and Greg got the smile back on his face!!! We also stopped at a fruit and vege place on the side of the road and bought the most amazing apples!!! Gosh! The fruit here is just SO YUMMY!!!!! The apricots and nectarines are so fresh and tasty..ohlala! We’re lovin’ our fruit!

We stopped in Hamilton to do our banking and quickly check email and then headed to Otorohanga for our next campsite!

The campsite was great too. Very well equipped! No view, but great facilities. We did our laundry and used the kitchen to prepare our dinner.
We also blew up our tent with the voltage in the car..and it was bliss having more energy to breathe!!!

Another exhausting day of travel!

I think we’re mad trying to see north and south island in the time we have. I whinged to Greg BIG TIME about this..and basically had a major meltdown. I hate setting up camp, taking down camp, and staying only one night in a place!!

Greg said..it's a reconnaiscence! (Spelling?) But..we negotiated..and compromised...

We're staying two nights in Rotorua. Thank goodness!!!!!!!

Tomorrow we'll go and see the ARAMIO and GLOWWORM CAVES..which is why we're in this neck of the woods..