Middle of the North of the South

Approaching the end of our brief but exhiliarating tour of the North Island. Started out with a very enjoyable camping weekend in the beautiful Cormandel penisula. Was an occasion where three was definitely not a crowd as we spent it with our curly friend Nic. She has the honour of being the first person we have seen twice on this global trip (having already seen her in Perth).

Anyway, we were pleased to get some use out of the retro inflatable bodyboard - purist may scoff, but it is definitely a more comfortable ride!

After leaving Nic to her work (I believe some people still do) Phileas headed southwards towards the geothermal area. Alas, no earthquakes on this place straddling two great plates but the incessant action in the boiling mudpools and "thermal wonderlands" was certainly a sight to behold. In Rotorua, we even had our very own naturally heated tent site which Mrs Phileas particularly enjoyed! And this only a stone's throw from a curious hot-water lakeside beach.

Taupo was a place where we nearly skydived. Was the reason for phoning home that it could've been our last contact? Anyway, the price of the dive was... pushing it, but the price of the imperative DVD and photos pushed us over the edge. Or not as the case would be. Phileas will have to wait a while and see how much of the budget is left further down the track.

Another treat was waiting for us at Napier. Like Scott to Amundsen, Trent and Sarah were a close second. We had met these two lovelies in Vietnam and through the miracle that is Facebook, managed to arrange an evening out in the Art Deco city.

18km south of Napier is a town called Hastings. We drove through the centre, found Lawrence St, parked and walked past number 816. After causing concern to the Neighbourhood Watch, and finding no relatives or friends there, we drove away.

And now Phileas sits in Nic's brother's house, shortly returned from another pounding from oceanic waves. Great stuff.

Tomorrow, we engage in some Black Water rafting in Waitomo. The budget for New Zealand has definitely been extended! And then on Sunday we fly to Hawaii and return to the northern hemisphere. Looking forward to a week of indulgent relaxation; perhaps we'll even stay in the same place for more than one night, who knows!

Phileas has to go, he hears the distant call of Pearl Harbor....