Wednesday, January 26, 2011

New Zealand in Pictures - Day 5

More pictures! We started near Hamilton, spend the day in Rotorua, and ended in Napier. Lots of scenic shots this day.

Day 5 - 12/23

Morning coffee.
A very important start.

And now: New Zealand countryside.



Sheep!



The old bath house in Rotorua that now serves as a museum.
Doug is very excited.
Especially about his hard hat.
I'm not so sure about the hard hat. The sign said it was recommended for people over 5'4"  Being just a sliver under the said 5'4" I took mine off and went through without.

And old boiler. It had a TV screen inside showing lava.
From the top of the museum





Leaving the museum
Good lunch, crappy service. We received by far the worst service at this restaurant, and our server was an American, from Texas. No tip for him, but he wasn't expecting one anyway, tipping isn't commonplace there.
Gardens in Rotorua.

And here comes more scenery:







See all those curves? They make Doug sad he's driving a campervan. They also make Angela feel slightly car sick.

The Doug sad face.
Apparently their stop signs are not octagons.  I bet that makes math different (because the metric wouldn't...)
And it has a go instead of slow!


Holiday park site in Napier.
Cooking on the two burner stove, in the only two pots that came in the van.
Sink/drying rack/counter space/shower (the nozzle pulls out of the sink for an outdoor shower).
Some Christmas decoration.  Hard to see in this picture, but I had stockings hung too.  Little tiny ones, from the curtains.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

New Zealand in Pictures - Days 3 & 4

Some more pictures!

Day 3 - Auckland and Devonport

We started the day by searching out a market. We found this park along the way:

Doug is having way too much fun.
Kiwis apparently aren't afraid that their kids will die in city parks, and therefore have way better equipment than Americans.
The market was a bust, but we did find a grocery store.  Got breakfast and some snacks.
YES! Bacon chips.
Breakfast was a cheese and bacon scroll. Yummy pastry filled with more yummy.



Auckland skyline from inside Auckland.
I know, lets get on a boat and go across the harbour! (But not that big one in the background)
Here we come Devonport.

Auckland in the background.


Not sure what this was. Many people waiting patiently in line, only to see many small people coming out crying.

Squee! Yarn store.
So many choices, and it's all New Zealand made.
I will only get 4...
Oy! Yarn shopping really takes it out of you.

Yummy pasta lunch.
Doug turning his post-lunch ice cream into a bugle.
Watching that giant snow globe thingy.

Good bye Devonport, hope to see you again someday.
No metal.
Creepy shark van.
Doug thought this was funny.
Went here for pizza.  They had good TV commercials.
And good pizza.


Day 4 - Van pickup and Sheepworld.
Stopping to pay for our toll.


Sharka, co-pilot.
Speedometer in Kilometers.
Yikes! Doug is on the wrong side of the car!

Hello Sheepworld.






Doug thought these were hilarious.

Piglets.






Alpaca
Miniature horse

Getting ready to feed some eels.
Hard to see, but one is there getting the food off my fork.
Feeding the Emus.

Pink Sheep! (this is actually a marketing ploy by Sheepworld, to attract tourists. They only use vegetable dyes that are harmless to the animal and environment, and they only do it around Christmas)
Doug feeling important.
Getting educated about New Zealand trees.
He found a sign.
A lamb
He came out to say hello


Even Doug liked him.

Pretty scenery from the car.


Auckland skyline as we head south.

Putting groceries away.

First camping
Making dinner in a very teeny tiny kitchen.
Sprinkle on some cheese
Doug going in for seconds. Dinner was spaghetti with beef sausages.