Day 12 - Attempting to get to HK

Of course, getting here didn't run smoothly. 

We got to the airport and had a nightmare. 

Our plan was to get night trains from HK to Vietnam but because we've not got our ticket for the train yet we couldn't prove we were planning to leave the country. Our flight docs and visas for other countries might not have been enough so they were unsure about whether to let us fly as we could have been refused entry on the other side..

After ages of waiting, a nice guy named PJ let us fly.

We were all a bit stressed and our money wouldn't work for the airport computers to book our tickets but for the time being, a book, some G&T / French Cabernet Sauvignon and Eva Cassidy's Greatest Hits album on repeat was enough to calm me for a while.


Then when we got there it was cool.... THANK GOD!

Day 11 - Goodbye NZ

This was our last day

..I think Jacks face is a good representation of our mutual feelings about this.. ha!

Then he got his head shaved..

We packed and said goodbye to mum, Sam and Aurelie.. (although mum's just pretending we've gone to the shop)

Then I drove us 3 and a half hours to Hamilton.

We felt like proper New Zealanders on the way back because we took part in friendly 'flash your lights to warn oncoming cars there's a police car ahead' procedure that they seem to do... wahoo!

We went to a bar where some middle aged people said "Happy Hump Day" to us.. which we confused with a suggestive swinging reference but aparantly it's because you've reached the halfway hump in the week?

I enjoyed some very peppery Syrah and the last sites of people wearing bare feet (forgot to say they do that here)..

Then the next morning (after a lovely breakfast at The River Kitchen, in Hamilton) we drove to Auckland airport..

Goodbye New Zealand... you have been phenomenally wonderful in all of your scenically beautiful glory.

(and super big thanks to Sam and Aurelie for showing us the best bits)

X

Day 9 - 10 - winerys, picnics, BBQs and beers

Today was slightly more chilled. In the sense that we woke up after 9am.

In terms of alcohol, scenery and people... it was still crazy. 

We started with a crazy and insanely steep / dangerous /fun drive up to Bluff Hill, where you can see all of Napiers port..

Next we went to Te Mata winery to taste some wine...

Then we went to Black Barn vineyards to taste even more wine..

Both were awesomely fantastic. 

Then we went to some crazy honey place.. and dressed as bees?

 

Finally we had a drink, Skyped Grandma and Grandad Smith and sang some crazy songs!

The next day, we started with a walk up Otatana Pa.. which is super steep and slightly scary.

It's become aparant that safety isn't really a big deal in NZ..

Next we went to try out more wine at Ngatarawa Winery.

It was really nice and the Syrah was beautiful! The wine tasting was lead by an Argentinian guy who had a pretty impressive unibrow!!

Then we watched Sam and his mates play football (they were mostly a bit terrible - but it's the taking part that counts eh?)

Then we headed to the beach .. where we made a fire and had a bbq..

And Sam and Aurelie surprised us with some fireworks which were brilliant.

It's our last night with everyone and it was just blumin fantastic.

X

Day 7 - 8 .... "Art Deco'd out"

This art deco thing is well cool.

It's basically people from the whole continent coming together and having a fantastic time whilst wearing old fashioned gear.

After having breakfast on the balcony, we went to town to watch air shows and a big vintage car parade..

Then after some food, wine and a beautiful sunset, we came back out for the party..

Some brave guy asked Marie to dance and I pretty much forced her to do it :)....

It was absolutely boiling, so we were all sporting red faces and fantastic t-shirt tans by the end of the day.

The next day everyone had a picnic.

LOL...

Then we chilled by the pool and in the apartment...

HAPPY DAYS x