New Zealand

Gosh, don't know where to start this really... Right now I'm sitting by Stefan & Andrew's computer in their nice house in Manurewa, outside Auckland. The weather is pretty nice, but we're having laundry duty today (and we need it, believe me). I got stuck on here though, trying to catch up on mail and stuff. But soon... :)

The flight from Rarotonga to Auckland went really well and we were picked up at the airport by Stefan, Andrew and Alida. So great seeing them again!!
We got home, talked and ate (and drank some wine and champagne, since Stefan kept his word and had put the champers in the fridge) and then we were off to bed.

Next morning Andrew drove me, Henke and Alida to the ferry terminal where we, after an ice latte and a smoothie, was off on the boat to Waiheke Island (about 40 mins from Auckland harbour).

As soon as we were there (and after having fun at some Americans on the boat...) we got on the bus to go and have a taste of Waiheke. The driver / guide was very amiable.
The sights of the island were so beautiful! Very picturesque (and yes, a lot of photos were taken, of course...)..

First stop we did was at the vineyard Stonyridge where we were met by a nice woman and her old black labrador showing us around and we got to try three of their wines. It was really nice walking around the olive trees they had, and of course looking over the vineyard.

After that stop it was getting really hot, and it didn't help that the bus had something wrong with the air conditioning... :P
Quite soon off the bus again, to have a look at Rangihoua, where they produce very tasty olive oils. I know they're tasty, since we got to taste them. Once again a nice woman telling us how they produced the oil and once again an old black dog. They had a sofa made of an old tree which you can see in one of the pics above (and how to make a guide look like a little hobbit).

From there we went to another vineyard called Wild On Waiheke, where they also had a brewery. Got to taste a lovely ros'e wine (sorry, can't find the right key to press on their computer...) and some other wines and also their beer. Yum... They also had other tastings from different dip sauses, spreads and sauces (how about spicy coriander and lime, or strawberry in with chocolate...). Here too was a nice woman with... Yes. An old black dog.

After that one stop left and that was Mudbrick. There was a not so nice (comparing to the others before her...), stressed out, French woman without a dog telling us about the vineyard. Tried three different wines and had a look around their shop. The view from there was magnificent, and the smell of all lavender growing there was breath taking (yes!).

Then the tour was over and the guide dropped us three off in the town. We went to the Lazy Lounge to have some champers and wait for Malcolm, Alida's brother, to pick us up. He did, and after a quick stop at his place (where we cuddled with Lola and Toby, his two big dogs) we went for a lovely meal at Vino Vino.

Malcolm then dropped us off at the B&B we were staying at and I can recommend that place to anyone who ever gets there! John, the owner, was such a sweet guy, very caring and also a chef (did catering and stuff). Loved it there! Wish we could've stayed some more days there...

The day after Malcolm plus two dogs picked us up at the B&B and we were off to his place to get the boat. After some hard work for Malcolm the boat was in the sea and we took off. Yet another sunny day at sea. Loved it! We got the fishing gear and I actually caught the biggest snapper of us all (26 cm, but they have to be 28 cm otherwise they have to get back in). I, exhilareted, was throwing it around the boat and accidently hit Mal's beer bottle... Oups... Sorry!
Henke also caught some snappers, but he had to fight hard once, running all around the boat following whatever was down there. Finally we saw what it was, it was a stingray! Having Steve Irwin in our mind I kept myself on the opposite side of the boat, and Alida jumped up on one of the seats, haha. Mal, after I had took a photo of it, released it by cutting the line off. So somewhere around Waiheke there's a stingray with a hook piercing between its eyes...

Back on the island we had a nice lunch at Nourish before Mal dropped us off by the ferry. Back on mainland we went and took a cup of coffee, tea, glass of wine in a caf'e and since it was so hot neither of us felt like walking around, so instead we walked down the bar Traffic and had some strawberry champers before going to Britomart (train station) and took the train to Mt Albert, where Stefan picked us up.

Stefan & Andrew treated us to a nice meal at a local Thai restaurant where we tried several yummy dishes. We all could more or less roll back home after that meal... Talked a lot as we got home and then bed time again... Poor Stefan was driving poor Alida to the airport at 4 am this morning...

So, missing Alida of course, she's so much fun to hang around with, we're at home. Last wash is in the machine and then off for some grocery shopping as I promised I'd take care of the dinner tonight.

I have no idea what will happen this weekend, since Stefan & Andrew is keeping their mouth shut. But I guess I had that one coming... :P

Well, see you laters peeps! oAo (over and out Pelle :))

PS - songs for today, so far, are this, this and this. So enjoy everyone and singalong!