1) Favourite colour: Black
2) Favourite movie: Lotr RotK
3) Favourite animal: Freckles
4) Favourite book; RotK
5) Favourite passage from Q4A (if you don't have one, lie)I was really torn between staying at Cedar Lodge with the bliss of a tv, sofa & peace & quiet or the company of other England fans to share the victory. (u meenie carol!) humph
6) Favourite photo from Q4A (ditto) :
7) Favourite smell: Strange crol but pea soup
8) Most essential quality in a friend: Understanding
9) Most desirable quality in a partner: Loyalty
10) Most embarrassing moment: Falling into the centennial pool
11) Proudest achievement: Playing in the jnr concert band on my sax
12) Saddest memory: Leaving good old England
13) Happiest memory: Picking Stin up
14) Hero:Stin
15) Buried or cremated ? Where ? Why ? : I'm to young to think about it
Thursday 15th April 1602
Location : Campsite, Taupo. Notes made in tent
785 km
We left Mt. Maunganui with Bloo keen to move on to Taupo. I confess, I could have spent the day on the beach in the sun but his philosophy is 'get where you want to be next'. He's right, my time here is too precious to waste seated.
When I awoke this morning, Bloo had disappeared on his promised run. I was very worried. Not because I feared he had injured himself, but who was going to take the tent down now ?
Our days have fallen into an easy routine, we put the tent up together upon arrival somewhere & I always seem to miraculously having my morning shower when he takes it down again.
On the odd occasion, I am presented with tea in bed. We are thinking of going into business together. I'll be his manager, or pimp, as he charmingly put it, & we'll hire him out as a camping companion. Sorted.
The film was excellent last night, Theron is unrecognisable as the serial killer & her every mannerism reminds you of who she is portraying. Oscar material I thought. Very good meal as well, in a typically glam & trendy Mount eating spot.
This morning we went to the information centre to try & book big game fishing (marlin, shark, that kind of thing, not lions & tigers, like a certain someone asked me). We were advised that the water had cooled around the Mt & the game fish had moved off. Paihia (where we had just come from) was deemed the most likely spot.
That made our minds up for us & we set of for Taupo to try our hand at fly-fishing. I have done a fair bit in the UK & promised myself since my arrival, that I would not go home without sampling it in NZ.
The journey to Taupo took us past the 'Welcome to the Waikato' sign. My heart jolted the same way it does when I pass the 'West Yorkshire' one northbound on the A1.
We arrived at 1230 & commenced the by now familiar routine of making our way to the information centre. Once there, we booked whitewater rafting for Friday & fly-fishing as a final treat Saturday morning before heading to Cedar Lodge.
In the afternoon, we strolled around Taupo which although very busy by NZ standards had retained enough charming to make browsing a pleasure. We headed off very early to the local Irish pub, the name of which escapes me (help, Bloo ?) something like 'Fin McAudal's' or 'Patty O'Doors' ?
This, in my opinion, was our best night yet. We had a huge amount to drink (3 pints), a fantastic meal (sausage & mash never goes astray does it ?) & talked til the cows came home. At what point do you run out of things to say to someone when you're travelling I wonder ?
Or as Bloo put it that night ...
'Why do we always end up talking about relationships ?'
We staggered back to the campsite & only had to pee 3 times during the night.
Cx
No comments:
Post a Comment