(17/07/01)Hey guys! Headed up to Auckland on Friday, but as big cities aren't really our cup of vegemite, we hopped on a ferry and headed off for Waiheke Island, 40 minutes above, and about fifty years behind Auckland. Sparsly populated and densly vegetated, it offers the quiet and refreshing pass-times of any country village (...OK, Leamington Spa and Brackley excluded). When we're not strolling on shell-stacked beaches, or running in slow motion through green fields, we are to be found re-couperating in the hostel's complimentary spa. With a track record of ''Banio-mania'' the only reason we are not perpetually semi-submerged is that crackers and cheese are strictly forbidden in the tub. The hostel also boasts numerous dogs and cats, who as a result of our joint PMS (Pet Missing Syndrome), have been subjected to abusive amounts of affection. This is just as well, as all forms of cuddly wildlife to which we had grown accustomed in Australia is here considered vermin. Possums, kangaroos and wallabys, find themselves the target of a nation wide extermination program.
19/7/01 Back in Auckland and getting ready to head off to Tahiti. We've been getting disturbing reports that it is phenomenally expensive over there, so this morning we raided the hostels ''free food'' shelf and have set ourselves up in pasta and packet sauce for the next month! Back to menu Full picture directory Tahiti