Day 3 we left booking our car till this morning and used a company not in the big leagues (hertz etc).
We were picked up at 10.45 and taken to pick up the car. It is an 8yr old lancer. So far it is good and it cost less than $400aus  for 3 weeks hire.
We got Jane working, our gps and headed for the coromandel area. It was raining in Auckland when we left but cleared as we drove away from the area.
Stopped at Thames to pick up some bits to make dinner and then went another 14km to our accomodation. It was c lean and  very tired but right on the water.

Day4   we drove the Coromandel  through small quaint villages and it was also A very winding road so lots of concentration for Owen. Stopped at Whitianga  for lunch and watched the ferry going back and forth.
Drove on back through Thames, did some shopping and went back to cook dinner.

Day 5  today we headed for Waihai to a quilt shop i wanted to visit. I spent some time looking and chatting to the ladies at Cushla's Village shop. Owen sat in the car under a tree. And of course i did buy a couple of things.
We then travelled on to Tauranga for lunch then on to Te Puke to a kiwi Fruit farm. We tripped around in a little train and had the guide to ourselves. It was very interesting.

Then on to Rotoroua . So far the smell isn't too bad, just smells like I opened some egg  sandwiches.
Our accommodation is quite nice and we will stay here for 3 days.

New Zealand

Hello from the land of the long white cloud. NEW ZEALAND
We stayed Friday night at the Mantra Close to the airport and were up at 5am to get ready to catch the shuttle bus. We were at the airport and checked our luggage in by 6.30 so went off to have some breakfast. We had another breakfast on the plane.

We touched down at 1.30pm( NZ time)Sat 27th October and I declared some biscuits and nuts so got to go through straight away  but Owen had a  British passport and had to go through the long queue. Didn't matter in the end as the cases took ages to come out.
We went and got a couple  of sim  cards, one for the phone and one for the ipad, then got the shuttle bus to our  accommodation. It is good although a front unit so gets road noise although not too bad.
Went for a walk to Sky City and went up the tower to see the great view and an overall pic of the city. Found an Italian place for dinner which was nice And strolled back to our accommodation ready for bed.

Day 2 we went back to Sky City to pick up the hop on hop off bus. Unfortunately clashed with the city marathon so couldn't get down to the wharf area and the Sun Princess has arrived early that morning. It looked quite large against the buildings.
Stopped and got off at the museum and did a very quick look as we wanted to catch the satellite  bus to do a different circuit.
 That took an hour then back onto the double decker  and by this stage we were able to get off at the wharf area. Walked around there, had some lunch and then walked around till was time for an early dinner.

1st May till Sat 14th May

I am very behind with the blogging, sorry.
Day 2 at Chester we travelled to Liverpool and stopped along the way at a National Boat Museum(there are several) This one was about the immediate area around Ellesmere and was about the canals and canal boats. It was very good and we spent a bit of time there.
Then it was on to cross the Mersey (remember the song "ferry cross the Mersey" Gerry and the Pacemakers). Well we didn't cross by ferry but went through the tunnel under the Mersey.

We drove around for a while and ended up in a car park somewhere on the edge of the city and walked through the mall down toward the dock area. There was a spring festival on and lots of people, boats, displays etc. We had a walk around and then did a boat cruise of the quay and then went on the hop on hop off bus to have a look at Liverpool.
Drove back to Chester via the old tunnel under the Mersey and out to a popular pub for dinner where we had Sunday roast with the biggest Yorkshire puddings I have ever seen. (at least five or six inches in diameter).

Day 3 saw us have a leisurely breakfast and check out as Stew's train wasn't until 11.30. We left him at approx 11 to go on our way to Sheffield.

We had 2 nights in Sheffield having a look around and going to a couple of museums but it isn't really a tourist place as such.

Then we went to Derby to Owen's cousin. We arrived too early so left our car at the park and ride and went into the main town and had a walk around but it wasn't all that big so got back and had some time to kill before Cath got home around 4.15.
It didn't seem like 2 years since we were there last and they thought it was only 1 year.
We just picked up where we left off from their family came around for dinner which was really nice.
Next day we travelled into the Peak district and went to Crompton Mill, and a flour mill and looked at canals. Also went to a tram museum and had a ride on a double decker old tram. Then on to our accommodation for then night in a pub in Ashton in the Water. It was better than we had expected for a pub and the meal was great.

Next day we went to see Chatsworth House where the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire reside. Very impressive from the outside and the estate was fabulous. The house was very impressive and very ornate, lots of painted ceilings and just so happened there was a floral display for 3 days and that was great. Lots to look at inside and out. Lots of tulips in and around the garden. Back to the pub for another lovely meal.
Next day went to an area where there are lots of caves and can't think of the name of it at the moment. Woke up to rain today but not cold. Went down into a huge cavern and cave. People used to live and work making rope in the cavern. The stench must have been awful.
We then went on to Bakewell and for walk around and then back to Derby for a leisurely afternoon before heading out for dinner.
Paul had promised us a splendid Sunday roast and he delivered. I got a lesson on making Yorkshire pudding and then we left them around 2.30 to head south towards Exeter and we stayed the night at a hotel half way.
Unfortunately the hotel had a wedding on in a marqee and they had loud music and then a family above us were running and jumping around at 1 or 2am so not a great night's sleep.

We were up and out of the hotel just after 8am so decided to go to Plymouth on the coast before arriving at Owen's other cousin's house.
Got down to Plymouth and had a drive around then parked the car and started to walk towards a quay area and saw a sign for a cruise in half an hour. It only cost 6pound which we thought was ok and went around the docks and into the Tamar river. The weather today was overcast and windy. Well that was 6pound well spent it was a lengthy cruise and we would never have seen it all from the road. What a huge area and also the biggest Naval dock area although not many ships as they are all deployed. We then headed off to Topsham arriving around 2.30pm.

Had a lovely dinner and next day we went off on the train to ride up the coast to Teignmouth and Torquay on a train that runs right beside the water. It wasn't rough so no splashing up onto the train. Got back to Topsham around 3 and went out for dinner to an Italian place. It was good to catch up with Sheila and Ted as they had come up to London for the wedding but we hadn't been able to spend a lot of time with them.

Wed 11th we travelled back up to London to Matt and Jana's flat. We met up with Stew and had dinner at his flat (oh my goodness, can't believe what he is paying for one bedroom which is tiny)
Then back to Matt and Jana's for bed.
Next day(Thurs) we took the car back and went into Kingston and did some shopping and then home to cook dinner. Stew also came for dinner.

Friday we went into London to catch a boat to Hampton Court Palace. It was a good cruise, long and got a little chilly but no rain. It took over 3 hrs and we went through 1 lock. We then bussed it back into Kingston to make some enquiries re something we had purchased and eventually got back to the flat around 5.30pm.
Matt and Jana's wedding gifts arrived from their registry so it was unnpacking time. We then went out to a Brazilian place for dinner very late. We are not used to eating so late at night and we were so full.

Well only 2 whole days left and then an afternoon flight out on Monday. So will be back to Aus in 4days. I think I am just about ready.

Saturday 30th

Got up and had a big brekky and then waited for the first red hop on hop off bus just across the road. The tour went for an hour and gave us a good look at Chester then back to get the car and travelled back into Wales to find the aquaducts and viaducts (canals and train bridges) to show Stew. We went to Llangolen and that was very pretty and very busy and on to Trevor to see the aquaduct there which is 120ft high. We then found our way to Chirk to see where the aquaduct and viaduct run side by side. We had missed this one last time and Owen really wanted to see it.
Then back to Chester to catch the bus into town to have a look at the covered walkways over the shops. We also walked along part of the wall of Chester as it is a walled city like York.
We then headed back to our hotel for dinner.

Thursday 28th and Friday 29th

We headed off for Cardiff around 9am. It was not very far and of course we used the motorway. We had arrived there by 10am too early for our hotel.
We headed into the city and found a car park and Cardiff castle. We went onto the hop on hop off bus first and that gave us a good feel for the city and then on it's return went into the castle which had had many repairs and styles.
We came out and had a quick look at a music shop but by then had to go back to our car as the time was up. We went for a drive to try to find an area I wanted to look at but ended up just driving along and found a nice coastal town and stopped for a short time and then headed back to our hotel.
Oh what a change from the one before. Lovely room, roomy, tasteful and just very nice all around. Dinner was nice too.

Friday we left again around 9am to take a leisurely drive to Chester where we are staying for 3 nights.
It was lovely just driving through the Welsh countryside and towns. Nothing stands out but it was just nice. At one stage we were up quite high and it was 9degrees but by the time we got to Chester it was 18deg.
Arrived around 3pm and came into our hotel. Interesting. Floor level in the bathroom differs by nearly 4inches. It's quite funny as they said they had upgraded us to a Superior room. Stew arrived by train around 5.20. We came up to the room and chatted and then the fire alarm went off. By this stage we had decided to go out for dinner anyway so we left.
We found a restaurant that had Thai and Japanese food. We opted to go with the Teppanyaki menu. That was a bit of fun. So now I am catching up with the blog. I might even get some pics up in the next day or so.