Living out of a backpack: Emma in New Zealand

After picking up the Getz, we decided we didn't really fancy pushing it up the Kaimai's so decided to take a different route up to Auckland. We went through Waihi, which is apparently where my grandfather grew up, stopped for a quick coffee and took some pictures of the gold mine that neither of us knew existed!

Main Street Waihi

The Mine

The old pump house

We didn't think it would, but after a lot of grunting, loss of power and leaning forward in an attempt to speed up hill runs, the little Getz finally bought us safely into Auckland, and after a few wrong turns and several U-turns, we made it to my Great Aunt Cherry's house.

Cherry had organised dinner with my cousins Nicola and Stef that night, along with their partners and baby Eva! We had a delicious homecooked fish curry, some good red wine (courtesy of my Uncle Brett) and it was really good to catch up with everyone!

The bad weather seemed to have followed us to Auckland so our dreams of walking everywhere were crushed, but we managed to replace them with long sleep ins tucked under the doona listening to the rain! definately perfect holiday'ing weather.

We did drag ourselves out of bed on Thursday for coffee catch up with cousin Anthea and Aunty Ofa! I hadn't seem Anthea since.. her brother's wedding 2 (?) years ago, but you could hardly tell; we talk like it's only been a few days! After too much caffeine, we went to visit Nicola, Duncan and Eva..

It was Eva's bath time while we were there.. I had trouble dragging mum away and had to check her bag when we got into the car to make sure she hadn't smuggled her out! It was pretty close..

Bath time!

We took Cherry, Richard and Izzy out for dinner to say thank you before heading back home and commencing the mammoth task of re-packing my bag! Not the easiest, or funnest thing to do!

Friday marked the last day in NZ and the actual commencement day of my adventure.. it also meant the last day with mum for a while.

I didn't sleep a wink on Thursday night, i think i was way too excited about everything that was happening and I was thinking about far too much, where had I packed my headphones, was my iPad charged, where was I going to meet Rhys at the airport.. Mum slept like a log though so after she woke up we went for a brisk walk with Richard through the beautiful streets of Auckland and around the Orakei Basin.


The Orakei Basin

Poppys!!

Then it was off for a quick lunch at our newly discovered "Shore Road Cafe' that served up some delicious whitebait fritters and a few cabinet salads that were to die for, (Once I'd picked all 3 different kinds of cheeses out of them!) then it was farewell to mum and hello adventure!