The morning we left Tauranga the sun was shining and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day so we decided to try to find a nice little place by the sea that was close to Auckland to spend our last few days. It is only about a 3 1/2 to 4 hr. drive from Tauranga to Auckland so we thought that we could find our perfect little place with time to spare. I thought that maybe we'd have a little time to beach comb or suntan before Happy Hour. After driving for about 7 hrs. and investigating every nook and cranny between Tauranga and Auckland I can safely tell you that no such place exists. I guess we got spoiled on the south island.
So we finally stopped for the night in Waiuku at the oldest continuously operating hotel in New Zealand. (1852) We pulled into the parking lot and before Ian turned the engine off we could hear the music. The place was just rocking! There was a live band (using the term loosely) and the place was packed to the rafters. But they had a room for us and that was all that mattered.
We headed down the street to a great little pub called the Wolf and Beaver, neither of which lives in New Zealand. There was a few bikers and two young couples in the place when we arrived but they soon left and we had the place to ourselves. The quiet was heavenly and the food was very good. No chips for a change. We had a good chat with the staff---they had bets going on in the kitchen as to whether or not we were Americans or Canadians.
We went back to the hotel where , thank heaven, the band had quit and gone home. We couldn't figure out why on a Monday night, out in the middle of nowhere, this place was so busy. Turns out it was a local business Christmas party. Never even occurred to us. So we got talking to some of the locals (as we often do) and had a few drinks (as we often do) and met an old guy who is about to be knighted. He heard we were from Canada and wanted to join our table as he had been there many years ago training air traffic controllers in Vancouver. Very interesting man.
The next morning we left there and after much more searching wound up at the Best Western at the airport. The problem has been finding a hotel that had room for us for 2 nights. We really didn't want to have to move again.
Today was spent trying to find sweaters that are actually made in New Zealand. They have the same problem here that we have in Canada. Everything is made in China or Bangladesh. Actually, finding them hasn't been the problem. Finding them under $400-$500 is the problem. We finally were successful this morning. We found a family run wool shop that had some lovely things for reasonable prices.
And now this evening we are off to the local British- style pub for our last dinner. Up early tomorrow morning to pack (caught up on the laundry yesterday) and then we'll have a few hours to kill before heading for the airport. I guess we won't be meeting up with Alan Spence (Ian's cousin) as he has been ill with angina this last few days and he also just returned from Thailand with a flu bug. We sure don't want to bring that home. Anyway, Georgina has advised us to stay where we are because the weather at home is so crummy, but we are getting a little homesick for friends and family. So we look forward to seeing you all soon!
Linda and Ian
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