After a lengthy pack and waiting for the tv files to get copied to the 1Tb drive, we left with a first stop at Steven's dads place for a coffee and to hand over his laptop which I added an anti virus. Then we started the lengthy drive down to Auckland, stopping in Albany (where the tornado struck just recently) to say Hi to Logan, Azusa, Walter and Kaye for an hour or so. Then onto Nicola and Brian's to say 'hi there' see the kids and have tea. IT was then I noticed that I could not lock my car. It said there was a door open but there wasn't. I played around but it was getting too dark so couldn't see what I was doing so left the car unlocked. After tea at Brian and Nicola's, we ended up at the Top Ten Holiday Park where I unloaded everything out o the car and left the car still unlocked over night. In the morning the car locked and unlocked fine.
Day 12. Rainbows End.
Rainbows End didn't open until 10am so we drove back to see Nicola and drop off her purse which she'd left in the car when we went to pick up the Chinese we had the night before.
When we got into Rainbows End, we went to the 2-5 year old area where Jamie and Bees enjoyed the little kiddie rides for a bit. Jamie unsure of going on anything really but managed to get onto a few things. Bees was trying it all out. After taking pictures of them on these rides, we all went on the bigger ones. Goldrush, Whatever the water ride is called. Jamie went on the bumper boats (Bees was too small), and we all went on the Dodgems. At lunch we stopped and watched some acrobats and after did a few more things. 3D cinema experience, Dodgems again, Goldrush,. We were going to go on the go Karts but because it was wet, they weren't going. The track was a little slippery. Never mind.
After all that, we went across the road to Manukau Mall and I as I got paid, I could pay off some of my credit card. We had an afternoon snack and then went back to the holiday park where the kids played and I rested before reheating Chinese.
Day 13. Auckland to W(h)anganui.
Nice and early, we left Auckland for a long drive. on the way we stopped to allow Bees to be sick. State highway 4 is a very nice road to drive. great scenery. Unfortunately I did not take any photos. I slowly gave up on the photo front as the holiday went on. We stopped just before lunch at the Waitomo Caves info centre and bought tickets to go into the caves. There was an information place about the caves and who found them and other such stuff and in the display was a small hole for kids (and adults) to crawl through if the felt like it. Jamie wasn't keen at all on the caves until he had a go at crawling through the rockspace. So off we went to the caves and as we walked to the entrance, Jamie had a fit. He was scared. Not at entering the caves but of the trees surrounding the area. Jamie doesn't like trees. Thanks Janet for making him think the eucalyptus "tree skin" were snakes and giving him the willies when he was a baby. When he seems to have got over his fear, I shall show him Lord of the Rings.
After the tour which was nice but I don't really think it was worth it to be honest, we went to W(h)anganui Top Ten holiday park. We ate food and I drank some wine. Then some more.
Nice and early, we left Auckland for a long drive. on the way we stopped to allow Bees to be sick. State highway 4 is a very nice road to drive. great scenery. Unfortunately I did not take any photos. I slowly gave up on the photo front as the holiday went on. We stopped just before lunch at the Waitomo Caves info centre and bought tickets to go into the caves. There was an information place about the caves and who found them and other such stuff and in the display was a small hole for kids (and adults) to crawl through if the felt like it. Jamie wasn't keen at all on the caves until he had a go at crawling through the rockspace. So off we went to the caves and as we walked to the entrance, Jamie had a fit. He was scared. Not at entering the caves but of the trees surrounding the area. Jamie doesn't like trees. Thanks Janet for making him think the eucalyptus "tree skin" were snakes and giving him the willies when he was a baby. When he seems to have got over his fear, I shall show him Lord of the Rings.
After the tour which was nice but I don't really think it was worth it to be honest, we went to W(h)anganui Top Ten holiday park. We ate food and I drank some wine. Then some more.
Day 14. W(h)anganui to Picton.
W(h)anganui actually looks very nice in daylight but we didn't have time as we had a boat to catch. Off we went all the way down the coast to Windy Welly and stopped in the city as we arrived an hour early and grabbed a bite to eat. Then we went to wait to get onto the ferry but it was late. about 2-3 hours late so although we could have wandered back into Wellington, we just hung around, grabbed a bite from the cafe there and hung some more. After hangin' some more, the ferry turned the corner and we could see it in the distance, on it's way. ZZZ. This was the boring bit.....
So we got on the boat and whilst the kids played in the kids area and picked up who knows what, I sat and read some magazines. Into Picton late and off we went to the Picton Top Ten holiday park where we grabbed some noodles and broccoli for tea before watching the start of the Royal wedding. Bees wanted to see a real princess getting married. Aaaah. Sweet. Bees fell asleep so I turned it off and we all hit the hay.
W(h)anganui actually looks very nice in daylight but we didn't have time as we had a boat to catch. Off we went all the way down the coast to Windy Welly and stopped in the city as we arrived an hour early and grabbed a bite to eat. Then we went to wait to get onto the ferry but it was late. about 2-3 hours late so although we could have wandered back into Wellington, we just hung around, grabbed a bite from the cafe there and hung some more. After hangin' some more, the ferry turned the corner and we could see it in the distance, on it's way. ZZZ. This was the boring bit.....
So we got on the boat and whilst the kids played in the kids area and picked up who knows what, I sat and read some magazines. Into Picton late and off we went to the Picton Top Ten holiday park where we grabbed some noodles and broccoli for tea before watching the start of the Royal wedding. Bees wanted to see a real princess getting married. Aaaah. Sweet. Bees fell asleep so I turned it off and we all hit the hay.
Day 15. Picton to Southbridge.
Hmmmm. A nice 4.5 hour journey. Bee and Jamie fell asleep through part of it so I tried to minimize the swerving around the roads so as to keep them asleep for as long as I could. But it wasn't too good. And then Jamie was sick. Not once on the journey but 5 times. I thought it could have been food poisoning but later on I got it, then Bees and now Esther has it. So it must have been a bug. Every time Jamie was sick, we stopped at the next petrol station, washed out the bucket and got ready for the next installment. We had to get some food shopping just before getting home like milk and the like so I made it quick because Jamie wasn't too well. Obviously he had to come into the supermarket with me, infecting everyone there. Nice. Anyway, he was sick again whilst we were there. Poor wee thing.
So that was the trip. a bit quick at the end but it always gets boring at the end of holidays and people want to come home. A shorter one next time I think. 4-8 days perhaps.
Now to the cost of the holiday. I kept this up so I could find out if it would be cheaper to have a nice time elsewhere for the same price. Perhaps not 2 weeks but a week, for sure.
Food - $645.27 , Entertainment - $329.00 , Accommodation - $1355.40 , Travel - $757.27, Spending (toys..etc - $139.96. TOTAL - $3226.90
Hmmmm. A nice 4.5 hour journey. Bee and Jamie fell asleep through part of it so I tried to minimize the swerving around the roads so as to keep them asleep for as long as I could. But it wasn't too good. And then Jamie was sick. Not once on the journey but 5 times. I thought it could have been food poisoning but later on I got it, then Bees and now Esther has it. So it must have been a bug. Every time Jamie was sick, we stopped at the next petrol station, washed out the bucket and got ready for the next installment. We had to get some food shopping just before getting home like milk and the like so I made it quick because Jamie wasn't too well. Obviously he had to come into the supermarket with me, infecting everyone there. Nice. Anyway, he was sick again whilst we were there. Poor wee thing.
So that was the trip. a bit quick at the end but it always gets boring at the end of holidays and people want to come home. A shorter one next time I think. 4-8 days perhaps.
Now to the cost of the holiday. I kept this up so I could find out if it would be cheaper to have a nice time elsewhere for the same price. Perhaps not 2 weeks but a week, for sure.
Food - $645.27 , Entertainment - $329.00 , Accommodation - $1355.40 , Travel - $757.27, Spending (toys..etc - $139.96. TOTAL - $3226.90
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