Well, we have arrived safe and sound in New Zealand.
Early start again - taxi came at 5 a.m to get us to Nadi Airport for an 8 a.m flight with Air Pacific.Security not quite as busy as at LA and Heathrow and insisted on emptying rucksacks to go through the scanner - thereby discovering large can of "precious" deoderant and a bottle of squash over 100 ml. Ooops. All ran well and we enjoyed a somewhat "fruity" breakfast of erm... fruit mostly! 
All feeling a bit apprehensive about the change again - we have been in Fiji for a month and we now know "how it works" (sort of), the food to buy and from where, the buses to catch and how etc We are going to have to relearn all that in each new country - which is half the adventure admittedly! All of us are looking forward to something a bit more westernised and hot food, not rice or noodles and not coconut based!
Some amazing views coming over New Zealand and a very bumpy 5 minutes as we crossed the NZ "alps"
Tiegan's bear Ziggy caused a minor security bio panic as it came through the "bio hazard" check. The NZers are really stringent about foodstuffs and, it seems, mud - especially on shoes, which may cause a threat to local agriculture. Ziggy is stuffed with rice (we think) in his paws and this is what triggered the machine to beep! Nervous moments for TG before he was allowed to enter! Good news though as NZ customs lady stamped the girls' bear passports. Managed to get a good deal at Duty Free to replace Rowan's camera which was dropped on board one of the Fijian ferries and cracked the lens. Picked up a shuttle bus at the airport and very spookily discovered that the driver was a Brit relocated from Southend, Essex near where Nicole used to live.
We said goodbye to Fiji and 30 degrees. Warmth, beaches and flip flops.
We said hello to this....
Oh my goodness!!!!
We knew we couldnt chase good weather all the way round - and we knew it was not going to be hot and sunny but.... something slightly less dramatic would have been good! We settle in to the Elms Hotel - which has suffered damage in the recent earthquake and has only just reopened. It is operating in the back section, reception in a portacabin and only a continental breakfast offered. It is great for us though, especially as Kathmandu (the outdoor shop) is just round the corner! We head there immediately and stock up on hats, gloves, thermals and thick socks. The girls also get a pair of "el cheapo" gummies - that's wellies in English!
When we get back from our shopping trip we find the nearly empty hotel is filling up with Air NZ and Air Asia passengers whosse flights have been cancelled and the "snow in" begins!
Fabulous. I like the fact they call their mountains the Alps in NZ, cheeky or what. I also remember 'gumboots' that's how they call them in South Africa. I can't believe you were in Fiji for a month!!! Doesn't time fly.
ReplyDeleteWhat a contrast of temperatures! Mad to go from hot Fiji to where you are.
Will you be visiting the Nelson / Malborough area at all? I have friends there if you happen to pass by. Love from all the Bowkleys