Adilady's Christmasland

I hope you all had a smashin' Christmas, Kirstypops and I did. 

Christmas Eve was an early 8am start to go dolphin watching with Captain Paul aboard his Dolphin Blue boat.

Here we are waiting to go, there were 9 of us. Honeymooners from Holland; a couple from Croatia; Dee, Steve and little Steph from Aucks; and of course AL and KP.

It took over 2 hours to detect dolphins but when we did it was a pod of over 50! We couldn't swim with them though because they had babies.

 

The one on the left has a big wound on it's back:(

 

Lunch stop was in this bay. We did go snorkelling for 10 mins but it was cold, the sea rough and there wasn't a right lot to see unless you have a passion for seaweed.

We didn't see anymore dolphins on the way home:( 

And it rained :( :(

This is Mount Maunganui, we had walked around it the previous day.

And the docks from a distance.

When we got home KP and I cooked a chicken roast dinner to say a big THANK YOU to the family Clegg for their warm hospitality. To be honest though, Nick and his lovely wife Kirsty had done most of the preps before we got home:D

Front row; Kirsty and Nick.

Back row; AL, Charlie (13), KP and Amy (9).

Christmas day was a very sedate affair. Present opening and pancakes from around 8.30.

This is Charlie, if you look closely you can just see the top of his head...

And Amy with her wakeboard and cool surferchick T.

Kirsty and Amy are such diamonds, they had put together stockings for us! Thank you sweethearts, it was sooo appreciated by the both of us.

We watched a great NZ film called 'Boy' all about a Maori boy growing up in the 80s. It was sad, warm and funny and made me shed a little tear. Barbeque for lunch and then it was out of those pyjamas for a walk to Kaiate Falls; they were stunning, enjoy the photos.

Nick and KP.

An Australian gum tree, what's it doing here?

And many thanks to Google + for their festive contribution ho, ho, ho.

A massive HIP, HIP, HURRAH to the family Clegg for sharing their Christmas with us. Yet again it has been a privilege to spend time with such lovely people. I'll catch up with you all in the NY:D

Boxing day was spent on the road, we had to drop camperage off by 3pm. Then to a nice hotel for our last night before Kirstypops jets off to see Maureen aka Machatarn.

She left at 5am so now I'm feeling a bit bluesome. I'm picking my car up later today, for the remainder of trippingtons it will just be Adilady, tentage and the open road. Who knows what I'll do and who I'll meet? But it's the last leg of my journey before I come home in February almost a year after bookingtons took place in a snowy, March Manch. Lots of love and over and out; its not long now xxxx

Leonard and the Cleggs

Friday we headed back to Aucks as we had tickets to see Leonard Cohen with KP's friends, Andrea and Terry. A and T are just old, old friends; I had thought they were an item.

Kirsten has a friend in Auckland called Debra. She is a renowned academic in the mental health world and lectures all over the world; her specialism being people who hear voices. An interesting story, she has suffered in that department herself but has managed to make it work; all very John Nash. Debra has a friend Kate who put us up in her  big, blue, beautiful B and B for free, MANY THANKS. It was total luxury, big king sized bed, soft cotton sheets, clean fluffy towels. I think I had 3 hot showers whilst I was there and we got to watch a film in bed!!!!

Saturday daytime Kirsypops played out with Debra and I had a solitary day chilling, total bliss. I managed to catch up on bloggage, bookage and dozage, real nice:)

We met Andrea and Terry for an early dinner at 5. With them were their friends Louis and Trish (big LC fans) and Terry's daughter Vicky and her fiancé Glen aka the most romantic man in the world. He proposed by writing 'marry me' in the sand and booking a helicopter for the aerial viewage; how sweet is that? Terry is the biggest LC fan you will ever meet and also the most generous soul; he bought us all dinner and later on booked me and KP  a room in their swanky hotel. Thanks Terry mate, you're a ledge:D

I must confess the first half of Leonard's set didn't really float the old Adilady boat. The guy is a poet and it's all about the lyrics. They were unfamiliar to me and so I wasn't really feeling it until this line popped up.

'There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in'

I totally love that idea, I have downloaded the words to the whole song, please enjoy...

"Anthem"

The birds they sang 

at the break of day 

Start again 

I heard them say 

Don't dwell on what 

has passed away 

or what is yet to be. 

Ah the wars they will 

be fought again 

The holy dove 

She will be caught again 

bought and sold 

and bought again 

the dove is never free. 

Ring the bells that still can ring 

Forget your perfect offering 

There is a crack in everything 

That's how the light gets in. 

We asked for signs 

the signs were sent: 

the birth betrayed 

the marriage spent 

Yeah the widowhood 

of every government -- 

signs for all to see. 

I can't run no more 

with that lawless crowd 

while the killers in high places 

say their prayers out loud. 

But they've summoned, they've summoned up 

a thundercloud 

and they're going to hear from me. 

Ring the bells that still can ring ... 

You can add up the parts 

but you won't have the sum 

You can strike up the march, 

there is no drum 

Every heart, every heart 

to love will come 

but like a refugee. 

Ring the bells that still can ring 

Forget your perfect offering 

There is a crack, a crack in everything 

That's how the light gets in. 

Ring the bells that still can ring 

Forget your perfect offering 

There is a crack, a crack in everything 

That's how the light gets in. 

That's how the light gets in. 

That's how the light gets in.

The second set was much better, firstly there were empty seats in front of Terry and Andrea on the second row so we just sat in them. It was sooo much better being near the front. Secondly he played some more upbeat stuff and tuneages that I even recognised. Total highlight for me, hearing the man who penned 'Hallelujah' sing it live at the final gig of his world tour at the tender age of 79. I love that song; it makes me weep.

After the gig we hit the town and too much beverage was consumed. Below is a picture of Andrea getting up close and personal with a Tequila bottle. I think we hit the sack about 3am. Yet again I feel blessed to have spent quality time with such lovely, quirky people. Andrea we must meet up in Manch.

Sunday we drove to Tauranga on the east coast, we are spending Christmas with the family Clegg. Nick Clegg knows the sister Sedges from Hulme days way back when in the late 80s/early 90s. I was never part of that scene so don't really remember him although I may have met him once when I was sweet sixteen. 

Nick is a sculptor, yesterday he took us to some workshops in a place called 'the incubator' where they customise these funky pianos. Nick did the metal work on this one. How cool?

 

His friend Simone is into Steam Punk, check these out.

This is us being very silly....

In the afternoon we walked around Mount Maunganui, I wanted to climb it but rain stopped play:(

Then boring choros like supermarket shopping, dinner and early to bed. Tomorrow we are going swimming with dolphinos; hip, hip, hurrah! I must say a big hello to Pambird, KP tells me you are enjoying bloggingtons. I'm sooo pleased, you must start leaving some comments...

I probably won't be visiting Blogland until after Christmas now so lots of love and peace to all men. Happy Yuletide one and all; ho, ho, ho.

Caves and Hobbitholes

View from camperage Wednesday night.

 

Short bloggingtons today as I am feeling very sleepsville and unfunny so mainly pictures.  Thursday was fabuloso, the morning was spent on the 'black labyrinth' tour at Waitomo Caves, jumping off waterfalls and viewing the glowworm caves. In the afternoon it was a trip to Hobbiton (and that's its real name not Adilady speak).

We arrived at the tour office at 9am, donned our cold, wet, soggy wetsuits (nice) and got the usual safety talk. Below is our group, our guides were Paddy and Steph, both unfeasibly young. It's not just policemen who are failing to hit puberty these days. They made us do some stupid animal pose, as you can see I am really into it; Kirstypops looks like an extra from 'Shaun of the Dead.'

Then we had to find a rubber ring to fit our big, round, juicy bottoms...

 

Practise 'the eel' on dry land...

 

Before having a go at sploshing backwards into water from a great height.

Another group shot...

Followed by an individual pose before we set off underground.

This is another crazy addition courtesy of Google+!!!

Group shot inside...

The waterfall we all sploshed into...

And a final group shot before we reformed the eel to float through the glowworm caves.

I have no photographs of the glowworms, we switched off our head torches and blissfully floated through the water with the pale blue flicker of a miriad tiny larvae to guide us. It was truly beautiful, a stone encased galaxy of biological stars. I downloaded this picture for you but it doesn't even come close to the real dealio. Yet another highlight of trippingtons, I really am experiencing some wonderful things:D

Pictures of us coming out of the glowworm cave...

And the rest are just cave shots. As usual I had to buy a job lot so may as well include them in the bloggage:)

Those of you who know me well will know I am a big 'Lord of the Rings' fan and read the books on average once a decade. If you don't share my passion feel free to skip...

Hobbiton is what a movie tour should be, nothing like the sham Ted put on. The business belongs to the farmer who owns the land and nothing to do with Peter Jackson. Better than winning the fooking lottery! Keching.

Commentary will be sparse as once you've seen one hobbithole the rest look pretty similar. I loved Hobbiton, it was sooo cute and the landscape as gorgeous as it looks in the movies. It's also exactly how I imagined The Shire when I first read the books 30 years ago and reminds me of The White Peak.

The building in the distance is 'The Green Dragon' pub.

The two pictures below are Bag End. I couldn't get them all in one shot and had hoped Google+ would join them up for me:(

 

I love this picture, it is 'The Green Dragon' again.

And the next 3 are also the pub, Google+ let me down again with regards gluing them all together: (

The pub was great, we got a free mug of ale which I thought was a nice touch.

OMG! Can you believe I've been travelling in warmer climes for 6 months and my legs are still a frightful, spookydooky, ghostly white:O That's SPF 50 for you, may as well be wearing a nuclear fallout suit:)

The hole at the top is Bag End from a distance,

and the hole with the yellow door is where Sam Gamgee lived with Rosie.

Friday was spent in Hamilton searching for some matching Maori bodyart. I was in two minds whether to do sharingtons or not as I know some folk will wholeheartedly disapprove. I will post some pics when I have worked out how, I have just updated the software on my tabloid and now I can't work any of it, fooking Adilady Ludditelady ha ha. Lots of love and over and out, off to see Leonard Cohen tonight: D xxx

Miracle of miracles, I have worked it out. 

This is Kirstypop's Maori fish, special to her because she is a Pisces and loves the sea.

This is my Maori turtle. Turtles have been cropping up throughout my trip ever since I bought a turtle pendant from 'The Killing Fields' way back in July (and I have been wearing it ever since). The Fijians believe the turtle brings prosperity and a long and happy life; my friends on Kuata gave me a turtle necklace to keep me safe for the remainder of trippage:)

It is in a very discrete place and will only be seen by a chosen few;) First Adilady competition ever, where the fook is that turtle????

Below KP and me with Ali (left) and Mark (right). Thanks guys, we love our tattoos xxx