John Cornhill

This is the final entry for Torquay there and back because I'm back in Torquay staying with daughter Jo and her partner Wayne. It was a great trip and I would recommend it to anyone. Fellow squash club member Bruce is off to Australia and other places in January, hope you have a great time too Bruce.
My next trip commences 20 January to Dubye, 2 weeks staying with Jillian West who has kindly offered to let me use her spare room over there. This trip will be called 'Hello and Dubye'. Watch this space. Best wishes to everyone, John John Cornhill

John Cornhill

Tues 12 Dec writing this in Amersham Philip and Fayes home flights all went on time lots of meals sat next to fin girl travelling from Aukland to Helsinki had 5 hour wait in Heathrow for connection then another 3 hour flight her journey therefore 38 hours in all! Its great to be back.John Cornhill

John Cornhill

Monday 11 Dec 10.00pm in Singapore Airport. no hitches and flights going to time so far. Met Claire from Scotland and a man from Cornwall on plane. See you all soon,
JohnJohn Cornhill

John Cornhill

sun 10 Dec afternoon met up with Keith Hooper an old friend at campsite, we had an excellent lunch next door at the Happy Days Restaurant followed by tea and mint chocs on the lawns of the campsite. Keith was pensions advisor to British Denkavit and to Chesham Prep. He has bought a motor bike here in NZ and plans to spend 3 months riding it around the 2 islands. Great.
evening met up with Jane Balgobin at her digs and landlady Donna 10 mins down the road from campsite, drank lots coffee and chatted for hours. Jane was Head of Maths at Chesham Prep and has come to NZ for a year to learn to fly Helicopters.
My flight home leaves Aukland airport just up road from campsite 13.10 i think tomorrom Monday get into Heathrow Tues 5am ish being collected by Faye and maybe Philip.
Lookinh forward to seeing everyone again. All the Best,
John
John Cornhill

John Cornhill

fri 8 Armed Constabulary (ac) baths big sports centre used gym didnt overdo it excellent facility near to campsite. pm tidied van, read book.
sat 9 drove taupo to Iain and Tina Lillington brither of Roger South somerset racing club. they live in Te Arapamato, south of Kihikihi also met 2 of 3 children enjoyed long chat and lunch kindly given great house and location/position. took photos then on to Manukau hol park on souythern outskirts of Aukland near airport. All the Best,
JohnJohn Cornhill

John Cornhill

Thursday 7 quiet day today, sunny and warm but not too hot. spent most of day asleep by pools. had a swim then relaxed in hot pool. later went and wathced some bungee jumping over the river. not for me. take care, John John Cornhill

John Cornhill

Tues 5th white water rafting today - it was great fun. 6 of us, 2 german girls, an american couple and me plus the guide all in an inflatable raft. we went forwards, backwards and sideways through raging rapids, over drops of about 1 metre, crashed into rocks and trees, glided through placid sections marvellous scenery all the way. we were on the Rangitaiki River which is fast flowing through the Kaingaroa Forest, 2 hours in the raft in all. John Cornhill

John Cornhill

mon4 weather atrocious but travelling all day so doesnt matter. drove Kaikoura to Picton well in time for ferry, stood on deck 10 in cold, wind and rain to see Queen Charlotte Sound again. Traffic very slow out of Wellington so stopped half way to Taupo at Taihape. nice site but still raining.
Tues5 nicer day, set off for Taupo, thru Tongariro National Park which is very high above sea level, part called the Desert due to no trees just grass and low shrub a bit like a moor but flat plains then ravines and twisty road strange place. then found myself driving along shoreline of lake Taupo which is huge so stopped in a picnic area right on side of lake with little beach for lunch. 2 black swans with 3 cygnets were there. male cob? marched up to me, not sure whether threatening or demanding to be fed probably both. I dont feed any birds or animals they just rely on humans and teach their young to do same then they forget how to feed in wild and anyway I want to eat it myself. Interesting episode when third adult appeared, presumably a male, and the first male screeched and attacked and they fought in the sea seemingly trying to drown each other going further and further out to sea went on for ages til couldnt see them the female and cygnets drifted out towards the fighting pair but stayed well back. eventually the mother (pen?) and cygnets came back to the shoreline but didnt see either of the males again she was obviously looking out for her partner I believe swans mate for life I fear that one or both of the males died in the fight. drove on to campsite, read book and walked into town. I like Taupo. All the Best, John John Cornhill

John Cornhill

friday 1 dec heavy cloud quite chilly raining most of day, jogged around Kaikoura peninsula past wharf, seal colony, whalewatch quay and maori settlement along shoreline, up cliffes, got wet. back to camp, nice hot shower that gratuitously sent an extra spray over the curtain onto my clean dry set of clothes now got 2 set of wet clothes. late lunch and read/finished book rest of day. evening watched first video on tiny portable provided with camper very good.
sat 2nd sunny but cool with sea breeze. sat in sheltered pool area with new book very relaxing. evening watched 2 more films.
sun 3 dec went swimming with dolphins yes I did at last. 40 mins with a pod of 300. 1, 2, 3, 4 at a time swimming around you, straight at you, over and under you, often within half metre. they really were playing with us humans in the water with them. when they swim around you, if you swim round with them, they keep swimming round and round until you can't keep up..they definately respond to maintaining eye contact as we were told. an exhilerating fantastic experience. I was so pleased with myself I could eat my own socks and panting and puffed out I was knackered at the end of it. wore wet suits which made it difficult (for me anyway) to dive down they are so bouyant I was vertical with head down trying to pull myself down and flippers flapping up in the air couldn't get down enough to get flippers in the water can you picture it?must have looked a right twerp but who cares! After swimming, dolphins carried on playing around boat for photos also more albatrosses plus arctic terns and cape petrols looking tiny against albatrosses. Top Day. tomorrow drive tp Picton, ferry to Wellington ie from south island back to north island, drive to Taupo(well thats the plan, weel see!) hope you are all fit and well,John Cornhill