United Kingdom

Bit of a change for todays blogathon... Both Pol and I have decided to vent our anger at the quality of driving on this fair nations highways. "what has brought this on?" i hear you ask.. Well, the fact we nearly had a head on collision with a rally driver on state highway 38 this morning merely reminded us that things needed to be said.
THE DRIVERS IN NEW ZEALAND ARE ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING!
Scenario one:
A fooking Hick in a black flat bed pick up truck gets us in his sights... The road is windy and the speed limit is 100kmph. EZY campa is doing 98kmph and fast approaching a blind bend in the road. Before we continue, i would like to add that if something is slow moving (i.e, doing under 70kmph) then it is an unwritten rule that it should move in to the side to let faster traffic past. Now, as i wasnt going slow, i didnt feel the need to let this mentally challenged idiot past me. However, he felt differently, approached at speed and flashed me several times, an indication, i thought, that he wanted past. As there was nowhere to pull over, i continued regardless until i saw the guys face in my wingmirror! (Yes, you guessed it, contestant no 1 had a death wish!) i immediately slowed down as i didnt want to die!
Scenario 2: Overtaking into oncoming traffic: (Nuff said... i was the on coming traffic)
Now thats done, i will tell you what we have done over the last couple of days.
Went to the Honey hive in Taupo... not recommended.. merely a shop that sold inconceivable amounts of honey and bee related tatt. Pol and I overdosed on free samples of honey and meade (yuck!) and left feeling rather sick.
Had a pleasant walk along the banks of hukka falls (not a waterfall but intense rapids that are generated to supply the local power stations with what they need.)
Have bathed in numerous hot springs.. we even found a campsite called Waikite valley.. 14 dollars each to camp. No check out time and the price included unlimited use of the hot baths! KErching!
Moved on to Rotorua yesterday. Nice place but smells like Pol after christmas dinner. :-) lots of sulphorous gas and the usual mingling of shops and cafes, nothing unique really! Have booked into the Base Hostel for a night as we are due a free bed (due to the length of our stay in Christchurch)

waiotapu thermal valley... nearly forgot about this one! Not cheap ($25 dollars - about 9 pounds) which is cheap but not for us crusty world travellers! Needless to say, the place consisted of loads of oozing and squelching pools of mud and water.

The smell of which is quite indescribable. stink bombs and fart spray is the best we could come up with! got some nice piccies but as we are lazy and cant afford the internet time to upload them all, you will have to wait.
Right, we are off to find some cleansing lotion for Pols acne outbreak and to chill...

BYEEE

Pollyali

Mammap: Since when you been busting some grooves and living in the ghetto girlfriend?!?
MammaA: When do you leave for Italy?

xxx

Hi all,

Nearly fooled you there..we have made it as far as sun kissed East Yorkshire...nothing to report really.. had an interesting and expensive shopping trip into the cultural hotspot that is Hull. I say cultural because 1: I dont want to offend native Hullonians and 2: Because it reminded me that my culture is by far superior to theirs. In between dodging the endless Bakery queues and resin smoking scallies, we purchased a small pharmacy worth of droogs and sun tan oil. That was about it im afraid... its 10 oclock and we are test driving Pol's dads new laptop and after 5 cans of carlsberg export its a reet experience! Off to watch the best that Rupert Murdoch has to offer.

Lots of Love n Hugs

Al n a drunken polly.

xxx