Hi
This is Fogg. You will have received a Blog from Phileas. My turn whilst Phileas is out booking a trip to another local Island. Forgive me if I repeat anything. Christmas is now over . It was strange being on a beach eating breakfast on Christmas day and swimming in the Pacific but a wonderful experience. We watched Gannets diving for fish and looked across to Rangitoto an extinct Volcanic Island that we have visited. Prior to Christmas we travelled to the top of North Island for three days and stayed in a backpackers hostel, which was quite an experience in itself. Some time since I did that. About 40 years. The whole trip was wonderful. At the very top end. A very sacred place for the Maori. We watched the Tasman and Pacific oceans meet. A quite extraordinary sight seeing two great seas crash against each other. The landscape as we travelled was just stunning. Great hills punctuated with trees and ferns which created great areas of beautiful textures and colours. A textile artist's delight. We also visited one of the three remaining Kauri tree forests and saw the 'Biggest' tree in New Zealand. It was massive and majestic. Visiting the Kauri tree museum was a plus and gave us an insight into the historyof this magnificent tree. The Europeans and Maoris were very keen on it and logged, seemingly at will, until only 3% of the original coverage of New Zealand remains. I did not believe a tree museum could be so interesting! Whilst back at our hostel eating at a local restaurant one night we spotted Johnathon Porritt (past president of Friends of the Earth. Other highlights for me were a trip along '90 mile' beach on our coach. Driving at high speed along a deserted beach sounds odd but it was fantastic with marvellous views both out to sea and inland. We stopped occasionally and at one we dug for Tua Tua shells which we cracked open and ate the contents. A bit like mussels and a little slimy but I liked them. Phileas did not try! I also attempted to 'surf' a sand dune. This dune was well over 300 feet high and very steep. I was carrying a board to slide down on. I have to report I did not make it to the top as my legs just would not carry me. But I did manage a short slide down from about half way up. It was seriously difficult. But I am glad I had a go. I have to say I felt a bit knackered for the rest of the day! Tomorrow I take a trip on a large racing sailing boat which was used by NZ in the Americas Cup a few years ago. I shall report on that when I have done it. How excited am I? So after a very relaxed Christmas and Boxing day we are begining to get going again and have some serious experiences. We only have another week at Devonport and then fly to South Island on the 4th Jan where we will be staying at an ex colleagues house for ten days and then we are completely on our own, but hope to visit friends and relatives of Phileas whilst there. So our adventure continues. I have even managed to do some drawing maybe to illustrate our words when we get back? So this is Fogg signing out and I wish you all a very happy New Year.