Well the beginning of last week started pretty similar to the week before with no money, hardly any clothes, bloody awful weather and a lock out by management of the bus drivers so no buses going anywhere ... I can honestly say I was starting to get really fed up!

But all was rescued when I got a free trip in a helicopter courtesy of Howard's boss who was taking some Tongan friends round to look at the 3 waterways projects they are working on. So at 9.30am on Friday morning we rose out of Leigh's back garden (the helicopter is kept in the garage ... as you do) in the 6 seater helicopter and just popped in to pick up some fuel (450 litres, it burns 180 litres an hour when cruising) and gthen we headed north to Marsden Cove near Whangeri over some of the most spectacular scenery and oh my god are the beaches long here.

After about 40 mins we arrived at Marsden Cove and landed right next to the harbour before having a wander round to look at the development, the amazing NZ$2 million show home where you can sit in the bath and look out over the harbour, the beach, the sea, the mountains ... yep it was mind blowing.

Cup of tea later and we were back on board and after Leigh had told us to get our life jackets out (this did not instill confidence) we headed out to sea until we were high above the ocean and watching schools of fish and looking out to the Barrier Islands with Poor Knights off to the left. Once back over land Leigh decided that he had flown long and straight for too long and some ariel acrobatics were called for ... a couple of 360 degree loops later my stomach was in my mouth and the Tongan boys were all whooping with joy!

We finally landed on the smallest piece of land ever next to the waterways in Whitianga (in the Coromandel) where again we looked round the development and then went into town to have lunch next to the esturary at a squid restaurant, yum!

Finally full of squid and beer (Speights) we headed back and set off for my last part of the journey to Pauanui but again not before we had dived in the helicopter over a blow hole and flown past the breathtaking Cathedral Cove.

Sadly this is where I left the guys, they were great fun and we all had a great day. Leigh dropped me at Jeanne and Howard's bach where I made myself at home and Jeanne and Howard arrived about 9pm.

Saturday J&H took me to the Hot Water Beach where I nearly scalded my feet in the pools, I really didn't think it would be THAT hot! The idea is you take a spade and dig a hole in the sand at a particular place in the sand and up comes hot water and you sit in the puddle and give yourself a spa ... how anyone could sit in that with burning there bum is beyond me.

We then drove over the Hahei where we stopped in at the Lunar cafe for a muffin and tea before heading off to walk to Cathedral Cove, unfortunately the weather turned at this point and it got a bit drizzly so the pictures aren't as great as they could have been. Its a 25-30 min walk down to the cove through all sorts of landscape from rainforest to what could easily be a field in the UK with gorse and foxgloves growing.

Next we headed to the look out over Cooks Beach which is the first place that Captain Cook landed in 1769 and you'll also be interested to know is now the tsunami evaculation point for the area. We then went down and caught the ferry to Whitianga, when I say ferry its hardly a Stena but it did the job.

We stopped in at the Blacksmiths pub for a pint of Monteith's and then a walk around town finished off with an ice cream as we strolled along the beach ... what a great lunch ;-) Back over on the ferry and we headed for home via Tairua and drove up Paku which gives a great view over Pauanui or at least it would have if the fog hadn't descended at that point, oh well.

Home we went to freshly caught fish, Jeanne's son had been fishing and left us some fish which Jeanne set about smoking and making a fish curry for tea. After dinner we headed to the beach to walk Rosie before crashing in front of the TV. About 9pm an air raid siren went off which very nearly had me running for the hills but I was calmed by J&H who said it was to call the volunteer firebrigade in ... phew!!

Sunday was sunny and started with a fry up before Jeanne and I headed out to walk Rosie as Howard had a business meeting, that's commitment for you!! Once we all got back we went for a drive round Pauanui which is lovely little seaside town but nothing like the ones in the UK. Almost all the houses and garden are imaculately kept with plenty of space between each unique building, the beach is beautiful with no litter and the roads are wide and easily navigated. We then stopped to pick our own avocados from the trees in the fields where kiwi fruit were being grown.

The weather was rain and showers by now so we had some lunch and decided to pack up and head back to Whangaparoa which took about 2.5 hours to get back and we went over the Thames River which has one major difference there is only has one tiny bridge over it but like our lovely River Thames its very murky and uninviting.

After a fish and chip super I fell into bed tired but really please to have finally seem a bit of this amazing country.

Monday this week saw the arrival of my debit card so most of this week has been taken up with lengthy bus trips (1hr 45m to Auckland, 1hr 30 m to Takapuna and 1hr to Albany all one way) but on the plus side I have managed to replace almost all the vital stuff that I lost.

So I took Jeanne and Howard out for dinner last night to thank them for putting up with me as long as they have now that I knew my card was working ... WRONG!! How embarrassed was I when Howard had to pay for the meal because my card wouldn't work, J&H thought it was hilarious especially as we had been joking on the way there about it, I am never going to live it down ... money has been repaid and its all a mystery as my card has been working fine today.

This weekend I am off to Hahei again with Sarah and Amy (Becky is in Oz with her school at the mo and is then heading back to the UK for a few weeks) as its Labour Day Weekend here so Monday is a holiday. Not sure of my plans for next week yet as I'm due in the Cook Islands 2 weeks on Tuesday so don't want to venture too far from Auckland. Jeanne's side of the family have invited me to Taranaki for the weekend the following weekend as its Jeanne's brother (Julia's Dad's) 50th birthday and it would be a great opportunity for me to see that part of New Zealand and meet the rest of the clan.

So I am fully embracing the more spontaneous Helen you'll all be pleased to hear, but need to stop embracing Jeanne's homemade baked goods otherwise I'll be rolling aorund New Zealand ;-)

Take care everyone and will update again as soon as I can.

Hx