Napier...

..The Art Deco city.

Having left Otaki we took the bus to Napier - The second half of the bus ride was fine, with us both listening to music on our iPods. There isn't much else to do on the bus except jab each other and that novelty wears off...


eventually.

I spent the toilet stops with a small black purse full of coins feeding them patiently into the vending machines. These are all from my coin savings jar. Saving my coins was a habit I picked up from my step-mum Jill (thanks). Wasn't great at it when I was young, but when I started working seriously I decided to just throw the silver in my pocket in a cardboard glenfiddich tube every night (where you cant see it - jars are no good!). It soon accumulates - most years it exceeds $120.

I figure that 20 cent pieces weigh the most per dollar, so everything and everyone has been getting twenties till they run out. Anyway, Arrived in Napier and had our first real walk with our backpacks and, er, front packs on. Looks something like:



Our maternity packs on our fronts are not shown, but we are travelling light (later on at the airport, we were weighed at 14-15kg of pack each). Landing in Napier, we walked straight to our favourite shop; Jesters pies. Welington sooo needs one of these shops! They do a spinach feta and mushroom pie that is yummy as. After filling up, we taxied to Princess mums place (Sue) andwited for her to finish work, while cuddling Boswell.. (Boom! fatty-boswell.. Though nowhere as fat as Rusty, Princess' Dads' cat..)

We spent a lazy few days in Napier, watching TV, tying up the loose ends of the flat and any outstanding paperwork for travel. Had to redirect our post, passion all the utilities accounts for the flat, and navigate the maze that is the IRD phone system and website - we are (hopefully) now non-residents for tax purposes. Urg what a mission, but we got it done.

We also got out the movie out of the blue about Aramoana - was a very good movie, and quite chilling. Very normal rural NZ, which reminds you that it could have been anywhere.

Princess' mum, Sue, took us out to an awesome meal at a restaurant called Taste, and we both think it would be on our top 10 meals ever! The waiter/owner was bubbly and friendly, without being overbearing. At his suggestion, we tried a parsnip and apple soup to share as part of our entree. I was suitable skeptical, but it was soo nice! The apple was very subtle, and the soup was thick and creamy - the combination worked very well!



Thanks Sue, the whole meal was wonderful. I had pine nut and pumpkin fritters, while Princess had a stuffed Chicken breast and Sue had a vege Laksa. Mmmm.



Our last week in NZ was rather cold! I think the whole island was frozen; Napier especially so. Our Wellington-hardened bodies couldn't cope without blankets, heaters and lots of hot drinks. We also went to Ocean Spa, the hot pools down on Marine Parade... very nice, especially as it was socold! Every time we are in Napier, we go there - seriously, its a great place..

I upgraded Sues computer RAM - 64MB just didn't cut it, so I went to one of the small Asian computer shops to try and find some (old) SDRam. After a couple of trips back and forth with different varieties, I finally managed to find a 256Mb chip that worked in her Compaq. Windows ME sucks a lot less with 320Mb RAM! You can now switch applications (eg from internet explorer to MS word) without waiting 5 minutes listening to it chew the hard disk to pieces!





Princess had a small bundle of old letters etc that she wanted to burn - very cathartic. So I busted out my scout skills and we had a last-minute ritual burning...





Before leaving on Saturday; the bus from Napier to Taupo goes over a few ranges, and every time we got near the summit, it started Snowing! at Midday! Thats something you don't see very often...



Can't really see it, but that is snow, not clouds in the picture. Princess will tell you more about the busride in the next post, but I got through all of the audiobook, So long, and thanks for all the fish on my new iPod. A great set of stories, they are..

FP: "... its unpleasantly like being drunk.."
AD: "Whats so unpleasant about being drunk?"
FP: "Ask a glass of water..."