It's now Thursday 30th April and I didn't manage to finish the final post I started at Auckland airport. I had wifi issues so intended to post back in the UK, but not this long after I returned!! Managed to jettison most of the gear I had accumulated for my travels in Paihia on the Sunday, which was good, and left for Auckland on the Monday as planned, stopping off at a place called Leigh along the way for a look see. Very close to Goat Island which is a marine reserve popular with divers. The harbour area was very pretty as was the coastline, but I was restricted to hobbling around fairly close to the car as I have seriously damaged my Achilles. How you might ask? We'll, whilst in Paihia I decided I would do an interval training session. The walking had been going very well, the legs were strong and I thought no problem! About 15 minutes in my Achilles just went! Lucky I wasn't planning any last farewell walk eh!! So I struggled the last couple of days and it's still sore as hell!
TheTuesday before I flew home on the Wednesday was largely a bits and pieces day. Did a bit of shopping, got a hair cut and did most of my packing! Then found a swimming pool! Had some time Wednesday morning so went for a jolly along Tamarki Drive to St Hellier, and back via Mission Bay, where I stopped for my last coffee and cake installment of the trip! Top drawer coffee and chocolate cake!! And would you believe the cafe was celebrating an anniversary and giving away free cup cakes!! I limited myself to two! A long but uneventful flight home save to say that I had a couple of beers for breakfast at Abu Dhabi airport, well three actually. Eight pounds fifty a pop!!
Jo met me at Manchester Airport from where we went straight to see my new grandson, Charles Josef! Spent the weekend in West Yorkshire before coming over to East Yorkshire to do a shed load of jobs on the house. Will return to West Yorkshire after the bank holiday and help Amie out for a couple of weeks as Phil has to go back to work, and because Charlie was born by cesarian in the end Amie is not allowed to do anything for 6 weeks! After that I'll go down to Norfolk to see family for a few days and go straight from there to explore the Balkans and surrounds for the summer, probably around the end of the 3rd week in May, until whenever! May even do a blog!!
My final picture is even more awesome than my time in NZ!!
Yours ever,
Glen
