And just a moment here to say how much I like Air New Zealand. ("Air New Zealand, I love you", as Derek would put it.) All of my "Air NZ Link" flights on small planes within the country have been great. The staff is always friendly and happy and it is nice to be in a place where there are no security checks (my liquids and exploding sheep don't have to be packed in ziplock baggies), they let kids go up into the cockpit during the flight and even let the kids help to hand out snacks and candies. It's like things used to be in our neck of the woods. (And as a Star Alliance member airline I am earning Aeroplan points and am going to have some good free airfare somewhere else this year!)
At the Bay of Islands airport in Kerikeri I got the shuttle van to drop me off in Paihia at the Outrigger motel (about a 22 kilometre drive). I love these shuttle services. It makes it so easy to get around and the cost is much less than taxis. You load up the van with any number of people and get dropped off at your accommodation or wherever you want to go. And you can book these shuttles to transport you anywhere. Perfect for the solo non-driver.
The shuttle driver dropped me off at my motel, The Outrigger, and I checked in. Big thanks here to my friend Erica in Dusseldorf for the recommendation (she stayed at this motel with her sister and her dad previously). Erica said the owners were superb hosts and that was evident upon check-in as Suzi gave me some brochures and ideas on what to do during my time here -- so that I could think tonight and then ask questions tomorrow. Based on her info (and some ideas I already had in mind) I have an itinerary planned and, weather permitting, it will be a perfect end to my trip.
The Outrigger motel is just up the street from the main wharf. So while I am not directly on the water, I can still feel the presence of the water. My check-in was also enhanced by the cat sitting on the counter.
I dropped my bags in my room and went to the grocery store which is pretty much next to the motel. Got some juice, yogurt and manuka honey for my brekkies and a bottle of Wild South savvie from the Marlborough region. (My motel room has a little Fisher & Paykel fridge as well as a microwave and stovetop.)
Then I walked down to the wharf checking out some of the shops. The Bay of Islands area is, as you might have guessed, a bay with a lot of islands. Paihia is a nice little town with a big wharf from which ferries and tour boats depart.
I walked around perusing menus and ended up going to 35 Degrees South restaurant right on the wharf as I wasn't overly hungry and they had salmon carpaccio on the menu. It was just what I needed. Slices of raw salmon layered with cos lettuce and creme fraiche laced with a really nice olive oil (I should have asked if it was a kiwi-grown olive oil), hazelnuts and oranges from Kerikeri. It was light, fresh and very tasty. I had a glass of Ti Point pinot gris from Hawke's Bay to accompany it. For dessert I had the molten chocolate babycakes with vanilla ice cream - yum yum. There was a guy playing guitar in the bar who was very good -- very nice voice. He did some Van Morrison, as well as very original versions of "Hotel California" and "Margaritaville".
After eating I stood on the wharf for a bit watching a para-sailor come in. The parachutes are attached to the boat and they slowly pull them in. Hmmmmm, looks like fun...
Then I headed back to my room and sat out at my little table and chairs on the deck outside my room. (There is also a back door off the bathroom in my room that goes out to a little patio area with table or lounger that gets the sun so I am quite pleased with my room.)
And if you are very observant you might notice a certain feline figure in the right foreground of the above photograph. (Kristin -- this is where your eyes start to glaze over but would you believe that the cat's name is Victor Newman??? I kid you not. No, actually, I kid you entirely. I have to find out the cat's name. Kristin - you can glaze over now and leave the room.)
Here is that same cat once it decides to come up to the steps to my little deck, lift its tail and spray (Trixie -- this doesn't mean it is okay to do the same thing in the dining room) and then jump up onto my lap...
We had a pet and purr session and then it was distracted by some birds in the bushes across the parking lot. But no worries as when I was unpacking it came back into my room to help...
I will have to find out its name and it has a very short tail so there must be a story there somewhere.
Well, am going to make a cup of tea now and read for a bit before slipping off into dreamland. Tomorrow is supposed to be a lovely fine and sunny day and I will take ferry across to Russell to look around there.
I am down to my last week in New Zealand as this time next week I will be on a plane heading back to reality (and snow and wind chill factors). I hope to make the best of this last week. Thanks to you all, gentle readers, for reading my blog and my ramblings, Friends, co-workers (also in the 'friends' category) and family (hello Aunt Yvonne!!!!!) -- thanks for reading. I would have written it all anyway but I am glad to know that people were interested. And a special thanks to Lisa M. in Oregon for checking out the blog -- Lisa and I have never met but we have been corresponding for years now after I replied to her online posting on a travel group about Malta. This was well before blogs and gmail but we have kept in touch since then about each other's travels and someday we will meet but I just wanted to say a special hello to her (plus she's a cat lover extraordinaire).
Goodnight all. More tomorrow.
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