Takapuna Inferno

Time to rub your noses in it; yes, I am about to start complaining that it is too hot. The middle part of the day is an excuse to move around town with the AC pumping. We get in the car, explain once again to Jay that we can wind down the windows, or we can turn on the Air Conditioning, but that doing both would simply throw freshly cooled air straight out of the vehicle. The boys are both bloated with pink by this time of day that even Jay can not resist a little nap time. We park up somewhere in the shade and move on to a cafe and take in the view. Today was the view from Titirangi, suburb of Auckland, down over the forest, to the beach, with a vanilla milkshake and a huge slab of caramel chocolate cake.

It had cooled off enough by half three to head down to the beach via the appropriately named Zig Zag path. Covered by the trees, the path immediately leaves any sight of civilisation, yet drainage holes and small wooden bridges clearly mark the path as man-made and regularly used. A half hour walk opened onto the well kept lawns before the beach. But the tide was out, so far out that I couldn't even see where the sea even started. So we made do with playing on the playground before hiking back up the hill and returning to our new home, the district of Takapuna. Just North of Auckland Central, which means across the Harbour Bridge. The 'well-heeled' area comes across as a permanent holiday resort. The Beach, the row of bars and restaurants along the front, as many yachts as there are cars, and the fact that we are staying in a caravan park on the top end of the beach make me easily forget that while this area fills up with visitors at the weekend, it is 15 mins bus ride from the busiest Biz centre in the country.

The experienced NZ traveller in me is easily forgetting the london throngs, and is very quick to describe 100 people on a mile long beach as a bit hectic. I'm longing to get away from a bustling metropolis, which is annoying as I already have done so once in the last week, and now I'm doing it again. Although in this one, when I drove round a car park to find all spaces occupied, a pedestrian that was returning to her car waved at me as I left and shouted, 'hey mate! I'm just about to leave'.

Will hit the proper country side soon, and more news on the big vehicle decision. I'm sure you're all on tenterhooks about which Mitsubishi had what it takes. Well, be prepared for a shocking twist ending to that plot line.

A Tale of Two Delicas

So the journey over here was mixed, on the first flight we had the finest seats on the whole plane. Front left, facing a wall onto which was attached a 'Basinette', which is a fancy word for a bucket for keeping a baby in. But the legroom! The front left, for some reason has more legroom than front right or centre. I was able to properly stretch out, with my right foot cheekily poking under the curtain and actually being accomodated in the first class section. The only possible way to have a better seat than this would be to in first class and to slyly poke your foot into the Pilot's cabin.

So I stretched my legs out, Jay put Cocomong on the personal video screen (Korean kid's cartoon), I hooked into the latest Ricky Gervais in Hollywood opus, and Annie tried to stop Mama Mia from playing in french on her video screen while Theos rolled around in the chasm that was our leg space. I barely noticed our descent, and looked forward to catching a few more movies on the next leg.

Not to be though, I'm afraid. The Seoul to Auckland leg was on a plane from the 80's. We once again had the Basinette seat at the front, but were now in the middle. Personal video screens were just a glimmer in the future of aviation and the baby-bucket had the one video screen for the whole plane just above it. Thus making the space set aside for babies the most illuminated, flashing, 18 certificated place to sit on the entire plane. Instead of occasionally starting another episode for Jay, I spent a good section of the flight averting Jay's eyes as Vin Deisel punched another Ruskie.

Just about over the experience now. We all a bit sun-burnt (Sorry Theophilus) and trying to choose between the 4wd Deisel Mitsubishi Delica and the 2wd petrol Mitsubishi Delica with a sun roof. Should have some kind of vehicle by the time I write again, but hopefully will have been presented with a bit more choice by then.

Haven't actually left yet

Less than 2 weeks to go. Plenty is in place for when we arrive, place to stay, hire car for the short term before we require our own vehicle. But I'm still surrounded by stuff here in the flat in London, and it all has to be moved South or thrown away. It seems that someone wants to move into our flat, so hopefully I can palm a bunch of rubbish of on them and not need to carry it all down to the bins. Not that I'm not looking forward to taking lots of stuff down to the bins, that is.

Have got round to buying a lovely new lap top for the trip tho, so I should be able to add lots of fascinating stories to the blog from the comfort of my own tent. Which should increase productivity as I won't have to suddenly think of something beautiful and poignant whilst sitting in an internet cafe with the clock ticking. No, I can scribe pearls of elegant prose in my own time and space - like this first chapter. Beautiful, wasn't it?