West Coast

I took David and Luke to the West Coast to see the Kauri trees and the Tasman Sea. I plugged in our destination into the GPS and off we went.  Steve does not like to rely too heavily on the GPS but I do. I knew the way but the GPS  wanted to take me a different way so I decided to follow it because it knew the shorter way. What the GPS doesn't know is what is gravel in New Zealand and what is not. What started out as a short cut took 30 more minutes due to several gravel roads it took me on. I could not believe it. We did get to the information center which was off a gravel road and the lady gave me directions to the Kauri trees. I was to go back out and turn left. Sounds simple. Well it is if you go back on the same road which I did not. I went on a different  road. All gravel roads look the same. This one, however, ended up being a logging road with deep ruts.  I said I don't remember this. My son said well you are on a different road mom.  He thought I wanted a different road. He told me he knew I had some directional issues but didn't know that it was that bad. Needless to say after that he questioned every road I took.  We did see everything we wanted to see. We stopped in a little tavern for lunch and had fish and chips. A couple of the people recognized that we were foreign and visited with us. They were very nice. It was a cozy play with a fireplace to which the owner's dog came in and laid down by.  I guess in New Zealand they don't have the same health codes.  We happened to drive by a rugby game and stopped to watch. I can not believe how rough of a game it is. Several guys got injured. One guy was laying on the field holding his hamstring. We assumed he must have pulled it. The trainer came over and looked at it. He had him stand up. He took a water bottle and just started squirting water all over the injured area. Then he had him shake his leg. He then told him he was fine so off the player went. David said it must be magic Maori water.  Who knows but it did make for an interesting day,

Adventure

We went to the middle of the North Island for a few days with David and Luke. It rained frequently so we had to work around that .  We took them to Hobbiton.  They were allowed to take pictures but they can't put them on the Internet because they are working on a new set for the movie the Hobbit.  Apparently movies sets are highly secretive.  The only thing new were the  fronts back on the Hobbit holes.  Maybe after the movie comes out they will be allowed to post pictures. We also went to Gravity Canyon.  Steve, David , and Luke went on the longest zip line in New Zealand over the canyon. David also bungee jumped. I , however, was content just to take pictures. I could not believe my son did an 80 meter bungee jump.  I'm glad I was focused on taking pictures with his camera. I tried to upload the video but it just won't interface. Here are a few  pictures of our time.

getting ready

the canyon

David and Luke

David and Luke arrive safely from the states . I survived yet another trip to the Auckland airport.  We plan on leaving for the central part of the island tomorrow. We hope to show them some things that we have yet to see.  Today we took them to the glow worm caves. They were very impressed. It is an amazing site.  It has been raining here so the cave had more water in it. We had to wade in knee deep water. I never new I was such an adventurer.  We also went the Whangarie Falls for about my 6th time but it is something everyone needs to see.  David had his first driving lesson and it is fun to watch someone new to driving on the left. I like to count how many times the windshield wiper gets hit instead of the blinker. That's how the Kiwi's know who the tourists are. I will update with more adventures as they happen. I think that bungee jumping is on the agenda(not for me)so it should be fun.

Graduation

The Johnston's

David and Aunt Jean

Uncle Joe,David, Aunt Beth

My Clan

David and Luke Campbell

We are now back from graduation. We had a great time. I just wanted to put a few pictures up for everyone.  I tried to get as much in as I could but I didn't get to see everyone I wanted. We also missed church due to family and numerous people flying out on Sunday.  My body didn't like the time change and I had to resort to my first sleeping pill to get over it.  I only drove on the wrong side of the road once. I can't ,however, say how many times I hit the windshield wiper instead of the blinker. I am now back to driving over here and have to retrain my brain yet again.   We will be having  David and Luke here in a week and plan to do some more traveling.  More posts will come on our adventures.