see ya

everyone knows that goodbyes can truly suck...unfortunately, when traveling, they tend to become a part of life....you meet people you like, you hang out, one or other of you moves on, goodbyes are said, promises are made to keep in touch....

goodbyes are even worse if the people you are saying goodbye to are your own flesh and blood and the city you are leaving holds special memories of a week spent with them...as i've said before though, family is family, and when that is the case, goodbyes always have a way of becoming just 'see yas'...

our last day in auckland was spent first having lunch with Gina, a gorgeous aucklander we met and loved in canada....to celebrate her 21st birthday we dallied over chardonnay at spectacular city restaurant 'Mecca', soaking up the warm auckland sunshine and reliving memories of a week spent drudging through ice and snow in the rockies....it seemed a world away and a lifetime ago!

having sent gina on her way for further birthday celebrations we rejoined the family for our last supper....the last for now as, remember, this is only 'see ya'....laughs and wine and hugs and family photos later we left the city of sails with very fond memories and the most well meant promises to come back as soon as possible.

and so the road trip began....the 4 of us, mum, dad, matt and i, have travelled far across these little islands over the past 2 days....first all the way down to wellington where we walked through a pumping windy city and had dinner in a busy little italian with great food and a fun atmosphere....we continued the next morning on the 'inter islander', a 3.5 hour ferry journey across the seas to the south island after which these intrepid adventurers needed a drink....or how about a whole vineyard's worth? Mum, the brilliant little tour guide that she is, had found out about a beautiful restaurant called the 'twelve trees', nestled into one of the wineries of the malborough region we let the tiredness from an early start and all the driving drift over the grape vines and ate and ate and drank and drank....followed by, of course, more drinking, as we sampled sav blancs and rieslings from various wineries across the region.

and now we have arrived in christchurch....by way of a colony of NZ fur seals (oh so cute and furry!) randomly sunning themselves by the side of the coastal road, we are safely ensconced in a stunning apartment smack bang in the city centre...and, suddenly, after months of travelling as simple backpackers, i'm starting to get used to this life of luxury...! oh dear.

stay tuned.. xxx