Message Stick

Touching down in Auckland we were picked up from the airport by George and Rosie, friends we met way back in Vietnam on our Halong Bay boat trip. They’d kindly invited us to stay for a few days and show us around so of course we gratefully accepted. Like a home from home, Rosie cooked us dinners and baked cakes and biscuits while we grilled George on which of New Zealand’s sights we mustn’t miss. In between all the planning we got chance to visit the Pacifika Festival, attended by the major Pacific island countries, each hosting stages and stalls. Watching ass-shaking dancers and sampling regional delicacies it almost felt like we were back in Fiji. We had such a great time staying with George and Rosie we both felt a bit sad to be heading off. Nevertheless, getting behind the wheel our hire car and setting off to explore the rest of the country felt like our adventure was starting again. It also helped that we’d arranged to stay another night in Auckland for another chance for some good old home cooking. They must have thought we’d never leave!