Nov 22 Thursday
It is American Thanksgiving today. We are staying in a Catalina Spa in Desert Hot Springs under Coast to Coast. It is only about 3 blocks from Desert Pools who had computer classes Wednesday morning and Catalina had them in the afternoon. Tomorrow is black Friday –like our boxing day so we do not want to be near any stores. Some open at 4am.The weather here is getting colder-71-41 so it is cool in the evening I will start my hiking tomorrow at Thousand Palms reserve. Bill is having difficulty making our new Star Choice satalite dish to work so we are on cable TV and no Vancouver news.

Nov 19 Monday-21 RV were parked in the front lot, the back is for truckers. We go for breakfast and are on the road by 7:30-48’ and sunny. Santa Nella is only 80 miles away. We stay here quite often. We go I-5---hwy 46----hwy99---hwy 58---hwy 395 We travel through fruit,nut and grape country. It seems to go on for ever. We go through Victorville and Apple Valley. A mistake as there are too many traffic lights. Next time we will go to Barstow then down Hwy 247 to Yucca Valley. We arrive at Yucca Valley around 5 after driving 464 miles. It was 78’ but it did get up to 83 in the Mohave Desert. We go for dinner at the Pizza Hut another mistake 45min before we get our food. We stay over night in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Nov 18 Sunday- Still raining only now lightly. We go to the casino for breakfast 4.25 for 2 eggs 2 bacon hash browns and toast. We split it. We are finally on the road by 7:30 it is 50’ out. As soon as we cross the California border the sun comes out. We stop at the Olive Pit for my olive fix then go to the Safeways next door. At 6pm and 70’we stop at the Flying J in Lodi ( north of Stockton )for the night. 417 miles today. Bill has a shower and a drink then we go into their café for dinner. Shannon phones and says they arrived in Florida safely and they signed the papers for the condo facing the Intercostals waterways in Fort Lauderdale

N0v 17 Saturday Today we get up at 6am and start heading South for our old stamping ground. We get to the Aldergrove border at 7:30 and it doesn’t open until 8am. There is already a line up. We finally get across at 9:10 with no problems. It pours rain all morning but the sun comes out at 1:30 . We arrive at 7 Feathers Casino in Canyonville (exit 99) at 6:30 . We are very close to the California border. I-5 is sure a quicker way to go. We haven’t come this way for a long time. We park in their free dry camping sites and go in . First we watch some country western singers (free) then head for the prime rib buffet. They also had garlic buttered clam. Yum. 12.25 ea for seniors. Sure can’t beat that price and it was good to boot. Bill goes to bed as he drove 534 miles . We fall asleep listening to rain playing a tune on our roof.

Friday Nov 16 sunny but cool
The RV is packed and ready for us to leave South tomorrow morning. The boat is put in mothballs in out boathouse. We are going where it is warm.( Hot- Palm Springs is 90’) The Sherwins winter schedule-
Nov 28-Dec 19-Indian Waters Indio
Dec19-Jan 2-Desert Pools Desert Hot Springs
Jan 2-Jan 16 Pilot Knob Yuma
Jan16-Jan 29 Ehrenberg near Quartzite
----------the above confirmed------------
Jan29-Feb 12 Indian Waters Indio
Feb 12- Feb 26 Desert Pools, Desert hot Springs
Feb 26- March 4 Catalina or Vista Spa Desert Hor Springs
March 4- March 18 Indian Waters Indio
March 18- March 31 Desert Pools

Nov 11 Sunday Remembrance day. We attend the BYC service at Gates Park (raining slightly) . The club has a great lunch for everyone. We take 2 loads of stuff to the RV and stay the night in the RV It pours rain all night.

Nov10 Saturday I wake up at 12:30 am thinking it is 5am . I get up as I am wide awake so I unpack my suitcases and read until 2am. And go back to bed. I get my x-ray for my back the first thing in the morning then we go to get the RV to get 4 new tires put on . We take the RV to the park under the Lions gate bridge. After getting plugged in and settled we return to the boat for the night.

Nov 9 Friday-We arrive in Vancouver in sunshine. Wow . Hudson and Dina pick us up and take us to the boat.We have a good visit and go out for dinner. We leave everything unpacked and go to bed exhausted.

Nov 8 Thursday We arrive in LA at 10:20am. We have no trouble at the airport. They do not open anything. We stay bat the Doubletree for one night before heading for Vancouver. Shannon and Ethen pick us up and we go to dinner. A great dinner.

----Our time in Australia and New Zealand is officially over as we leave New Zealand. We absolutely adored the beautiful countryside with good food nice people, and fantastic experiences. We filled CD’s with pictures in a somewhat futile attempt to capture it all in order to take along on the journey of life. Our trip was experience to be filed among memories’ rarest jewels. We bade G’Day to Australia and New Zealand with saddened hearts. We bonded in a common enterprise the love of travel and by the time we finish our trip we have made many friends. The downside of caravanning is making new friends from all over and than having to leave them. We covered a pristine corner of the world down under. We added more notches to the wonderful and unforgettable experience of life. It was a trip that will be impossible to forget. With heavy hearts we board the plane back to the USA.

-Nov 7- Thursday Auckland the city of sails .Waitemata harbour is home to the renowned Americian cup regatta. Westhaven marina is one of the largest marinas in the Southern Hemisphere. We have a free day today until 3:30. We go up the sky tower and take good pictures of the city a 360 view. The Sky tower is higher than the Eiffel tower in Paris (324m) the Sydney tower (304m). It is 328m. www.skycityauckland.co.nz The sun is trying to come out. We return to our room to put the luggage outside to put in storage. I walk around downtown .We get to the airport in plenty of time. No free WIFI. So will wait until we get to LA. Plane leaves at 7:30 pm. We loose a day this time. Going back was harder as we couldn’t sleep for some reason

King penguins at Kelly tarlton Auckland

these are the boats we went out in Auckland harbour

stained glass in War Museum Auckland

Cows on Mt Eden keeping grass trimed Auckland

Nov 6 Wednesday Auckland A light rain is falling. We go to a good breakfast buffet then get the tour bus at 9am. We head to Mt Eden first for a 360’ view of the city. We find a group of cows professionally mowing the lawns, they were unconcerned with all the people. Mt Eden is the largest extent volcano (there are 48 in this area). The War Museum is next. It is huge ,3 levels- the ground level is dedicated to people of NZ both Mauri and Europe descents and the Pacific region. 2nd floor dedicated to NZ seafaring past and present . The top floor focuses on New Zealand at war. Light filters through the stained glass ceiling above the lobby. There was too much to absorb in 1 hour. Back on the bus we tour the city including Parnell historic district with it’s expensive shops, Queen street Aucklands golden mile entertainment and shopping center. We do the waterfront next and walk around the Maritime museum before boarding one of 3 sailboats Jim hires for us.Pride of Auckland. www.prideofauckland.com Our boat is 50 ft. we are on it for 1.5 hrs. It stops raining enough to enjoy a box lunch in the cockpit, then back to rain again. They provided raincoats. guess we can’t win them all. It was still enjoyable as great views. We arrive at Kelly Tartons underwater world in time to see them feeding the sting rays. Next we board the snow cat for a close encounter with Gentoo and King Penguins in a stimulated Antartic world. We walk through transparent acrylic tunnels ( all around aquarium) with views ofsharks turtles, and other marine life. www.kellytarltons.co.nz

My pictures are all mixed up so have to sort them again so will post pictures latter.

Nov5 Monday Paihia is just about on the tip of the North Island. It started out as a missionary town. We take a 4 hr boat ride to the hole in the rock and the Bay of Islands. We make a brief stop at Russel an a hour break at Otehei Bay. I walk the beach and gather some shells. www.fboi.co.nz It is raining on and off. We have lunch in Paihia and get a parking ticket ( over 4 hours) $21 We drive to the treaty house and see the huge war canoe. We return to the park for a social hour and briefing then pack to turn our motor homes tomorrow.

Nov 4 Sunday Waiwera to Paihia 194 miles 8 hrs. A long drive today.It is raining lightly . We travel through the Waysous forest today with some extremely wicket curves. It tests Bills driving skills. We meet a Tracks Caravan going the opposite direction. They have 24 rigs also. We stop at a very good pioneer museum. It was a huge place with many rooms. Their gum room was particular interesting, clumps of gum hardened. It looked like pieces of amber, some had insects inbeded in them. www.kauri-museum.com We go through Dargaville the sweet potato capital of NZ. We stay at the Bay of Islands holiday park . We are here for 2 days.
Nov 3 Saturday Waitom0 to Waiwera 142 miles 4.5hr Overcast today as we travel on the Awkland freeway. The traffic is not too bad as it is Saturday. We pass Aukland ( we will return in 3 days). We can see the skytower . We arrive at Waiwera thermal holiday park. We wakl to their thermal pools . www.waiwera.co.nz It is a vast complex of water slides and over 20 indoor outdoor naturally heated poolsof different temperatures. We have an ocean view right in front of the water

glow worm caves rabbit shearing

Nov2 Friday Rotorua to Waitomo 98 miles 3.5 hrs. After an 8:30 am road briefing we travel through Keneith forest then rolling hills with more sheep and cattle. We arrive at Waitomo top 10 Holiday park around 10:30 . After lunch we walk up to an Angora rabbit shearing shed. At 1:45 we car pool to the Waitomo glow worm caves. We enter limestone caves with stalacites and stalagmites and as our eyes grow accustomed to the dark we see a milky way of little lights surrounding us. These are glow worms. Glow worms are match stick sized in larva stage of the fungus gnat ( a relative to the mosquito) Which attach itself to the cave and produces around 20-30 mucus and silk threads or “fishing lines” which hang down a few centimeters. Drawn by the highly effective chemical light , midges and flying insects get ensnarled in the thread and the glow worm draws on the line to eat the insect. Ruakuri cave is the cave we go to. We have dinner at the park café.

Nov 1 Thursday Rotorua Our bus arrives at 7:40 and we go to Rainbow Springs nature Park. Here we see very large trout in crystal clear spring water. They also had a nocturnal kiwi room. We see 2 kiwi’s . Avories in a rainforest setting and some wallabies were on display . http://www.rainbowsprings.co.nz/ Next the Agrodome where 19 different breeds of sheep are shown off. The show includes shearing and dog demonstrations. http://www.agrodome.co.nz/ We go to another thermal village where we see geysers blowing and mud boiling. We get to sit on a natural hot seat. http://www.tepuia.com/. We get back to the park at 12:30 and rest before the evening at Tamaki Maori Village were we get a Hangi- a Maori feast accompanied by cultural performances . It reminded us of a Hawaiian luau. While the food cooks a show with haunting harmonies, singing, foot stamping, and poi twirling (rhythmic swinging of balls on a string ) butterfly dance- balls move with rhythmic music with impressive speed and agility. http://www.maoriculture.co.nz/

Oct 31 Wednesday-Lake Taupou to Rotorua -A short drive today in the sunshine, only 49 miles. We get a 8am start for a boat tour to Huka Falls . We are back in time to see the Araticata Dam release water on the Waikato river. Next we go to NZ’s Geothermal Volcanic Valley. Wai-O-Topu thermal wonderland . We watch geothermal activity, gushing gysers, plopping mud, thundering craters, and sizzling earth. We find innumerable colours of every tint and hue displayed in pools, lakes ,craters, stream vents mineral terraces and even the trackc we walk on. The artist palette was a panorama of hot and cold pools and steaming hissing fumweoles. An amazing variety of ever changing colours .It took over one hour to walk the trails. I found it very interesting. www.geyserland.co.nz We arrive at Rotorua thermal Holiday park. No WIFI. And we are here for 2 days. Oh NO. I am really behind in posting the blog. There is a café on site . We have a very good dinner here.

Oct 30 Tuesday Napier to Lake Taupo 85 miles 2 hrs. We have an 9am appointment at the Sheepskin tanning factory. It was very interesting, as we got to see the big washing machines, combing and streatching of hides. We also got into the sewing room. Today they were sewing car buffers. I bought a sheepskin pillow for the RV. We travel more mountains and rolling hills, with lots of wineries and fruit orchards. In Rangitaiki forest we see different stages of reforestation. We pass a few logging trucks full of logs. We get to Lake Taupo early so get the gate code, have lunch and a quick shower before going to The Craters of the moon. What stunning landscape. We walk on boardwalks while steam escapes from holes and cracks in the ground. In one area the mud bubbled and boiled. Even the vegetation is strange. From here we go to see Huka Falls NZ’s best known and photographed falls. A river of white and blue water gushes through a narrow gap in the wall of rock. We drive to a prawn farm next hoping we would stay for dinner. $90 for a kilo , unpealed and with heads. No thanks I quess we are just spoiled. We decide to back to town. We finally find a restaurant across from the lake. I have the NZ green mussels yum yum .

Oct 29 Monday Upper Hutt to Napier ( a modern seaside village) . 179 miles 7 hrs. It is sunny today as we start snaking up Rumutaka summit(555m) and immediately snaking down . All eyes are on the road and the edges. Wow. We have a tour planned for 9am at the Paua factory. ( shell) . http://www.pauaworld.com/ Our next exciting stop is the nocturnal Kiwi house in Mt Bruce National wildlife park. http://www.mtbruce.org.nz/ We see an eel ( one yard long) and a wild Kaka (bird) We walk through rainforest trails. We drive pass award winning wineries, sheep farms along with fruit and market gardening. We fuel up 82.52 . We are staying at Kennedy Complex. They have a beautiful rose garden here.

Oct 28 Sunday Willington ferry terminal to Upper Hutt. Picton is a small town sandwitched between the hills and the deep placed waters of Queen Charlotte sound. The ferry ride is 3.5 hrs . across the Cook Strait past the spectacular Marbough Fjord . 1.5 hrs is spent in open waters. Our crossing was uneventful. We spent most of the time in the bow. http://www.interislander.co.nz/ On arrival to Wellington we go to Te Papa museum on the waterfront. Entrance is free. http://www.tepapagovt.nz/ We hire a guide ($8 each) and he shows us an overview of the 5 story building. Here is all things Kivi. My favorite was level 4 Maui meeting house painted in rainbow pastel colours . We stay at the Harcourt Holiday park. Some of us go to the RSA ( like an Leigon) I have my lamb yum.