100 Days of Happiness - Day 42

[dizzojay]

I didn't take a photo of something that made me extremely happy today, because it was only an email.

It was an email from two of my very dear friends in New Zealand to say that they're coming over here in September and they'll be staying with us for a few days



I haven't seen them since our last trip over there in 2006 and now I just can't wait to catch up!!!!

Comments

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It's the place (I think) with the huge earthquake rift running through it, or close by it.

You're a very lucky lady living in such a stunning country!

My friends live in Meeanee which isn't far from Napier.

[sameuspegasus.livejournal.com]

Did you go to Raglan when you were over here? It's a little town at the beach with palm trees down the main street, and a footbridge across the estuary, not far from Te Mata.

I am lucky :). Where else in NZ did you go?

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Oh, we did go to a beach, in that area but I don't think it was called Raglan, sorry, mind's a blank!

We have other friends in Pukera Bay, so we started there, went to Wellington for a couple of days, then travelled up through Carterton to go to the Paua factory shop, on to our friends in Napier, Meeanee and Hastings. From there we went to Mata Mata, Rotarua, Taupo, Waitomo, and then travelled back down to Pukera Bay through Taihape to see the giant gumboot, then flitted between Otaki, Petone and Paraparaumu to catch up with other friends before we came home.

That was my second trip to New Zealand and as you can see, it's a VERY special place for me :)

[sameuspegasus.livejournal.com]

There is a possibility there is more than one place called Te Mata. Unless you took the back roads, it seems quite a long way out of the way considering all the other places you went.

I see you hit all the major tourist spots in the North Island. No Mt Doom though? That surprises me. The volcanic plateau is quite near Taihape. Make sure you get to the South Island at some point, it's amazing :)

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

It could be that I've just got my names wrong - it was over seven years ago and my memory's not the best!

We did go to Tongariro National Park (how could I forget that???) We saw Mount Doom and did loads of other Lord of the Rings nerding!

Another place we went, but the name escapes me, was the ....... Pinnacles which was used as the Path of the Dead in Return of the King.

Because we have so many links with the North Island, I've never yet had the time to go to the South Island, but that's a box I fully intend to tick one day :)