And finally

Thanks to Dave for suggesting I write the blog to record the trip. It will greatly assist my ailing memory and I hope his students weren't too scornful! Hope those of you that read it enjoyed it.
My final observation is the contrast between the richer nations we visited and the poorer. The friendly Fijians who welcomed everyone to their country with a musical bula and waved you off with a melancholy farewell song at the airport. Both parents actually play with their children and men waving at you with machetes don't arouse any fear as they chop wood and collect coconuts by shinning up (unfenced) trees.
Contrast with LA where airport security is intrusive barrier to entry, where some of the richest people in the world (with their dogs in polo neck sweaters) drive by numerous beggars on the street and sleeping rough near the beach (the most we saw anywhere).
We left our footprints on the beach in Fiji and our fingerprints at the airport in LA!
You didn't think you would get away without a bit of politics did you? Bye

New Zealand

The seals and views of Kaikoura and the thermal wonders of Roturua.

Fiji kingfisher

Sitting on our fence in the rain waiting to catch the frogs.

The Orcas playing and feeding near our boat

Australia

View of the harbour from botanic gardens in Sydney, Some Inhabitants of Daintree forest and the coral reef from inside the submersible.

Back home safe and almost sound

Finally made it home after 24 hours in transit and crossing numerous time zones. Our first flight cancellation of the trip was our last one - the one hour flight to Manchester!
Minor mystery water leak in the kitchen when we got home. Our thanks to the Gebbie family for keeping an eye on things, managing the leak and not least for the welcome provisions thoughtfully left for our return home tired and hungry.
Signing off with lots of fantastic memories and a few previously un-posted photos of a great trip.

Final dip before the long trip home this afternoon

Sunset strip, Hollywood

LA is sunny and warm nearly all year round (currently the fall so sun sets about 5pm) its also completely non self sustaining as reliant on water supply from Sierra Nevada about 200 miles away. Water comes in via series of aqua ducts. Massive growth in 1800s on the back of the gold rush, then oil (where John Paul Getty made his fortune) Shown where Frank Sinatra, John Candy, Bing Crosby were buried and where Elizabeth Taylor got married, twice! Saw the oil fields working on our trip this afternoon, plus some celebrity houses such as those creator of the Simpsons, Jonny Rotten and Jim Morrison. Had quick workout on muscle beach too!! Final night in LA and we took a stroll down sunset strip for a meal at a French restaurant. Then Mary and I revisited the saddle ranch for couple of drinks. There were plenty of takers for the bucking bronco tonight. Enjoyable last evening before our trip back to UK tomorrow.

Santa Monica LA

Route 66 across USA finishes here. Also the point where Forest Gump turned around in his run! Apparently over 22 million people live in LA. It contains 88 districts and is about 460 sq miles. Its enormous and the car is king.

Venice beach and boardwalk

http://venicebeach.com/the-venice-beach-boardwalk/

Beach and shops tour

Visiting Santa Monica Pier and boardwalk , Venice beach and Marina Del Rey tomorrow. Forecast is sunny and 76°F :-)

Sugar sugar at the saddle ranch

Complimentary candy floss after our meal at the saddle ranch bar which is opposite the hotel. There is also a bucking bronco in the middle of the floor for the brave and the fool hardy. Got a photo of one girl who tried it. There is plenty of padding for when you inevitably fall off!

Time travellers

Left Fiji at 10pm last night (5th Nov) and arrived in Los Angeles before we set off at 11.15am same day after 10+ hour flight !! So we are reliving Tuesday all over again. We took shuttle taxi to hotel which is a Best Western on Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood. Already seen the Hollywood sign on the hillside. Travelled through Beverly Hills and taxi driver pointed out the Hilton hotel where Whitney Houston was found dead! $1000 per night rooms. We asked about the Beckham's and he said he had a reputation for showing off with his numerous cars.

Farewell serenade from Fiji

Serenaded at our final evening out in Pacific Harbour with the traditional Fiji farewell song 'Isa Lei'.

Frogs on the porch

These frogs invade the veranda every night when we come back from dinner.

Gorgeous empty beaches

Enjoying our last day in Fiji at the beach.

Lazy day in Pacific Harbour

Spent today by the pool ( though still not useable) and then on the beach. Lovely empty beach and the water is like swimming in a warm bath. Thunderstorm in the afternoon brought a couple of kingfishers sitting on the fence hunting the many frogs in the garden. Live music at the Baka blues bar from where I am blogging, and Mary and I are drinking nice glass of wine. Cath has hit the cocktails. Dinner to follow. Finally made contact with FatherJim but not possible to get to Namosi by road due to mudslides. Didn't fancy the horseback and river crossing options!

Suva

Exciting trip to Suva on the bus today. The 1 hour trip cost $4.40 each (about £1.50 each). Very good value for money. Walked through the very hectic market place which sells all sorts of things. Large fish heads a speciality There was a large cruise ship in the harbour (pictured) and mistaken for passengers we were directed by a fijian policeman into air conditioned shopping centre, which was good as outside temp was 33°c. There is a distinct difference between the shops and the markets. Massive thunderstorm when we got back which presented some spectacular rainbows, and luckily we didn't get wet. Hope to hit the beach tomorrow.

Happy birthday Ellie

Hope you have a great birthday and a successful year ahead.

Fiji 31st October

Start of the diy part of trip with our 6 day adventure in Fiji. The car hire and villa were both booked direct via the internet before we left UK rather than through trailfinders and it shows.
The car hire was a disaster as the car brought to the airport for us had several bits missing and didn't look particularly roadworthy. We therefore decided to decline it and ended up getting a taxi from nadi down to pacific harbour. This was a 2.5 hour journey through the biggest longest thunderstorm ever, in a taxi that also had several bits missing, jumped out of gear a few times and did a very impressive aqua plane when a cow decided to cross the road in front of us.
Key features of the villa are:
The pool is a bright green colour, the same as the devils pool on my earlier blog. This is because the pump only appears to have been fixed on the day of our arrival.
We don't appear to have any internet so have had to wait to post this blog.
We have the largest cockroaches known to man in the laundry room. Thinking of saddling one and riding it into town!
However once we got over the first harrowing day, things have improved. People are very friendly, weather is warm and sunny at moment and the food is good.
Trying to meet up with the Marist people Cath contacted but communicating via phone etc isn't easy.
Still no internet so sat in cafe sending this. Blog will possibly be less frequent over next few days. Unless I spend a lot of time at this bar!

Ferry building Auckland

Floral chandelier Auckland arts gallery

View of Auckland from Devenport

Auckland harbour

The old and the new in sailing.

Auckland harbour and the skytower

Sky tower

Auckland 30th October

Final day in New Zealand before our flight to Fiji tomorrow morning at 6.50am. Will have to be up at 4am!!! Visited Davenport a colonial style town across the harbour by ferry and did the self guided tour. Toyed with doing the skywalk in Auckland but quickly decided not to. Went to the art gallery and Albert park this afternoon. Hopefully will post some pictures when we get to Fiji as current WiFi connection isn't cooperating.

Devenport

Strange trees with roots that grow down from the branches.

Auckland 29th October

We are spending the final couple of days in New Zealand in Auckland. The tall ships are in the harbour along with some very expensive looking modern boats. Auckland is built on 55 volcanoes, not all of which are extinct! It has 2 harbours one on the Tasman sea and the other on the Pacific.
At 328m the sky tower is the tallest structure in the southern hemisphere and you can bungy jump from the top if you're feeling brave.

Rainbow falls Kerikeri

Enjoyed a good 2 hour walk to Rainbow falls in Kerikeri.

Russell

Caught the ferry across to Russell from Paihai. This was the first capital of New Zealand and has several 'oldest in New Zealand' including the Christ church. This memorial in the graveyard commemorates one of the Maori chiefs who supported the signing of the treaty.
Pakeha is the Maori name for Europeans.

Awesome

Brilliant day. Got up at half past six on Sunday morning for the swimming with dolphins boat trip at 8am. Started with close up views of a family of orca killer whales which included 2 young feeding with their mothers. A hammerhead shark sought refuge under our boat before the orcas went after it, swimming right under the boat. They then shared whatever they caught, the mothers feeding the young whales. Awesome as it said on the crews shirts! Then it was over to another side of the bay to don our flippers, snorkel and wetsuits (water temp 17°c!) and swim with some bottlenose dolphins. Apart from us three, I estimate the average age on the boat was about 20. Phil and Ellie are concerned about my reference to selfies and the like in some of my blogs, but I am just getting down with da kids :-). Anyway I struggled to keep up with the kids as they swam after the dolphins. This turned out to be a good thing as the dolphins did a u turn and swam alongside me and below me for a minute. They seemed to look at me mockingly and roll their eyes as if to say poor old guy, can't keep up. Amazing experience and would love to do it again in warmer waters.
Here's a picture taken on my phone of one of the orcas ( better ones on my camera) I didn't get any photos of the dolphins as I was too busy trying to breath. Hopefully Cath got some possibly with me.

Treaty house and Ngatokimatawhaorua

Historic treaty house and the world's largest ceremonial war canoe.

Maori meeting house

Inside the elaborately carved timber meeting house.

Local chippys

Found 2 slightly unusual fish and chip shops in Paihia. First one claims to have fed 5000 in the past!!

Paihia, The Bay of Islands 25th and 26th October

Long drive up to Northern part of New Zealand to stay in Paihia in the bay of islands (25th). There were a few 'Driver reviver' complimentary roadside coffee for weary travellers set up along the way. Very interesting way of promoting road safety. Arrived at the start of Labour weekend (bank holiday) so the omens are good. We have visited Waitangi and Haruru falls today (26th). People swimming and canoing right under the falls. Booked on the dolphin eco experience tomorrow which includes swimming with dolphins. 8am sailing so hope the water is warm!

Waitangi

Visit to New Zealand's most important historic site where the signing of the treaty (NZ founding document) between the British and the Maori chiefs took place on 7th Feb 1840. Photos are of the Maori meeting house and the flagpole which is where the treaty was signed.

Bubbles

Enjoying a nice glass of wine in the hot tub.

Empty beach and singing toilets!

Fantastic Whangamata beach, just a few minutes from our motel, was virtually empty this morning apart from a few canoeists. The toilets near the beach talk to you about how to operate the locks, then play 'what the world needs now is love sweet love' whilst you are in there - and all for free!! Beautiful sunny day today. Enjoyed a couple of beers at the beach sports club, then tried out the pool this afternoon though the water was a bit chilly. Then had a dip in the spa hot tub on our balcony. Moving on to the bay of islands tomorrow.