On to Otago!

12:55PM.  Our appointment at the consulate was at 1PM.  

We got to Auckland parking lot 5 min before our appointment to renew passports at the consulate. We made it in 4 hours and 41 min- we didn't even stop going over Mount Messenger for girls to throw up - just threw it out the window as we drove.  Since we were up north, we decided to camp for a couple of nights at Murewei Beach.  

Murewei features a gannet colony and wind surfers.

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Mocks start next week.  Oak spent one afternoon studying in the camp kitchen
and another morning studying in the camp laundry room. 

part of the Hillary trail

"Yes!  More stairs!"  - Joyce enjoys counting stairs.  This time there were 235.

It seemed like you could look up the beach all the way to the northern tip of the island.
This is Murewei beach - just west of Auckland.

lunchtime

"I figured out how to sleep while standing up!"

We drove to Whatipu for our final day.

 .  . 

Danny:  What was your favorite part of the trip?
Joyce:  How dirty I got!

sea caves

gorse in bloom

We listened to the audiobook with this new cover, but I like the old cover from when I was a kid much better (see below).

Mike:  What did you listen to on your drive?
Joyce:  "On to Otago!"