Old friends and new beginnings!

Friday 11^th February.

I had a lovely lie in today. The bar downstairs was quiet last night and so it was a really good nights sleep. In the morning I got chatting to my room mates, Sennen, from Ireland and Rish from somewhere else!! Rish was leaving this morning, but me and Sennen had a good chat and swapped ideas on plans for travelling for the next few months. He has just been to Fiji, where I am off in a few weeks and then is off to Australia, so we swapped a few tips before I headed out for a spot of lunch and to check some details of the camper van that I have got booked for the last 3 days in New Zealand at the end of the tour I am on.

I had a spot of lunch checked the time and saw that it was getting late so I arranged with Steve, to get a later ferry and arrive at his place just after 5pm.

I eventually got the ferry at 4.40pm and after 35minutes it slowly entered the bay at Pine harbour. It was a lovely little picturesque harbour and I spotted Steve walking along the quayside with his missus and daughter. It was really good to see a familiar face from the past and made a lovely change from meeting strangers all the time. We had a quick drink in the local pub and then walked up and along a nice path towards his house. Its a lovely. peaceful place and Steves house is also lovely. A big 5 bedroom detached house, with a bug garden and patio area.

We spent the evening chatting about the past, my trip, his time in New Zealand and a few old mates. It was a great change from staying in Hostels and with a good barbecue and a few more beers the night flew by. It actually started to rain later on so we headed inside and then went to bved just after midnight.
I slept really really well and didnt get my arse out of bed till gone 10.30am. After a shower I had a bit of breakfast and then Steve drove me and the family around the local area, pointing out the beaches and vieewpoints, before he drove me all the way back to the hostel in the heart of Auckland and dropped me off, before heading for a day out.

It was a really nice evening and exactly what I needed after the girls left two days ago.
I spent the afternoon sorting out my stuff and doing a bit of laundry, so that everything I have is clean.

It feels a bit strange now, as I have done all my stuff and am waiting for the morning and a brand new start. I dont really know what to expect of the new bus trip. I hope there is a good miux pf people and that we get along as well as we all did on the Ozbus.
Tonight Im going to have an early one, just relax and wake up ready and raring to go in the morning!!