After Thailand, it was time to come to New-Zealand. I didn't think first that it will be so long to fly there but it took a couple of hours, something around 10 hours. I made it through the Bio Security check with my dry food and my camping gears. They checked them, but I got everything back :-)

I looked around to find my van, first at the backpackers market, which sucks because it's really expensive and there is nothing you want to drive. The vehicles didn't look good. I looked on the web but the deal came from a guy, the owner of the backpackers where I was staying knew, who was helping travelers like me to get one, and to fix the interior if needed. So I bought finally Mitsubishi L300 long van, to fit the little family visiting me for 3 weeks. He helped to buy the materials to make the bed, curtains... and we did everything at his place with his tools, really nice from him! Otherwise I don't really know how I would have fixed everything. I'll take some shots of the inside one day, I promise.

On the life side of Auckland I could enjoy the Christmas eve parties thanks to some girls at the backpackers who knew a kiwi guy in Auckland, with who we went out. Lots of fun and drinks of course, for a different Christmas eve night.

And for Christmas day, Cambell, the owner of Verandhas, organized a big BBQ for the people staying at the hostel, and his friends/family. So we ended up being a big table outside on sunny day. It was actually strange to think it was Christmas... you shouldn't be outside. It should be cold, with a lot of snow... Though it's really nice to enjoy a summer day for Christmas, and it's so much better to have a BBQ than the turkey! I will remember this special Christmas day for sure and I hope I will be able to do another one during a summer time!

Grill number 1

Grill number 2

The big table

Yes we had a lot of food!

The Verandhas backpacker is really situated at a good location, close to the center and to the restaurant/café street. And well I had to cook also when I came there, thing that I haven't done since the last 3 months between Nepa & Thailand. How does it work again? How do you cook pasta? Yes, first going to the supermarket might be a good idea! Cheese cheese !!! I bought a piece of 1 kilo of cheese when I saw some, so good! And milk as well. Then this was done, I came to the routine of making my food and nice sandwiches for lunch. I also rented a bike since my legs started to be ticklish when I saw rentals in Auckland. That was a great way to discover Auckland and to get lost in the city. It's not flat, but it's not like Lausanne neither, in the middle.

And then my sister, brother-in-law Tijn, and their baby Louis arrived on Christmas day, so after the van was done, with a lot of delay than initially planned, we went to the North to see friends.

That was a good start for New-Zealand... And now let's be on the road like a gypsy in my van to visit this fantastic outdoor country!