Christchurch | the writer is a lonely hunter

New Zealand and Australia

by gailaldwin

A flight from Sydney returned us to the UK on Wednesday 10 December. Although we’re still suffering from jet lag with some very early starts to the day, it’s good to look back on our experiences. You may remember, I used AI to help refine our itinerary and wrote about it here. The first two weeks involved a road trip of the North Island following a figure of eight around Auckland and for the second leg, we joined a cruise. This took us to ports on the North and South Islands plus stops in Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney.

Here are the highlights:

Auckland

Bay of Islands

We also visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where papers were signed in 1840 which form the basis of relationships with Māori people.

Coromandel Peninsula has some lovely beaches including Hot Water Beach where people sit in puddles to feel the warmth.

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Buying books at the seaside, a trip to Avon Beach Shop

by gailaldwin

Situated next to a sandy strip of Dorset beach, the Avon Beach Shop provides all the necessities for holiday makers and day trippers. There’s a ramp that makes disabled access possible and easy entry for families with buggies. The shop is divided into areas where a range merchandise is displayed. There’s a section for leisure wear and swimming costumes, a central counter with the till that acts as a newsagent with papers, sweets, ice creams and drinks for sale. Opposite, there’s a selection of gifts and to the right of the entrance you’ll find body-boards, buckets and spades and the like. Tucked away in a corner is the book department that provides a range of fiction, crime novels and local interest books. There are few book displays that have such a marvellous backdrop through the window of the shop.