This walk is a pleaseant stroll over the rocks to a beach and then onto more rocks and the headland to the north of the bay.

Our walk today was up the river, away from the city, and towards the Hamilton gardens. This is a nic easy walk with the prospect of a coffee at the cafe. As we approached the gardens all seemed to be quiet with very few cars to be seen. We were however mistaken and the grounds were busy with families everywhere. A look over towards the cafe enforced the thought that coffee was not going to be on my menu today.

So it was a quick walk around the lake, stopping to watch the fish and turtles, before heading back home.

We are both up at the crack of dawn, well 7.55, but that’s close enough and out for a walk to get some steps in before breakfast.

Then after breakfat it’s off to find a coffee. Where else but along the river cycle path to Bryce and Jean’s.

Then it’s back to our house sit for lunch.

Sat looking out across Opito Bay in the north of the North Island of New Zealand I was finally proved correct in my thoughts.

The owner of the house we are house sitting at the moment has put out some sweet water for the Tui’s to drink. Now these birds also look a bit scatty. When they fly they seem to have no direction and flutter randomly across the sky. But the know a free lunch when they see one. After taking a drink of nectar from the flowers in the garden they top up with a nice sweet drink.

After them the common sparrow shows that he too also recognises a good opportunity to refuel. Having seen the Tui have his top up Mr & Mrs Sparrow also descend on to the drinking bowl and take their fill.

All this time a seagull has been watching from the roof top above. He swoops down gracefully hovering over the balustrade and finally lands both feet in the feeding bowl. He takes a look around to see what the others had been up to. He fails to see the free drink available, so flies off still thirsty and with sticky feet.

This walk is a pleaseant stroll over the rocks to a beach and then onto more rocks and the headland to the south east of the bay.

Mike, can you hear that.

No I’m asleeep.

Mike, wake up, there’s someone upstairs. Now fully half awake I listen for some strange sound but I can’t hear anything. Jo gets up and takes a listen from the adjoining room.

We’re currently house sitting in the middle of nowhere and Jo thinks we have a burgular, surely the dog we are sitting would have something to say if someone was breaking in. Maybe not, his owners did say he was frightened of bangs and bumps.

Jo returns. There’s definitely someone moving upstairs, go take a look. But put some clothes on first.

I slowly get out of bed, put on my shorts and make my way up the first flight of stairs. The dog emerges from his bed tail wagging. If there is someone about he doesn’t seem that bothered. I continued up the stairs to the lounge door.

At last I can hear something. There are a couple of bumps and a noise similar to a winch motor. It must be from someone outside on the boat ramp. But we didn’t leave the patio doors open so how come the sound is so clear.

I go to open the door. Jo’s nervous voice behind me tells me to stop and not to go in. I slowly open the fly door, then slightly open the lounge door. The dog plods in. I open the door further an can see a flashing light. I reach in and turn on the light, the dog has sneeked onto his bean bag. Is he hiding from the intruder.

I slowly enter the room and take a quick scan round, the patio doors are still closed, so the winch theory is wrong. I quietly step through the doorway and there on the carpet is the culprit. The terrifying burglar that has come to murder us in our beds. He is rotund and fearless, going about the living room as if he owned it, the robot hoover was going about his nightly duty of cleaning up the floor after us.

Some trips will be for pleasure and others not so pleasurable. The first of these trips was a return trip from Hamilton to Wellington (well Mana actually). This was a not for pleasure trip.

The drive is between 6 – 6.5 hours. Although a lot of the drive is quite boring at least we get to see the mountain and at this time of year the roads are clear and the mountain is still wearing it’s winter coat of snow.

While at Wellington, between siting on the deck with a wine enjoying the view, we spent a couple of busy days clearing the garages and back patio of rubbish and old timber. This was the final good bye to our old kitchen wall and wood panelling from the entrance hall. No longer to be kept for firewood but destined now to landfill.

Then it was back in the car for the return trip to Hamilton to ensure we were eback in time for the first of our house sits since getting back from Europe.

We will go as far as we feel comfortable with before heading back.

The first thing we notice is that when cycling through the Netherlands you do need to take care of which way round you cycle. Anywhere near the North Sea it is always best to travel North or East. Travelling as we were today starting off travelling South / South Westerly we had a constant head wind. This didn’t really concern us as on the way back it would be assisting us.

We stopped at several locations on the way recognising hotels and landmarks we had visited a couple of years ago when cycling the North Sea Cycle Route. Jo pointing out the hotel that said it was full when we turned up at the door in our cycling gear. Not sure if it was full or that we weren’t dressed to their standards. Never mind that is all history now.

There were some places we hadn’t seen and we remembered that we were trying at one stage to get to Den Haag before it was too late and we therefore took the more direct route and didn’t always follow the coast.

The ride was very pleasant and as usual in Holland rather flat and although the total distance was only 40km not a huge amount we did turn around at Monster for our return trip.

On the way into town we saw a large park where tent and marquees were being set up. We stopped a woman and asked her if she knew what was going on, but she didn’t have a clue, only said that there was always something happening there.

We wandered over to take a closer look. In the middle was a jet fighter and there were a lot of military people working. Then we notice a large poster detailing the events for remembrance day on Saturday. So now we have something to do this week-end.

We then carried on into the Centrum while looking around we were still unable to find a post office, so my card for Eddie will have to wait.

Heading towards the city centre last night we turned off at the first hotel we saw, well the first one that looked any good and had an enjoyable meal. We initially thought about walking into town but Jo’s leg was hurting too much so we soon turned back.

So today’s task is to get near to Amsterdam without going through any tunnels. After double and triple checking we eventually get a route sorted. We would head off towards Rastede about half way between Rostock and Amsterdam.

Unfortunately today is not a day we are going to reach our destination. The tomtom shows a delay on our route that seems to be increasing by the mile. Jo checks with google maps which calculates a new route. Not having checked the route for tunnels I decide to go with the Tomtom…… WRONG…… The Tomtom changes it’s mind several kms after the detour suggested by Google and now wants us to do a u turn as the road ahead is closed.

Getting off the motorway and finding a new route is too difficult for Tomtom so we revert to Google. The only problem being everyone else also seems to be diverting the same way, so progress is slow.

Our first attempt at finding a hotel is a failure as there is no one on reception and with the doors firmly locked we have to resume our search.

Re-joining the traffic our progress is slow and eventually we make it to a hotel just outside Bremen.