Jim Viney Snr - The World Tour 2003

Update 1 - 28/02
Update 2 - 03/03
Update 3 - 07/03
Update 4 - 07/03
Update 5 - 25/03
Update 6 - 25/03
Update 7 - 25/03





© viney productions
1999 - 23:14:31
last updated:
 Saturday, 11 September, 2004
 

Update 1 (28/02)

After a few trips out to the Bay of Isalnds and elsewhere, I spent quite some time in Auckland, in three seperate tranches. I saw the first three Americas Cup races, before taking a quick trip up north. Returned to meet up with Rich (ar mate from Uni) and stuck around waiting for the racing to continue. After abysmal weather (torrential rain, very humid) they cancelled 7 race days on the trot. However, when they finally got underway again, Ernesto Bertarelli (head of Alinghi) took an unassailable 5-0 lead. This was the first time in the history of the Cup that a first-time challenger had won. It was also the first time for 152 years, that the trophy is going back to Europe.

Took a car hire for the trip to Northland with Vicky (a mate from Uni). This is a pretty quiet part of the world, and most of the attractions I was at least fifty years too young to appreciate fully: Claphams' Clock Collection (featured left) is the biggest of it's kind in the Southern hemisphere with over 1,500 timepieces (do I know how to show a girl a good time, or what?).  An "interesting collection of drystone walls" was another typical highlight.

The scenary was pretty stunning though - like Whangarei Falls (at Tikipunga) pictured right, which is known as the most photogenic waterfall in New Zealand, dropping 25 metres into a beautiful bush-fringed pool.

Have stayed in a wide variety of accomodation, from the sublime (a place built for the visit of the Queen of Tonga, run by an ageing hippy)to the ridiculous (Auckland Central Backpackers, in a room (broom cupboard) without any windows.

Left Auck for three days, to see the Coromandel, Thames (old goldmining town, highlight was a chippy (shut) which was running a monthly "win a chicken" competition - didn't say if it was alive or dead and cooked... then went to Rotoroa, to see a Maori village built on top of geothermal pools (smelt fairly rancid). After that, Lake Taupo - very good, and a nearby volcanic cone was used for Mount Doom in the LOTR films. Went fly fishing and caught a rainbow trout, about 3 pounds, within an hour - had a great guide who was a fantastic teacher - was looking like a pro by lunchtime!

Update 2 >>