From the sunshine in Sydney to the rain in Auckland.

The motor home had to be delivered to the dock at Glebe Island, Sydney

and we had to stay in a hotel at Darling Harbour-not a bad view!

After the ship had sailed we were able to fly away to another country-

our first time in New Zealand.

Once again we had a great view from the hotel in Auckland.

This is the Sky Tower from which people seem to want to bungee jump.

Down at the harbour the first missionaries began a settlement near to the Maori tribe village.

On the water a steam boat was giving rides.

The missionaries built themselves a fine stone building to use as a store.

Now preserved as an historic building it is still in use today selling goods to the tourists!

From the campsite at Waipapakauri we joined Peter and his tour bus for a drive along ninety mile beach. ( measured in nautical miles)

Rental vehicles are prohibited from driving here-good idea!

At the Te Paki sand dunes it was time for a toboggan ride down hill.

  Then the bus drove along the stream to reach the dirt road to the northern tip of the island.

Out to the lighthouse at Reinga Cape and a much photographed signpost.

London is 18029kms away!

We all enjoyed lunch at the beach then an ice cream stop at Te Kao where Peter our bus driver spent his childhood.

He had kept up an interesting patter about the local tribes, customs and their future in this tropical part of the island.

Southward down to Rotorua where we enjoyed a few days rest beside the lake-but missed out on the mud baths!

A family of black swans were sailing serenely along the waters edge.

As we leaving town we walked around Kuira Park where an eruption took place in 2001.

  All the steaming mud holes are fenced off and the air stank of rotten eggs.

Just a short drive through the forests took us to Taupo where we would be based for the next two weeks.

Here Jim was surprised to find that planes are used as cafes!

                                        We had time to visit the Aratiatia Dam and watch the water released by the sluices fill the gorge-

.

an empty gorge before-

 then full of water.

Then a quick look at the Huka gorge and falls further on down the river.

The levels in the lakes and rivers are controlled for the use of  several hydro electric power stations.

On Sunday everyone headed for the Digger McEwen MX track where some great racing was taking place.

The keenest racing would  be for the Oceanic competition between the Kiwis and the Aussies.

But most people has come to see 10 time World Champion Steven Everts race for the very last time in an International MX.

The great Joel Smets was also racing and he was going to ride the following week in the ISDE for the Belgium team.

Many of the young Australian MX riders like Chris Hollis and Josh Strang were also riding in the Junior team at the ISDE this race was good practise.

After all this excitement we set up home at the Taupo motor racing complex where the 81st ISDE would be held.

Time for a bit of sightseeing out on the lake to visit the Moari rock carvings and see a yacht sail by that once belonged to Eroll Flynn!

We also met lots of new freinds from Australia including Geoff Udy, the Ballards Yamaha crowd and these two mad men.

We are not sure this bib is official!

Of course Dot had a few minutes of close contact with Giovanni Sala.

Got a big smile from Ivan Cervantes but not when he dumped his KTM on the special test at Pylons.

We were pleased to see Ricky Dietrich from the USA who was on the podium with Knighter in Las Vegas last year.

Ricky was one of the young guns tackling the ISDE for the first time and along with team mate Kurt Cesselli would help the American Junior team win the Trophy.

There were ladies taking part including three teams representing Germany, Sweden and the USA and two local ladies from New Zealand.

A tiny Japanese lady who found the course too difficult and Alison Parker from Australia who would be the best lady rider after six days-well done.

Wendy Robinson who used to ride in enduros in the UK before she married Kiwi Mark was happy to meet some of her old friends again.

It was good to see her and cheer her along all the way to the finish in her first ISDE.

We also met Nigel Beaumont and his family  here with the team from the Isle of Man.

He used to be in the South Liverpool Motor Club and was surprised to see the club flag down under!

The Purple Helmets, also from the Isle of Man, were riding brand new bikes instead of their whacky mopeds!

                Long days and short nights-wind and rain!

  Competition began at 7am every day which meant an early start to get out to the special tests and the service points.

The days settled down as riders enjoyed the new terrain and forest special tests but hated the long road journey each morning and evening from the start area.

We watched young European Champion Tom Sagar who lives in our part of the world riding so confidently and having a bit of a challenge with scotsman Euan McConnell to see who could be fastest on the tests.

Euan ate far too much cake to win that one!

The British riders were doing very well and when the weather turned very wet they revelled in conditions that were just like at home.

Others though were not so happy and the fifth day had to be cut short.

Finlands Juha Salminen looked smooth and fast all week and would win the event overall.

The final motocross race was held at the Digger McEwen track and with the Finns in the lead in the World Trophy it was the other positions that were being fought for.

Joel Smets had a great six days and of course won his race in the final MX.

The British World Trophy team finished in 9th place and the Juniors in 7th and the best British club team was Wales A with the B team next-hurray!

Dot was so happy when her hero Giovani Sala gave her his special Acerbis race shirt.

This was the end of another great six days of competition and we will all meet again next year in Chile!

During the weekend a round of the World Rally Championship  was held nearby in Hamilton.

So off we went with Aussie friends Judy and Laurie for a day out to watch the stages.

  After a long up hill walk through muddy fields we watched the cars flash past.

Then off to another stage and another long muddy walk just in time to see Valentino Rossi go flying by in number 46, a black Subaru.

At Mystery Creek Events Centre there was a super special stage which to us was more like a fast circuit of the supermarket car park.

However watching the mechanics working on thre cars at the final service was very interesting and a lot different than service at the enduro!

Heading through the Tongariro National Park, a double World Heritage site we enjoyed the views of snow capped volcanoes-

when the clouds allowed!

   A few days at Otaki beach where the wind blew and the campsite laundry was a bit out of date!

At the Southward Motor Museum we found this 1927 New Zealand motor home that went round the world in 1974.

South to Wellington where we took the Silverstream to Silverstream!

    At Rivendell we enjoyed the lovely scenery in the forest by the river-

   no wonder the elves lived here.