Hi All

A Kiwi update. Well after getting up and checking out of the Albion Hotel yesterday ( Friday, 11th ) I caught the Air Bus back to the airport. By the way the Albion is the oldest Hotel in Auckland, circa 1870s. I talked with Paddy the local pilot and he gave me directions to where they usually fly, a place just West of Waiuku, try and find that on a map. It's just south west of Auckland. The conditions were not good for flying, but I decided to go down and check it out.

I rented a car for four days from a company called, "Rent a Dent" at the airport. Rates are pretty good, $65 including insurance, which works out to about $45 Canadian.

Well driving on the left was pretty, umm, intense to say the least. I don't know how many times I turned on the wipers to indicate a left or right turn, not to mention the number of times I missed my turnoffs because I was paying too much attention to the traffic.

It took about 45 minutes to get here. The road maps I've picked up have a lot of details missing. Waiuku, is a small town with a T junction as the main streets. I drove around the country side for a bit and then went back to town and checked into the Kentish Hotel, 1857. There I came across a guy, his wife and his glider. I got directions to the flying site to check it out. Eight Km outside of town to the west was launch. The beaches here are very wide, about 500 feet from cliff to the waters edge, and then another 500 feet worth of surf. The cliffs run about 35k along the coast. The sand, totally 100% black, ground up volcanic ash. Climbed the cliffs and found launch. Went back to town.

The Kentish rooms come with no phone, no TV, rent $25 a night ( $18 Canadian) , sure beats the campground I speced out. It also rained like the dickens in the afternoon. The only downside was Friday nights was Kareoke (sp) night. Lucky I bought those ear plugs for India. This morning I meet the cleaning staff and the owner over a morning cup of tea.

Waiting for word from Paddy if they are driving down this aft. Going to spend two days here trying to get some air time and then take off and do some tourist things for a couple of days. Then one last day in Auckland before I leave.

Martin