Further intrepid adventures!

Hi all!
Beaches
Black sand, gold sand, fine sand, soft sand.
Sand that sparkles in the sun as though it contains glitter.
Sand that contains tiny purple cockle-like shells.
I visited Karekare Beach where The Piano was filmed. It was empty - just like the film - no piano anywhere though.
In fact I visited a few of the western beaches today - much wilder than the eastern beaches! hite horses. Surfers.
Did have a very fleeting urge to run around wildly enjoying the emptiness, but fortunately managed to contain myself and walk sedately and later on lie down on the warm sand.
The sun was very strong today - factor 35 for pale and interesting me!
Also - anorak time - did you know that black sand has a high iron content and is therefore magnetic!
Waitakere Ranges
Saw one of the world's heaviest insects here today (at the visitors centre). They definately looked heavy, but wasn't about to try them out though.
Geckos are bright green and can re-grow their tails.
The stick insects were very stick like hmmmmm.
Fantabulistic views of the rainforest on the ranges - so many shades of green and a very strange bird call too. A bit like someone blowing through a metal tube.
Pampas grass is everywhere, even growing from the cliff sides!
Buddlias are outlawed plants!
Supermarkets
Have sampled 3 so far.
Food Town - our very first virgin shop in NZ! Spent some time oohing and aahing at stuff that's different and stuff that's the same! Got some 'sorry for you, you saddo tourist'smiles.
New World - visited the one in Devonport. Made a bit of a fool of myself here. I decided to buy some loose products - ie bag them myself. However, did not realise that I had to label them with a number and turned up at the till with two unnumbered bags - as you would in the UK. On being asked the numbers - I muttered apologies and dashed off with the said bag (meanwhile a queue was forming). I couldn't find a pen in my hysteria and used a berol handwriting pen which promptly rubbed straight off the bag. So, being rather inventive, I wrote the numbers on my hand. On getting to the till, I gave the numbers (v. red faced by now with an onlooking and observant queue behind me - making notes about stupid poms). The girl then asked which number was which! I didn't have a clue.
I don't think I'll be going in the Devonport New World for a while.....
By the way the kiwi fruits and mangos are delicious here.
Pak and Save - Just like Macro in the UK. Very big and lots of variety and much cheaper than the others.
Good news everyone - my stomach seems better - Kevin was calling me the new Weapon of Mass Destruction for a while.
Sky Tower
Fab.Good short film on entry.
The views are amazing. There are machines that you can use to zoom in and out onto objects you are viewing. Lots of interactive fun for me and Kevin there!
We watched people jumping off the Tower past our window. We enjoyed this so much that we went to the coffee lounge and sat down with a cuppa to watch.
After people jumped, they would dangle outside the windows for a while before they finally fell.
I gave one lady a jolly wave as she dangeld before me.
I also demonstrated that in order to enjoy the experience to the full, one should put one's arms outwards and not hold onto the rope so tightly. Unfortunately she fell before an answer was forthcoming.
I experienced traffic cutting across us today - they have the right of way over here. Well done Kevin for such good reflexes!
Bits and bobs
I watched the Kumars at no 42 last night - with Jo Brand and Esther Rantzen.
There is a kiwi programme here very similar to Question of Sport and Have I Got News For You. Not sure what they're talking about yet though.
Kevin likes the Green Lipped Mussels.
Tuna fish in tins come in millions of 'flavours'- with this, that and the other.
You can eat the roots of cabbage trees if you so wish.
You can also use their trunks as chimneys if you feel the inclination - European settlers did this because the wood is hollow and doesn't burn very well.
Woman and women are both pronounced as woman.
Wh is pronounced as F.
Here endeth the lesson.
Byeee.
Love from Suexxxxxxxx