I beat my demons and my passengers conquered their fears!
My demon was getting back into the drivers seat in the bus with 18 tourists behind me. I still do not enjoy driving since the head on accident but today I asked my apprentice on this tour to move aside, today I must do it. And it was easy and in fact felt great. Glad today I didn’t need to be the guide talking as well as I delegated my apprentice to do that. He didn’t do very well as our guests let me know later in a nice way.
My passengers knew my fear and the reason on this tour there was not just a driver/guide but 2 of us. So they knew today for me was special and thankfully they conquered any fears or worries they had about my driving. But no sweat. Next a few small Northland tours then a 23 day tour starting December 12.
Today a drive from Gisborne through to Rotorua with a lunch in Opotiki.
First stop not far from Gisborne at Jack Richards Gardens looking over Wainui Beach. A spectacular outlook but really spectacular gardens. The sort video clip above only shows a very small part. A gardens that I only wish I had had more time at. I did take a lot of short video clips to show Xiaoli as ideas for when we move to a lifestyle block as our ideas are to establish a huge gardens which people can visit. Me handling the landscaping, Xiaoli the planting. But first sell our Ninety Mile Beach property.
Lunch stop today was at ‘2 Fish Café’ in Opotiki. A great lunch put on by the new owners. We will be back.
A lake stop at Lake Rotoma before heading through to the Novatel in Rotorua. A final night dinner. A great buffet spread but personally I find it a little informal. I found out is was Liane’s birthday tomorrow. Liane a very special passenger who has through cancer had her upper mouth removed so can only have liquid food so I made sure the chefs did a special main followed by a surprise dessert of icecream with happy birthday in chocolate. It bought tears to her eyes so I guess it went over well.
Tomorrow its back to Auckland and my apprentice can drive. I am happy to avoid the rush hour traffic as we wont get away from the ‘Buried Village’ until early afternoon. And on arrival in Auckland I need transfer to the ‘Peter and Xiaoli Tours’ 12 seater. Load luggage for customers on tour with us that like me live north of Auckland and keep heading north. Drop them off at their homes in Warkworth before heading north home to Ninety Mile Beach. Hopefully arriving somewhere prior midnight.
Next on my list of to do’s is find Xiaoli help for the peak season with cleaning and making beds, find a 4wd driver to do our Ninety Mile Beach to Cape Reinga beach tours as our current driver is heading to Australia in December.
Sort out ‘Harcourts’ who we have listed the property with as things are not happening quite as I thought but then we were partially at fault for that. But now its time to gently kick butt. Our own butts doing the things Harcourts suggested we should do, but then kick their butts. Then next week back to Auckland to collect a group of 10 for a Northland tour.
The busy season!!! Its great to be back at work again
Peter and Xiaoli Tours 