Multiple Surprises

Best hangover cure? A Dad's pie of course. After thanking and farewelling the Grooten household Tom took us to Dad's Pie factory for a delish butter chicken. Next step we all spent the day at Piha beach again, meeting Cam, Jase and Chris at Pig's place. Best views you'll ever need, right out to sea! Ventured further down the beach for the boys to find their perfect little surfing spot. Note to towny self.. black sand is not your friend! We all went for a little dip until I was completely demoed in the waves just in time for the chaps from Piha Rescue (sadly no cameras though) to come kick us out of the water.
After a stunner of a day at the beach, and some more goodbyes, our chauffeur Cam took us into town to met my lovely Mother.

Surprise number one.. not only did Mum come up to send us girls off but she had my big sister in tow! Laura snuck around the corner and gave me a little fright, whereas Ana and apparently everyone else I was excited enough to tell the news to already knew. Four ladies scampered up to the hotel room updating each other on the previous 48 hours and getting excited about the next. We went out for a beautiful Monsoon Poon Thai dinner matched with our fave cocktails. Mum and Laura called it a night while we attempted to back up Friday's festivities and met up with Cam and his posse. After a quick hello and goodbye it was home to bed.

Sunday was spent shopping and organising our lives before our early morning flight the next day. Ana met up with Kata for a monsoon repeat while my family and I caught up with Laura's soon-to-be-in-laws Jim and Paula for the best lamb dinner ever. Home to pack.

Sunday morning it was some more sad goodbyes with Mum and Loz before a rushed trip to the airport. We arrived all rearing to go but then a little confused and anxious as we couldn't find our flight on the departure screen. Surprise number two.. they had changed our flight to the following day but good ol' Jetstar failed to inform it's passengers! After a lot of hustle and bustle and being passed down the chain of command we demanded to speak to the head of Jetstar, who finally rebooked us on the following day's flight and put us up in an Auckland hotel for the night. Accom in Phuket - wasted.

Farewell NZ take two. Once on board with Jetstar we had just enough cash between us to chose either A. unlimited movies and games for the 10 hour flight to Singapore or B. a snack each (most likely vege crisps). We chose A. which then had us rationing a tin of eclipse mints for the trip. First world problems.

Singapore Airport

Stopover in Singapore for a few hours then on to Phuket to begin our Thailand adventures! By the time we arrived to our hotel at Patong Beach we were unfortunately a little too nackered to meet up with Shack and Brooke so re-aranged for a rendezvous over breaky. Although they had other plans, surprise number three.. waking us up soaking wet after having a little midnight ocean dip after a few too many buckets.. we soon found out this is quite a norm here. Finally sleep time for Chapter One to begin tomorrow. Night NZ.