Did I mention

The birthday month has been joyous and as my previous post have listed I got up to loads. I do like to extend the celebration as much as possible. We headed away from work early on the Friday and booked into the Langham past the streaming girls. Yes indeed, we were staying at the same hotel as One Direction. Not a wise move, it was like Disney without the mouse. Girls everywhere, running, rather excited. I did get the pool to myself and some lovely spa time, then a fabulous massage and facial that was a treat from Adam.

My fave picture from the Zoo trip on the Saturday

Room service beckoned so I had to cut short my chat with Harry from One Direction (though at the time I thought it was a young lad who had nothing better to do than to lie in the post massage lounge area). I was a bit shocked when watching the news on Saturday night to realise who I had been chatting to, heh ho, I digress. This is all about me and my fabulous birthday.
Off to The Civic we headed to see Wicked. Lovely chat with some great ladies from Christ Church, serious conversation about emergency exits and then fun chat about the surprise they had for their two daughters who though that Wicked was the highlight of their trip to Auckland -  One Direction tickets had been purchased as a surprise. Those girls were far to excited to know I was staying in the same hotel - there was no escape.

The cheetahs at Africa Night adventure

Wicked was very good, a great story, fantastic sets, great singers, the music a tad loud I'm afraid, sound no quite right as at times the voices were obscured. Just the fact that I noticed this and made a mental note was funny and had me thinking of my Dad and my brother - who if they had been there would probably spoken to someone and got it sorted out. It didn't detract too much and the music was very good.
Now on previous vists a post show drink in the bar is called for, we repeated this but with a difference. Standing at the bar as the place was still swarming with girls and young ladies who really should be in bed. I didn't mind so much, it was entertaining to watch. What I did object too was the lack of manners and downright rudeness displayed by some of these people. The way they spoke to the bar staff was disgusting, but then some people not there for One Direction were also becoming irritated and taking it out on the bar staff. Maybe it's working in the service industry but my heart went out the very hard working and professional staff there that night.
We timed breakfast just right as a queue built up (accompanied by more bad behaviour) and my Disney memories came back - where was Mickey. The breakfast at the Langham is very good and the service brilliant as ever it was just a different experience with the hoards. It was also school holidays and the Langham is a very good hotel to stay at.

Our wonderfully cheesy photo from the Skyline ride

Headed back to our humble abode for a Saturday afternoon we picked up old movies. Watching 'Some like it hot' and then 'The towering inferno', all rather marvellous thank you very much.
We headed to the Zoo on Sunday, I mean why not. I wasn't supposed to find out - but another surprise Adam had for me was to return to the zoo the following week for a special "Africa Night' experience.
My birthday day arrived and I opened cards and presents and felt very good, and then made a random decision to head to Roturua. There was much contemplating as what to do, my dodgy arm had put me off quite a few things, windy weather put me off others and our plan to head to Waiheke Island for the day was hampered by the fact that you have to book 24 hours in advance. I felt the need to Luge.

Yep a happy birthday

Adam thought I was crazy and he, poor soul, did have to drive, but boy it was great. We've done the Luge at Queenstown a few times and think it's great fun. I have heard on more than one occasion that the Roturua Luge is better. The staff there took great pride in telling us so, and yes I must say it is. It was a weekday, out of school holidays, a bit windy and overcast. Perfect. Not a lot of people but enough and such a scream. I did scream, I think I took off at one point, Adam definitely did. We had a 5 ride ticket. Fantastic.

Rotoura Museum

We did take in a bit of the thermal terrain with the walkway near the Lake (yes more on that to follow, I will complete the 41 walk challenge). Then a frantic search for a supermarket to buy birthday cake and the drive home. Have i mentioned how wonderful Adam is that he drives these long journeys with no word of complaint. Marvellous.

Cake and candles and the day is complete.

Cake and candles

I returned to work to be greeted by a wonderful surprise from the staff. I am an incredibly fortunate charge nurse and was very touched. They had decorated my office window and door with notes and signs. There was cake and then more cake. Plus I got a few more presents - fantastic.

My Surprise

The Africa Night was the following sunday and was fabulous. You meet and feed the animals, the elephant, then the giraffe, who you can't touch, then we saw the cheetahs - mesmerising, then the hippos, the scariest and deadliest, can't believe we could still feed them. Finally the rhino. A South African themed dinner followed by a presentation and then a fund-raising auction. A totally different and interesting evening out.

Getting close to the rhino on Africa Night

A parcel arrived the other day from wonderful Emma so the birthday month carried on.