18/06/2018 - Workshop visit: Tire change

After our stadium visit and the jubilant victory of the 'All Blacks', we took it easy the following day. We slept in and prepared ourselves a generous, hearty breakfast. Around noon, we went shopping and attended another rugby game.

On our current campsite, alongside other campers, a rugby team from 'San Diego', California, set up camp. In the past few days, we had been talking to the coach. Every year, his college team undertakes a major trip. This time, they came to New Zealand.

After watching the All Blacks' game at the stadium the day before yesterday, they had to play themselves this time. However, they didn't stand a chance against the local team from 'Petone'. We watched the youth game for a while and witnessed a demonstration of strength from the Kiwis.
We used the rest of the afternoon to do laundry and prepare dinner - we had delicious hamburgers.

Today started unusually early! The alarm clock rang at 02:45 AM. We took advantage of a decent internet connection and therefore watched the first group match of the German national team... The game analysis doesn't require many words (Germany 0:1 Mexico)... Around 05:00 AM, we put the disappointment aside and got a few more hours of rest.
At 10:00 AM, the time had come - our dear Sam had to go to the workshop. The experts took our car for about two hours to change the front tires and do a wheel alignment. Well, what do you do without a car that serves as both accommodation and means of transportation? Right, go to the library, of course. ;) With all the electronic devices in our luggage, we went there, worked on the blog, and charged our laptops, phones, and camera batteries.
Just as we were about to go to pick up the car, we discovered a 'jewelry box' on Petone's shopping street. Apart from a German bakery, we found a small Dutch supermarket! It's always nice to see and smell familiar food from this wonderful country. :) The owner sold various specialties. Everything a Dutch heart desires. Besides imported cheese, sausages, and sweets, there were also drinks and spices. We managed to resist most of the treats with a lot of discipline. However, a small package of Speculoos cookies found its way into our shopping basket. - We are slowly getting into the Christmas spirit... ;) The outside temperature certainly matches!
As we approached the workshop, our car was nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until we entered that we found it on a lift. The staff asked us to wait in the waiting area. After 20 minutes, it was done. The mechanic explained his work to us, we paid the bill, and got into the car. The driving feel was completely different from before. The car stays on track and no longer steers to the left on its own. Additionally, the vibrations at higher speeds have completely disappeared. The only thing that surprised us a bit was that the brand-new tires were mounted on the rear of a front-wheel drive car!?
Back at the campsite, heavy rain set in suddenly, turning our grassy pitch into a lake. So, we sought refuge in the spacious kitchen and watched New Zealand evening programs on TV.