Nasty Clinique

Posted by MrsFogg
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I’m about to put you off your food! So in anticipation of hotter climate and that hole in the Ozone sitting over New Zealand I did the sensible thing. Having used Clinique products for many years I went to Boots in the UK and bought a different moisturiser (same family I normally use) that increases the SPF to 25.

I started using it just before we went away. Overnight in the hotel in London the morning of the flight I woke up to a heavily swollen eye and a rash on my chin. Ah well, I assumed I’d mistakenly eaten onion or something that had triggered an allergic reaction and duly got ready and applied the same moisturiser. Oh dear.

Still oblivious to the cause of the rash we flew out and on arrival had a wash and applied the same moisturiser. By this time the rash was much worse and itchy as hell. Deep joy, so I dragged Mr Fogg to the local pharmacy.

Imagine my disbelief when she promptly told me that it was the Clinique product and to stop using it. I’m now in recovery with a nice blotchy face and trying to avoid the sun for a while.

Just wait until I get back home Clinique. You and I shall be having words. Hypoallergenic my arse!!!!! One wrecked face and possibly three weeks to clear it. Grrrr

[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]

[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]

Baa Baa Auckland

Posted by MrFogg
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Early rise, breakfast at Gloria Jean’s again and then off to find our hire car.

Auckland is a pretty city with very diverse cultures but as Mrs Fogg says, very small in city sizes. Chatting with Mrs Pastie online last night (Ginny Kiwi bird) she found Mrs Fogg’s comment amusing stating that to New Zealander’s this is the largest city they have, oh well tiny towns here we come. To be honest we love the small backwater places, more interesting (and less chance of museums too).

The picture is of the Auckland skyline, which is up there with HK and Boston, very beautiful.

looking forward to the next few weeks, narrow roads and nutter US drivers having to come to terms with left hand drive, km/h and roundabouts (which in isolation is enough to befuddle, but altogether, oh boy).

Last Brekky in Auckland here.

[Posted from my super cool iPhone]

Devonport

Posted by MrsFogg
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Recipe for a good day:

Great sleep – check, must have slept at least 8 or 9 hours yesterday

Great company – check. Mr Fogg was on full form, nutty as hell and bouncy! And only with two coffees too!

Great weather – check. Twenty four degrees, deep blue sky and no clouds.

Nice location – check. Auckland is tiny but cute with incredibly friendly people.

So it was a choice today of going to the museum and the planetarium or doing something that did not involve trying to drag Mr Fogg around historic things. No museum then……

Off instead on a ferry ten minutes across the bay to a tiny island where Devonport is. It is a small village dating back to mid 1800s and before that was a Maori settlement (see that Mr Fogg, got some history in there too). There is a long dead volcano on top called Mt Victoria which was converted into an underground fort to repel Russian attacks and apparently the island is riddled with old military tunnels.

The best thing about Devonport is that you go to buy fish and chips ( the fish here has a choice of three but we opted for Hoki) and then go sit and eat them out of the paper on the beach. So we did. The portions were huge, the fish great and the view across the bay back to Auckland spectacular.

We went and annoyed the local Tourist office ( Mrs Helpful clearly decided the pair of us were mad after chatting to us for 20 mins and smiled indulgently at us after a while), before catching the ferry back and bagging seats right at the front of the ship.

Great day, tired feet. I’ve loads of brochures of things to do next and can feel something historic around the corner…..watch out Mr Fogg, might sneak a museum into the itinerary yet!

Last night in Auckland before we go collect the hire car in the morning.

[Posted from Mrs Foggs super cool iphone]