Kerangahake Gorge

We explored the old rail tunnel at Waihi.

Boxing day dinner

Eugene and Erica at the family reunion in Hamilton.

x'mas 2005

We are celebrating a family reunion at Hamilton this year. All the children are coming home to spend x'mas with us. First to arrive were Pearl and Derek driving from Wellington on Friday evening. Kevin is bringing a few Miri friends this afternoon and Eugene is waiting for Erica to arrive from Christchurch on Boxing day. They will drive down from Auckland in his boy racer car: a 1986 Toyota Trueno which has a 3 litre Supra engine with twin turbo superchargers.

He claims that it can do standing quarter mile in 6 seconds! He flew to Dunedin last Wednesday to bring it back across Cook Strait on the ferry (1400 km). On the way home he drag raced all the HSV and Ford Falcons (V8) on state highway one. They lost!

Eugene has another car, a Toyota Levin which he used mainly for drifting at the Pukekohe raceway.

Trueno in Hamilton

Eugene drove this Toyota Trueno home, all the way from Dunedin on the South Island, across on the ferry to Wellington and all the way to Hamilton. On the way, he dragged raced a few Holden Commodores. He said that he saw a few very surprised faces when he overtook them on highway 1.

This red car has a small body; but under the hood is a super charged, 3 litre Toyota Supra engine which gave it a lot of ommph.

This second car is Eugene's pride and joy. He uses it specially for drifting, a new type of motor sports. He moves around corners by sliding the rear wheels to one side instead of turning the steering wheel. It is possible only in rear wheel drive vehicles with manual gear shifts.

Over a year, he stripped the car body down and repainted it. He rebuilt the engine completely. He also added a roll cage inside the cabin.

Auckland visit

Last weekend we visited Eugene in 

Auckland for the moon cake festival. He took us to a Mexican restaurant.

Eugene at Milford Sound

In 1995 we toured the South Island for the first time for a week. Five years later we toured the South Island again. This time for 12 days. A 2 week tour in a self-driven car is about right, if you want to see most of the sights on the South Island.