South of most places

New Zealand = awesome. We're still enjoying our travels, although time is running out. We've got one more week here, a few days in Hong Kong, and then we'll be winging our way back to the frozen arctic wastes known as East Anglia.

Since last post, we came down the north island via Paekakariki and Wellington, took the ferry across to the south. Stayed at the top of the south island for a while as it was so beautiful, then came across to the east coast via Kaikora and Christchurch. Currently in the Wanaka area - next Dunedin, a flight back to Auckland for a last few beachy days and to collect our stuff from Ian and Sarah...

Highlights so far (to go into too much detail would I am sure bore you stiff): hanging out with our dear Melbourne friends the Mills family at the beach, picking mussels, filtering them and then cooking them in white wine and garlic - yum, all for free; staying on another Melb friend Andrew Tripe's dad's farm during the shearing season, chasing sheep round on quad bikes and watching Will attempt to shear a wriggly lamb (and later eating lovely lamb!); visiting Abel Tasman national park to do some sea kayaking and seeing some seals swim by; swimming with dolphins and seals in Kaikora; passing various Lord of the Rings filming sites (now desperate to see the films again to make the connections); sampling cool city life in Wellington and Christchurch where we bumped into the international busking festival; ... am I making you green with envy yet??

In the last few days both Will and I have been 'canyoning' which involved abseiling, sliding and jumping down a river gorge in a wetsuit for a day. Enormous fun.

Homeward bound...kinda

Just a quick update for all those loyal followers of the blog. Normal service will return soon.

We left Australia on Dec 29th, the day after V's 39th birthday, and we were very, very sad to go. We landed in Auckland and had a few happy days with friends Ian and Sarah Wroe (see Sarah's blog, la petite irlandaise for details). Now we are touring down the north island of new zealand and having a good time. We've been to the Coromandel Peninsula, which was stunning in a beachy way, through Rotorua and Taupo which were stunning in a geothermal kind of way, and now are in Tongariro national park, home of Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings movies, which is stunning in a mountainous kind of way.

Photos and more details when we get to a reliable and cheap internet place!

Adelaide

We made it! We hopped on the plane to see David Fairweather and Sian in Adelaide after almost two years of promising. It was great staying with old friends and it was good to get to explore Adelaide. Highlights were an early morning bike ride up Norton summit, Thea and Dulcie's face painting in the market, the beach at Glenelg, long lazy evening meals and a visit to SA's answer to Bavaria, Hahndorf. The low point was getting Dulcie up from her lunchtime nap in a borrowed porta cot to find her and her immediate surroundings liberally smeared in poo. But even that couldn't put a dampner on a good weekend.
 
 
 
 

Odd shaped balls

It's probably disrespectful to Aussie Rules Football to make light with their monuments, but then maybe it's just showing your appreciation. Dulcie might not quite get it though.
 
 
 
 

Sydney side

Well you can't go to Australia without visiting Sydney can you? Sydney's great, you gotta love the harbour, opera house, bridge, Manly, Taronga Zoo, Watson's bay fish and ships, Mossman, Circular Quay and well, the Rocks rock don't they. Thea brought her mate Alec and his brother Bas and Ma and Pa Emma and Steve along for the laughs. Great place great time ..... but it aint Melbourne and Melbourne can't be beat. Nuff said.
 
 
 
 

Skenes Creek Take II

Seeing as we had such a great time over New Year last year we went back to the Blackbery Hill house in Skenes Creek to enjoy the sea, the views, and the company of good friends Richard, Raechel and Abigail with recent arrivals Archie and Lydia. The weather came up trumps, the barbeque was cranked up and the vino flowed (after 7:30). Sensational.
 
 
 
 

Dulcie is 2

Dear Dulcie has chalked up two very fine years and celebrated in style in Eglington Park with her wonderful friends. There was a train cake, games, copious quantities of processed sugar, pressies and lots of really good fun. Dulcie was particulary pleased with her new tutu skirt, so much so she spontaeneously started dancin'. Bless her bum.