Hi pals! We're writing this from Honkers but this blog is actually about the three busy days we had last week travelling between Auckland, Sydney and then on to Hong Kong. Phew - it's the most active that we've been for months. We left Auckland on Tuesday afternoon - a big thanks to cousin Ian for driving us to the airport in his lovely new Pajero, and for Auntie Sylvia for accompanying us. It was ace having you both there to ensure that we got on the plane, but you were probably glad to see the back of us! From there [View Full Entry]

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On the way back to Hamilton after our Rotorua excursion we stopped off at this place near Te Puke called Kiwi 360. It's basically an orchard specialising in Kiwi fruit and they do little guided tours in kiwi trains that look more like burgers. We didn't do a tour because there was a high school group that we'd have had to go round with (and who could be doing with that?), but we did pay 2 dollars per person to have a lovely leisurely stroll through some very pretty fruit fields, and saw some trees and fruit bearing vines that we [View Full Entry]

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If anyone tells you that Rotorua has an unbearable stink - then don’t believe them. We think it’s fine. I mean, it’s nowhere near as bad as the smell in our house the morning after we’ve had a night on the curry and lager, and that’s a fact. Mind you - that might be a completely unbearable stench to most people, so perhaps it’s actually rank in Rotorua. Hmmm. Well, moving swiftly on…. Ahem ahem ahem…….. So, we got here two days ago and we’ve really had a fab time since we arrived. There is heaps to do and see and [View Full Entry]

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At last… we have got around to writing up this blog which is all about our time spent within the bosom of our family here in Hamilton. Before we go any further we’ll explain who the main characters are in this tale of fun, laughter and occasionally sunshine: Uncle Ian Who: Alan’s mum Sheena’s brother, married to Sylvia, and joint best mate of Alan’s dad Joe. Likes: Anything to do with fixing cars, and having his weekly spa bath at the thermal springs up the road in Te Aroha. Ian has recently embarked on a winter vegetable planting out the back [View Full Entry]

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'Oh the rain falls hard, on a humdrum town, this town has dragged you down...' Actually Auckland isn't that bad, but the weather has been a bit rotten during our stay and heavy rain always makes a place seem fairly grimbo. Here, come to think of it, this is the second blog in a row in which we've borrowed words of wisdom from a Smiths song. Good lord, isn't Morrissey simply wonderful. I could quote him all day - especially lyrics from the the Queen is Dead album. Cemetry Gates is particularly good. Hilarious actually. But we didn't come here to [View Full Entry]

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Greetings friends and all! This isn’t an easy blog to write, as to be honest we haven’t really done that much for the last week and a half. We were just saying today how it’s probably for the best that we’ve now left the South Island and made our way north, as we’ve been getting a teensy bit bored. Some might wonder how we could be feeling listless in this stunning country filled with beautiful and charming scenery, amazing perfumed aromas of the wild flowers and abundant pine forests so prevalent down this way, and the warmth & friendliness of the [View Full Entry]

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WARNING. THIS BLOG CONTAINS 10 ZILLION WATERFALL SHOTS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! ‘‘Look’’, exclaimed Shaz ‘‘It’s a dead parrot!’’ ‘‘It’s not dead’’ said Alan ‘‘It’s just tired out after a long squawk.’’ (laughs). About 5 weeks ago we’d stopped at the side of the road to admire / photo a nice mountain view. As we got out of the car, Shaz spied the said (truly dead) bird next to the front wheel. Such is our humour these days; razor sharp and totally plagiarised. Of course that story has nothing to do with this blog, other than a mild reference to the [View Full Entry]

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Note to readers: This blog is best read in a Pam Ayers accent: We feel no need to Bungy, or to Jump out of a Plane, From Canyoning and Climbing Rocks, we really must refrain. Some folks think Rafting's magical, it fills their hearts with glee, But it's not for us Me Hearties, coz it's dangerous you see! But we're hanging out in Queenstown, and what folk here like to do, Is Adventure Sports and scary stuff that makes us need to poo! You can Jetboard, Abseil, Paraglide, but listen, that's not all..... You can also Roll Down Mountainsides inside a [View Full Entry]

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Kia Ora, possums! Kia ora is Maori for ‘hello’, but we could also have said Tena Koutou as we are greeting three or more of you. Woooooh, clever aren’t we? But enough of the smart chat, and down to the juice. It felt really excellent to be heading away from Nelson, and get out on the road and see more of the cool sights of the South island. Honestly - everywhere you look there are stunning views of mountains, pine forests, rain forests, turquoise milky waterways, dried up wide & winding grey stone riverbeds, and the sunsets are something else. We [View Full Entry]

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Ahoy there, shipmates! Last week we were beating to windward on a port tack and doing 8 knots when the waves came crashing over the bow. “A reef in the mainsail - and fast!” cried the captain of the “Maniac” - a recovering alcoholic complete with 16’’ liver transplant scar and a diabetic disorder that caused him to fall asleep at inappropriate and crucial moments. Our brave sailors had to clamp themselves to the jackstay to keep from going overboard as they toiled in rough seas to bring down the main and furl the jib. And still it kept coming - [View Full Entry]

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