http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Inspirado/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Inspirado en-us Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:59:30 +0000 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:59:30 +0000 Every two years the big quarry in Drury South Auckland opens its doors for a family fun day. After seeing the ad in the local paper which promised rides in big trucks a giant sandpit and mostly importantly free icecream Now there was an offer we simply couldn't pass up.The event began at 1.30pm and we rocked up a littler later at around 1.45pm. I hadn't been expecting it to be very popular http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/blog-454290.html A few weeks back Glynn and I enjoyed a brilliant day out at the Armgeddon Expo and I thought you might like to see some photos Armageddon is basically a big event full of everything a geek could possibly ever want. For anyone into scifi video gaming graphic novels cult TV and movies Manga and cosplay this was without doubt THE place to beThe expo ran over 3 days and we opted to go on Day http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-452789.html Some of you may remember that back in November last yeat and over Christmas we were visited by my long lost school friend Mia and her Canadian boyfriend Isaac. That was when they first arrived in New Zealand about to embark on a year of travel and work.Incredibly that year has now passed and Mia and Isaac are back with us to stay for a couple of weeks before heading back briefly to the UK and http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/blog-452045.html The last couple of weeks have seen a sudden onset of cold wet weather just when we were starting to think spring was finally on its way. Then suddenly this morning the sun came out to play Not wanting to waste the opportunity we jumped in the car and headed south to Hamilton about 1.5 hours from Auckland.Hamilton is one of NZ's major cities but with a population of around 130000 it is small e http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Hamilton/blog-444188.html One of the things I love most about living in New Zealand is having so much great scenery right on our doorstep. Even now after living here for almost 2 years we are still finding new nooks and crannies to explore.Today we took a drive to pretty Clark's Beach a small beachside community made up primarily of baches holiday homes just a 30minute drive away from home. It's been a long while si http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-438603.html With a head stuffed full of cold and a nose that refused to stop running I had pretty much decided to not bother going out today even though it's my last day in Sydney. Then at around 11.00 am my nan and Jeanie announced they were going for a walk from Manly to Shelley Beach and I was surprised to find I was actually starting to feel a little better by now and said I would join them. I popped http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Palm-Beach/blog-422229.html At the tail end of yesterday I was starting to come down with a cold and was dreading the fact that I might have swine flu not because I'm scared of the virus but more the fact that I might not be allowed back into New Zealand By this morning I was confident it was only a bad head cold but it really couldn't have come at a worse time as today we were heading off to the Blue Mountains. I made s http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Blue-Mountains/blog-420583.html Halfway through my stay in Sydney I felt the urge to finally get out and into Sydney's central districts. My nan and her friend Jeanie had originally intended to tag along but the long Bondi to Coogee walk yesterday had left them wanting to rest up back in the Manly apartment instead.My uncle Kev kindly drove me into the city right into the heart of Chinatown where I was on a mission from Glynn http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/Sydney-Harbour/blog-419372.html Another day another bright ray of sunshine to greet us. Last night we all stayed in Sharmilla's apartment in Bondi with the intention of walking the Bondi to Coogee coastal path. Sharmilla had stayed with my cousin Danny overnight and was die to meet us around 10.30am. I slept surprisingly well considering the grownups got the bedrooms and I was relegated to the couch and I was really looking fo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/Bondi-Beach/blog-416283.html Last night after our lovely meal at the house exchangers we headed over to seemy cousin Danny who lives here in Sydney. It's easily been 20 years since we last saw one another and it felt good to reestablish contact after all this time. We also met his girlfriend Sharmilla who was just lovely and invited us to stay at her apartment on Bondi Beach tonight. AwesomeThe weather forecast today pr http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-414973.html Where the bloody hell am I Oh yeah Sydney. Australia. On my own with no Glynn and a Jish in my pocket and a whole week off workIn case you're thinking I'm the world's worst wife for abandoning my husband allow me explain. My nan Betty who is 82 has flown over to Sydney from the UK to for a holiday. She's staying with my aunt and uncle who are seasoned houseexchangers and have landed themsel http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/New-South-Wales/Sydney/blog-414017.html For Christmas this year Glynn and I received a wonderful present from our friends Liz and Allard two tickets for a trip to Tiritiri Matangi Island complete with guided walk. We've been itching to go and this weekend we had no firm plans beyond dinner with our new French friend Cecile on friday night. We left it too late to book for Saturday morning so had a lazy day at home and instead booked http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Tititiri-Matangi-Island/blog-383873.html It's been a good few weeks since we set out for a long walk so I was determined to get out of the city this weekend and see some more of NZ's fine countryside. I've been hankering to visit the Karangahake Gorge ever since hearing about it from Liz last year. So with DOC Department of Conservation leaflet in hand and Mayuko our Japanese friend along for the ride we headed eastwards loosely in http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Bay-of-Plenty/Karangahake-Gorge/blog-380153.html With all the recent stresses of getting our resiency application ready for immigration a long weekend at the beach was calling. Waitangi Day a public holiday fell on a Friday this year and like many Kiwis we decided to take advantage of the time off and head to the beach for a few days.We set off early and found the roads to be relatively deserted. Bliss. Just before we reached our destination http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Whangarei/Uretiti/blog-371828.html Ah another hot sunny summer day another good reason to get out and go adventuring. This time the Firth of Thames was calling and the opportunity to visit one of the few regional parks south of the harbour bridge that we've yet to explore.We started out later than planned after looking quite literally for a needle in a haystack of shops. Glynn needed some bits to stitch up a seam in his work tro http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Firth-of-Thames/Tapapakanga-Regional-Park/blog-359894.html Can you believe that today we have been in New Zealand for one whole year I honestly don't know where the time has gone but it's been quite a journey so far I can tell you. In these last 12 months we've lived in 3 properties and each had 2 jobs. the culmination of all this though is that we are very happy with our lot a nice home in the suburbs and decent jobs to boot. As if that wasn't enoug http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Northland/blog-359241.html Well hello and Merry Christmas to you all Here we are celebrating our first proper Christmas in New Zealand. The sun is shining and it's warm enough to be sat here in shorts and tshirt as I write. I have to say in many ways it just doesn't feel like Christmas at all. I mean surely it's supposed to be cold and dreary outside Not that I'm complainingTo get us in the festive spirit we headed http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/Takanini/blog-357439.html No Christmas in New zealand is complete without attending one of the many many Santa Parades held up and down the country. Auckland has by the far the biggest and without doubt most colourful Santa Parade there is and this year we got to witness the spectacle under a blazing hot sun. The streets of the CBD were packed choc full of cheering adults and kids alike and for about one and a half hours http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-357453.html Well I'm not sure if anyone out there is still reading these blogs except for Glynn's folks hello Mary hello Keith but for those of you who are here's the latest news from KiwilandIt's been busy in the Harris household of late with some new friends and new adventures to enjoy. About 2 weeks ago we had our second ever visitor to stay a girl called Ali from Germany. Ali is a friend of my mo http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Auckland/blog-338800.html Well here we are just nine months in to our new lives in New Zealand and we have already had our very first visitors. Jude's auntie Margaret and her partner Kevin his surname is Hogg hence the name of the blog popped by for a 10day visit to sample life in this neck of the woods. For those of you who don't know Jude's family Margaret is the sister of Jude's stepdad Edmond and Kevin is the http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/blog-330868.html