We returned from Africa (unemployed and homeless hahaha) with 6 days left before the final leg of our amazing adventure. It had been 17 months since we flew out of New Zealand on the 1st March 08 and it is time to return. Its just about as scary returning, as it was leaving because you suddenly realise that you still have a mortgage,your unemployed and a little older than when you left the comfort of your stable job, to explore the world. We were too busy in London to dwell on our fears. There were places in London we hadn't seen, [View Full Entry]

---

---

This is a long one, you may wish to digest it in portions It had been 14 years since I flew out of Nairobi. I had spent 3 months travelling through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique Swaziland and South Africa, probably the greatest travel experience of my life. Anita and I had talked about doing voluntary work, in Africa, before we left Aotearoa nearly 18 months ago but we had not made any set plans. We had spent 3 months, in London, trying to find employment in Europe during the summer months without success and given we did not [View Full Entry]

---

---

Where do you start when descibing Italy? It was nice to think that Anita and I will not need to find our way to train stations, bus terminals and accomodation in each town and then decide which resturant to eat at. Having said that Anita had being doing a great job picking out nice little eateries off the beaten track. Yes G.A.P were going to take care of that aspect of the travel. Our job was to enjoy Italy. How do you see Italy in two weeks, you don't so we choose a tour that focused on Tuscany. Many friends from [View Full Entry]

---

---

It had been 9 years since Anita and I had travelled, in countries where English is the second language, relying on Public transport and the Lonely Planet, so it was with lashing of anxiety and trepidation that we headed to Gatwick airport bound for Lisbon, Portugal on the 21st April. We had originally booked two G.A.P trips; Highlights of Portugal and Spain and Ultimate Italy) back to back, but the first was cancelled as no one else had booked. I had already booked and paid for air flights (as you need to get in early to get the cheapies) into to [View Full Entry]

---

---

Sunday the 5th April Anita puts on her Sunday best, meets Katrina outside Green Park tube at 11am for afternoon tea at the Ritz. It is so popular that afternnon tean has 5, 2 hour sitting everyday. Here is the website for more information (www.theritzlondon.com) but over to Anita: One could not come to London town and not have afternoon tea at the Ritz. Particularly if you are a women over 40. Thanks Katrina for sharing this moment in time. Tony came along just to capture the event on film. We arrived early. The doorman was happy to have his photo [View Full Entry]

---

---

Kia Ora Koutou and Top of da mornin to ya, Love is all you need. I don't know why but I've been dragging my arse on this blog and had real trouble motivating myself to sit down and write. It seems ages ago that we were in Scotland and our time in Ole Blightey is drawing to an end but more about that later. February (after the snow) was fairly quiet, we caught with friends on a couple of ocassions but with the weather at its worst we stayed indoors most of the month. However to visit Liverpool, home of the [View Full Entry]

---

---

Monday the 2 February 09, London experiences its worst snow in 18 years AND WE WERE THERE. At 6am Anita woke and thought we may have slept in, such was the light coming though the windows, but no: overnight it has snowed and over a foot of snow carpeted the landscape and the reflection has caused it to look unsually light. All the bus services were cancelled and the streets almost empty. All the airpost were closed, train service restricted and even the classic Black Taxis were scarce, but in a city of 10 million there are always a million or [View Full Entry]

---

---

Before you start reading, put on some bagpipes (Mull of Kintyre will do) and start thinking in your best Scottish accent, it will nae make any bloody difference but ya mae have a wee laugh. Last weekend was Rabbies 250th birthday and what better way to celebrate than to head for the land of the kilted ones for a wee dram or three and a taste of Haggis. We left London early Friday morning from Kings Cross and arrived 5 hours later in Edinburgh. Train travel has become our favorite. Nae waiting at airports, nae ques (sorry mum I know that's [View Full Entry]

---

---

First of all Merry Xmas to our family and all our friends back home. we hope you all had a fantastic Xmas and 2009 brings good health and the realisation of your dreams. Anita and I decided that whilst living in England it may be one of the few opportunities we will ever have to experience Xmas in the Northern hemisphere, a White Xmas and so we resisted the urge to book a holiday in a sunny beach resort in Morrocco, Mumbai or Madagascar and chose a holiday that included Xmas day in Paris, three days in the Swiss Alps and [View Full Entry]

---

---

The reason that I am able to live and work in Britain is because my grandmother was born here and that has entitled me to have an "Ancestory Visa". Yesterday I set out in search of the birth place of my grandmother Mabel Haultain nee Dean (mother of my beautiful and inspirational mother). Nana was born in the small working class village of Bedford (about 100km) north of London in 1896. Well a little under three hours after leaving home (Finchley Central), on a cold (3 degrees), drizzly Sunday morning and with only one wrong turn, I found the tiny two [View Full Entry]

---

---