churcheee

Today has been a bit of a history lesson... Anzac - meaning Australia and New Zealand (we'd tend to use the phrase antipodeans in the northern hemisphere). The day is a remembrance day for all fallen soldiers in wars. It's 'celebrated' in a similar way to that of 11th November and Remembrance Day in the UK; services and parades are held all across the country. The services are held at dawn to mark the timing of the landing of the Anzacs at Gallipoli in Turkey during WWI. So yup it was up at 5.30am and to the Domain and the Cenotaph in central Auckland this morning ready for the 6am start. It was a lovely service and very intimate with not a barrier in sight, lots of children, families, service men and women and 'younger generations', ... read more

The morning started early leaving Whangaparora then up to meet Karen and a tour up to Whangarei Heads and Ocean Beach... (and a paddle in the sea!)... gorgeous... ... read more

Soooooo I've been in Auckland bout 6 months now and have gone from living in a hostel (sharing a room with two others) to sofa cushions on the floor (it's officially called "dossing" in kiwi language!- thanks to Rupert & Amanda for the hospitality - not sure about the fact that they got a brand new sofa with massive cushions two days after I left tho!!!) then into a great house in Ponsonby with two fab kiwi ladies! Slowly getting back into the 'real' world!! Yup I got myself a job and have been working all that time - looking forward to the christmas break tho and chilling in the sunshine! (Oh yeah did I mention it's around 23 here at the mo?!?!). Anyways as an intro to Christmas we had a house Christmas Dinner which ... read more

Into the new house and housewarming/birthday party for me & Ana... ... read more

So now it's up into the North Island... I decided on the 8am ferry from Picton to Wellington which needed a 7am check-in and a 6am rise - gutted! Well I did have to make sure I was awake to tackle getting on board the ferry in the little blue mobile! (yup I haven't given my car a name yet). Just my luck that I was on the top deck! All that sorted and it was off through the Queen Charlotte Sound and the gorgeous views of the South Island left behind with the sun rising to a beautiful and still day... ... read more