Phew - its been a marathon of packing up and cleaning house, emptying the 'empty nest', and generally sorting out the boring bits of daily life. The house sitter and the mower of lawns are scheduled, and the neighbours have sorted out their rosters for picking and eating the ripening citrus fruit. during our absence. The garden beds are 'composted down' and the trees are pruned. Previously, we have only been away for a few short weeks at a time - much more planning is required when escaping for the whole NZ winter. The last few days in the Marlborough Sounds were deceptively mild with just a few heavy rain showers. Still, the weather forecast shows that winter is definitely on the way - another great reason to depart for warmer climates. We finally set off
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