Advertisement
Published: November 10th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Grandad (aka Big G) Jenny (aka Wonderwoman, Jenbob, scuzza, bitch) and me (aka supergirl) board the flight for Auckland North Island New Zealand with smiles the size of miles! Grandad is getting on a plane for the first time ever and we're going to bloody New Zealand to see his brother who he's not seen for 32 YEARS!!!! ANnnnndddddd the brother doesnt know we're coming!!!!! Its Cilla Black surprise suprise all over times a million, I just hope he's home when we get there 😊
Grandad spends the full 24 hour flights watching the world map giving us updates on speed, height, fly over countries, monsters on the wing everything ARRRGGGHHH JUST LOVE HIM!!! Me and Jen sleep it out and dream of possums and reunions!
First stop is Auckland for 3 days recovery and we get some geeko city tours and a day at the Bay of Islands but no whales spotted (well the marine kind). Grandad and Jen on full form and we really cant beleive that we're in fricken New Zealand. Jen and I goto Needle point tower, the highest building in North Island and spaz out walking on the glass floor EEK! Grandad ends up
flashing a crusieliner that docks outside our hotel and the jetlag grabs our balance before we fly down to South Island Dunedin. We hire a car and make the road trip up the island, its only around 3.5hrs to South Cantebury, to our next stop Pleasant Point just outside of Timaru.
The drive is amazing but there is too much scenary to gawp at aside from all the roadkill 😞 We are staying at a Farmstay in Pleasant point which is basically a little cottage on a farm, and the farmer gets you to help out around the place feeding the chucks, the baby calf, rounding up the deer, bulls, sheep, collecting eggs. It was just amazing, the views from the terrace decking were unlike anything you could have ever wished for. If you are interested in this place google Centre Hill Cottage, its so homely and the Farmer Ian provides an organic brekkie everday and was a perfect host, taking us all around sight seeing the best kept secrets in the country. We visited Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, Mount Hutt, Peel Forest, Shearers Quarters, a dairy farm, The tin Shed and many more places, but not forgetting the
main reason we all went, for Grandad to be reunited with his younger brother.
Walking into the residential home and seeing their faces when they finally recognised each other was just brilliant, such bewilderment and excitement, smiles and tears as the realisation set in of who we were and why we were here. Ken grandads brother and Monica his wife are simpley gorgeous people, caring and so innocent and fragile, we just wanted to bring them home, and out of that home... We spent almost everyday taking them out with us on our little adventure and had such a laugh together, the more you spend time with younger people the younger you feel my grandad always says, and by god you could see the change in Ken and Monica since us being around them had done, they got their spark back and it was so good to be a part of. We have found our great uncle and aunty now and we're not letting go!
Jen and I created mayhem at the Rodeo with some bucking bronco cowboys, and the outside bath back at the cottage was good for any saddle saws 😊 After 10 days we had
to say some heart wrenching goodbyes to Ken and Monica which were so upsetting for us all. But we know in our hearts we shall return, and drove up to Hamner Springs to a homestay booked in the forest. Basically we go and stay in someones home, and they look after us for 3 days. Judy & Bill were amazing check out Charwell Lodge, its just in a top location and we couldnt have asked for a better end to an amazing trip and Michael Keaton has stayed there!
Jen and I took a helicopter ride and saw a 17 metre sperm whale, and a pod of around 200 dolphins before getting a boat trip and getting in the water to splash around with the little fellas. The day after was our bungee jump, white water rafting and jet boat adrenalin packed out day before a chill in the outdoor natural springs. Bill showed off his sheep dogs skills with old whistling here and there, he had grandad doing backflips and everything 😊
The 36 hour journey home almost killed us all off, but New Zealand we will definately see again, Grandad has to get to the top
of Mount Hutt without changing his underpants twice this time. This journey has been probably the best trip I have ever been on, such a rollercoaster of emotions and being with two amazing people in my life, love you loads Big G and Scuzza xxxxxxxxxxxx
Advertisement
Tot: 0.049s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 11; qc: 25; dbt: 0.0239s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb