New Years Eve

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Hope you had a FAB Christmas and enjoy the new year celebrations!

I'm writing this in the hope that I might actually start using it. Hopefully you've been looking on flickr.com at the photos I've been publishing. You can look at my photos under the keywords SXtoursNZ. Hopefully it should work. You can add comments which would be cool.

I'm in Raglan with Emily for a few days, I met her up in the Bay of Islands, she's Canadian and has become a good friend out here! We'll be in Raglan tonight, celebrating new years, should be really fun!

I've spent quite a bit of time here in Raglan over the last couple of months, it's a fab place. Really laid back, surf town, and very arty!

I met some awesome artists here that've encouraged and inspired me. Susan Flight is a sculptor, she converted a shearing shed into her home and workshop a few months ago. Susan has let me stay in the caravan and use her workshop as an artist in residence. I feel that out here, I can begin to discover the artist in me and prioritise that for a while.

Barrie Underhill (friend from home, knew him back at Palmer's) came up from the South Island and I met him in Taupo, we went to the thermal creek and he also came out to Raglan where we went to Bridal Veil Falls, a breathtaking waterfall.

Barrie raved about the South Island so I'm really looking forward to going.

Christmas was cool with the Grayburns. It hasn't at all felt like Christmas but then when there are few decorations, and you don't see the lights cos you're already in bed when it's dark, what can you expect?

So it was more of a nice time to spend with family and friends than a seasonal thing, but that's still cool. We had BBQ's and played cricket in the paddock (dodging bails of hay!). I have to say I think I'll be back in the UK for next Christmas though, it really is a time to share with family and friends and I missed you all HEAPS!

I'll be in touch again very soon,

sending love and hugs, Claire

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