Sorry been too busy!

---

Well I know it is a while since I last added a blog but I have been incredibly busy. Last week was definately full apart from Thursday afternoon when we skived off. We had had enough weeding in a local park and led a mutiny. Toby did not seem too bothered and the afternoon turned out to be a lot of fun. We persuaded him to take us on a Lord of the Rings tour of nearby sites. The first place we visited was the set of Rivendell. I would like to point out that New Zealand has a great deal to learn about spoiling a place with advertising. When we arrived we actually walked past the place they filmed twice before Toby said this was it. It was a lovely forest in a national park and very serene. It did unfortunately have another tour group there who were donning elf ears and having their pictures taken. we ignored them especially when their leader started talking about Harry Potter. We instead found a rope bridge strung over a nearby river and entertained ourselves by trying to make each other sick. Real Indiana Jones stuff!
Then we headed off to another site which we had no idea about. In our map there are just gold rings where they filmed so we had to guess what they did where. It turned out to be the garden of Isenguard. There was a frisbee golf course there and a flying fox (zip rope line) which we attempted to break, not on purpose. I like to imagine Christopher Lee and Ian McKellen having a ball on it.
After that we kind of got lost and ended up back at the house.
Friday was an excellent day. After worrying I would be horrendously sea sick we headed out on the boat in the harbour. I was not in the slightest queasy. The same can not be said for Steph! We had a great day cruising around the harbour it was beautifully sunny but incredibly windy, nothing new there! I even helmed for a while and the boat stayed upright!
Friday night we headed into Wellington to the worst pub ever and on the way home the taxi got lost and cruised around our hill for 45 mins. Luckily he didn't charge us for it! It did mean though that we missed the earthquake that hit Wellington at midnight. Damien said it was really scary, his alarm clock even fell off the table!
Saturday was a great day. Four of us headed to Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. It is an old reservoir that they have changed into native plantlife and encouraged birdlife there. We saw some fantastic birds there and we were lucky to get a guided tour from one of the rangers. He was incredibly knowledgeable. He seemed to know an awful lot about bird mating which he wasn't shy about telling us! The place is fantastic and I intend going back there to enjoy another day listening to and occasionally seeing the birds.
That night I met up with my friend Andrea and we went to a really cool Japanese restaurant where they cook your food on the table. It was loads of fun. They play games with you like tossing a raw egg at you and you have to catch it in a bowl. Everyone but Andrea caught hers, which went all down her top. Very funny. Then we had to catch the food in our mouths. I had omelette down my top all night. I would definately recommend it!
Well this week is going to a busy one. We are heading out for an 8 hour uphill hike tomorrow where we have to refill possum traps. I haven't killed one yet as far as I know but we keep filling up the traps. Then we are spending a few days at a different nature reserve where they have these huge New Zealand parrots. The it's another seal day. I am getting to not like seals very much.
Anyway enjoy what you are up to
K

---