last one

Last trip to the beach today.  The Yarn Bag (TM) is stuffed full of shells and stones we've picked up.

Looking out across Auckland harbour to Rangitoto.  I don't do cities, but if I have to spend time in one, better for it to be made up of sea and volcanoes.

I can't wait to get home now.  Remind me of this when I'm whinging about the cold grey drizzle in Derbyshire...

extras in a roadtrip movie

Classic Otago filmset landscape today.  I expected Aslan to appear at any moment.  Or possibly a posse of orcs...

 (If you're from Derbyshire, that is Officially Too Much Sky; it's unnerving...)

We've nearly finished our South Island tour, with steampunk in Oamaru, and the world's biggest jersey and a a reproduction Bayeux tapestry made out of broken knitting machine cogs (just google it, OK?) in Geraldine.  Flying back to Auckland tomorrow...

a series of unfortunate events

So far Iona has capsized her kayak in Lake Wanaka, and fallen off one of the Moeraki boulders into the sea.  She is very cross about this. We're all waiting with bated breath to see what she accomplishes next.

Benedict would like to report that he's wrestled with sealions, had tea with a penguin and toasted marshmallows on a volcano... none of the above is true, but he's not one to let the truth get in the way of a good story...

Sealions...

and penguins...

and seals...

in which Alexander is dismayed by the insectlife

Upon my arrival in this abominable South Island place I was viciously attacked by a plague of despicable sandflies. They are everywhere! It is not good for ones complexion. First sand, then mud and now my fur is a mass of itchy lumps. Ahh 'tis abominable!

Now this is the most biggest bite provided by those despicable insects. I fear that the whole leg will explode and ruin my fur, not that it is in a very good condition anyhow. 

And this is the most bites on one person which these creatures have dispensed, and on my good friend Bonedict.

no Eostre

It's definitely Autumn down here in Wanaka.  Chocolate eggs and a long weekend of holidays, but no spring lambs or new growth.  It's all egg-xceedingly odd.

morning/evening

9am, looking out across the Kenepuru Sound.

9pm, blogging in front of the fire, Glenhope.

As we drive South, we're catching up with Autumn.  Crisp clear mornings and evenings, and stunning colours.

day off

We've had a day off, relaxing, in the Marlborough Sounds.  Not driving, not moving on anywhere.

Bacon sandwiches for breakfast, kayaking, hot tub, forage shellfish off the beach, lunch, swim, hot tub, hammocks, pizza, bed...

cyclonic

We are tired.  We've done a whirlwind tour of the North Island.  9 days, 8 different hostels.  Sand, sea, dolphins, volcanoes, lakes, bubbling mud.  It's all a bit of a blur.  As a family, we don't tend to do this kind of tourism.  We go somewhere, and just stay there, hanging out.

We've now driven the entire length of the North Island, from Cape Reinga down to Wellington.  Tomorrow, we have a ferry to catch across the Cook Straits.  There's also a tropical storm bringing a lot of weather, so it's all change.

Sun going down over the Tasman Sea.

in which Alexander is bewildered by floating stones

Ach, this country, it is preposterous!

Thank goodness, we have now left the sea behind (the saltwater plays havoc with my fur), but those dreadful children still found a lake to throw stones into.

But these stones were absurd, they float!  What is the world coming to?

"It is because they are made of hummous," said the middlest (and most ridiculous) child.  I give up.  I am going to hibernate.

a walk in the park

We went to the park.  In Rotorua.  See the pretty civic flowerbeds?

There's a very nice playground too.

There are also random pools of boiling mud, and jets of steam.

"They don't really do health and safety in New Zealand, do they, mummy...?"

It's smelly.  Nobody fancies boiled eggs...

Nice warm clean feet though.

edge of the world

Cape Reinga, northernmost point in New Zealand.

This is where the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea meet, turbulently.

The spirits of the dead leap off the headland on their journey to the underworld.

We expected to see Reepicheep sailing off in his coracle...

strange stars amid the gloam

I've just dragged my children out of their nice warm beds and made them lie shivering on the damp grass in their pyjamas and look at the Milky Way.  So many stars...

new world

As we walked back up the hill this evening, crunching through autumn leaves, I realised: all the trees are different.  And the birds.  I have no names for things.  Photos tomorrow, when I hope to be awake, and assuming* I can find a camera lead.


*We are missing a bag.  As there was one sad, lonely and not entirely dissimilar bag left revolving around the carousel, we surmise its owner collected our bag instead, and have tasked Emirates with tracking him down.  We are not amused, and hoping our not-so-bright business class travelling friend feels like returning our bag tomorrow, as otherwise nobody has any boots or waterproofs...

and then there were six

We have a last minute addition to the party.  Meet Alexander Orlov, class 6's meerkat.

I'm sure he'll be updating you about our progress, only unfortunately he's busy right now helping Benedict pack...

countdown

Second bag packed, sealed, hidden from marauders, etc.

I've spent the evening searching the house, but am unable to deny the Boy's protestations that he only owns four pairs of pants (on the positive side, I feel this is a triumphant validation of the efficiency of my laundry system...)

His elder sister, on the other hand, has five swimming costumes in her drawer.  None of which fits...

I have developed a nervous twitch in my right eye.

I have started a new list, of things not to pack:

-didgeridoo
-trampoline
-imaginary friends

packing

"No, Benedict, you cannot pack all your lego!"
"But what if robbers come while we're in New Zealand, and steal it?"
"No, Benedict, I don't think that will happen."
"They might steal your coffee too."
"That is a very important point.  Maybe I should pack All The Coffee?"
"And your bed.  They might steal your kingsize bed."
"We could lock the door when we leave?"
"No, it's OK, I know a spell.  The bed-hider spell.  So the robbers won't be able to see your bed."
"That could work.  But what if I can't find it again?  Or you forget the spell?"
"I'll write it on a post-it note."
"But then robbers could use the spell."
"I'll write it in code."
"But what if the robbers steal the post-it note...?"

other way round

In the middle of the night, I realised that the sun will be due north at midday.  I almost had to wake everyone up to share this insight, but I was restrained...

I can't wait to see a different set of stars.

cool

I would like to go swimming with dolphins but unfortunately it might cost to much money.
So instead I would like to go to a penguin place (penguins are very very very cool),
the pancake rocks (because it sounds cool),
tobogganing on sand dunes (it sounds fun),
moeraki boulders look cool (in the photos),
the glaciers (I don't know why but glaciers are cool),
whale watching (looks fun in the photos),
caving &cave rafting (it looks scary but fun),
diving at poor knights island (I have never been diving and it sounds fun and cool)
and east cape (it looks nice.)


by Iona

in orbit

I can't get my head round this whole day/ night and spring/autumn business.  The trouble is that while I've heard about Physics, but I don't entirely believe in it.  Secretly, I almost think we'll be spending three weeks upside down, attached to the earth's surface by a pair of magnetic boots...

three weeks to go...

Oooh look, a new blog.  This is our family blog for the New Zealand trip.  We'll be posting words and pictures, lots of pretty pictures, about what we get up to.

We have the passports, the tickets, and lots and lots of ideas about what we want to do.  I even have an itinerary (a word which it appears I am completely unable to pronounce, but happily can spell) which is 4364 km long...