What a week!

Hello again, so sorry we didn't manage a post last week, we were both feeling 100% grotty with bad chest colds/flu. The NZ bugs are mean to unsuspecting newcomers from across the world!

We were both knocked out for nearly 2 weeks and Malcolm even took 2 days off work which is unheard of!

The really special events have been happening back in UK with:
Rhian's second graduation
Heather and George celebrating a wonderful 60 years with a great family party in the lake district
Iori making great progress and hopefully getting home this week
and all the preparations for Rhian and Cal's visit to NZ.

And we have been part of all of these through Skype!, including being all dressed up for the Taylor family photo at 7.30 in the morning (8.30pm after dinner) and talking to Iori in hospital at 3.30am (4.30pm vising time!!) It was especially wonderful to speak to both Iris and Iori for the first time on Skype thanks to the kids linking their ipads up through their phones.

So they arrive tomorrow - great excitement.

We did manage some trips last weekend, including to Okere falls where the 4th hydro scheme in NZ was set up and supplied electricity in 1901!(you can just see the remains of the turbine in the first photo and the trout pools in the last wee video) I hope we can go white water rafting there with the kids. Then to look at some amazing fresh water springs at Hamurana.

Then another celebration on Sunday at the Mt Monganui sailing club- rum and coke all round. The boat Malcolm was crewing on won their class - so a (large) bottle of Mount Gay Rum was presented. It is a lovely tradition that everyone shares a rum and coke whilst the prizes are given out. A very small but friendly club, very reminiscent of the NW Venturers our club in Beaumaris.