Merry Christmas Greetings Everyone

We are off down to the South Island next Sunday for a 3 week camping holiday where we will be hopefully seeing some of the Queen Charlotte/ Marlborough sound as well as the Abel Tasman 4 day hike.

We are both really looking forward to seeing the south Island and we will post some photos when we can.

In the mean time here is our wee Christmas note and Good wishes to you all

Kia Ora and Merry Christmas from summer in New Zealand,

Well we have had a few changes and adventures since last Christmas, when on Christmas eve 2013 Malcolm accepted a new job in New Zealand and here we are, already 1/3 through our 2 years! We will be back April 2016.

Life out here has been one long adventure, we have met so many new friends and have had a go at lots of new skills and challenges we would never have experienced at home. Last week I was climbing Mt Ruapehu to the volcanic crater in deep snow and 3 days later we were learning to surf on the beach down from the flat!

We had the most wonderful holiday with Rhian and Callum and it was very upsetting to say farewell. They will be back out again in July/August so not too long to wait. Rhian is working VERY hard during her NQT first year of teaching, she is teaching a Year 4 Class in Caerleon, but still living in Cardiff. Callum is also near Cardiff, studying Natural History at University of South Wales in Pontypridd – he is having whale of a time, enjoying both the course and meeting lots of new friends.

Skype, E-mail and Whatsapp with friends back home has made being SOOOOO far away much easier and we both feel less remote. I won’t go on about the things we have been up to, if you want a wee flavour we have been doing a blog : http://thomasinnz.blogspot.co.nz/.

I hope you have also had a good year and look forward to hearing your news. Wishing you all a Merry and Peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Love, Shona and Malcolm

(malcolmthomas30@btinternet.com / shonathomas30@gmail.com )

 

Summer in December - doesn't seem right!

I can't believe Christmas is fast approaching and the weather here is swinging wildly from roasting hot to sultry storms then cold and lashing rain! Although summer officially started on 1st December down here it is still very spring like weather.
I just hope it settles down before we go camping for 3 weeks next week!

As at home the Christmas party season is in full swing down here but most seem to feature BBQ's!
Shona has had quite a few ladies who lunch type Christmas do's and Malcolm spent his works do at the Tauranga races last Friday, much beer and betting and not very many wins! The races were followed by a fun evening and meal in Tauranga.

 

Malcolm has also been managing a few rounds of golf including a corporate event where each hole was sponsored by a local business, including the 7th which was sponsored by the local funeral directors, where cold drinks and strawberries were served from a chilled coffin on the green side!

 

 

We are still in awe of the kiwi hospitality, we have been invited to such a range of amazing experiences, including the previous weekend sailing in Auckland Harbour on a beautiful 45 foot yacht with Hilary and Ed. Hilary is the sister of one of Malcolm's oldest friends Simon.

We sailed to 2 islands the first of which is a bird sanctuary where we were almost mobbed there were so many native birds - just superb, then we visited another island where Governor Grey had a house - all very colonial and grand , including peacocks, one of which took a shine to Ed!

 

 

 The sailing was spectacular