A Kiwi Christmas Tree
A kiwi partridge in a pear tree
Friday 18 December 2015
Merry Kiwi Christmas to you all
Wonderful walking in Whangarei
Unfortunately the rhyming for the title of this post doesn't quite fit as in kiwi speak wh is pronounced f!, but it looks good!!
Malcolm had a school to survey on the Monday so we decided to spend the weekend and do some walking around Whangarei heads and Tutukaka. We visited both places with the kids on their first visit, so it was nice to go back in the summer.
Then as always Malcolm wanted to climb the highest point on the Whangarei Heads- Mt Manaia, it is spectacular when you get up there but it was Very Hot and Very Steep - slightly grumpy Shona!
The next day Shona was a lot happier with a gentle coastal walk from Tutkaka north, again spectacular scenery. Beautiful meadows of flowers, lush grass, shady bush and gorgeous turquoise water. Pity it was absolutely freezing when we tried to go for a swim after the walk, even with a wetsuit is was just not possible!
By the time she got her camera they were well away, but it was great to see them, and Shona was so excited that everyone on board the Ted knew her sister was aboard Maunie
She also saw the new Team New Zealand America's Cup boat being put through its paces - these boats do seem more like flying than sailing!
Malcolm had a school to survey on the Monday so we decided to spend the weekend and do some walking around Whangarei heads and Tutukaka. We visited both places with the kids on their first visit, so it was nice to go back in the summer.
First visit was to the Scottish Town of Waipu - pronounced why poo!, they even have highland games on 1st Jan!
Barbara Steve and Amy arrived very late on Monday night and after seeing Rob as he went back to Dannevirke, they went sailing with Graham and Diane on Maunie. Shona had a lovely surprise when she was out on the Ted Ashby to see them sail past on the start of their wee cruise around the Huaraki harbour and islands.
Wednesday 9 December 2015
Settling into Devonport life
Well we have been here for 2 months now and we are getting quite busy! Malcolms work with Prendos has ramped up a gear from the level in Tauranga and Shona is volunteering at the north Shore Hospice shop in Takapuna and as a member of the Wednesday crew aboard the Ted Ashby, a replica 'Scow' ship run by the NZ Maritime Museum. The Scows were once very numerous and used as cargo boats for the huge Kauri logs brought down to Auckland from the far north of the country.
maritimemuseum
This was man over board drill! (the dummy in yellow not the newest member of the crew I'm glad to say!)
1st of December was 1st day of Summer and Christmas is really heating up here! (it just doesn't feel right to me in the summer!)
We have also had two Christmas parties so far - the Prendos one was held in the zoo! and father Christmas even found his way there amongst all the animals! Unfortunately it poured with rain just when we were having our BBQ and picnic - but we did have a gazebo! It was fun to look round the zoo despite most of the animals hiding from the rain (the hippos loved it!)
The Maritime Museum also had a superb Christmas party where we were invited to the Captain's Table! Everyone was dressed up I'm 1920's gear and the Jazz band was excellent - not to mentions the lovely food and free bar!
Malcolm was very keen to see the annual Auckland Santa Parade, so we joined the droves of excited kids and frazzled parents crossing over on the ferry to see the parade. It was a big spectacle!
Malcolm on tip toes making sure he could see Santa!
Apart from Christmas frenzy summer has also meant walking, sailing, culture and visitors.
We even took part in the Auckland Climate Change March, one of the first for the Paris Summit.
A friend Hilary who lives in Auckland has invited Shona to a couple of local events - the Waiheke Walking Festival, the walk included lunch with a glass of local wine! and a visit to an amazing sculpture park, which included Andrew Goldsworth's Arches - just like in Dumfries and Galloway.
The sculpture park also had giraffes and zebras (as you do!)
We had our second sail with John Duder in the 1936 cutter Spray two weekends ago and were both somewhat shocked to be sailing in 38km of wind with waves crashing over us, no safety lines and Malcolm out on the bowsprit to bring in the jib! We survived and guess what we won the race too! Shona has decided not to go out in such conditions again!!
We have also been having a few visitors, including Clare a childhood friend of Shona's and Robbie our nephew who has escaped the sheep farm in Dannevirke where he is working, for a week, to meet his friend Hugo and go travelling round the North Island having borrowed our car. I hope they are having an awesome time!
We put them up in the best guest room!
Shona also had a lovely time visiting 3 week old baby Alice - pronounced Ellisee (like the French palace) who is my old friend Kirsteen's niece Julie's new baby.
As for culture, a real treat was getting returned tickets to see Steven Fry at the Civic Theatre - very posh, eloquent, funny stories! We also popped into the local Folk Club to see an Edinburgh band playing. The club house is in the first world war bunker on the local volcanic plug called Mt Victoria, just 20 mins walk from the house - what a quirky fun place! devonportfolkmusic.
Roger is the chairman of the folk club - he looks just the part!
We are now getting ready to greet the Gammans next week at the start of their 3 week 25th anniversary holiday. They will be sailing with Graham and Diane first the we all head to the south island for 2 weeks of touring, camping, backpacking and tramping - can't wait!
maritimemuseum
1st of December was 1st day of Summer and Christmas is really heating up here! (it just doesn't feel right to me in the summer!)
We have also had two Christmas parties so far - the Prendos one was held in the zoo! and father Christmas even found his way there amongst all the animals! Unfortunately it poured with rain just when we were having our BBQ and picnic - but we did have a gazebo! It was fun to look round the zoo despite most of the animals hiding from the rain (the hippos loved it!)
The Maritime Museum also had a superb Christmas party where we were invited to the Captain's Table! Everyone was dressed up I'm 1920's gear and the Jazz band was excellent - not to mentions the lovely food and free bar!
Malcolm was very keen to see the annual Auckland Santa Parade, so we joined the droves of excited kids and frazzled parents crossing over on the ferry to see the parade. It was a big spectacle!
Apart from Christmas frenzy summer has also meant walking, sailing, culture and visitors.
We even took part in the Auckland Climate Change March, one of the first for the Paris Summit.
A friend Hilary who lives in Auckland has invited Shona to a couple of local events - the Waiheke Walking Festival, the walk included lunch with a glass of local wine! and a visit to an amazing sculpture park, which included Andrew Goldsworth's Arches - just like in Dumfries and Galloway.
We had our second sail with John Duder in the 1936 cutter Spray two weekends ago and were both somewhat shocked to be sailing in 38km of wind with waves crashing over us, no safety lines and Malcolm out on the bowsprit to bring in the jib! We survived and guess what we won the race too! Shona has decided not to go out in such conditions again!!
We have also been having a few visitors, including Clare a childhood friend of Shona's and Robbie our nephew who has escaped the sheep farm in Dannevirke where he is working, for a week, to meet his friend Hugo and go travelling round the North Island having borrowed our car. I hope they are having an awesome time!
Shona also had a lovely time visiting 3 week old baby Alice - pronounced Ellisee (like the French palace) who is my old friend Kirsteen's niece Julie's new baby.
As for culture, a real treat was getting returned tickets to see Steven Fry at the Civic Theatre - very posh, eloquent, funny stories! We also popped into the local Folk Club to see an Edinburgh band playing. The club house is in the first world war bunker on the local volcanic plug called Mt Victoria, just 20 mins walk from the house - what a quirky fun place! devonportfolkmusic.
We are now getting ready to greet the Gammans next week at the start of their 3 week 25th anniversary holiday. They will be sailing with Graham and Diane first the we all head to the south island for 2 weeks of touring, camping, backpacking and tramping - can't wait!
Monday 30 November 2015
A dream come true - dolphin encounter.
I can't believe it is already December - time is going so fast for our last 6 months here in Aotearoa- and there is so much still to pack in!
On Rhian's birthday - 7th Nov - we hopped on a plane across the ditch to Brisbane for a week (yes I hear you say 'Not another holiday!!'). We stayed with old friends from Singapore days - the Betts family. super to see them all and catch up with many years of news. We landed in an amazing Thunder storm and at first were not allowed off the plane into the airport because of the lightning strikes!
These two are Echo and Nari, who are older male dolphins, on Echo in the foreground you can see where he has been attached by an orca! Echo has a really interesting story, which you can read on the link above if you want. You can also see how very gentle the dolphins are where even small children can hold out a small fish and they gently take the fish without touching the child's hand.
As you can see Aussies like to drive their cars on beaches where there are no roads - there were even speed limit signs on the sand!
It was not just the dolphins that were friendly at the resort - the Kokoburras, pelicans and herons were also showing off!
After leaving the island our good friend Janine then lent us a car and we went off up the Sunshine coast staying in Noosa beach. It is a lovely rather upmarket place with nice walks out on to the headland. It must get very busy during school holidays though!
We stayed in a lovely motel just near the beach with this lovely view of the river.
Views from the headland walk - we saw Black Cockatoos while we were walking.
We also enjoyed staying in a traditional 'Queenslander' timber house. The lady who runs the backpackers is a real character with a very precious puppy dog! - it even had a nappy on as apparently it was scared of walking down stairs to go out!!
See the nappy??
Malcolm again very relaxed reading the paper on the balcony on sunday morning!
The coffee culture is just as strong in Oz as it is in NZ - thank goodness.
A lovely break and a dream come true.
On Rhian's birthday - 7th Nov - we hopped on a plane across the ditch to Brisbane for a week (yes I hear you say 'Not another holiday!!'). We stayed with old friends from Singapore days - the Betts family. super to see them all and catch up with many years of news. We landed in an amazing Thunder storm and at first were not allowed off the plane into the airport because of the lightning strikes!
Friends here in NZ had told us about this amazing island resort on Morton Island just off Brisbane where wild dolphins can be fed from the beach at the Tangalooma resort.Shona has had a dream of seeing dolphins like this since she was a student and heard about Monkey Mia in Northern Australia - so off we went.
The resort is big and attracts a lot of Asian tour groups, but the whole experience was very well managed and a real highlight of our 2 years down here.
We had 10 dolphins came in to visit when we were there including Tinkerbell who brought her baby in to meet the people - she was about a foot long and has only been been seen the week we arrived - soooo special.
The island is the 3rd largest sand island in the world after Fraser and Stradbrook islands nearby. The sea, sand and palm trees were beautiful and all within distant sight of downtown Brisbane!
Here are a few idyllic beach shots - it was lovely!
We also visited Rainbow Beach, a bit further north -where again you have to watch out for cars on the beach! and there a colourful range of sand cliffs.
On the way back we stopped for a lovely walk at the Glasshouse Mountains and had gorgeous sharing plate lunch at a café/microbrewery called Wild Rocket in Montville - kanagaroo bruchetta, emu spring rolls and crocodile fish cakes!- all superb and washed down by the local ale!
We finished our week staying with Janine and having a day on the gold coast - quite a different character to the sunshine coast and a lovely day in Brisbane.
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