Cycling around New Plymouth

It was our first day on the bikes.  Found a nice cycle route down a Valley onto the coastal path. New Plymouth put on a windy and cloudy day but it probably kept alot of sunny cyclers away.

Friday dawned sunny and warm. We couldn't resist a bike ride down the rest of the coastal path to a local cafe. One of the nicest vege brunch snacks had for a while. Stops at the playground and the little zoo were highlights before cycling back. We all dread the Cumberland road hill. Short and steep. Restful afternoon reading in the sunshine under a pink umbrella for shade. The height of decadence. Another cycle to the local chippie for dinner on the beach.

New years eve. We took Connie to the Tupare gardens, had a wander around the shops and len lye museum and went to the beach. Haz is still recovering from a cold.  nice walk back along the cycle path. Interesting fact most of the new houses up here are only one storey.

Te pouaki walk

We wandered up to the Te Pouaki hut some way up Mount Taranaki. Track isnt the typical walking through native bush but a continual path of wooden planks that led through lovely bush and sub alpine plants  to a great view of the city and coastline. Then we wandered down again. 4 and a half hours later we returned and haven't done much since except for looking for a beachside cafe to while the hours away which we didn't find, cook dinner and say hi to Mike, Becks and Connie.

It has been a busy few weeks building up to Christmas. Enjoyed seeing Mike  Becks and Connie  in the Wairarapa and having Connie to myself for a whole day.  We went to the park, decorated Christmas tree and put up our nativity scene.  Christmas  day was a lot of fun. Besides the family Nick, Carolyn and Martin came for brunch. Santa came too (with a hole in his trousers) but no one cared. Harry missed him for the second year in a row. Dinner was at Don and Judy's place. We are  now sitting in New Plymouth. Harry is making a cup of tea (well he put the jug on and then said he was off to have a shower). It is a bright sunny day for a change. The house looks over a wide expanse of bush that follows the river down to the sea which is a strip of blue just before the cloud hides the horizon. It was a long trip up yesterday. We crawled at snails pace up to Otaki, stopped for a few minutes to say hi to the Casey Cooper clan, had some lunch and then off to our holiday home. We got to our accommodation effortlessly and unpacked the car. After a cup of tea the first thing we looked for was wifi and who Place nicely positioned and quiet with deck though bbq is so filthy we won't use it and we need to suggest smoke alarms would be a good addition. To get over travel sluggishness we went for a long walk sort of following the river but not beside it. Now I will attempt for the first time to put some photos of on via phone.

Interesting weeks in Wellington

Recently, we went for a weekend fund raiser in the Wairarapa - a weekend of visiting other peoples places and viewing their Christmas decorations.  After a few houses we decided it was like one big open home.  Most of the houses were fairly minimalistic in their decorations, but we enjoyed seeing the houses and got some ideas if we ever want to build our own home.  We caught up with Nicky and Dave and their girls, and also Cheryl and Marty.  Not many photos taken as there was a 'no photo' policy during the visits.

Then a week later the earthquake hit Kaikoura and Wellington.  Wellington managed to come out of it reasonably unscathed (about four buildings on the demolition list which is likely to grow - a friend reckoned about 30 which would not suprise me) but the beautiful coastal route and the little town of Kaikoura have been hit really hard.  Very sad.

So, after a day off work we returned to our new building which we had just moved into to unpack.  Harry stayed at home for the next four days.  Tuesday - the floods hit with rail and bus links down and the city was again in a bit of turmoil.  Thankfully, we can say that no Wellingtonians were injured, but it could easily have been a different story if it had happened during the day.  It is great to see the help given to Kaikoura especially from all the naval ships come to NZ to celebrate 75 years.

Margot organised a degustation meal at Jano's in Wellington.  About 20 of us went and we had a great evening.  The vege meals were superb and often were the envy of those meat eaters (I didn't share much!!).

We've finished our gardens out the front (spend a few hours shovelling more sand and stones) and now I am busily encouraging the trees to grow as it looks quite bare.  We have some berries on the bushes.  A couple of weekends ago in the rain we went for a drive to Makara to find stones so that we could paint them.  We've also wrapped some in tin foil to scare off the birds (a trick we saw in Adelaide).  We also walked up a forest path in the rain to find some wood so Harry could make reindeer and a stable for Christmas.  Pictures to come later.

Mike arrived at midnight on Thursday.  We had a nice breakfast with him before we went to work and he took off for Olly's stag do in Rotorua.  Looking forward to next weekend when Connie and Becks are also over.

Tabby wants to go on holiday.

This Sunday we had a lazy start and then headed for a walk in Wilton Bush. You can guarantee a nice sheltered walk even when Wellington is at its windiest which it is today.  We parked in Chartwell and walked 2.5 hours up and down which was a lot of fun - some new found trails.  Also bumped into Phillipa so that was a welcome chat.

Sydney

We've just spent five days in Sydney with Connie and co. We arrived early Saturday morning and went to see Connie play soccer.  So cute - little 2 and 3 year olds running around in maroon and white uniforms. I was impressed with their ball skills and their ability to follow directions.  Next year I think Connie will have all the ball skills to play a game.

We brunched at the little corner coffee shop where the cooks and staff know everyone by name and their order.  Poached eggs and toast with Baby Chino for Connie please.  They make the best vege burger I know.!!

We stayed at a place  in the countryside just outside Kiami - about two hours drive from Sydney.  I must admit I enjoyed the ride down driving through Woollongong and along the coast.  Kiami was a coastal town - a bit bigger than we first realised.   We wandered around the  lighthouse, blow holes, markets (great pies), bouncy castle and swings.

Great choice of a weekend bach Becks.  Foxground Road about 30 minutes drive from Kiami.  The house didn't look much from the outside but inside it was close to a mansion - plenty of space and rooms and a fire (yes we lit the fire in October in Sydney). Almost every kitchen appliance you could ask for - and we didn't use one!!  We arrived to a number of kangaroos greeting us and in the morning New South Wales cockatoos chirped hello.  Connie loved her little green dinosaur that Helen had knitted - what a special creative friend.    I went for a wander up one of the side roads in the evening. It was rather a steep walk - similar to the start of Khandallah Bridle path but much much longer.  It was an interesting walk, signs said 'No Dogs, No Cats, No Tresspassers'.  Barbed wire followed the road - houses hid behind trees and iron gates (didn't get the impression they were mansions).  I stopped going up hill when I found some rather frisky cows grazing and playing close to the only house that wasn't hidden behind wire and iron.

 On the way back we drove through some typical Aussie countryside and stopped at a historical town called Berry for lunch and play while a 3 way skype call for work and failed rather dismally.

On Tuesday and we thought we would hang out with Connie but Connie had other thoughts.  About 10 minutes after Mum and Dad left she was sitting on her bike waiting to go to Daycare.  So, off we went.  After dropping Connie off we wandered around the harbour on a warm sunny day, enjoyed the new architecture, the Bangaroo seaside park, ate fish and chips beside the opera house before going to see My Fair Lady.  Great venue - acoustics fantastic - even the clapping sounded better.  Show was well worth seeing, though I felt rather under dressed in my casual clothes.  In the evening we watched the team prepare for the annual dance at the awards ceremony and then looked after Connie while mum and dad and went out for a well earned relaxing dinner.  Gradconnection won an award later on that week.  We played games with Connie (Old MacDonalds Farm lotto) before heading off to bed.

The next day Connie was happier to spend the morning with us.  So we took a trip to Darling Harbour, played on the flying fox and slides, experimenting at the water park and then Mike arrived to have lunch with us.

After dropping Connie off we had a wander to the Chinese Garden - I always love the oasis set amongst the sky scrapers of a city.  This garden was particularly well presented and cared for.  Then it was time to go back to the airport.  Another fantastic time in Sydney.  We love you all.

The week went fast at work (it was after all only 2 days).  We did some more work on the garden - Harry went and got trailer loads of dirt and I shovelled it into the garden.  We planted the feijoa tree bought for us a couple of years ago that had not been enjoying being in a pot, and I talked to the boysenberry and blueberry plants to encourage them to grow - it seems to be working!!

This week has been windy and wet in Wellington - it has lived up to its name.  We went to Pilates to try and get our muscles over the shock of all the weekend work and I said goodbye to an umbrella.

Question of the week:  Why does Tabby insist on sitting on one particular chair in our lounge?   It doesn't matter whose lap it is, and what is on that lap (eg knitting or laptop), she wants that chair!!  If there is no lap - then the couch is preferred.  That's cats for you!!