Janene and Tom's first blog which started with a big adventure!

11:29 10-01-2010

2010-01-16T16:10:00.008+13:00

Terri Jennifer

Arrived via emergency c-section.

We are stoked to finally meet our new family member!

Christmas is coming!!!

2009-12-05T21:45:00.020+13:00

The countdown has begun!

The Zooooooo!!

2009-10-05T19:54:00.007+13:00

It's been a long time between updates!

Have just had the Libsta up for a week and had a fabulous time. She is growing up soooo fast and is such a joy to have around!

Here's one of the adventures we had during the week....

Finally...

2009-03-04T18:47:00.011+13:00

... I've pulled together some action from our summer holidays. I'll let the video speak for itself...

Whoops!

2009-01-18T21:09:00.004+13:00

Well... we got too busy having holiday fun to be on the computer and before we knew it it was time for Libby to head off home again... The idea was a good one to keep you updated with stories and pictures from Libby's scrapbook but sadly it wasn't particularly practical!
Will try and get some photos, stories and video up in the next few weeks!

Libby's Summer Holiday - 3 Jan

2009-01-05T09:38:00.001+13:00

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Libby's Summer Holiday - 2 January

2009-01-05T09:34:00.003+13:00

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Libby's Summer Holiday - 1 Jan 09

2009-01-02T22:09:00.004+13:00

Happy New Year!!!

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Libby's Summer Holiday - 31 Dec 08

2009-01-02T22:06:00.003+13:00

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Libby's Summer Holiday - 30 Dec 08

2009-01-02T22:03:00.003+13:00

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Libby's Summer Holiday - 29 Dec 08

2009-01-02T22:00:00.002+13:00

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Libby's Summer Holiday - 28 Dec 08

2009-01-02T21:52:00.003+13:00

(Click the photo to enlarge)

Libby's Summer Holiday 2009

2009-01-02T21:35:00.008+13:00

Libby is keeping a scrap book diary of her summer holiday... join us for the ride!

SUURRPWIIIISSE!!!

2008-10-12T20:04:00.006+13:00

Tommy had been over on the island for the last couple of weeks working. When he got over there a few more jobs came up and he said he’d stay on a bit longer. There was only one problem… when he checked out ferry passages back the soonest he could get on was several days after Libby was due to arrive for a week of school holidays with us… A plan was hatched… I talked to work about working remotely for a couple of days… rang GBA to book a couple of seats and then waited for it all to come together… Mwwwaaaah-haa-haaa!

Libby arrived about 11 – jet-setting her way up the country to us. I got big hugs as she arrived and was signed over to me by the airline staff. As we wandered over to the luggage carousel I explained that Dad was still on the Barrier working and that we would hang out and do girly stuff until he came back. She took that very well and there were no complaints even though it was a bit strange for Daddy to not be there.

Once we were back home we had some lunch and I sent Tom a text to see if he was around the bach. Once I heard back from him we got in touch with him using skype. This meant Libby could see him on the screen as well as talk to him…. Very exciting!! Of course we had to pull faces and poke tongues at Daddy… there were squeals of delight when he pulled faces back… wow… this was cool, talking to Dad on the computer!!

We hung out for an hour or two, Libby started watching the Golden Compass while I started sneaking our bags and supplies into the car.

After a while I said to Libby… “I’ve got an idea… lets go and surprise Daddy on the island…. Should we do that?”
Libby’eyes got as big as saucers…. “On the barrier?”
“Yeah… I’ll have to check with the plane but would you like to do that? Go to Great Barrier to surprise Dad?”
“Yes! I’m going to surprise my Dad!!?”

I pretended to call the airline and that they told me we would have to go right away if we wanted to catch a plane. By this stage Libby was dancing about the house with excitement. On the way up to the aerodrome she ranged from being very quiet and wide-eyed to chattering madly about surprising Tom.

Once we got to the airport she was telling everyone that would listen what we were up to and had no qualms cornering the pilot to ask which plane we would be going on.
Finally we were on board and taking off… not long now!

“Janene… I see it … there’s the Barrier!!”
“No babe… we’ve only just taken off that’s the end of Whangaparaoa”
“Where’s my Dad?”
“He’s on the Barrier… we have to fly over the sea before we get there”
“Oh…. I might see a whale… Look… there’s a big ship! Laaa-laa… I’m going to the Barrier to see my Dad… Surprise! Surprise! Laa-la-la!”
…
…
I think she kept a running commentary most of the way and I’d zoned out a bit with the drone of the engine….

“There it is Janene!! I see it… I see the Barrier!!”
“Yep… there it is!”
“There’s a beach… that’s my beach… I see my beach!”
“That’s right… and we’re going to fly over the bach… You’d better wave to Daddy… we’re nearly there!”

Libby had a moment of panic when it looked as though we’d flown straight past the airstrip… I suppose it didn’t help me teasing her…

“Oh look… we’ve gone past… we’re not stopping”
…
…
“Oh no… it’s okay we’re turning around again”…

I couldn't resist!!

Once we landed it was lucky that I’m bigger than Lib otherwise I’d had been shoved out of the door while she clambered over me to get out… as it was she grumped at me when I didn’t move quick enough for her.

“Look there’s Daddy over there… we’d better go surprise him”

… that was it…
she was off…

“Surpwise! Dad! Dad! SURPWISE!! DAAAADDDD! SUUUURRRPPWIISSSE!!”

Ha! To see the look of glee on her face made it all worthwhile!!

“Dad! I came on the plane to Great Barrier to surprise YOU!”

She was very pleased with our plan! And the whole adventure was just the beginning of four more days of adventure… but that’s another story.

Barrier working cough trip

2008-10-05T09:35:00.008+13:00

Had a work trip to do to the island a few weeks ago. The original plan was to go on the Friday, play on the weekend, work the following Monday to Friday then play Saturday and go back to the mainland on Sunday. Hmmm some rodents could have done with a better planning committee.
Got hit by a wicked bot on the way over which turned all the plans to custard, I had to extend the trip by 9 days. A combination of not being physically able to get the work done and the ferries being fully booked. This meant Libby and Janene had to come over the second weekend and hang out with me until the Tuesday ferry which was the first available. We were clearly devastated as you can tell from the video...................

Posting a video of the Barrier working trip.

The Bear Hunt

2008-09-12T20:14:00.025+12:00

Celebrate!!

2008-07-27T11:37:00.010+12:00

Because we aren't there with you today here's one we prepared earlier...

This was our practise party we had last week... Have a wonderful birthday Libby!!

Undersea world....

2008-04-18T08:35:00.011+12:00

Wow, it's been a while since the last post!

Over the summer holidays at the Barrier we were surprised to see just how confident Libby has become in the water...

You have to wonder...

2008-03-03T20:20:00.009+13:00

Snuggled up in bed Sunday morning...

L: Janene??
J: Mmmmmph?
L: I 'ave a family at Daddy's 'ouse
J: That's right... and you have a family at Mummy's house too...
L: Yes... and... I 'ave a family at Daddy's 'ouse
J: You have family at Mummy's... there's Mum and Dennis and Snoopy and Pussycat ....
L: Mmmmm...

L: Pussycat is a Mummy.
J: Really?

L: Yes.... and... Snoopy is a Daddy.
J: Hmmmmm....

Wow!! It's a complicated world... How the hell do any of us manage to figure it out?

A star is born...

2008-02-19T20:26:00.007+13:00

We had a fantastic holiday on the Barrier the first couple of weeks of January... too many things to talk about right now though. Libby was amazing, swimming, fishing, diving, making friends.... and jamming with the boys!

What type of fish is this?

2008-02-07T21:05:00.000+13:00

5 nice snapper on the right.... but whats that one on the left?

Pre-Christmas Christmas

2007-12-13T11:32:00.000+13:00

Just a quickie update as Christmas rapidly steamrolls towards us.

We had Libsta up for a visit last weekend, the last time before Christmas. It was a very busy couple of days!
Lib’s plane arrived at 7pm Friday evening and we had a fish and chip dinner at her request … picnic style on the lounge floor.

Saturday morning we installed the Christmas tree and decorations before heading off to Lollipops playland for the Kiddies Party put on by my work. Libby had a fabulous time trying out all the slides and swings before it was time for their meal and presents. She was so excited to get her present from Santa!

After such an exciting afternoon it was a pretty quiet evening ready for the next day ... and the big event of the weekend… the Christmas Parade at Birkenhead. We were not only going to it… Libby and I were part of it!! My bellydance teacher had been invited to have a group on the parade and she in turn invited any children to join us. Libby was so excited!!

She got to see a lot of the floats while we were all assembling before the parade and had an absolute ball dancing up the road with us and waving to all the people … no time to stop in front of Tom to get a photo… she had her public to see after all!!

Not only that but she got to meet Shrek, the Pink Panther gave her a big cuddle and Santa himself talked to her at the end of the parade.

It was great to see how much she enjoyed herself, she couldn’t wipe the huge smile (complete with missing front teeth) off her face.

Priceless!

Picnic in the park

2007-11-18T19:45:00.000+13:00

Last weekend my brother, Brendon, and his family were visiting Auckland so they organised to have a get together with us, my youngest brother, Robert, and his tribe and Mum and Dad. The plan was, weather permitting, to meet in Cornwall Park for a picnic.

Libby was up staying for the weekend so she was looking forward to seeing my neices and nephew.

We were blessed with a gorgeous day so we slapped on the sunscreen and headed off. Cornwall Park is a fabulous place for a picnic! When we arrived we found the others had picked a spot next to a huge old Magnolia tree. What a great setting!

Not only did the grand old tree provide a fantastic setting for photos, it was also a source of fascination for the children... well... the older ones anyway, Georgia wasn't so fussed on it just yet!

We had all taken a plate to share for lunch so we had a nice selection to choose from. The kids also had a lot of fun in the little tent Rob and Stacey had brought with them and playing with the ball... and at one point we had a couple of runaways on our hands... we looked around for Libby and Tiali, who were there a moment before, only to see them racing off across the park... can't blame them really, it was a great day for playing chase!!
It was a lovely lazy, relaxing afternoon and our first real taste of sun in a long time! Well, maybe not the first, but it was certainly the first opportunity we'd had to enjoy it, with the added bonus of good company!!

Weekend up north...

2007-10-04T13:48:00.000+13:00

Life has been so busy this year that we haven’t made it up north much. We had Libby come and stay with us for the first week of school holidays and planned to spend the last weekend of her stay visiting Mum and Dad.

We packed up the van and hit the road about 4:30 Friday afternoon. A pretty normal trip up there and we were treated to a gorgeous sunset on the way. Had dinner when we arrived and packed Libby off to bed.

The next morning we hung out around the house. Lib and I spent some time exploring the gardens and Tom sorted out Mum’s outlook connection to her new ISP. It was a lovely sunny morning and we enjoyed mooching about soaking up the sun. Mum and Libs had a bit of a blast around the garden on the quad… something Libby enjoyed as she thinks she is driving the bike!

After lunch we went for a ride into town and went for a wander around the Community Gardens down by the river. I can’t remember when this project first started but it is certainly becoming more established now and makes for a nice place to hang out. The highlight for Libby was the play area which is built in the shape of a tall ship and has slides, swings, ladders…. and a fireman’s pole!

Lately Libby has been a bit more hesitant having a go at some activities which is unusual for a wee person that up until now has been fearless when it comes to climbing, jumping and swinging… Not sure where that’s coming from! Although she wanted to go down the pole she stood by it telling us “I can’t do it!!”. Tom went and took her down with him. The next time she decided to go by herself but needed a bit of coaxing from Tom as her guided her onto the pole, holding onto her as she slid to the bottom. After that she went “all by myself!” and then there was no stopping her!

A quick bit of retail therapy was had after that at the Warehouse before we went to visit Grandma…. Janene’s Grandma, not Libby’s.
As we headed back out home to Mum & Dad’s it was decided we’d whip out to the beach. Lib fell asleep in the car and was a bit groggy when we first arrived but soon woke up once she realised where we were! We found an old screwdriver which was the perfect tool for writing her name in the sand so she wasted no time in making her mark.
There was a shout from the wagon, Dad had spotted something unusual in the surf…a massive lump of kelp?… or…. is that a seal? It was in very shallow and looked to be flailing about. We weren’t sure if it was playing or whether it was injured so went down to get a closer look. Libby was keen as mustard to check it out and we had to watch she didn’t get too close in case it was in a … er … grumpy mood. Anyways, as we got closer we could see that it was okay and that it was simply playing. Rolling about in the shallows and no doubt getting a lovely old back scratch and exfoliation! When we got to the waters edge it finally noticed us. Sitting up it took a good look, we didn’t move any closer at this point because, well basically we didn’t want to piss it off! It mustn’t have been as interested in us as we were in him because it flopped back into the water and rolled and lolled his way further up the beach… nothing to see here folks!

We had a lovely roast dinner in the evening, set our clocks back for daylight saving so we would be on time to leave on time in the morning.
Another weekend had flown by all too quickly!

Libsta - Dance Star

2007-10-02T12:12:00.000+13:00

Go girl!!

Home sweet home!

2007-04-11T20:45:00.000+12:00

It feels more and more like home every time we go out to Great Barrier. Looking down from the plane always blows me away... especially when we can see the bach clearly!! Not so this trip but we looked down over the settlement and couldn't wait until we had landed... home again! We had five days over there this time and couldn't wait to get started! The ealiest flight we were able to get onto was the 1:30 flight on Good Friday. We got a transfer up to the bach, dumped our gear and jumped in the wagon to head down the island to the wharf at Tryphena where friends were waiting for us at the wharf. They had taken the ferry over and rather than trying to figure out a way to get to the bach ... and where to find it... they waited for us to arrive and pick them up.

The kids were buzzing... "We saw a stingray!! Right in there... look there he is!! His name is Stumpy, he has no tail!! Cool eh?!"
Anna smiled and told us, "It's so beautiful" and we had to laugh, they hadn't even left the wharf and the Barrier Bug had bitten them already!
We all headed back to the bach where the tent was pitched and we showed our visitors where everything was.
Later on we went down to Okupu wharf where I went out to set the long line, our latest toy! While I was out doing that the other fished off the wharf in the hope of catching a few squid and maybe a fish or two for dinner. I pulled the long line in after a while with 3 small snapper, all of them went back to grow bigger for another day.

The next day we were treated to a stunning sunrise. Tom and Mel went out to set the long line again and while they were gone I took the kids for a walk up to the creek that is our water supply, then we left a note and headed down to the beach where they had a great time beachcombing. Luckily I'd brought along a plastic bag each for them to collect all the treasures they were finding, shells, sea eggs, crab bodies, fish skeletons... I began to wonder how they were going to get it all home again!!
When they guys got back from fishing we all piled into the wagon and took a trip to Whangapoua for a bit more hunting and gathering. We collected a feast of cockles and mussels to take home for dinner and Kyle tried out his snorkling skills in the creek... the muffled squawks through his snorkle letting us know when he had spotted another fish cruising by. Fresh salty air and plenty of exercise meant that the kids were fast asleep not long after dark and to be fair the adults weren't far behind!

Another day, another adventure! Tom got up early and went out for a fish in the hope of bringing home breakfast. By about 9 oclock we decided to fill in time by beachcombing again and of course the kids found another bundle of treasures newly distributed by the tides. Tom came home with one fish which was enough for all the adults to have a bit wrapped in bread. The kids reckoned they didn't want any after seeing the raw fillets although Rowan changed her mind once it was cooked and managed to get a bite of each of our sandwiches.
Then it was into the wagon and off to the hot pools. There is about a 30 minute walk along a bush track from the road to the springs. We spent the time trying to convince Rowan that the springs were a creek like the one our water comes from and not spa pools with water jets but I don't think she really believed us until we actually got there. Tommy went a lttle further down the creek and created his own pool by moving the rocks around. It didn't take much convincing to get in with him! Aaaaaah!!! Lovely!

So, after a warm dip in the hot pools it was time to try another variety... the mermaid pool! This is a big hole in the rock that is left exposed at low tide. It is quite deep but that didn't phase the kids at all. Plus they were plenty of creatures to check out both in the pool and in the rocks around it.

While the kids were checking out the mermaid pool Mel and I took the double kayak out for a quick spin. Had a near perfect lauch through some mild waves and managed to stay dry on the way out. The swell was pretty big once we got out further so we had a quick paddle about then headed back in. I couldn't let Mel get back to the beach still dry so we caught a wave in and I "forgot" to keep the kayak tracking straight and... oh dear... wipe out!! Heh!! Tom and I went out for a spin after that and had a bit of fun in the surf coming back! In the meantime Kyle and Rowan (aka Hiawatha and Pocahontas) were trying out Libby's kayak in the more sedate waters of the creek. Once they got the hang of that they moved on up to the double... like ducks to water!

Sadly we had to say goodbye to our friends the following morning. We were up early getting them packed up to catch the 8:30 ferry back to Auckland. We said our goodbyes and waved them off. As we headed back to the bach we stopped at Pah beach to watch the ferry disappearing into the distance....

We had about 36 hours left on the island ourselves... what would we do now? ...
...
...
...

...Go fishing of course!! Ha! But that's another story!

Better late than never!!

2007-03-28T19:46:00.000+12:00

!Well!! Libby came to visit for the weekend... just in time for St Patricks Day! Happy days! We all went over to the parade in Queen St which Libby enjoyed immensely and wanted to be part of! "C'mon Dad... march!!" ... hmmmm... maybe next year... What d'ya reckon Tom?
We had a fun afternoon after that, going to our local where they were having face painting and dancers coming in. Libsta loved the dancers, pretty dresses and fancy footwork! Once they'd finished Libby wasted no time in filling their space, the band started up and she was away!! Even got a round of applause! After that it was hard to keep her away from the dance floor...


Go Twinkle Toes!!

Kiwi Christmas!!

2006-12-29T19:51:00.001+13:00

A very low key Christmas Day was spent at our house. Mum, Dad and my sister Claire were here for the day. We started off with hot baked ham, eggs, potato bread, soda bread and tomatoes for breakfast. When we lived on the farm Mum would often set the Christmas ham baking overnight and we would wake to the smell of it cooking... hot ham and eggs was a treat and Mum had been craving for it several years now!

After that was the present opening which didn't take long as we had all brought one present and then drew a number to see who would get what.
Contacting other friends and family followed that and some general relaxation ensued.

Dinner was served around 2 (or 3 ... it blurrs a little). Followed by more relaxation and a quick dose of The Princess Bride to round off the day.

So... why weren't we at the beach? Well, we were saving that for Boxing Day when we met my brothers and their families down at Devonport for a family picnic!

That's more like it!!

Big weekend...

2006-11-04T16:01:00.000+13:00

It all started with a big trip on the plane! This was the second time Libby had flown up for a visit. This photo was actually taken when she arrived after her first flight ever (all by herself!!) back in September. She seemed a bit shellshocked by it all initially but was soon telling us all about how the plane goes up... up... up!!! The latest trip arrived on a Thursday evening and Tommy picked the wee jet-setter up from the airport..

On the Friday morning Libby went to see all her friends at the daycare centre. The staff love to see her when she is in Auckland and Libby loves to catch up with everyone! We picked her up in the afternoon and hit the road to Waihi Beach where we would be going to a party celebrating my Great-Uncle's 80th birthday on the Saturday.
When we arrived we set the tent up on the lawn and set about meeting everyone. There was quite a crowd about so there was some initial shyness with Libby hanging out with Tom until she sussed everyone out.
Sleeping in the tent was a whole new experience and terribly exciting! Tom stayed in the tent while Libby settled in and ended up not emerging again...
We woke in the morning with a very excited little girl telling us "I did it!! I slept in the tent!!"
We emerged and went 'next door' to have breakfast in my parents motorhome... sleeping in a tent... breakfast in a bus... what would be next? It was promising to be a big day! After breakfast and a bit of football on the lawn, the three of us went for a drive into Waihi township to have a bit of a look around. We headed up to the mine and discovered a big truck... and a big mother hole in the ground... everything was big around here... even the bugs! We found this gum emperor moth hanging out in the sun. These are massive... the wings would have easily covered my hand if he'd sat on it.
We headed back to Waihi Beach and of course had to stop and take a look at the beach. Libby 'talked me into' having a paddle in the water while Tom stretched out on the warm sand had a short snooze in the sun. After that we went back to the house where we discovered people were arriving thick and fast. My sister - Claire, brother - Brendon, and his wife - Vicky, had arrived and we were teated to news of another impending family memeber - Vicky & Brendon are expecting. After they headed off to check out their accomodation we had some quiet time snoozing in the tent before the party.
A little later my youngest brother, Robert and his family (Stacey and the kids - Tialia and baby Braxton) arrived. Libby had first met Tialia on our family weekend to Rotorua earlier in the year so was very excited at this development. We went down to the camp complex where the party was being held and where the rest of the immediate family were staying in the bus and rented cabin. This was great as it gave the girls time to catch up on the latest fashion tips and gossip. The formalities out of the way it was time to rev things up... there was a big field outside the cabin that had to be tested out ....

Woohooo! Party time! We had a fantastic meal and great time at the party. It was all over so quickly in the finish and the next morning we headed north again to drop Libby back at the airport and head home to wait for the next visit!

Neverending Birthdays!!

2006-09-07T19:01:00.000+12:00

Do you remember when having a birthday was something REALLY special and not something to shudder about?? When you could pretend it was your birthday everyday?? A couple of weeks ago we were going to visit Libby and the day before we left a parcel arrived....

Kayak fishing trip

2006-09-05T12:33:00.000+12:00


The kayak lads heading off from Awana Beach in light surf, it was a different story coming back!

Well we couldn't have asked for better weather to go to Great Barrier Island for a kayak fishing trip. Stunning blue skies and warm weather considering it is barely the end of Winter.

The fishing wasn't bad with half a dozen or so kahawai caught and 4 snapper. Enough for a feed! Also a weird and wonderful looking thing called a parrot fish, brightly coloured and similar shape to the snapper but according to Nick, a pain in th ass to fillet. Super sharp gill plates and quite a slimy skin making it hard to hold in place.
It was my first time in a sea kayak so as is the custom I fell in a few times to baptise myself. Coming back from a day on the rocks fishing was interesting, we came in at Awana Beach, a popular surf beach!!!!!!

This photo was in the morning, by the time we came back around 5.30pm surf was up and looking more like double what it was in this photo. The others all managed to get back dry, not me.......I will blame inexperience and the fact that I caught the perfect wave without meaning to. Warren and Dave had told me what to do if caught by a big wave, dig the flat side of the paddle in and surf in. It went well for the first 3/4 of the wave, then splashdown. I got dragged under and turned upside down a few times before popping up like a cork, paddle in hand! The paddle is attached to the kayak and fortunately I had tied everything on properly so I didn't lose any gear. Also managed to keep the camera dry!

We had a good feed of fish and everyone was pretty tired by now so we gave the club a miss and went straight back to the bach. Being a novice at the hunter gathering thing, Dave and I became "house bitches" for an hour doing the dishes and digging a hole for the fish guts and frames. (Great for the garden). Warren and Nick filleted the fish and I think Kelly supervised!!

We had a fine banquet of fish a la frying pan in butter along with plenty of slices of bread and butter, washed down with a beverage of choice, either Jim Beam and coke or a cold Heineken or Steiny. Yum yum pigs bum.

An hour or so of talking and having a laugh over the days events and then one by one the heads hit the pillow. There aren't many better ways of spending a day than being out on the water, in the fresh air, chasing fish and being away from everyday shit. It makes for a well earned, deep sleep. Unless of course you are unfortunate enought to be within 50 metres of me if I start snoring. Warren reckoned it was like a 2 stroke chainsaw. Luckily it only lasted an hour. I wouldn't know, I was asleep at the time!

Sunday morning started with a decent view from the deck.

After another feed of fresh fish left from the night before it was decided after committee meeting to not go with the kayaks due to time pressure. The ferry was due to leave at 3pm. Instead we packed all the gear away and went for a tiki tour before making our way towards Tryphena. There was a reef not too far round from the jetty that was accessible on foot, so we grabbed some basic fishing gear and spent a few hours on the rocks. The fishing was slow......ok totally crap but the views were stunning, the weather great, beers cold and company bearable. :)

Getting Laid...

2006-08-20T20:26:00.000+12:00

... Don't panic!! It's all quite "G" rated!! Things have been a bit up and down for us the last week or so... different things going on that have left both of us feeling a bit stressed. Nothing to worry about though, just life!
Anyways... Tommy arrived home Friday afternoon and told me he had some Lino for me to look at, I had to go down to the van to do it because he wasn't going to drag it upstairs unless I liked the look of it and thought it would go well in the house. I do have to say Tommy has a real eye for colour because it only took a fraction of a second to decide that I liked it! And so the house is a wee bit more ahead on the re-decoration plan.
We have used the lino he got to replace the manky stuff in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen... and so we have gone from this.....

To this....

... Yay!!! The new stuff is a wee bit greener than the colours in the photo (but that probably depends on the settings on your computer). I have to say I'm very impressed!!

Happy Birthday Libby!!!

2006-07-27T08:46:00.000+12:00

You're getting very grown-up now!!

We all live in a yellow submarine!!

2006-07-09T13:13:00.000+12:00

Well.... that's a bit of a fib, but on Friday afternoon we pretended we did for a while.

We took Libby to visit Kelly Tarlton's for the afternoon. Tom had never been and it's been years since I last went! I have to admit I was really looking forward to it!

Sadly only part of the complex was open as they were still repairing damage to the underwater tunnels. Despite that we still had a really fun afternoon.

The first thing we did was get into one of the snowcats so we could be taken through the penguin enclosure. At one point we were driven alongside the side of the aquarium so we were below the water level and could see how the penguins "fly" underwater. Funny, I always think of penguins as small wee fellows but the two species at Kelly Tarlton's made me realise that they aren't all quite so small. They were really amazing to see up close and we had to go back and have a second trip to get another look.

Next we stopped for a coffee break and icecreams. We were sitting right next to where the stingrays get fed and while we were there one of the staff appeared in the tank in to talk about the rays as he fed them. When dinner time was over we spent quite a bit of time watching them swimming about at the deep end of the tank.

After that we stopped in at the interactive centre where Libby made herself a mermaid crown and then very patiently helped Tom to colour in a picture.

It was certainly something different to do - we'll have to go back some time when the tunnel is open again!

60 years, 60 hours, 60 challenges!!

2006-07-08T10:47:00.000+12:00

Last weekend was my father's 60th birthday. He had told my mother he didn't want any parties but we couldn't let a 'big O' slip by without doing something special. I don't know quite how we managed to keep it all so secret and despite Dad having a few suspicions he didn't know what we were up to.

We packed him off on a 'mystery weekend' to Rotorua and eventually we all joined him there on Friday for a family weekend. The challenges were all pretty harmless really and just a bit of fun so he got into the spirit of things and started going through the list. There were the kiwi icon photos that had to be taken:

and the signs that included a '60' or 'sixty'...

You have to hand it to him, he was a pretty good sport about it all... until the challenge that involve 60 seconds pretending to try on lingerie!! Eventually though he cracked that one too... twice!! And then went and purchased some... so what if it was for Mum... the shop assistants didn't know that! We considered taking points off because he seemed to actually enjoy that challenge a little too much!! Hmmmm.... might have had something to do with that 60oz of beer we had him drink in the hot-pools!!
We had a pretty awesome weekend together.... but of course we had one last secret challenge for him to complete on the Sunday... the grand finale!!

As we headed off towards the outskirts of Rotorua I'm not quite sure whether Dad noticed that we seemed to be following the signs to the airport.... but he soon figured it out... about the time he saw the huge signage on the side of one of the hangars... "SKYDIVE WITH US TODAY!".

I tell ya, he fair leapt out of the car, "I'm not jumping out of any bleeping plane!!"

Oh dear!! Stay calm.... no way was I throwing my Dad out of any plane... far from it... we had organised something far more sedate... A flight in a glider!!

The glider club offer trial flights to the public as conditions allow. I had called the day ahead to ensure that all systems were go and the weather was just stunning! When we arrived we were told that this was the first time they had been able to use the airstrip in 10 weeks. There had been a bit of flooding and weather conditions had not allowed the grass strip to dry enough up until last weekend.

They got Dad all strapped in and ready to roll... off along the runway they went.... up... up... and away!! Not long after the tow plane came back into the strip and was soon followed by the glider.... there had been engine problems so the flight was cut short and they came back in to check out the plane. We waited about for a while to see if they'd get it going again but then decided to head off and have some lunch. Everyone was pretty tired by then and we all had to think about the trip home. When I rang the glider club to let them know we were going to head home I was told that the problem with the plane was a major and they couldn't fly any more that day. Since then the weather has turned to crap and I wouldn't be surprised if the airstrip is out of action again.... it may have been a short flight Dad, but it looks like it's the only one for a while!! Gotta use those windows of opportunity while they are open!

I think everyone had a good time! It sure looks like it!!

HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY DAD!!

Walk like an egyptian...

2006-06-21T15:47:00.000+12:00

or Turk... or Armenian... or...whatever takes your fancy.... as long as you're shimmying!!

I went to my first bellydance party on Saturday and had an absolute ball! If I wasn't hooked on the belly dance before I definately am now!! What a night!!

I really had no idea what to expect when I got there and I nearly chickened out even though I had been frantically trying to get a costume made.... not to mention the weather... it was cold and I really wasn't too sure about waggling my belly about in those temperatures.

Tom (bravely?) said he would come along as my support crew... I didn't know what to expect for him either... would it be too girly... would he feel comfortable.... would there be other non-dancers there too?

I needn't have worried because as I've already mentioned we had a great time. It was in the format of a casual show. Different classes and got up and danced in groups as well as duets and solo performances. Then we'd have a general dance about and check out the trading tables ... a whole different market experience.... "I'll give 4 goats for that dancer!!" ... nah, just kidding it was all CDs, DVDs, costumes etc. Then rinse spin repeat a few times.

There were some amazing dancers there, all shapes and sizes and there was even one fella dancer. Ooooh and the costumes!! Wow... some great ideas and inspiration!! My costume will be getting some wholesale modifications before the next bash!

By the end of the night I was just buzzing. My teacher also belongs to a drumming group so those that were there started playing. It took about 30 seconds for everyone to get on the dance floor and away we went. Not all up and down simultaneously to the beat as with most dances but a swirl of different things happening all around you... the drums were infectious but eventually we all had to concede defeat and take a break.... there is only so much you can take before your abs are screaming for a rest.... damn you muscles!!

Mental note: must practice more to build belly stamina :)

And as for Tommy.... well he got beyond the whole "I shouldn't look, they'll think I'm a perv" and through to the "Hell they're bellydancers, they dress like this only purpose... I'm meant to look at the bods" stage he relaxed and I think he really enjoyed himself... Considering he was there and not watching the Irish vs All Blacks game has got to say something! In fact.... he said next time he'll dress up too ... as a sheik or sultan, and we'll take more friends next time and fill a whole table.... cushions and rugs and hookah pipes galore!!

Bring it on!!

Do I have a guilty conscience?

2006-06-12T14:47:00.000+12:00

Weeeee!!! Not me!

I'm actually doing it! My potato bread is vastly improved now that I know to make it thicker and my soda bread is a great success.... and so easy to make!!

Voila!! Ain't that a pretty sight!

I have to say though the tips from "my wee butcher" made all the difference! (Read on)

Despite Belfast being a reasonable sized city I experienced a real small town feel while I was there. It was a great novelty to walk up to the corner of the street and call into the butcher and baker to collect goodies to include in the breakast fry. It was not just the convenience of it but the banter that was part of the service.

My first visit went something like this...

My wee butcher (MWB) : Ach love how can I helpye?

Me: Good morning! I'd like half a dozen breakfast sausages, halfdozen slices black pudding, halfdozen white pudding and halfdozen of vege roll please.

MWB: Surely. Where's that accent from then? Australia?

Me: Nope.... New Zealand, I'm a kiwi!

MWB: Well then! What are you doing here now?

Me: I'm here to visit my fella's family and to learn to make a proper Ulster fry!! I'm an apprentice Frier!!

MWB: Well then - there's a qualification to aim for!!

..... and so the conversation moved on to explaining how we can't get the breads at home in NZ and that I would have to make them. I explained I now knew I'd been making my potato bread too thin and hadn't yet attempted making soda bread.

MWB: Oh!! Soda bread is the easiest thing in the world... it's so easy I don't bother my wifey with it and I can make my own. Just don't fuss with it, mix 'er up and pop it in the oven. Simple!!

Well... I gleaned a few more tips as well before I wandered back to the house to cook up the fry. What a nice way that was to start the day!!

The next time I visited MWB was a few days later. I was back to stock up on all the breakfast meats. I walked into the shop as it was opening to a warm welcome!!

MWB: Good morning! It's the apprentice fryer!! Well love, yer up early then aren't ye?

It was 9 o'clock in the morning and I'd been awake since dawn! These people have no concept of the early bird!!

Me: Early? Nah... I was up with the birds.

MWB: Why's that then? Have ye got a guilty conscience?

Ha!! Brilliant!! Again I got the run-down on the weather and a few more fry hints before I was off with my wee baggie o meaty goodness. If we'd stayed longer and I went to that wee butcher a third time I believe I'd have just about known his life story... although I don't beleive I ever got his name! It's certainly a refreshing change to the impersonal supermarkets and stores in Auckland and I have to say I miss it already. It is no wonder farmers markets are starting to flourish here in NZ.

In the meantime ... the butchers around here will profit for it as I try and recreate the experience here! I've already found one butcher that we enjoy the bacon from and another where we will get our black pudding in the future.... the search continues!!

We're back!!!

2006-06-01T11:21:00.000+12:00

We've been back in NZ for a week now ... and back to the reality of day to day life. We do however have a load of entries about the trip to try and catch up on as we get time ... so stay posted!!

Land of the Giants

2006-05-27T08:19:00.000+12:00

"Finn was here!" is what the rocks seemed to be screaming out to us. How could there be any doubt that the legends about the creation of the Giants Causeway are true? The shapes and formations created in the rocks are for too unnatural to be ... well ... natural. Just amazing! I couldn't help but kick off my shoes and walk barefoot over the rocks. Smooth and warmed by the sun my feet literally tingled to be walking in the footsteps of giants! We didn't spend a lot of time here and barely did it justice... you need to pack a picnic and spend at least half a day here to explore and appreciate it more fully. Next time we visit that is what we will do!

On the same day we also visited the Old Bushmills Distillery (which I've already written about) Dunluce Castle, Portrush, and the rope bridge at Carrick-a-rede. We had such a beautiful day and it was a bit of a shame our "hit and run" tourism didn't allow us to spend more time in each spot but time was of the essence and we were trying to see as much as possible with the short time that we had.

Dunluce Castle was really impressive! Once again I felt a bit dwarfed by the notion that where I was now walking, once people lived. The thought of engineering the structure of the place now is amazing let alone attempting it way back in the 13th century when they did not have the luxury of cranes, diggers and earthmovers.

On to Carrick-a-rede and the infamous Rope Bridge.... OH.MY.GOD!!! Words fail me! The walk over the bridge, whilst a bit freaky, was totally worth it once you got across to the island and checked out the view! I get tingles up my spine just remembering... it was quite overwhelming to see such a beautiful place! I really cannot do it justice with words so I can only encourage you to go look for yourself!

We had passed through Portrush on our way through on this trip and made a quick stop to photograph the 1st tee at the golf course. On the way back we took a bit longer stop because the Northwest 200 was coming up and practice racing was going on. We thought we should take the opportunity to look at some of the course and take in the atmosphere... and fumes!!

Looking back it's hard to believe how much we were cramming into each day and although I feel a bit sad to have not had more time I certainly would not have traded our day for anything!

Hic.... hic....HIC!

2006-05-17T03:37:00.000+12:00

I'm a qualified Irish whishkey tashter.....

.... I got the sherficitate to prove it.... hic!!

On one of our day trips north Tommy took me to see the Old Bushmills Distillery. We decided to do the guided tour so we could get a good look at the inside workings... no photos of that I'm afraid, due to the alcohol fumes we couldn't have any electronics ons. Of course if you took deep enough breaths..... ahhhh luffly luffly luffly!!

At one point during the tour the guide asked for volunteers... I had no idea what it was we were volunteering for but figured - what the heck! Boy did I score! As part of the ticket price you could taste one of their range of whiskeys at the end of the tour but I lucked out and got a lesson on the finer points of whiskey drinking. We got to sample 3 of the bushmills whiskeys and compare them to scotch and bourbon.... as well as our allowed sample.... phhhooooaaarr! Luffly luffly luffly!!

The only problem was acclimatising to the real world outside again!

2006-05-16T20:04:00.000+12:00

The end of the golden weather.....?!?!

We took off with Janet for a day trip to the Kingdom of Mourne , a visually stunning part of N. Ireland, though visibility was really low today. The miles and miles of stone walls dividing fields still blow me away. Not a great day for photographs. It was still spectacular to see the mist and rain rolling off the mountains and down the lough though. I think Janet thought it might be payback for when she and Terry where visiting me in New Zealand. I took them to Mt. Ruapehu to show them where a lot of the battle scenes from Lord of the Rings where shot......we couldn't see the end of our hand let alone the mountain!

The Mourne area was made famous by the Percy French song, 'Where the Mountains of Mourne Sweep Down to the Sea'. Known to be sung by many an Irishman abroad, especially when full of alcohol and with a compulsory tear in the corner of the eye.....it does seem to capture a lot of the romance and feeling of the place.

The Mountains of Mourne through the mist.

Janet took us through a number of old villages and past historical sites then we came to Annalong, a small fishing town. We called into a place called the Harbour Inn for evening tea, yummmmmmm! I had the haddock and chips, Janet had haddock and champ and Janene had an awesome looking 8oz irish salmon with a chilli sauce and champ. Great combination!!!

Have lined up a game of golf with my brother Steven so I'm looking forward to that We seem to play every funeral and wedding, I wonder is he keeping score????

2006-05-14T20:53:00.000+12:00

Ever felt as though you're being watched?

That there is someone peering out from behind a rock or a hill or a tree?

Has your hair stood on end as you expect something big to happen at any moment?

That's how I felt as we walked into the Giant's Ring. The air is alive with the stories of people who have been there.

It is an awesome place to visit, the rocks in the centre were once someone's grave. They are worn smooth by the elements and the hands that have rubbed them. The magic is evident when you touch them, they are almost electric and the very thought of people moving them into position without heavy machinery is astounding.

My imagination runs rife ... I cannot even begin to explain the stories and legends that went through my mind. The lives that have been entwined in this place over time, it blows me away.

I do not want to leave but as we head back to the car park I know that a part of me has now been added to the story.

2006-05-13T21:45:00.000+12:00

It was an odd feeling to be at the funeral of someone I had barely known and yet heard so much about. The traditions and funeral protocols here are different to many of the funerals I have been to. The service for Tommy's mum was held at his sisters home and performed by someone who had known the family for a long time. Because of that it seemed a very personal service and most people agreed it was very fitting.

After the service the coffin is lifted and carried out with immediate family, sons, brothers, taking turns to carry the coffin and those wanting to show their respect walking behind. I joined in alongside Tommy's aunt and sister but discovered later that traditionally women do not take part in the walk. Whether it is because times are changing or whether it is a sign of the mettle of the women in this family, I do not know, but there were a good few walking behind us.

After the burial and prayers at the cemetary there were cups of tea and sandwiches back at the house. It was then that family connections are remembered. Photos materialise from handbags and pockets and along with them stories and memories of weddings, christenings, picnics, parties, holidays, mischievous antics and parties. It was an amazing experience, these people truly do have the gift of storytelling.

I have to say I feel honoured to have been a part of this and to have been made to feel so accepted despite being a complete stranger to most people there.

2006-05-10T19:28:00.000+12:00

The days are becoming a bit of a blur. We spent an evening of wine and good company with my brother Steven, his partner Patricia and beautiful wee daughter Kate. They live in a tranquil part of County Down called Hillsborough. HM the Queen, famous politicians and various other dignitaries stay at the castle . Some very important meetings have been held here apparently (though in reality they are just popping over for an Ulster Fry and a couple of pints of Guinness.) The photo above is the local church, not part of the actual castle.

Kate is very camera shy so it was quite a feat of trickery using 2 cameras to actually catch her for this shot. As she spun away from Janene's camera I got her with mine, hence the startled rabbit face. Well worth it though. Apparently before I got here she thought her Uncle Tommy had a ponytail and a bald head.........I sometimes wonder how my family talk about me while I am not here! Still a bit shy but took to Janene very quickly. She has a way with her!

Janene posing by the lake next to Hillsborough Castle.

2006-05-10T04:27:00.000+12:00

Ach love... it's always nice to have a wee reminder of yer home....

...

but this is a bit overmuch....

cabbage trees everywhere, in gardens, in cafes, planted in the ground or in pots... there was even one in the forest walk we went on! Combine this and the occasional sighting of flax... and what appears to be toitoi...

and this weather...

I'm beginning to suspect a conspiracy. Was I drugged and lead to believe I've flown to the other side of the world? Maybe.... somehow.... I've been set up in some strange reality show... anyone seen the Truman Show??....hmmmm.....

2006-05-10T04:05:00.000+12:00

Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer

Need I say more?

2006-05-08T22:32:00.001+12:00

The day started out as all good days should, with an Ulster fry. Soda bread, potato bread, egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, where's the black pudding damn you???............I'm dribbling on the keyboard.

The woman is a witch, all doubt has been erased from my mind forever. I don't ever remember having days like this when I lived here.....I only lived here for 27 years mind you.

We headed up the Antrim Coast road, a beautiful drive on the right day and they don't get any more right than this one. Terry took us to one of the Glens of Antrim, a first for me. We went to Glenariff Forest Park. Pictures included, nuff said.

It's true all over the world. We sight-see and look at places when in other countries but rarely look in our own back yard. Taken for granted springs to mind.

Now this wee photo of Janene melts me, don't ask me why or how I took it, it was just one of those spontaneous ones.

Topped off with the barbecue at Torr Head, it was an awesome day all round. After my mum it has been a bit surreal, but days like this make you realise what it's all about....leaving blog immediately before violins and angels appear......talk later.

2006-05-07T22:27:00.000+12:00

"Pack a coat! A good waterproof one!!"...

that's the first thing Mum said when I told her we were off to Ireland. Okay, maybe not the first thing but it was pretty near the top of the list... in the top 3 at least.

So when we woke up in Dublin the morning after flying in and Terry looked out the window wondering "What's that blue stuff up there then?" I have to say I wasn't overly surprised by that comment, after all I had been warned by many people about the weather. We started our road trip back up to Belfast and Terry said to me "It'll not last you know. By the time we get to Norn Iron it'll be back to grey and thunder." I wiggled my fingers at the heavens .... dooo-doooo-do-dooo...

When we hit Belfast the skies were still clear....

"Yer woman there, Tommy, I think she's a witch. Look what she did to the weather"

I think Terry was quite relieved when it clouded over and drizzled later in the evening. Tommy too because he'd been warning me about the weather... along with EVERYONE else!!

So what I want to know is... what is all this about then?

I'm beginning to wonder if it's all a cunning plan to keep people away from such a gorgeous place! I've seen rain one day since we've arrived, the rest of the time it has been amazing. Despite assurances that the weather is normally never ever like this I have to wonder... Terry seemed awfully prepared when we decided to go on a road trip up the coast today!

I'm not going to rattle off great detail of all the places we went, basically we aimed for a place called Torr Head and stopped off to stretch our legs and look about other places on the way. It was a very lovely day so we had some fabulous sceney on the way...

Magic!!

We arrived at Torr Head and the sky was beautiful and clear... we could see Scotland off in the distance.

Just absolutely stunning views.

We climbed up the to the old coastguard station that you can see on the hill there.... it was disused and in ruins but it seemed like the perfect spot for a barbeque... and Terry had come prepared!! He cracked open his disposable barbie and set to cooking us up and entree of bacon before spoiling us rotten with the main course of Northern Ireland Sirloin!! You couldn't ask for better!

After all that decadence Terry was starting to feel a bit under the weather. It was getting on in the day, heading towards 6pm, and the other places we had thought about visiting were closing for the day so we decided it was best to aim for home. We'll be back up that way for more though... stay tuned!

2006-05-07T20:37:00.000+12:00

Oooooh! The market!!!

Friday morning and Tommy was with his Mum at the hospital so.... Terry took me shopping! He
had been up early to take Janet to the airport for her girls weekend away. He cooked me lovely scrambled eggs then we set out. We were keenly waiting at the bus stop by 8 o'clock... the early bird gets the worm and all...

We could smell the markets well before we entered them. The fish stalls were right next to the main entrance so we got a good whiff. Interesting to see the different varieties of seafood. Some I recognise like gurnard but then there were the massive crabs and prehistoric looking ling.

There were loads of food stalls... veges, bread, cakes, lollies, cheese, tea, olives, butchers, deli.... amazing! We got to sample lots of goodies, if we go again I'll skip breakfast and fill up there... yum yum!

There were also stalls with 2nd hand stuff, books, clothes, jewellery, craft, t-shirts... loads of stuff... I wasn't really there to buy but I did find a couple of brooches I had to have... as mementoes of the trip of course!

I tried to keep my mouth shut and blend in so I could immerse myself in the atmosphere and the accents. The singsong banter, arguments and bargaining all really interesting to listen to.

One thing that strikes me is how personable people are. We grabbed a coffee and sat ourselves down next to a chap - Mervyn - who.... somehow??... got onto the subject of the state of the health system. It would seem that many of the problems we have at home are not isolated. Mervyn however had a far more interesting account having worked as a porter. I'll not go into it here, but he had me shedding more than a couple of tears.... laughing my head off that is. Suffice to say his tale involved a "short wee man rapidly approaching 6 foot", a peculiar buzzing sound and a set of forceps! Oh Lordy!!

2006-05-07T18:44:00.000+12:00

The morning after mum died I woke early. Decided to take Janene on a tour of the 'old home town' from my perspective and memories of the place, rather than getting on a tour bus. Too sterile. I've been away about 20 years in total which is so difficult to believe sometimes! I'm lucky though that I've been able to get back every 2 or 3 years and the changes to Belfast have seemed to happen gradually. Dramatic though. All for the good!
No route was planned out, the whole drive was instinctive, almost on autopilot, and looking at the photos later it was interesting to see where my head was at. Probably 'up your arse' as the lovely Terry (our host and my best mate for many years) would say often.

TERRY PRETENDING TO READ

I headed for the 'Newton' or Newtownards Road which is where I was born and grew up in the early 60's. Working class, Harland and Wolff shipyard country. Found our old street where the first house we had lived in was, though the old houses are gone replaced by modern red brick. Down Dee Street and our first close look at the 2 big yellow cranes that dominate the East Belfast sky line, Samson and Goliath.

After getting told off by another security guard (see Janene's post re Heathrow airport arrival) about taking photos, we finally found a good vantage point to take a couple of pictures.

From there we headed through the city, up the Crumlin Road, out towards the International Airport then back again via Ballysillan and the Shankill Road. Saw a few of the colourful murals reflecting the Troubles from the late 60's to mid 90's.

Must be a throwback to living here in the early days, but I seemed to spend a wee bit longer taking photos on the protestant Shankill Road than on the catholic Falls Road, Janene's camera had a fast shutter speed but not fast enough. No offence intended to anyone, it was all psychological combined with a lead foot at the approriate time.

It was good to see the artistic side being used for something more positive when we came across this mural of the legend, Geordie Best. For those of you who never knew him or saw him play, go and gt a DVD or archive footage. This man was the greatest to ever kick a football.

2006-05-07T18:16:00.000+12:00

OK just a quick announcement. Mum passed away peacefully on Friday night at 11.08 pm. My brother Steven and I were with her. She has been ill for quite some time so it was expected, just good to see her go so peacefully.

2006-05-04T20:07:00.000+12:00

Hello!! Sorry about the downtime, it's all a bit of a blur really!! Just a quick rundown of the adventure so far...

Chris dropped us at Auckland airport on Monday morning. We got all checked in and sorted then hung around in the bar for a bit before heading off to board. We misjudged the time needed to get through customs which left us running for the plane... great for Tom and his adrenalin rush... maybe not so great for my nerves! We made it though so that's the main thing ... I have to trust that Tom knows what he's doing given that he's done all this before, but even so... LOL

The flight to Malaysia was about 11 hours. We were lucky enough to have a double seat (next to the window) to ourselves so no clambering over others and vice versa.
Flying over Australia and watching the desert below was amazing... so many interesting colours and patterns and the vastness of it had me glued to the window for a lot of the time.

We landed in Kuala Lumpar at about 9:30pm, a bit later than scheduled. Because we'd checked our luggage all the way through to London we could head straight from the airport into the city. We jumped onto the express train and managed to negotiate the Central Train Station to catch another train to Chinatown where we had a room booked and were hoping to do a bit of shopping. I just have to say that our small experience of the transport system was amazing... we could hardly believe how easy it was to get tickets through the vending machine and to find our way around... and cheap!!

We very quickly checked in to our motel which was right in the night markets then back out onto the streets to look at the stalls. Tommy wasted no time and was straight into bartering and buying... what a shopping fiend!! In the short half hour or so we had before the markets closed for the night he had bought football shirts, belts, sunglasses, a wallet, DVDs and more football shirts... legend! I suppose it helped that he had a mental list to start with. I just wandered about looking in case I saw something but then didn't really have the energy or inclination to bargain.

After the markets closed we found our way back through the labyrinth of halls and lifts and stairs back to our 6th floor room and hit the sack about midnight ready for an early start.

5:30 our alarm went off and we staggered down to reception to meet our taxis. We were handed some sandwiches (breakfast was included in the room rate) and off we went. The taxi ride was great... averaging about 140kph in a wee datsun sunny (or similar) with a neon buddha on the dash, weaving from one lane to the next, seemingly at random... there was next to no other traffic so I'm not quite sure why the lane changing was necessary aside from providing a bit of entertainment. Made it onto the plane with a little more time up our sleeve this time... yay to that.

13 hours more of flying time and barely any sleep, we landed in Heathrow. Tommy flew through customs thanks to his home passport and then waited for me to get through the loooong foreigners queue. He thought he'd take a photo of my official entry into the UK....

here's one of me next to a big sign ... "NO CELLPHONES, NO CAMERAS" I'm pretending I have no idea who Tommy is... I could see security bearing down on him!!

Being the high flying international covert operations spy he is... he actually managed to take more photos as he was talking to security... you never know what secrets you'll discover in the carpet....

2006-05-01T06:49:00.000+12:00

Its the last time we'll see this for a few weeks!! Who knows... might be even longer if winter arrives while we're away! Nearly 7:00am and not long to go now!! Is it time to get excited yet?

It's time for a coffee... I know that much!

Now, y'all know you can click on the pictures to get a better look and you can leave messages in the comments section if you want to say hello! We'll do our best to keep you filled in!

2006-05-01T02:58:00.000+12:00

The picture on the right is Libby on an average day at the beach, she's like the rest of us, good, bad and other days. I think the sand in her shorts put a bit of a damper on things.

Shit it's almost 3am and we head to the airport in a bit under 7 hours. Means I should sleep on the plane though. Feel sorry for the poor bastard who will have to listen to me snore, apparently it's a bit loud but that's ok, I'll be asleep at the time. I'm still dicking around trying to put together some photos onto a CD as a slideshow to take home to the whanau, should have started this project a wee bit sooner. A bit much to download the software at 10pm and expect to master it in a couple of hours.....I know, I know, there are people out there who could, but they don't have a life. Whilst learning I've eaten an Indian and drank 4 beers. (Also squeezed in a game of Battlefield and half an hour watching the History Channel. That was good, it was all about the blokes who made the first Atomic bomb. Wouldn't it be great to know that was your legacy to the world.....) That's enough, I'm off for some sleep and I'll talk to you later. Nighty night.

2006-04-30T16:49:00.000+12:00

My.... what a big bag you have!!!

The one on the left .... Ha!! It's HUGE!!

Twice as big as mine! I guess Tom's taking more make-up than I am! LOL!
Actually its a golf travel bag that Tom bought today so he can take his clubs with us... except it fits everything else in too. The thing is massive... could well be a body bag! We should've bought it earlier and packed me in it to save on airfares!

Well... it looks like we're all set. Bags are packed and we're ready to go... ... like now!!

Tom reckons this is the most organised he's ever been in his whole life... I'm sure he'll get over it!
Strangely enough there's no nerves... Tom's done this enough times not to feel nervous (although he keeps raising his concerns over how organised we are and that it's just not natural)... and as for me, well we're so organised that I'm not at all concerned...

...just looking forward to it now!! Bring it on!!

2006-04-29T11:20:00.000+12:00

OK went away and looked at the help re posting photos.....stage 2 of the learning process. Enjoy it while you can, give it a year and I'll be pumping shit on here so fast your head will spin....bwahahahaha...

This luffly, luffly picture was from our trip to Great Barrier Island, New Year 2006. That's left to right: Paul and Jane. me,Janene and Uncle Shaun.....eeeek!! Where's Libby??!! Maybe she was taking the photo??? You will get to know Libby in time, be patient.

2006-04-29T11:10:00.000+12:00

Ok this is the first post to this first blog on our first ever trip overseas together. Not the nicest reason for a trip, my mum is not well, she hasn't had the best of health for a while and it's catching up with her. "tis what it is" as Skip once said to me, good philosophy that one.
We will still enjoy the travel and catching up with family and friends. It's as much a family reunion as a trip to see mum. For a start we know little sister Allison is having her baby on the 15th May yay!!!! (Some health issues there so she is booked for a ceasarian, nothing too serious I think? What would I know I'm a male.)
It's getting exciting as we get closer to leaving on our first leg, a flight to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and an overnight stop for some shopping and beer, not neccesarily in that order. This is really a test of putting our first post up, hopefully the content will improve as we get better at understanding the programme. Just trying to figure out how to post a photo....hmmmm.