Last from NI
Trip Start
Jan 28, 2009
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6
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Trip End
Mar 26, 2009
Wellington, North Island, New Zealand
Friday, February 27, 2009
Not a long spiel this time! We've had a fantastic trip down from Auckland over the past week. 2 days with my brother Robert's friend Dick - very much an Englishman in NZ. Dick has a farm just north of Whakatane and as well as farming he is a very keen surfer. Dick made us very welcome, showed us around his farm and his favourite surfing spots. As ever we would have loved to stay longer - feels like that everywhere we go in NZ. Well nearly everywhere - next stop was Gisborne - we found it a fairly non-descript town. However we did find a nice motel and an excellent restuarant - what more could we wish for?!
Next day on to Napier and Hastings - spent a lovely afternoon in the former. Napier was devasted by an earthquake in 1931 but was totally rebuilt in 30s art-deco styleso we visited the museaum and got the detail of all that. Hastings is a lovely wee town very clean and quite the opposite to Gisborne.
Early departure next morning for the 200 mile drive to Wellington where we've stayed with Alison. Ann's friend and colleague. Alison 's grandmother was from Edinburgh and she is extremely proud of her Scottish ancestry and heritage - Talking of which we visited the Te Papa Museum and learned a lot about the Scottish connection. Alison (her full name is Alison Margaret) was so welcoming and spontaneous and she'll welcome anyone to stay overnight. Wellington is beautiful - we did a city tour as well and saw the highlightsof the city as well as other important aspects of NZ's past. In truth we're fair "cul'yured oot, so we are" The Parliament building is called the Beehive - see the photo and you'll understand why!
Up at 6.00 tomorrow morning and across to SI on the 8.30 ferry. It'll probably be Christchurch before I have any thing more to add. Have now added photos
As ever hope you are all well
Cheers
T an'M
Comments
News, news, news
Hi Mum and Dad
Sounds like you're having a whale of a time!! Won't pretend I'm not jealous.....
I've got loads of news as always in the Munns household.
Smallest first.... the cats are going in for the chop next week. Poor little things. It's so frustrating because, having just trained them to pooh outside, I then have to keep them IN for 10 days. Tigs has started hunting and brought us a present of half a dead rabbit the other day. YUK! I had to take it back outside. When she'd had her fill, Chino was allowed a nibble - he brought it straight back indoors. Disgusting! We have decided that Chino is actually a dog in cats clothing. He plays fetch (really!!!) and lies on his back waiting for his tummy to be tickled. So sweet.
Moving up....Jamie had his parents evening last night and Mrs P couldn't have been more complimentary. He excels at everything but maths in particular. Earlier this week he was awarded a special certificate for improving in all subjects. He's now having very short private swimming lessons (10 mins tacked on to the end of Kierans)as well as school swimming and class swimming after school. I'm determined to get him swimming independantly and confidently by July. He is singled out now in his classes to demonstrate things to the other kids so my plan is working well. AND he loves it.
Kieran has been badly affected by the change of teaching staff at school. I'm looking again at Steiner for him. On the plus side he has improved massively in his swimming and is suddenly feeling very excited. He is aiming to get selected for the school swimming team. What a turnaround!! He is wonderful with the kittens. Tigs doesn't really go to anyone now - she's quite the queen cat. But she loves Kieran and goes to him, and sits on him, all the time. It's great to see how happy it makes him. Sad news for Kiri is that his fish, Freddy, died. We buried him in the back garden in a plstic box so the cats wouldn't dig him up for supper!!!
Onto me now.... I'm busy with Positively Mad training courses. That seems to be going really well and my boss is now planning to teach me another course to add to my expanding repertoire. Result! Also, the Screenskills course that I wrote is proving to be of interest to a number of schools. I think it will really start to fly soon. I'm running it in Withyham on Friday (Kieran is proud as punch!!) for years 5 & 6 (Kieran's year and the one above). I've had to buy three telly's, five cameras and all sorts of other bits and pieces so my bank balance is suffering at the moment. I think it will be really worth it though. The feedback so far is amazing. Check out my FAB website www.mediawise-associates.com. Not much more news about me - it's all work, work, work! Oh, some sad news. Nikki's dad died (my friend Nikki!!). He was very young. She is devastated. healthwise I'm not brill at the moment. I've had problems with my back and shoulder for months but now it's moved around to my collar bone and affecting my ability to lift things. Finally, I have called a chiropractor and I'm seeing her next week - fingers crossed!!
Tony's work is going well. He no longer works for MTA but is now MD of Navigator. A new girl is starting there next week in charge of new business development and PR. Tony is very excited and enthusiatic about it all - when he can get a second to turn his head away from his computer. He's pretty snowed under at the mo.
Megan is still working out well. She's in the shower right now getting ready to go to Nottingham where her new boyfriend lives. Not one to waste time!! The kids think she's FAB.
That's about it for now. Hope this is finding you both well and happy.
Lots and lots of love
Rach xx