Guestblogtastic.

Morv’s liking for animals has not entirely been helped by the presence of 3 cats, and 2 dogs (including a Rottweiler) in the Backpackers. There’s also 2 cages of birds. Their main offenses in Morv’s eyes have been a) expecting affection b) having hair which moults. This  is Garfield – and yes the face is actually that flat.  And yes Lewis the cat does indeed own a caravan.

We went out for dessert the other night – this is the view from the cafe window. I had creme brule as usual (and very good it was – I am somewhat of a self-appointed expert having graduated with merit from Brule academie Francais), Morv had rhubarb crumble.

Morv tends to have a bit of a sleep-in so in the morning I went out to wander the beaches and get a coffee.

There’s lots of wee boats in the bay – two masts, is that a ketch? a sloop? a design error?

Spent the morning reading – got to keep remembering to lap up the nice weather before Monday hits. Genuine Monday-itis going from early summer in the North of NZ to early winter in South of England!

Went swimming in the afternoon. It’s a lot warmer than the North sea but still takes a little getting used to. This is long beach – thanks again Geddes for your Rashie top.

In the evening I went for a wander to catch the sunset and passed this on the way. This is apparently the oldest church in NZ.

Also passed this – didn’t know they grew them here. Also didn’t know they grew rasperries in the front garden of the backpackers but they do and they’re very tasty.

The view from up the hill.

Just post sundown.

2 more days to go before we fly…

summer holiday

Well, if you can imagine that summer holiday feeling then you’ll be somewhere close to imagining how J and I are feeling right now. We flew up yesterday to the Bay of Islands and appear to have landed in some kind of tropical paradise. Our pilot told us the temperature was  24 oC (75F) when we arrived yesterday afternoon at 5pm and it’s even hotter today. (Almost too hot for me but there’s a lovely breeze which makes it bearable!)

We got a shuttle from the airport to the ferry and then took the 15 minute ferry over to Russell where we’re staying until the weekend.

this is the wee wharf where we got off the ferry

And then we got picked up and taken to our accommodation which is clean and friendly and comfortable and an easy walk to the water! (which we did as soon as we’d dropped our bags). J went for his first swim of the holiday and I ate a golden kiwi fruit which is undoubtedly my most favourite fruit in the world (and there’s pretty stiff competition for that spot!)

This morning we went to a different beach and swam and read and chatted and sat in the shade of a big tree

this was our first glimpse of the beach

my first swim here

And then we wandered into Russell and had an ice cream which J reckons is the best blackcurrant sorbet he has ever had! I have no doubt that we’ll be back for more!

It is so incredibly bizarre to think that in 4.5 days time we’ll be landing in London to winter!!! My head knows it but my body has no understanding! I’m so glad J has had a bit of summer sun and sea swimming – he is walking about with a big smile on his face saying ‘this is the kind of holiday I was hoping for!’ It’s great too because we’re back to being car less and so can only go as far as our feet will take us. Lovely lovely!!

Update – Guest Blog

 

Well it’s been a busy and challenging (in a good way)  past few days. But before anything serious lets start with a watering can in the ceiling shall we?

This was part of the decor in a cafe that Paul Fletcher took us to. I like this kinda stuff!

Paul (above) put us up at his house in Auckland for a few days which was great. We had got to know him after he was sent to Dunedin to preach at us in Musselburgh for a summer season while he was a Bible College student at Carey.  Apart from catching up with him this time we went with him to Red Letter Voices which was a kind of seminar over 2 days with various speakers who are attempting a different forms of intentional Christian community – from moving into Vancouver’s infamous Downtown Eastside to working with the  Melbourne’s marginalised in the Rainbow Church to NZ politics and community trusts and our very own Addington Community in Christchurch – inspiring and deeply challenging stuff.

We left Auckland on Sunday and are now staying with Logan and Janet in Hamilton.

Logan is a spare time photographer and has an international reputation (mum and dad Wraight have 3 of his pics on the wall!). For NZ readers he has them for sale mounted on block, ridiculously underpriced – try here.  Great to catch with you all again.

Back to Auckland now to see some more friends then next stop Bay of Isands!

all good

Again, apologies for the lack of blogging action. We’ve been staying with a friend in Auckland who has no landline or internet connection hence the silence. We had a good weekend and went to an interesting conference  which has given us a lot to talk and think about (J will blog about it another time).

We got the bus today down to Hamilton and are staying with friends of J’s from his early Dunedin days. We’re here for a couple of days and then up to the Bay of Islands (via Auckland again) for a holiay before we fly home.

Can’t believe that a week today we’ll be getting on a plane headed for the northern hempisphere!!

au revoir

Well, we bade Dunedin a fond farewell – have no fear we’ll be back!!

(J and Noah the night before we left)

It was a lovely drive up the road (well the parts of it that I saw! Sweet J drove the whole way and I have to confess I snoozed between Temuka and Rolleston – for those of you with NZ geography  that’s quite a wee way!) I did catch the view below and took the photo as the car was moving – such gorgeous scenery!

And now back in Christchurch and with our friends the Gedi. What a welcome we got and it was fun today to all have late afternoon off to go up the gondola and see our last views of the city and surrounding – such great views and different on every side!

And then back for a slow roast lamb and kumara tea (good ol’ NZ food before we leave!)

our sweet god-daughter who knows us so well just now – will she have forgotten us by the time we return?!? So sad to be leaving!

So tomorrow lunchtime we say goodbye to the south island and head on up to Auckland. Can’t quite believe we’re saying goodbye again but hopefully it won’t be too long before we return. This country certainly is Godzone!! (or God’s own – never quite sure which – or both?!)

blog slacking – sorry!

Apologies for the blog slacking these last few days! We have been busy busy busy!!

Just a quick run through of some of the things we’ve been doing:

• on Friday J went to see Mike and after all the fascinating tests discovered that his eyes haven’t got any worse but his lenses are warped and scratched! It was so cool – I got to see his optical nerve (is that right Mike?)
• Friday afternoon we popped into the Rosies and then went to Greg and Therese’s for dinner – tasty tasty and a lot of laughs!
• Saturday started early with breakfast at the Rosies (lovely!)

• and then the first installment of the padder tennis world championship was played (between J and Randal – J won but has been challenged to a rematch!)

• lunch was at Rach’s (delicious lettuce from her garden – yum!), then to Gov’s to meet Darrin, then Saturday evening we went to the Jowsey’s for another yummy feed and a musical recital and Ks and As (Olly’s face is great in the picture below!)

• Sunday we went to Musselburgh Church and had a million people to speak to afterward! And then went to Robin’s in the afternoon supposedly for a walk but it was POURING and so we drank cups of tea inside. Sunday evening we went to Dougie and Marianne’s for a lovely roast dinner and games.

So we’ve had an awesome few days in Dunedin and the Scotts have excelled themselves with their hospitality! Tomorrow we head back to Christchurch…

Dunedin

Well I’m back blogging on our computer so can put a few photos in from our time with the Grahams…

We’re now in Dunedin and trying to catch up with as many people as possible! We’re staying with Randal and Karene which is fun and making lots of trips to visit friends – this weekend especially is going to be busy busy busy! It’s all good though. We are so going to miss these people – who knows when we’ll next be back?!?!

south island

Well, here we are in En Hakkore visiting with the Grahams. It’s lovely to be here and in the countryside and in the south island again!! We left Taranaki on Monday and flew to Christchurch, meeting up with our connect group leader for lunch and then heading to the Geddes’. Poor J was completely wasted from night shift and so didn’t last much of the evening but it was great to catch up with them (we’d only been away for three weeks – how are we going to cope when we leave permanently next week?!?!)

And then yesterday we headed down the familiar road south.

On to Dunedin today!!!

farewell taranaki!

Well, this is it. Farewell to another place. It’s been a great wee trip to Taranaki! The things I’ve especially loved are:

• the beaches – I’ve been to five here and really like them a lot!
• the river (Waiwhakaio) and walks near by – there are some great wee walks really close to us – love it!
• ‘The Mountain’ that’s how people here refer to it and it does dominate (when you can see it – which isn’t always!). Yesterday I was at the library and just happened to glance out a window and caught a view. They are very fond of their mountain in this place – and I am too!

Right now I have to confess I’m loving having sky sports! I did get up at 5am this morning to watch Chelsea vs Man U. Mid second half just now – come on the blues!

Next stop Christchurch but just overnight and then we head on down to Dunedin stopping to stay with the Grahams en route. Things just never get boring!!!

a day alone

Well, J is back on the ol’ night shifts again and so I am vacating the property between the hours of about 9am-3pm, returning for a few hours with my beloved and then he tries to sleep again in the evening (and I retreat to the toilet with the computer and a DVD!)

What to do with those daytime hours? Well today I…

• transferred NZ $ to pounds and also bought some US $ – hoo ha it means it’s not long until we get to NYC!!
• bought my Wraight secret santa gift!
• browsed a sweet gift store which had a whole lot of things I loved and wanted to buy but didn’t buy anything – the whole ‘we have NO space in our luggage’ thing is a great deterrent!
• went to the library and read (reading ‘Freakonomics’ – a rather interesting book!)
• went for a long walk on the beach – bare feet in the warm black sand, the waves crashing, the sun shining… need I say more?!
• listened to a sermon
• and then just enjoyed ‘The Mountain’ which looked splendid today!

I also had a good view of where we’re staying from the other side of the river

do you see the window third along with the white curtains closed? That’s cause J is sleeping!!

So all in all I managed to fill the day. Now, what will I do tomorrow?!?!