Auckland.....

Our last full day in NZ.....we managed a spot of shopping....some sightseeing.....some swimming .....some snacking on fish and chips.......and some stuffing.....stuffing loads and loads of stuff into suitcases.


The skies started off heavy and ominous.....

Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park, Auckland

....but did lift and lighten a little.....

The Misses

.....for a while.....

Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park, Auckland

The Angels were desperate to have some beach time before we departed.....so we gathered some things and headed off to find a sheltered beach to indulge them......and bag some precious time for us adults to chill and chat while we were at it. The plan was to enjoy fish and chips alfresco after the Angels had had their fill of sea and sand.....but with the clouds thick and grey.....

The Misses

....the wind whipping everything into a frenzy....

Big Miss, Little Miss & Little Lad

.....and us adults freezing our tootsies off....

Little Miss

....it was time to head indoors for our fish and chip feast....just how Little Lad and Little Miss managed to be in the sea wearing only their swimming costumes is beyond me......I was huddled at a picnic bench wearing jeans and a fleece and wrapped as best I could in the Angels' towels trying desperately to keep warm....and still freezing......it was not the chillin' I had envisaged..... that's for sure!


With heavy hearts the Angels headed off to bed....we had a very early start.....while I started stuffing suitcases.....packing and unpacking......zipping, weighing and unzipping.......jiggling and juggling......we had a L O T of stuff....we came with four suitcases......but we were returning with five.....five very full.....and very heavy suitcases.....it was a mammoth task.... but I got there in the end.....P H E W !

-xxx-

Harbour Cruise & Somes Santuary......

No trip to Wellington would be complete without taking to the water for a cruise around the harbour.....on a gorgeous day there simply is NO better place to be.....we boarded the East by West ferry at Queens Wharf in Wellington's City Centre.........and headed out into the open water of the harbour......Oriental Bay is right in the heart of the City Centre.......it is a delightful little beach....very popular in the summer.......

Oriental Bay, Wellington Harbour

We skirted around the Miramar peninsular.......past Scorching Bay where we went rock pooling with my cousin SL and his children.......

Scorching Bay

heading to Worser Bay (on the right).....the far point of land on the left hand side is Pencarrow Head.....where we cycled to just the day before.....

Pencarrow Head & Worser Bay

before heading back across to Days Bay and finally (for us) onto Somes Island.....seemingly PLONKED, in the middle of Wellington's horseshoe harbour......

Somes Island, Wellington Harbour

Somes Island has been a very important little island in New Zealand's history......in 1860 it was designated for human quarantine purposes, but no facilities were built.....in 1872 the arrival of the England saw sleeping and living quarters hastily constructed after 16 passengers had died onboard due to an outbreak of disease.....any passengers deemed to be fit after six weeks on the island, were able to leave. Over the next 47 years many other vessels had their passengers quarantined on the island due to various diseases like whooping cough, typhoid fever, measles, mumps, influenza, and small pox.....

Somes was recognised as an ideal place to also quarantine animals, and in 1889 was formally designated.....in 1893 the newly formed Ministry of Agriculture set up a stock facility..... this prevented diseases such as foot and mouth, swine fever, rabies, blue tongue, and Q fever being introduced into NZ......

The quarantine station closed in 1995 and has recently been opened to the public as a nature reserve......being rodent free, it is being allowed to revert back to its native flora and fauna....it has some amazing birdlife, and the native tuatara has recently been reintroduced to the island.......as soon as you land on the island, you are debriefed.......and your bags have to been searched for any possible pests.......and even seeds.

After our debriefing and with strict instructions to leave absolutely nothing on the island, we took a gentle stroll up the central hill where we could see the whole of Wellington Harbour.......

Wellington Harbour from Somes Island

From this vantage point, we were able to get a better idea of how far we rode our bikes on the coast road to Pencarrow Head the day before.......all along the base of these hills across the water, from the furthest left all the way to the point......wow......that's a long way for little legs......to the far right of the picture is one of NZ's large inter-island ferries .....although it looks very small in this picture.......

Wellington Harbour from Somes Island

After a wander around the island admiring the spectacular views......and a snack stop......we headed back to the wharf......no, not this old unstable vintage one......

Looking towards Petone & the Hutt Valley

a new modern one just along.....to be collected by the ferry.......

East by West Ferry

and taken back to Queens Wharf in Wellington City Centre......

Queens Wharf, Wellington

Queens Wharf is quite a happenin' place in the City Centre......loads of bars and restaurants to refresh and refuel at......overlooking the harbour......especially on a gloriously sunny day.....but glorious day as it was, we were not tempted to stop on this occasion......we had other plans already booked.......


So zippity-do-day, we zoomed off home for a quick dinner and bathtime/bedtime routines for the Little Lad and Little Miss......and then Grandpa and I zipped off down the road with Big Lad and Big Miss to K and D's for a surprise spot of clay bird shooting in the quickly falling dusk......

Big Lad Clay Bird Shooting - Big Miss Pulling

Wow it's hard......Big Lad, Big Miss and I had never tried this before.......with us all taking turns, and the light fading fast, we only had a taster........so I'm sure we'd like another go sometime.......unfortunately Big Miss didn't manage to hit any of her "birds".......I managed to clip one of mine.......but Big Lad smashed 3 out of 4 "birds".......an absolute superb shot......and it was almost dark for his last one! Thanks K and D for letting us have a go....it was brill!!!

Another fab day all round.....thanks everyone!!!

-xx-

Boxing Day.....

Boxing Day dawned another glorious, sunny day.....but there was no rest for the wicked...... Grandpa's sheep needed to be rounded up......

Grandpa's Sheep

so the lambs could be crutched......that is, their bottoms sheared so they don't get flyblown ......when flies lay eggs on the sheep's dags, and then the maggot infestation eat the sheep's flesh....totally yuk, yuk, yuk......so absolutely essential to crutch the little lambs..... especially in the warm summer weather......isn't farming life just delightful?......

Grandpa Crutching

Once that essential job was done, it was time to pack up a picnic, load up the bikes, and head for the hills......a gently enduring....that is, gentle for the Big Ones, enduring for the Little Ones......bike ride round the coast road to Pencarrow Head was now the order of the day......there was much to take, so everyone had to carry a backpack stuffed full with something for our lunch/dinner on the beach.....and warm clothes in case in got chilly ......Pencarrow Head is one side of the gateway......or one tip of the horseshoe......that creates Wellington Harbour......so is very exposed to winds, especially southerlies.....even Little Miss carried a bumbag while seated on her luxury "tandem" type bike pulled along by Grandpa.......

Grandpa "towing" Little Miss

Grandpa, Grandma G, Little Miss and myself stopped a little short of the lighthouse...... hopeful of being more sheltered slightly back from the exposed tip.....and made camp......while Big Lad, Little Lad, Big Miss, K and D rode the extra way to take some stunning photos......

Pencarrow Head Lighthouse

As it's so exposed, it's understandably quite barren.....

Lighthouse at Pencarrow Head

On Boxing Day, with the sun shining, it was incredibly picturesque.....but don't let that fool you......come a full-on southerly storm.....and this place is very bleak indeed.......in fact, unlike today, back in 1968 the Wahine, an inter-island ferry designed and built specifically for the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, by Fairfields Ltd Shipbuilders in Glasgow, Scotland foundered on Barrett Reef at the entrance to the harbour, and eventually capsized when two violent storms merged over Wellington, creating a single extratropical cyclone storm that was the worst recorded in New Zealand's history.......Cyclone Giselle was heading south ......it hit Wellington at the same time as another storm which had driven up the West Coast of the South Island from Antarctica...... the winds in Wellington were the strongest ever recorded ......as the storms hit Wellington harbour, the Wahine was making her way past the Cook Strait on the last leg of her overnight journey to Wellington from Lyttleton near Christchurch in the South Island. Of the 610 passengers and 123 crew on board, 53 people died.......making it one of the better known maritime disasters in New Zealand's history.......so, history lesson over......phew, you say......and today, all four Angels are enjoying a spot of beach combing ......marvelling at all the different shells.....

if they were in just the same spot back on 10 April 1968 and looked up from their search, they would have seen the Wahine listing on it's side in the storm.....

Wahine Sinking - 10 April 1968

Thankfully this was not the scene today....a gloriously, warm, tranquil day......just perfect for a little teatime treat on the beach.......the Angels collected some driftwood........ Grandpa made a little campfire......he was very naughty.....he shouldn't have because of the fire risk.....but he WAS very careful......we boiled a pot of fresh sea water to cook some saveloys......pink skinned sausages.....to be enjoyed smothered in tomato sauce and wrapped in blankets of bread......together with some bacon and egg pie, freshly made by Grandma G before we left home.......and all washed down with a welcome cuppa made from water boiled in a Thermette.....storm kettle to the Brits.......yum, yum, yum.......simply the best beach grub going......

Tummies full, the Angels took some time to relax before their long bike ride back to the car ......while the grown-ups cleared everything away back into the backpacks.....they were going to be a little lighter on the way back, now that we'd eaten all the tasty treats.....nothing was left to show we'd been there....leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos ......is a good motto to live by......

Little Lad Basking in the Sunshine

On a totally cloudless day, it is easy to see the South Island from here.....although despite the light, wispy clouds, you can still just make out hills in the South Island......

Looking towards the South Island

We'd ridden the long and winding road out to the farthest point you can see....

and now we were riding the long and winding gravel coast road home....well, not quite home.....back to the car at least....

It was hard going on the way back.....no southerly today to blow us back to the car.....instead a headwind to hamper and slow our return.....

Grandpa, Little Miss & Grandma G

The Angels managed superbly on their bikes, despite Little Lad coming a cropper in a nose to tail pile up right at the start........gravel and brakes and riding in a bunch take some getting used to......it was a long way there......and even longer back.....but everyone made it......Little Miss didn't even seem tired, having been towed along by Grandpa.....Little Lad, on the other hand was totally knackered, and quite prepared to sleep it off in the boot of the car......

Tuckered Out Little Lad

The housing architecture in NZ is a real mixture.....most homes are stand alone, with large gardens or 'sections' .....because space has never been an issue here.....mostly made of wood, not much brick.....some new modern designs with huge windows of glass....loads of 1930's, 40's, and 50's state.....council.....houses.....mostly bungalow styles with only new modern ones having a second, or maybe third level....... none that are really, really old, as in a few hundred years.....but quite a few Victorian villas and charmingly restored colonial cottages like this cute little one.......

The villas and cottages are my favourites, and I'd seen plenty of beautifully restored examples, but I always seemed to be driving in a car, so never managed to snap a photo......but on our way home from our coastal bike ride we stopped in Petone looking for somewhere to buy an ice cream for dessert......and here, in the middle of the main street.....which is very rare actually......I spotted this charming little cottage.....

Cottage in Jackson Street, Petone

Just along from the cottage is this delightfully renovated police station and jail......

Renovated Police Station & Jail, Petone

and further along still is Te Puna Wai Ora (Spring of Life)......a large granite water feature where anyone can come and collect the free pure artesian drinking water which originates several kilometres up the Hutt River.....the water enters the artesian aquifer (layers of sand, gravel and boulders locked in by clay and silt) and is naturally filtered through the alluvial gravels and sands of the Hutt Valley over several years before reaching Petone and flowing out to sea .....some of the water is drawn into Te Puna Wai Ora.......it is free from micro-organisms and organic substances, and is perfectly safe to drink in its natural form because it has been naturally filtered in its long journey through the aquifer.......and it was just delicious.......

Te Puna Wai Ora (Spring of Life)

Jackson Street....the main street in Petone......has been totally revitalised in recent years, and a special "Walk of Champions" has been laid.....commemorative plaques.....similar in concept to Hollywood Stars Walk of Fame.....have been set into the footpath to acknowledge Petone's sporting heroes......on our stroll looking for ice cream, we came across a very special "Walk of Champions" plaque......for a very special person......Grandpa.....for his participation in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games, and the 1978 Commonwealth Games where he competed in cycling.....it was a very proud moment for me and my Angels to see that my Dad had been recognised in this way.

Ice creams were eventually found at Macdonalds...of all places.....actually the only place that was open on Boxing Day evening.....and enjoyed by all......then it was home to bed for the Little Ones......it had been an extremely long and tiring day for them.

It was not however, the end of the day for the Big Ones......Grandpa snuck out with Big Lad on a little jaunt with a .22 rifle......now I know some people do not agree with hunting.....but rabbits, hares and possums cause havoc on NZ farms.......so evening shooting jaunts are quite common place in farming areas......Big Lad had had his first try with a gun......an air rifle......at a target the other day, but it turned out the sights were broken, so there were no bulls eyes achieved......he'd never, ever fired a .22 rifle when he set off with Grandpa ......a hare was spotted in the fading dusk light.....it was tracked as it bounded through the paddock......a shot rang out.....and Big Lad had bagged his hare with his very first shot ......what a crack marksman, or what!!!......and he was soooo very proud of himself.......

Big Lad's Hare

Wow.....this has been a most epic post.....it was a most epic day.....full to the brim with excitement, fun, moments of proudness, and family togetherness......good times!!!

-xx-

Scorching Bay.....

I've said it before, and I'm saying it again.....it was so great to spend time with family......seeing my cousins again though was also a rather odd experience.....the last time I saw my cousins, they were single or just newly married......now they were mothers and fathers with children ranging from 6-14 years.....no different from myself really ......except that I had missed the in-between years when they were pregnant, with newborns, and then toddlers.....so there's been this big leap, and now I was seeing them as fully-fledged, totally comfortable with their role, parents of young people.....do you get my drift....sorry, I probably haven't explained this too well....but this weird feeling is sooo hard to explain.....perhaps my cousins felt the same about me too?


Anyway, we were lucky enough to spend an afternoon with me ol' cousie SL, his lovely wife W, and their two great kids T and M.....we took a short drive from their house to a wonderful little bay.....Scorching Bay.....usually on a brilliant sunny day, this bay definitely lives up to it's name, but unfortunately, the weather was not at it's best, with a brisk southerly wind coming straight up from the Antarctic, through Cook Strait, and directly into the bay...but the sun was shining and we were all desperate to get some beach time in......

The Lads

At each end of the bay there are little rock outcrops, perfect for a little rock pooling....

Starfish found by the Misses 

Baby Anemone 

The view of the harbour is superb from the surrounding hills, and plenty of people are lucky enough to live there, some seemingly right on the edge of the beach.....just cross the road, and the beach is on your doorstep, quite literally.....

Scorching Bay, Wellington 

Phew....I've just been trying to figure out what my children are to my cousin's children .....second cousins, once removed.....I think.....anyway, friends were firmly made.....

M and Little Miss

The Angels didn't know it at the time, but a few days later they were to be riding their bikes along the gravel coast road, across the water and directly opposite Scorching Bay ....if Little Miss turned around, she would see where she was going to be riding....all the way along to the point.....Pencarrow Head.....through the little gap between the hills is the harbour exit/entrance, towards the South Island.......

Little Miss

And this is looking back into Scorching Bay from out on the water......taken on a different day.....on a different excursion.....more about that later......

Scorching Bay, Wellington

After a most delightful BBQ dinner back at the cousies' house, we drove into the city centre...... 

Wellington Harbour & City Centre at Dusk

to oooh and ahhh over the giant Telecom Christmas tree made entirely of lights....

The light sequences continually change, with background music to keep you bopping, jiving, or just humming along......

There are loads of beanbags strewn all around the base of the tree for you to pull up a pew, settle yourself down, make yourself comfortable, lie back.......and enjoy the light show.....

You could hang out on the beanbags for as long as you liked......and then just give them up for whoever else wanted to lie back and marvel at this somewhat unusual spectacle .......you could even stand in a queue at several specially placed telephone boxes and call the B I G man himself......SANTA......to tell him if you'd been naughty or nice......of course, we'd all been very nice.....well, we were in New Zealand weren't we, so we must've been very, very nice...and delightfully, it was all FREE!

Another fab day had by all......thanks cousies!!!

-xx-

Norfolk on a Whim and a Prayer.....

So, an unexpected opportunity dropped into my lap, and in just two days I had everyone and everything.....and I mean everything......we don't travel light ......loaded into the car for a camping trip to Norfolk. This was quite an amazing feat for me as I prefer to plan....to prepare.....to organise....but with no time to waste, we were off....

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, we had arrived.......Big Miss, Little Miss and Little Lad set off to explore and get bearings before reporting back with all necessary information.......like where the playground was, of course.......while Big Lad and I set about putting up the tent... ...making our Home from Home ......this being quite a difficult operation with a rather large tent.......but each time we do it, it gets a little easier......from experience and practice.....and Big Lad getting somewhat bigger each time.

Home from Home made comfortable at last with cosy sleeping bags.......loads of cuddly blankets......new comfy camp beds.......all ready for bedtime.......it was time to head off into town for some well earned fish and chips on the Quay.

After threatening to rain on and off all afternoon......and thankfully it didn't.......we were delighted the clouds finally decided to drift apart and away, leaving a big wide sky for a glorious sunset.......all the best sunsets are to be had at the seaside......so here we were eating fresh fish and chips on the Quay, watching the boats bringing in their day's catch......crabs probably......breathing in the fresh salty smell of the sea.......could there ever be a better way to enjoy fish and chips?

Our appetites satiated, we simply couldn't let the sun go down without having a quick stroll down to the beach before bed.......and WOW WOW WOW was it worth it.....

As soon as Big Miss's toes touched the still warm, soft sand she repeated over and over "oh my goodness........I'm at the beach.......I'm walking in the sand....... when was the last time I was walking in sweet soft sand?".......and declared this was her "Happy Place".......her "Heaven on Earth"..........Mine too.......in fact, probably all my Angels would agree it was their Happy Place........

Beach huts bathed in the last of the sun's rays......just spectacular......don't you think?

And so before we made it back to our new Home from Home, the moon rose up over the channel's water with little boats bobbing in the sparkling moonlight......why are moonrises over the sea so magical......atmospheric......hauntingly beautiful?

The next day we took at quick trip into town for some essential supplies......this little alleyway, with the entrance to the florist tucked inside........really caught my eye.......

But town couldn't hold our attention for long though while there was a beautiful beach lined with beautiful beach huts just waiting to be enjoyed.......played upon..........huge holes dug in........as only lads can do.......sat on.......with magazines to be devoured.........proper coffee to be savoured.......sandcastles to be built.......the requisite sandwiches......freshly homemade of course, to be eaten......and not forgetting.........the compulsory dipping of toes into the somewhat chilly, gently washing waves of the North Sea.........

Pretty little beach huts were just waiting to be graced by a pretty Little Miss.........

While Little Lad had fun burying himself in sand.......I ♥ how children delight in being buried.....I can't stand it myself, but they ♥ it......

And Big Lad created this statuesque sand sculpture......I am always amazed and delighted by my Angels' creativity......

As wonderful as the beach was though, there were other pursuits to be enjoyed .......like crabbing......so with the necessary nets and bucket bought.......

My Little Angels were all set for some gillying........8 little swinners later........

And they were all returned........unhurt.......to the safety of the sea floor .......waiting for the next enthusiastic child to come along.........and offer them some delicious dinner.

I ♥ that being away from our everyday........out of our comfort zone.......being at the seaside brought new and different opportunities for my Angels to experience.

There was also the miniature railway to take a ride on........from camp to town .......from town to camp........Little Angels thought this was exciting fun .......Little Miss especially.........

I absolutely adore bunting, and like to have it liberally sprinkled around our home.......so what cosy, welcoming Home from Home would be complete without some charming cheery bunting?.......

And of course pretty flowers to bring an even more homespun feel to our Home from Home......

No moon now, just a gloriously huge sky, but still little bobbing boats on the channel's water......

Back in town again, another little alleyway caught my eye.....a wonderful wood store all ready for the colder evenings and months ahead........

Oh what a thought.......the colder months ahead.......while I do enjoy the thought of snuggling down all warm and cosy in the winter, and there does come a point when I really start to look forward to it.........I am mostly a summer girl at heart ......and let's be honest, we haven't really had much of a summer this year .....I feel ever so slightly cheated since we've had a couple of really hard winters now, both followed by less than inspiring summers......so including this photo of a wood store, and therefore invoking thoughts of the upcoming winter ........before the summer is even finished is a little disconcerting.........but I just had to include it... ....it's rustic, simple, elegance just delights me.

And no holiday is complete without buying a few little trinkets......little mementos to treasure.......to hang or place around the house........to bring a little bit of magic.......happy holiday memories.......every day........while doing daily chores.......living life......a chance glance........and there you are....... back on holiday again.......just a split second......but oh so priceless.......

Pretty ♥.......

Pretty pink bowl to put my pretty little treasures in......

Just pretty......in pink.......

Little Angels also bought their own little treasures.......to bring back happy holiday memories at home.......pretty purse for Big Miss......Hello Kitty Angel, spinning top, heart stone, bracelet for Little Miss......necklaces, red jasper, blue stone, polished ammonite, parachute man for Little Lad ........ bracelet, necklace, shark's tooth for Big Lad.......

Little Lad and Little Miss were especially excited to choose and buy their own trinkets.......wandering around the shops........weighing this up.......weighing that up.......deciding........changing their minds......deciding again......paying for their final choices themselves.......all so grown up and big now.

After packing up our comfortable and cosy Home from Home......we spent our last couple of hours at the beach......every last opportunity had to be eeeked out .......you understand how it is......and then lastly we stopped in town for an ice cream......well you can't go to the seaside without having an ice cream now, can you? While parking in one of the few carparks........carparks always seem very scarce at the seaside......I spotted this simply delightful little cottage........

Then if was finally time to say goodbye.........

Our Norfolk escapade.......our costal camping.......our happy holiday had by all.......sadly......came to an end......the weather was set to change for the worse........and things needed to be sorted.......organised......tidied...... prepared..........for a new school year.

I thank my Little (or not so little) Angels for their help.......their enthusiasm .......their excitement........their happy smiling faces.......and the many wonderful memories we made together on a Norfolk whim and a prayer ♥

-xx-