We really did get to see dolphins "up close and personal". A great experience.
Friday, 4 January 2008
Matilda and Harry in the park
The little park at Pacific Rendezvous provided great entertainment for the children!
Tutukaka
The day after Boxing day we went up to a place called Tutukaka and a holiday resort called "Pacific Rendezvous". You may well think we spend all our time on holiday (which is partially true!) but I actually wasn't allowed to work in between Christmas and New Year because all the other staff from the surgery went on holiday. New Zealand practically shuts down from Christmas until February...Auckland is a ghost City and most Kiwis seem to be at the family bach for the Summer. (A lesson to be learnt?)
We tracked "Up North" with Paul, Laura, Gracie, Amy and Julia and spent a fantastic 5 days at this holiday resort with amazing views. Highlights of the holiday were body boarding at Sandy Bay, fun evenings playing Settlers and enjoying the facilities at the resort (including tennis court, great children's park, table tennis and private beach).
We also spent one day taking a boat trip to the Bay of Islands. The magical experience for us all was seeing dolphins on the trip (see video). Quite spectacular.
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
Christmas Day
We decided to go for the stereotype NZ Christmas...Picnic on the beach after church, presents and then BBQ! It was a great day although the weather wasn't exactly brilliant sunshine... in fact it rained! We woke up to Matilda and Harry excitedly opening their stocking presents. Harry did wake at 5am but fortunately didn't notice the presents at the end of his cot and it was only when Matilda woke and said "Father Christmas had visited" that Harry realised it was a special day.
We spent the day as a family unit with Paul, Laura, Gracie, Amy and Julia. The extended family in the form of Rich, Kath and Amelie arrived for the evening and the big Christmas day BBQ. Harry and Matilda loved all the presents and the day went really well (apart from the poor weather!).
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
Rotorua and Lake Taupo
Amy and Julia in NZ has been a perfect excuse to do some more touring of the country (as if we needed an excuse!). We managed to stay at yet another friend's bach in a place called Artiamuri. This was a perfect location to visit the tourist centre of NZ otherwise known as Rotorua. This place is truly incredible. It is noted for its geothermal activity and is also known as the Sulphur City because of the egg smell this produces. We had an amazing day visiting Waiotapu geothermal park in the morning, having lunch at the "fat dog" and bombing down the luge in the afternoon. Amazing!
The next day was also fun packed with a visit to Lake Taupo and it's Hot Springs (a swimming pool complex heated courtesy of the earth). Matilda and Harry really loved the big water slide but we were not quite brave enough to let them go down it by themselves! In the afternoon we went to the impressive Huka falls and then back to the bach for some pizza and a movie. Life doesn't get a lot better!
Julia's Arrival and Christmas Nativity play
The full reunion of the Kingsley-Smith siblings has now arrived and I am not sure if Auckland is truly prepared for the onslaught! Julia walked through the automatic doors to the now well rehearsed welcome committee with the beautifully prepared banner and loud screaming (see video)!
Julia survived the flight/welcome incredibly well but had to wake up for the Christmas carol services at St Paul's church (largely because Matilda was an angel in the nativity play!). It was a great show but it is still all wrong to have Christmas in the Summer. The amusing part about Christmas in NZ is that many of the shops, and even the church, have fake snow in a feeble attempt to make it feel more festive (needless to say it fails miserably). I have never felt less "Christmasy" but it's great to have some family to visit which does compensate for the lack of cold dark nights in front of a cosy gas effect fire!
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