Mum's visit!

My Mum and her partner John have come to visit Will and me!! We've been planning and looking forward to their visit for such long time but then all of a sudden it was upon us. They arrived on Monday 8th Feb after getting 3 flights - Manchester to Dubai, Dubai to Sydney then finally Sydney to Auckland. It took us 3 buses to find their hotel in Bayswater, on the North Shore of the city and we had a look around the harbour whilst we waited for them to arrive. Their suite was beautiful and very comfortable and as they were so tired we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant and save us all another journey. The view from the sunset lounge was amazing; we got to see the sun setting and the lights come on from across the water.

Practising with panorama mode, think I need a little more practice with night mode too!

The next morning Will left for his last day of work and I caught the ferry over to meet Mum and John. It was rather early and I was a little too eager as the crew told me they weren't ready to board for  at least another 5 minutes. I text Will to see if he could see me from his office window which he did but I couldn't see him! It's really handy that you can use the ATHop card on ferries as well as buses and trains and a bit cheaper too.

Had the whole top deck to myself

We had a leisurely morning catching up and then caught the bus to Takapuna so Mum and John could see where me and Will often go to the beach on our days off. I'll have to wait for Mum to transfer her photos of the day as I've already taken so many of Takapuna (see other posts!)We had lunch at a lovely little cafe, Leaf and Loaf and all enjoyed our meals - bacon nutty, omelette and scrambled egg on toast. My eggs were silky smooth :) The hot drinks came with a mini brownie on the side and as Mum and John shared a slice of carrot cake, I collected all 3 brownies and put them together to make myself a free desert! John and the owner had a cracking chat about rugby (Wales vs NZ) and the rest of the staff were very smiley and polite.

We caught the bus into Auckland CBD and met Will at the Ferry Building once he has finished work and wandered around the Wynyard Quarter to find somewhere to eat. We settled on Jack Tar, a gastro-pub with a good menu, great service and lots of tables outside with a water side view. Again, think Mum took more photos of that night but the food came in huge portions and the brownie was particularly good, warm and gooey and 2 scoops of ice-cream!

We went our separate ways to sleep and pack then met up bright and early to collect the rental car from Hertz. The guy was very friendly and even told us about a toll road on the way up north (and how to avoid it!)

We hadn't travelled too far but had to stop off at Hibiscus Bay near Orewa for a paddle as it was so beautiful and sunny.

Applied bucket loads of suncream!

The beach was littered with lots of these open shells, which had already been scavenged by hungry seagulls

We stopped off in the next town at a typical cafe so Mum and John could experience a good old fashion NZ pie!

There are usually a few hot counters that you can help ourself to full of warm baked goodies

I went for a mince and potato topped pie, delicious :)

We got stuck behind one of these lorries for a little while back on the road

We finally arrived at Paihia, Bay of Islands late afternoon and took a peek at our Sea Spray Suite, which was very swish indeed!

We walked about 10 minutes to the small town centre and found a restaurant, one of those recommended to us from the accommodation staff; Ruffino's. Everyone was impressed with their dishes; ravioli, cannelloni, mexican pizza and carbonara. The waitress kept her cool even though the tables were filling up quickly (we thought we were too early at 5:35pm when it only opened 5 minutes before but there was already a family waiting at the table and another group behind us) and her greeting of 'hey miss beautiful' went down a treat.

Beef ravioli with a lovely rich tomato sauce

The cheesy garlic bread started was gooood

This was the view of our walk back to the rooms but the photos just don't do the beauty of the place justice. The sea looked a brilliant turquoise and the small islands looked like something out of a smugglers' novel.

In the morning Will and I got up early and ventured out on to the water in a double kayak! Will had mentioned before our trip that he really wanted to have a go on one and I was quietly nervous but wanted to challenge myself. It was absolutely brilliant and I'm so pleased I can say I've done it now. We came so close to the islands we could hear the cicadas buzzing and see the birds waddling in the shallow waters. The water seemed very close to me as I'm more used to seeing it from the deck of a ferry and at certain points seemed glassy and really smooth. I was a bit alarmed when a small boat bobbed past and created some waves but I felt very safe and grateful that Will was in the same boat. That was until he mentioned a hole in the boat. He said it was purpose-built but that didn't make me feel much better. The best thing about it was that we were pretty much alone on the bay; we passed another couple in a kayak near the end of our time but we didn't have to compete for space with a huge group of tourists, like you might on a tour. I'll have to update this post once Will has edited his go-pro footage of our outing but here are a couple of his photos...

We had a quick lunch with Mum and John then walked around the coast towards the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. I had researched the place long before we arrived and really wanted to make sure I left time to visit it properly, which we did. As Waitangi Day had just come and gone on 6th Feb I thought it would be a good idea to learn more about the treaty and see where all the action had taken place.

The views just get better and better!

This carving was from a waka that Princess Diana had a sail in once

The three flags of New Zealand - the one we are used to at the top, the British on the right and the original flag which is all wrapped up around the pole, see below! 

This is the original flag of New Zealand decided upon. The 4 stars represent the four corners of the Earth, North, South, East and West to show that people have come from all over and are now united. Each star has 8 points - 7 to represent the Maori waka and one for Captain James Cook's ship.

This Marae (meeting house) was built close to the Busby's house to represent both communities living side by side. The different foundations depict different parts of the body - the head at the top, the arms sloping down the sides and the fingertips at the end.

We got to look inside before the performance. The rafters represent the ribs of the body.

These were carved with a male and female version from carvers around New Zealand. I believe this is the male one from Auckland.

This was from inside Busby's house. He was a British Resident who was asked to protect the traders and more 'orderly' Europeans and prevent any 'outrages' against Maori. Some called him 'Man-o-War without guns' as he didn't have any real power. 

This was part of the performance near the end of the day. There were action songs...

games with sticks to improve agility...

and songs to keep stories of the waka and traditions alive. Can you see the woman's face on the far right?!

The museum had only just been opened a few days ago, to coincide with Waitangi Day and it was very good. Lots to see and read and watch and all set out nicely so it was easy enough to take in. I would thoroughly recommend it! 

That evening we ventured over to the Waterfront Restaurant. I tried the salmon special and it was zingy and very fresh and the fish was so tender. For desert I went for the sticky toffee pudding which I was disappointed to note had fruit in, raisins I suspect! I did enjoy the actual sponge and butterscotch sauce though. 

The drive back to Auckland was a subdued affair; we were all tired from the activities the previous day. Tomorrow me and Will fly to Christchurch for the next past of our adventure!

I'm 27 now - say what?!

The relaxed Christmas turned to the New Year quickly and January just whizzed right past. On 22^nd January I turned the grand old age of 27 and it felt rather odd. 27 to me sounds like a woman’s age and I certainly don't feel like a woman yet. Maybe because I hang out with a bunch of 4 year olds at work nearly everyday but it’s been the first birthday where I’ve actually felt a little old! In the morning I opened the cards and presents that had arrived through the post and which had travelled so very far. Miss Doyle’s, like her Christmas package, did not disappoint! 

Don't think I mentioned the Christmas story in the previous post but we had a knock late one night, probably on 23rd December and it was the caretaker asking if we knew anyone called Goose or Gary? Will said he didn't but obviously my ears pricked up at the words Goose and I realised that Anna had meant to write Goose and Gander and Will had just misheard Gary! Then just before my birthday I got a phone call from the office saying there was a package there for The One and Only Goose - she said it was great that some people round here have a sense of humour! 

Will bought me a little furry kiwi whom I named Kevin, for alliteration purposes of course. 

I took him to the beach the day after

It reminded me of a message from one of the children at the primary school I worked at back in the UK who wrote, ‘Hope you find a kiwi!’ Well now I have. And he even plays a tweeting tune when you squeeze him!

I Skyped some friends and family in the morning and it was lovely to see their faces. I was still seeking employment and Will had to work during the day but I took a few hours break from the computer to have a walk in the brilliant sunshine (so unusual to have such a hot birthday!) and treated myself to an ice cream from Movenpick – such a great find in Newmarket! The picture is a little dark as I simply had to sit in the shade for fear of being severely burnt! Obviously Kevin came too :)

Will brought Dominos back with him for dinner and then we set off for my birthday gift – a show at the Stardome Planetarium! I was really excited and wasn’t disappointed. The chairs inside were tilted back towards the ceiling and so comfy and we watched 2 short films about the space race and the stars. My favourite part was going outside and looking through the telescope into the night sky. The stars looked amazing, so many more and much clearer than you would ever see in London because of all the light pollution. The men who worked there knew lots about the constellations, a lot of which can't be seen from the UK and how long it took the light to travel to us from space. They showed us the Southern Cross formation that we see on the New Zealand flag and a nebula where new stars are made. One man commented that the lens was out of focus and the guy insisted that it's supposed to look like that, like a cloud of dust. It was a very special evening and already I can’t wait to go back!

So this post has been short and sweet (and pretty tame!) but looking forward to more exciting adventures ahead soon!

Tamaki Herenga Waka Festival

Today we went to the opening day of the Tamaki Herenga Waka festival on Auckland's Queen Wharf.  This weekend is a 3 day one for us, as Monday is the bank holiday of Auckland Day and this festival is a celebration of Maori culture. We witnessed some whakairo (carving) and spoke to a guy who told us that he has made pieces for Auckland council and Devonport library. He showed us a head piece which would be situated at the top of a marae (sacred meeting place, kind of triangular in shape) with the two slopes coming down acting as the arms, the line at the top the spine and the legs at the back. The eyes of the head can be big and round like an owl or smaller and more narrow like a hawk. The carver said that traditionally this was a way to preserve Maori stories and legends. 

We had a quick look round the stalls, no purchasing unfortunately as we are saving for a little trip coming up - but more on that soon! There were tempting looking food vans displaying wares of sea food fritters and hangi platters, tables of greenstone jewellery and Maori patterned wall hangings. We saw small children and adults alike walking around with temporary moko (tattoos) on both sides of their faces (men) and their chin (women). Inside was a stall selling Maori medicine and natural remedies and a few beds where tired visitors were indulging in a relaxing massage. 

Outside of 'The Cloud' building we were welcomed by the display of a large waka (canoe) at the entrance. Both Will and I remembered our visit to Mitai Maori village and cultural show and the facts told to us about the boats; how they were made, how many men could fit inside etc - look back to the Campervan Adventures post! We noticed the large male genitalia(!) displayed on the wooden figures at the front and back of the waka to signify male strength.

There was a stage and band and we caught a couple of songs by Bob Marley that they had re-imagined, slightly changing the words to fit the Maori's particular struggle with colonisation and how they are overcoming it. Everyone was sitting on beanbags and the atmosphere was so laid back.

Outside there were buskers' 'stations' with a few crazy acts like Celtic Colin who dressed in a kilt, played the bagpipes then got on a 3m high unicycle and juggled knives. And we watched whilst some spray painting artists created some great patterned images.

Venturing over to The Maritime museum we caught the semi final of the waka race. I took some photos...

But the only way to show you what it was really like was to film a little video! My first on this blog which I've uploaded on to my very own YouTube channel -

Waka Race

We were about to leave when we heard an announcement for a free ferry ride around the port so tagged along - can't turn down something for nothing! It was lovely to float about in the turquoise waters, sea spray in our faces and thinking of our friends back in the UK braving the freezing wind and rain, sorry!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Christmas approached like the speed of light and the fact that this time of year was so light and bright was very strange! The days have steadily become longer and warmer and for those reasons we weren’t feeling Christmassy at all. The staff at our accommodation made the common places nice and festive but the only decorations we had were the two little ornaments my friend Steph had given me before our travels.

In Newmarket we passed a statue of Santa perched next to a sun hat stand. There was an annual Santa parade that went through the city’s main road Queen Street, which we planned to see but after waiting in the crowds for 20 minutes we decided to appease our hunger instead and had a lovely meal at The Med Kitchen in the Wynyard Quarter by the harbour. 

Biggest and best Christmas decorations of the city

We did our shopping like the rest of you and like always I left things to the last minute. Over here in NZ the post office informed us that if we wanted gifts to arrive in the UK before Christmas we should post them before December 1^st. Well, that didn’t happen, obviously. I think around 14^th I sent a couple of packages to a select few family members and friends and was horrified to learn that I had to label my package with a description of what was inside and how much I spent! I did have a lovely chat with a woman at the counter who was posting a photo of her dog with balloons tied around its collar to some Japanese friends who used to live with her.

The next big dilemma was Will’s present, what to get?! I thought about a Go-Pro camera as I remember last year saying he wanted to get one to document our travels through NZ but not being a very technical person myself, (what’s a smart phone?!) I didn’t want to get a model that wasn’t very good. I researched some reviews online and people seemed to be pretty happy with the most basic camera so I went with what felt comfortable. He tried it out in our local coffee shop but we didn’t realise how wide the captured images would be and so I am the protagonist of this particular time-lapse video!

Coffee Timelapse

Will made me feel very pampered with his gifts of Marc Jacob’s perfume Daisy Dream and a luxury Molton Brown hand cream.

For our first hot Christmas we thought it would be fitting to have a BBQ on the beach but when we enquired at the council they said we would have to use a gas powered one as if we used coal it would pose an open fire risk. Even when we searched for disposable BBQs we couldn’t seem to find many anywhere; it seems the Kiwi’s are serious about this type of cuisine and the only way to go is heavy duty! We compromised with a fancy picnic and stocked up with as much alcohol and snacks as we could carry in our new chilly bin or cool bag. I did miss our usual roast dinner and all the trimmings but this Christmas would always be memorable for being different.

However, I did make a catastrophic and rather painful mistake in forgetting the sun cream. We went to the beach and I forgot the most important thing. I peeled. Badly. We’ll move on.

We travelled by ferry to Waiheke Island, an hours journey past a few other islands including Rangitoto and found a quiet spot on Oneroa beach. We had a beautiful day enjoying the sun, relaxing, eating and soaking up the view and said to each other we’d have to come back again soon.

Had to include these exotic looking plants; really made us feel like we were on a tropical island

Love the pattern of this bark

Bright and beautiful

Although the sky looks pretty grey, it was warm, honest!

A lovely woman from work gave me some Scorched Almonds for Xmas, a Kiwi favourite and they went down a treat!

Such clear water

Palm tree!

The time between Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve is always a strange one with everyone not knowing what to do with themselves. Will had a couple of days back at work and I tried looking for babysitting roles to fill in the time. Then the night was upon us, quicker that expected, as always. Again we stocked up on the booze, grabbed some snacks and headed to Mount Eden to watch the fireworks explode over the city.

Just a little tipsy...

We had to sit in the tall grass somewhat as everywhere on the volcano top was busy

Doesn't truly capture the atmosphere created by the lit city

I have to say the display wasn’t as dazzling as I had expected but it made it special knowing we were starting a new year in a foreign place together. And when Will had to go to the toilet (nature's toilet, aka behind a tree) I saw a real actual live shooting star! It was pretty amazing but over in a flash and I wish Will had seen it but a very positive start to the new year; a good omen for things to come I think.