Home is where the Heart Is

Not quite sure when night is over and morning starts here as the flight goes on for what seems like ever and arrival in London is set for 6 a.m. after a 13 hour flight and leaving Bangkok at midnight - I just don't know what the time of day is and my body clock certainly doesn't!

However, we got some sleep, we got some food and we got some entertainment and the flight arrives on time so here we go with the last stage of the journey - getting home! We get through arrivals and baggage pretty quick, despite being second to last off the plane, the only one after us was in a wheelchair, and as we go through the Duty Free area, we spot the flavoured Baileys that we had tried in Sydney Airport and hadn't seen anywhere else, so we treat ourselves and more importantly, my other daughter/Becky's sister. It is also a bonus to find that we have arrived at Terminal 3 which is great news because we thought we would arrive back to Terminal 5, where we left from four weeks ago, and would then have to find our way from there to Terminal 1 or 3 to get to the Central Bus Station to catch the National Express Bus home. It's lucky as I'm out of English Currency, only Becky has proper money, so when we've walked three miles through the underground tunnels leading from one terminal to another and finally get to the Central Bus Station, and it hasn't cost us a bus or taxi fare, she can at least buy the coffees.

It's pretty chilly, only 2 degrees apparently according to the pilot when we landed, but we have added layers during the course of the journey from Bangkok and the coats come out of the bags now and we're set to go, except that we have two hours to sit in the draughty waiting room. Finally the bus appears on the screens showing that at least it will be turning up to take us home - thank goodness! The bus was due to depart at 8.50 a.m. and by the time we've got all the bags in the hold and everyone onto the bus, it's a little late leaving but we're on the last part of the long journey that we've been on for the last four weeks, so we don't mind.

After a driver change, we get a stop at Gordano Services to get something to eat before setting off again for Plymouth and it is now that the rain starts, which gets more persistent the further west we go - it's nice to be home! We arrive at Plymouth slightly later than expected and most people leave the coach here, and quite a few get on for the remainder of the journey down through Cornwall. The new driver gets on the bus and checks through the list of stops, asking if there are requests for Liskeard, then Bodmin, then on through the rest of Cornwall at which point I'm thinking that the first stop will be Saltash and he didn't mention that so try to bring his attention to the fact that there are two for Saltash. At the end of his list, he asks if there are any other stops and I try again to tell him that there are two for Saltash whereby he checks his list again and with a blank look and a slight shake of the head, says "aahhh, yes, two for Saltash" as he returns to the top of his list and ticks us off. Fills you with confidence doesn't it?

At this point, I text my husband to let him know we're just leaving Plymouth in the hope that he will meet us from the bus in Saltash and as we approach that bridge, the rain gets harder - what a welcome home, funny how that always seems to happen! The bus stops to let us off and the driver gets our luggage out from the hold and John is there to help put the bags in the car and get us back under our roof and back home. Oh it's nice to be home and the dog is pleased to see us and even the cats are a little curious and John is probably really pleased to see us but does that thing where he tells us all about what he's been up to. It's funny how people do that - ask how your holiday was and then change the subject or tell you about their trip somewhere or someone they know who went somewhere. I'm very conscious that most people don't really want to know all the details, there's nothing more boring than someone else's holiday (well there probably is but not much)! I'm trying very hard not to bore people with all the details, but if you're reading this, then it's too late, sorry!

Finally, A Lazy Day

Today, at last, is the only day of the holiday when we might be able to have a lazy day to ourselves, and we have no-one else to answer to, so neither of us wants to do anything. Becky has her heart set on a day by the Pool and I'm just happy not to have to go on a tour or be rushed off somewhere or other. After sitting by the pool yesterday afternoon in the shade, Becky picks her spot for the longest amount of sun and I elect to go to McDonalds for a take-away breakfast. Yesterdays stop for coffee at McD's had got us hooked, so this morning's breakfast consisted of two orange juices, two coffees, an egg McMuffin and a sausage McMuffin (so we can go halfy halfies) and we sat by the pool in the rising sun to have our breakfast - one of the better breakfasts of the holiday!

Factor 50 has been applied in abundance so we're good to go but, for the first hour or so, we're the only ones by the pool this morning. The pool area is beautiful, as you enter you are met by this little cascading waterfall with the usual Buddha statue at the top, and the pool area is around behind this and up some steps. The bottom decking area is laid out with some tables and the trees have lights wrapped around them for nighttime effect, I presume. As we sit there quietly on our own I suggest having dinner here tonight (the decking area by the waterfall is laid up with tables and is one of the Hotel's restaurants) and Becky agrees that we probably should as its the last proper night of the holiday, the last night at the hotel, as our flight home is tomorrow night at midnight!

Gradually the loungers around the pool start to fill up and the temperature goes up as the sun gets higher. Lying in the sun, reading, is very pleasant and I'm not usually one for sunbathing (I'm not good at sitting still!) but I'm quite happy, even in the shade of the parasols. As the temperature rises, Becky goes for a dip in the pool to cool, and by midday we decide a caramel Cappuccino by the pool is the way to go so I talk to the nice chap who looks after the pool area and he orders them from the bar downstairs for me. They arrive with the usual cookies and that's enough to keep us going for most of the day!

By lunchtime, it is so warm that even I go for a dip in the pool and everyone knows that's unusual for me - I don't do water if I can help it as I don't enjoy swimming, however this is just right to cool down. Becky has several dips in the pool and even moves around the pool to different loungers to get the best bit of sun, she's like Goldilocks, trying them all out! Eventually, by about three in the afternoon, we've both had enough sun and decide to get dressed and go for a walk and maybe get some souvenir bargains!

We decide to try and get the Skytrain to the MBK Shopping Centre which is just one stop past Siam station and is the end of the line so we shouldn't miss it. I'm surprised to find that we get there without any problems and find our way into the Mall. It is huge, eight floors apparently but we don't go near most of them, we only manage three of them but Becky wants to get some bargains and bits to take home for her friends, good job I haven't got any to take crap back for! She soon finds some scarves and gets the girl to knock her prices down and she's happy that she's got a bargain. I spot some beautiful Thai silk scarves that are marked on sale at one stall and instead of 250 Baht they are down to 100 Baht. I ask the girl if I can have 6 for 500 Baht and she says 'no, they're on sale already', so I walk away and just as I've given up hope, she calls me back and agrees to my deal which I'm very happy with, as every other stall has the same scarves but all marked at 250 Baht each. We've both had a tiring couple of hours wandering around looking at everything, so many shops and stalls; we even stopped for a milkshake each, and Becky's managed to use an ATM to get some money out and it didn't swallow her card, phew! So we decide to head back to our stop and actually manage the Skytrain again and get off at the right stop, despite being stuck in the middle of the carriage and having to push our way off!

We get back to Nana station and walk back towards the Hotel, most of the stalls are already set up for business but it's funny as we walk along seeing the stallholders sat by their stalls, most of them are more interested in playing on their ipads, or watching films on said device (other devices are available), and we also have to avoid the walking (more wheelchair bound than walking to be fair) wounded and some of them aren't even walking as we have to make sure we dont step on the ones just laying on the pavement - there seems to be a lot of limbless people begging here which is distressing but obviously a big problem over here. I can't help but wonder if it's a result of their driving and the crazy motorcyclists that weave in and out between all the other vehicles. Not only are the pavements littered with handicapped bodies, the kerbstones and dips in the path keep you alert if you don't want to end up deformed too and as we round the corner by McDonalds I take a couple of photos of the electric cables that run along the streets from large junction boxes (these are at most of the junctions and are quite worrying, how they stay put is a miracle in itself!) at just above head height and I'm sure all of these things combine to be an accident waiting to happen!

Before going back to the Hotel, we call into the shopping mall opposite where Becky had seen a top she wanted so we get that and then head back to the room where we dump our shopping and then decide what to do next. Our usual catch up with the Hotel wifi in the Lobby and Becky goes to use the Hotel computers again whilst I sit and mind my own business with my IPad, blogging after I've caught up! We decide to go out for a walk to get the last few gifts and mementos so that we can get everything packed up in the morning and get a few bits, obviously well bargained over! It's dark by the time we get back to the Hotel and we can't be bothered to go back to the room to change so go straight to the Season Thai Restaurant by the pool area. It's really beautiful at night, although its a bit windy tonight, but lovely to eat in the warm evening open air, and we are the only ones there when we arrive, although others arrive after us. The very attentive waiters give us an insect repellent spray to use as we're near water so after a spray on all exposed bits, we go for a glass of wine each and order a couple of dishes so that we can go halfy halfies again.

We had a really good meal between us and didn't get bitten either so, all in all, a good night! Back to the room to finish off the bottle of wine, which I'm afraid I couldn't manage (too full) and Becky had to finish mine for me! What a lightweight I am! Still we get to bed, knowing that we have to get up and pack in the morning and at last we'll be on our way home.

Getting to know Bangkok

Basically, if you want to get around, don't get in a car/taxi/tuk-tuk, or go anywhere near the roads - they are so full of traffic that doesn't move for ages, you just can't even imagine it, so we're looking forward to the Half Day Tour that we booked ages ago when we booked the holiday which is going to take us around Bangkok and show us, as well as a few of the sights, how to use the Skytrain and other modes of transport - at least, that's how it was sold to us. The Tour is booked for 8 a.m. and we're down in the Lobby by 7.30 a.m. catching up with Facebook and Family and ready for when the Tour Guide arrives. Unfortunately, we haven't had breakfast, but that's ok because we're still adjusting to the new times and not really hungry yet!

At about 8 a.m. a nice lady comes to ask us if we're booked on a Tour and we show her the Voucher which she gives back and tells us it's her colleague and goes off to find her people. Then a funny little guy who reminds me of Hiro from the TV show 'Heroes' turns up and introduces himself to us as our Guide and says his name is 'Tom Mi' or Tommy I guess. He suggests Becky get a proper cardigan to cover her shoulders as the shawl we brought does not cover enough skin to go inside some of the Temples, although mine is ok, so she goes back to the room to get something else to wear. As he sits to run through a few details, we notice that it's raining outside - now that's not fair - we came here for sun! He tells us it won't last long, Becky returns, and after five minutes, we give it a go. Stepping out of the Hotel and the air-conditioning, we realise it's nothing like rain that we're used to - the temperature when we arrived last night was 30 degrees so it's probably 36 degrees now but will go up to 38 later according to Tommy and the rain is barely rain in this heat so we use Tommy's umbrella to stop us getting too wet. Being in the Hotel in the cool air-conditioned environment, makes you forget how hot it is outside.

By the time we round the corner of the street and head up to the Skytrain Station, the rain has stopped and Tommy has his umbrella back because he uses it for the Sun - who'd have thought umbrellas had a different use? He shows us very briefly how to get tickets for the Skytrain and we go through to the platform which is pretty crowded. There are marks on the edge showing where the train stops and where to queue, and a gap is left for passengers alighting so the people waiting can get on from queuing either side of that gap, and surprisingly they all queue patiently and orderly - I thought only the British could do that!

When the train arrives, and they run very frequently at this time of the morning, it is crowded but we all manage to ease ourselves in and stay put for the next three stops where we have to change at Siam Station. At this point I'm wondering if this bit is still called Siam then it must be where the King and I was set, one of my favourite films from when I was young, with Yul Brynner, and can almost picture it going on around me! Time to wake up and we follow Tommy off the train and to the next Platform onto the other line and are met with queues of about 30 people deep on each queuing line - the platform is jam packed and Tommy joins a queue so we follow him. The train arrives and fills up and the queue moves along and down to about 10 deep and a few minutes later the next train arrives which we manage to cram onto. Soon the train starts to empty so that we can sit and before long we get off for our stop. We have no idea where we are at this point but Tommy leads us down from the Skytrain Station and into a covered area where we are about to catch a Water Taxi up the river.

There is a big queue and whilst waiting a boat comes in rather quickly, suddenly slowing, and a boy at the rear of the boat with a whistle tweeting various toots steps onto the pontoon and wraps the rope around the bollard which brought the boat to a sharp stop for passengers to get off and new passengers to get on before accelerating away. This boat is apparently going in the opposite direction and before long our boat arrives with the same speed, wash and whistling and it fills up with the people in the queue, including us, and we manage to get a seat at the very front in a good position to see all the sights as well as all the debris in the water as we travel up the river. As the boat goes up the river, it stops at the stations with the same sudden movements and I realise that the whistles actually mean something: one long toot, two short; three short toots; one long toot going from high to low - these all seem to mean something but I have no idea what, good job the driver and the boy at the back know! I watch the driver watching the boy at the rear as he pulls the boat into the pontoons and how he reverses and then accelerates away when the rope comes off the bollard and am amazed that the rear of the boat isn't ripped away when it is suddenly tied up whilst the boat is still moving forwards!

Our stop looms and Tommy guides us to the rear of the boat ready to disembark, the whistles ring out and the boat moves in to the pontoon where it is tied up (and fortunately doesn't rip apart) and amongst great movement of the swell and pontoon together, we manage to get off and walk away without falling flat on our faces! Tommy leads us along the road and round the corner and we arrive at a Temple called Wat Pho (Wat means Temple) where we soon find ourselves with shoes removed and shoulders covered and in to see the Reclining Buddha, which didn't sound too impressive but when we see it, is amazing as it is HUGE. Apparently it's 46 metres long and 15 metres high and it's huge feet are covered with a picture story made from inlaid Mother of Pearl.

The surrounding temples and buildings are all very impressive with influences from China and India and probably many other countries but all are beautiful. There are some with ceramic flowers with a Chinese influence and others with jewels and gold and look quite Indian and everywhere there are more Buddhas. Tommy informs us that all us these are kept in good condition with regular renovating. There are triangular pyramid type buildings that Tommy says contain the remains of King Lama I and King Lama II etc, and that they each built many of the temples that we are visiting. It's not until Becky tells me later that I realise its King Rama not King Lama, it's just that Tommy can't say his 'r's' - it's an Asian thing.

When we leave this temple, we go to the Golden Palace next door, which isn't an Indian Takeaway, it is actually the Golden Palace with many buildings, some temples, all housing different Buddhas - I don't know why they need so many, but the first temple we enter has many people sat listening to a Buddhist Monk delivering a sermon to some of his pupils, apparently this doesn't happen every day, we're just lucky to witness it and we can take pictures too! Tommy explains that the feet are deemed as the lowest of the low (well, technically they are!) and cannot point at the Buddha so that's why we all have to kneel with our feet away from him!

Next we go to see the Emerald Buddha, which is the most revered by the Thais, and we are not allowed to take Photos, a chap at the front makes sure of that (not) but he does point to a few people blatantly taking photos and wave his hands at them! The Emerald Buddha is not actually made of emeralds but of Jade, making it green and he is clothed according to the season so at the moment is wearing a nice gold cloak as it is winter but will shortly be changed into a nice little number for the spring and then later in the year he changes his outfit for the rainy season! Only e King is allowed to touch him and change his clothes, sounds like a fun game! From here we go into other temples where we are not allowed to take photos and see other Buddhas that we can photo so it all seems a bit hit and miss but we do get a nice picture of us outside the temple, taken by Tommy!

The buildings are amazing, so much gold everywhere if they ever have an economic crises, they can just use all these buildings! The buildings are guarded by huge demons three times the size of us mere humans and quite what these statues will do I don't know but they're impressive as are the half human, half bird statues made of gold. These palaces are definitely more like the Siam of the King and I that I was imagining earlier.

We leave here and by this time we are starting to feel quite hungry so Tommy stops a tuk-tuk and we climb in to go find some lunch then have a look at the backpackers area. It is not the most comfortable of rides, being open to the heat and fumes of the traffic surrounding us - it is basically a small motorbike with a frame built around it and a bench seat set behind the driver which comfortably takes two passengers, three is a bit of a squash! There is a cover/roof which I managed to bang my head on as we clambered out in a very unladylike fashion.

We walk to a small untidy looking Noodle Bar that Tommy knows and we leave him to order for us. Neither of us know quite what to expect but we get a bowl of noodles with beef and vegetables and, slightly more worryingly, two round objects which I assume are meatballs (I fear the emphasis is on 'balls') and I don't really want to ask too many questions so we get stuck in with the chopsticks and don't do too badly - the condiments on the table consist of a bowl of dried chillies, a vinegar mix of goodness knows what and sugar - not what we're used to! After lunch Tommy lets us know that if we want to see any shows whilst in Bangkok, he can get tickets, and seems quite keen to tell us about the Ladyboys show (I think it likely that this is Tommy's other job)!

After our lunch we walk through the Backpackers Area which is probably a lot livelier at night but just as interesting during the day. When we come out the other end of this area, Tommy tells us to wait while he gets a taxi, if the taxi knows we are with him, he will have to pay more so we wait to one side and he soon calls us over to clamber into the back of a taxi. We get into one of those long queues of traffic after driving along a couple of roads and chopping between lanes, when we are at a standstill, the engine suddenly cuts out and the worried female driver talks to Tommy in Thai, presumably discussing the problem! She keeps trying to restart it and eventually it does, fortunately before the traffic starts moving again. The driver tries to change lanes, moving to the left but there isn't room and nothing's moving. The engine cuts out again and won't restart this time for some time. Eventually it restarts, then stops again. Seems like our lucky streak has hit us again! Tommy buys a bag of fried bananas from vendors walking down between the lines of traffic, presumably to keep us happy, and the driver gets out and goes to the boot to get a bottle of water which she then takes to the front of the car and lifts the bonnet and with a rag and not enough hands, she eventually manages to get some water into whatever it was that was overheating. As she's doing this, the traffic lights at some junction ahead change and the traffic starts to move and all vehicles go around us. The driver gets back in and restarts the car which fortunately gets going this time and we manage to get through the lights but Tommy obviously decides it's time to get out so we get dropped before the next junction and have to walk across a very busy crossroad to a bus stop where, luckily for us, a tuk-tuk stops to drop a lady off and Tommy is able to negotiate a lift to the nearest Skytrain station.

At the station, Tommy buys our tickets and we board the train when it arrives and he tells us that he is leaving us at Siam station to go back to his office and we need to stay on until Nana station, where we had got on in the morning, so I think we can manage! As we walk back to the Hotel, for the first time we notice that there is a McDonald's on the corner of the road which we hadn't seen until now so I suggest to Becky that we have a decent coffee which turns out to be a good plan. Suitably refreshed, we then head towards the Hotel and stop to admire some sparkly handbags opposite in what appears to be a shopping mall so we enter and have a look around. It seems fairly new with most shops open and a few closed but it's quite nice to browse and there's a supermarket at one end so we go in to buy some water and also get a bottle of red wine for later, and then return to the Hotel for a cool down and decide to spend a couple of hours by the pool. Unfortunately the sun has passed over and is now behind the hotel and whilst it is still very warm, the sun shines on just one spot which is taken up by sunbathers who have had that spot for most of the day by the look of it. Still, it's nice to rest by the pool and cool, slightly.

When we return to our room to change out of our swimming costumes, we decide to go down and sit in the Hotel Lobby for a while to catch up with home and Facebook and, whilst there, accidentally order a cocktail each, seeing as we can! They turn up and go down very nicely, then Becky decides to try her luck with the Hotel computers so that she can do her Blog and whilst she is gone, I order myself a Caramel Cappucino which, when it arrives, is so pretty it seems a shame to drink it and spoil the pattern on the top, but I do, and it also comes with two cookies. I feel a bit guilty after, having spoilt myself and not Becky so when she comes back from her Blogging, I suggest another Cappucino each and of course she goes with that!

After a while we decide to go for a walk and have a look at some of the street markets and maybe pick-up something to eat. We walk along the street and dare not look at anything for too long as we are asked how much we'll pay for any of it. There is only a narrow walkway between the shops on one side and the stalls laid out on the other side of the pavement next to the road. There are a couple of Massage Shops that we pass and whilst one of them looks like it probably is a Massage Parlour, one definitely looks more like Ladyboys offering a different kind of massage! We cross over via a bridge and walk back along the other side and cross back over via another bridge and then look up some of the side streets where we find a stall with various meats on skewers being cooked up. Becky bravely asks what's what and we choose a beef one each (I think we both err on the side of caution - chicken and pork not being quite so good if undercooked!) and then we get a banana pancake to share and that's dinner. We head back to the Hotel room for a glass of wine, as we've found another great label and it was nice and cheap here, and it tastes ok too, so hopefully a good nights sleep for us both after such a busy day.

I Come From A Land Down Under

Today is the day - we're moving on again and this is the penultimate journey, flight, and stay of the whole journey. We get up early to say a fond farewell to Sue and Phil who both have to work today, and to thank them for their generosity whilst we've been with them. It's only been six days but it seems like a week, no it seems like we've been with them for ages!

After a quick run through of where to leave everything and what to lock up with, we're left to get ourselves packed up and ready to go and Phil has left us with his IPad to use the Go-Catch App to get a taxi for the airport when we're ready to go. I'm wary of this, I like to have things booked and organised so doing it at the last minute just doesn't sit right with me, however he assures me it'll work just fine!!!

Breakfast and coffees keep us going and the packing is completed again, not that much really came out of the cases, but before long we are ready to go again and I bring my sheets and towels down to the washing machine ready to be washed but don't want to set it going as it'll probably break, but at least I've tidied up! At last it's nearly time to go so we use the Go-Catch App to request a taxi which takes about 3 minutes before one responds and confirms and we can then track him as he drives towards us, telling us that he will be with us in ten minutes. I'm impressed and as he gets closer, we get our cases down the stairs and make sure we've locked up everything that needs to be locked up, then the final challenge is to get the cases out to the top of the drive, and ourselves, then to press the button to close the garage door and place the closer inside the garage before running out, hopefully not getting trapped inside with everything else outside! Phew, did it, just like Indiana Jones in a very girly way!

Once again, it's a lovely day and a shame to be travelling but needs must as they say. We manage to get down the steep drive with our bags in one piece and we've only been waiting a couple of minutes when the taxi arrives. I could definitely get used to this, as he picks up the bags and packs them into the boot for us! The friendly driver chats as he drives us to the airport, telling us as we approach the Sydney Harbour Bridge and pass a truck stuck in the middle between freeways that it had held up the traffic that morning as it was too high to go through under a bridge - I bet the commuters loved that!

Arriving at the airport, once again having checked-in online the day before, we just drop off our bags and collect the boarding passes and then make our way through departures and security and into the Duty Free area where, once again, we find free liquor and this time there's three to choose from, two of which were flavoured Baileys which went down surprisingly well, even though it was still before noon! After trying these, we then continued through and Becky started looking at some jewellery, where a nice young lady tried to encourage her to look harder for something she might like!

It seems she had decided that she'd like to get herself some Australian Opal jewellery to remind her of her trip so I continued to look around at the other pieces, wondering if I should get something for the granddaughters and that they were probably too young. At this point, my eyes were drawn to some very pretty, sparkly items and upon closer inspection, I found a necklace that I just couldn't take my eyes off, it was sooooo pretty, with all colours of crystals in it. The girl suggested that I try it and I was tempted so agreed. When she passed it to me, it was quite heavy, a sign of quality I think you'll find, and as I put it round my neck, I was caught. I had to have it, and whilst it was probably more than I've ever spent on a piece of jewellery in my entire life, I thought 'I can treat myself', I had allowed myself a certain amount of money in my account and hadn't used it all so, yes, I could treat myself and I would, so there! Then, I noticed the bracelet that went with it and I should probably have the earrings too - Oh, go on then! As I was treating myself, I sort of said I'd pay for Becky's Opals too as it was easier to put it all on one card and only have the one commission charge, ooops! Also, sorry to the granddaughters, no jewellery for you two! I hope it wasn't the alcohol consumed just prior to purchase that is to blame!

Time to move on, quick, before either of us spots anything else! I did purchase a couple of little soft toys for the granddaughters in one of the shops and then had to go and sit down quick, before I spent any more! Whilst sitting waiting for the flight, they showed a short film of Bangkok and what to buy and how much cheaper everything is and I just began to wonder if I should take the jewellery back ... Nah!

It wasn't too long before the flight was called and we were herded on for the last but one flight. Finally leaving 'Down Under' and getting back to the northern hemisphere - a step in the right direction! A nine hour flight to Bangkok and by this stage I was kind of wishing it was home instead, but still, not long to go!

When we arrived in Bangkok, we went through pretty quickly and out into the Arrivals Lounge where we soon saw someone from Oriental Escapes and a piece of paper with our names on - Phew! You don't know how good it is to see that when you arrive at a foreign airport where the language is not your own and not anything like it - it doesn't even use the same letters of the alphabet! We were quickly guided through the airport with the young man taking two of our cases, and when we eventually came to a exit and taken outside, the heat hit us like stepping into an oven or sauna - Wow!

However, soon we were in the air conditioned car and were given bottles of iced water and driven into Bangkok itself. The roads were pretty good at 9 p.m. at night, until we got into the city itself, then it was a real eye-opener and we just couldn't believe the traffic. It just didn't move for ages and then it all streamed forward and cars swapped lanes and went into gaps that weren't even there - it was frightening! When we arrived at the Hotel, our bodies were telling us it was early hours of the morning and we needed our beds, so we checked in and our bags were taken to the room for us and before we knew it, we were ready for bed.

Goodbyes

This morning, we've barely woken up when the peace is broken by Philip and the children all arriving with Auntie's newspaper - a regular sunday morning occurrance. Probably, most Sundays, Auntie will be up and waiting for them! Today, the children are confronted with Auntie Sue and Uncle Phil still tucked up in the sofabed in the Lounge which Auntie had been trying to keep secret from the two littlest children so that they won't want it put up every time they call. Next time they call, they will be told that Uncle Phil and Auntie Sue took the bed with them - lets hope that works!

We all have coffees and come to while the kids jump all over Uncle Phil - he definitely has his uses! It's really nice to see them all this morning as this is our last chance before going back to Sydney and then our next flight tomorrow morning. So we have a final catch-up with cousin Philip anf say our goodbyes to him and the children before he takes his leave with the children and then we get ourselves up and breakfasted. Before long, it's time to make our way and before moving on we say a quick and very fond farewell to my Auntie, trying to keep it quick to keep the tears at bay, and we head back to Sydney to leave Auntie to her usual Sunday lunch meeting with friends.

It's another lovely day and getting away before lunch means that the roads back to Sydney shouldn't be too busy yet. Sue and Phil suggest stopping at a place called 'Pie in the Sky' which is a roadside cafe on the old Pacific Highway road back to Sydney, a road that Phil uses when he's out on one of his Motobike rides. Sue hasn't been before but has always wanted to, even though she can't eat Pie! Still, we can so it sounds like a good idea to us and we get parked in the dirt car park only to see three police cars parked, obviously getting their lunch, and Phil makes a mental note that lunchtimes is a good time to use the road and avoid getting seen by the Police! As we get out of the car, another car parks in the corner of the dirt area and there is suddenly a very loud bang and cloud of dust from his front offside and apparently he has had a blowout - that was probably meant for us and somehow, someone else has had our bad luck today - how lucky is that?

We have to negotiate the many bikers and their parked bikes as this is obviously as popular a place for them as the road is because of the bends - when they put in the new Freeway, they made it nice and straight whereas the old road has lots of uphill and downhill bends - apparently what bikers love (along with pies)! The long list of pies makes it hard to make a decision but, eventually we decide and order and Becky wins the paying game, and we sit at a table in the sun enjoying the view over the bush where they have had plenty of fires, but it's all looking good and green today.

Pies devoured and drinks drunk and Sue's eaten her packed lunch she brought with her, so we move on and continue along the old road and before long we are in the Ku-ring-gai National Park and park up in an area called Bobbin Head and go for a walk along the Gibberagong Walking Track through the Mangroves to an area where rock carvings show where Aborigines used to live and used the rocks to make tools and carvings.

There are also some amazing trees growing at strange angles and with branches that make very odd shapes. This one in particular looks like a giant bird perched on a rock!

Then we walk to where there is a Marina and admire the beautiful setting where, all along the edge of the river there are picnic areas with bar-b-q's provided for people to use, all you need to do presumably is get there early enough to claim the one you want - what a good idea. I suppose if we had better weather in the UK, we might have some of these?


After such a lovely walk in beautiful sunshine, we are quite satisfied, but after returning home and getting ourselves settled back in, we decide to go out to a place called Balmoral Beach to get some fish and chips to eat by the beach.

When we get there, it is absolutely beautiful, but unfortunately rather too windy to sit out and eat so we walk along the front and admire the view as the sun sets across the bay, and from the small peninsula that goes out into the bay, we can see the remains of the Shark Net that was used after a number of fatal shark attacks and was erected in 1935 and only removed in 2008! Fills you with confidence!

After a pleasant stroll, we then head off to a Thai Restaurant not far from where Sue and Phil live to have dinner and prepare Becky and I for the next part of the journey. Fortunately, we've remembered the two bottles of almost empty red wine from our two meals out and this gives us a chance to use them up to save them being thrown down the sink - such a waste!

A Little Piece of Haven

Today, we have no need to get up too early so when I get up to use the facilities at 8.30 a.m., I'm surprised to find I'm the only one up as my Auntie had said she gets up at 6 a.m. evey morning. When I come out of the bathroom, she's emerged from her bedroom where she's been quietly waiting for movement, so I go and put the kettle on and slowly, people start to wake up and get moving.

After some breakfast, my Auntie takes us for a guided tour of her Retirement Village, showing us the main 'Village' hall which has communal facilities for residents which includes just about all you could possibly want. There are rooms for all sorts of different things - cards, table tennis, darts, library and a kitchen where you can help yourself to tea/coffees etc., and even a beautiful swimming pool outside.

The whole area is landscaped with paths and a stream that just make you feel like sitting and soaking it all up. It truly is a place where you would want to spend your retirement (well I would), with like minded people, all enjoying the facilities as and when you feel the need.

We have a light lunch back at Auntie's and leave her to have a restful afternoon as we go off to Philip's house to spend some time with the family again, where we get introduced to the family pets, Rex the dog and Fluffy the rabbit. After a quick tour of the house, I go for a drive with Philip to pick up one of the children who's been out on a playdate. It's really good to catch-up and also to see a bit of the area where he lives, the beach there is beautiful and apparently where a lot of Sydney's residents head for the weekend! When we return, the little ones get very over-excited in their home environment and once again, Uncle Phil gets the full brunt of their excitement!

Becky and I struggled with what little gifts we could bring for these children who don't even know us, but felt we should bring something. Rather than something like sweets when we arrived in Australia (although previously mentioned Lindt Chocolates had been bought as a back-up plan), we decided on something a bit more British and bought three items from Heathrow Airport that were probably left over from the Jubilee/Olympics last year! We gave these items to the kids at this point and the excitement was soon curtailed as they asked what they'd been given and then threw them aside to continue playing with Uncle Phil. The Chocolates were a little better received!

It is decided that we'll go down to the beach and then for a walk to the Haven, we have no idea what that is but it all sounds good. We park in the ample parking area and meet up with the family when they arrive, then make our way down to the beach, down the slipway, only to find there are a large number of Pelicans in the water there which is quite normal for the locals, I'm sure, but is really surreal, and quite exciting, for us!

The children and adults enjoy wave jumping and we all get our feet wet, in fact most of us even get clothing well past the knee wet too, but it's all dried in the sun pretty quickly and then it's time to share chips at the beach cafe before walking up the path, along which Becky finds a suitable pole to try for another photo opportunity for her Pole Group. She manages to climb and strike a pose quite quickly, but not quick enough as the two youngest children decide to come back and help, and want to climb the pole too. Good old Uncle Phil steps in to lift them up the pole and they're soon sliding down. Becky suggests that if she gets into position, Uncle Phil can lift one of them onto her lap, which works well for the photo!

We continue the walk up the hill to enjoy the views from an area called The Skillion which is part of an area called The Haven where we enjoy fantastic views from the two viewing platforms provided as this is a good spot to see Whales as they pass along the coast but, unfortunately, we've timed it wrong again.

Time is getting on so we return to the cars, and get back to Auntie, only to find her having had all her old photo albums out and had a lovely afternoon of tears and smiles, looking through them and remembering a lot of good times.

Once again, we go out for a meal with all the family and to a Chinese Restaurant this time, and we remember to take a bottle (fortunately Phil had bought half a dozen, hopefully not because he thought we'd have drunk them all before it was time for us to leave, more because it's always good to have some in store in case of visitors like us!) - I love these Bring Your Own places - what a good idea! We arrive after Philip and his family as we had to return because Auntie realised five minutes down the road that she had forgotton to put her teeth in (not the whole lot, just a couple of falsies!) so we returned for her to save herself any embarrassment. As we left once again for the restaurant, she said "Don't tell them why we're late!"

When we arrive, the large round table has a paper tablecloth for which the restaurant provides a pot of crayons and already the children have written and drawn over quite a lot of the spaces. Much fun is had by everyone writing comments and scribbling out and re-writing, and drawing pictures of each other. Becky was talking to Philip's wife soon after we arrived and Auntie asks if Becky was telling them about her and her teeth, which she wasn't but now everyone knows anyway!

It's a lovely meal, once again everyone shares their dishes and the lazy susan in the middle is constantly spinning one way and then the other so I manage to keep missing out on most of the food as it whizzes past, still its good for the diet I'm starting when I get home!

Catching up with Family

Today is the day that we're heading up to visit my Auntie, the one who inspired the trip, and Sue and Phil are both taking us up to Gosford area for the weekend - we thought that Phil would have to join us later but he's managed a day of 'work from home' and so we head off after breakfast, leaving at about 10 a.m. for the hour and half journey. The traffic is busy but isn't too bad and I think Sue's glad that Phil's here to drive as we hit the Freeway. The journey goes well and we arrive for a very happy and tearful reunion, and a coffee and catchup before heading off to the nearest Shopping Mall for lunch. The Australians do this so well, I don't know why we can't get this kind of development over in the UK.

There's a nice cafe situated in the middle of the Mall that Sue and my Auntie use fairly regularly because they provide for coeliacs and vegetarians as well as your average meat eaters too - so it suits us all! We all order our lunch/late breakfasts and I manage a win on the paying front and also get a money off voucher which Sue can use another time - bonus!

We have a quick wander around the Mall on the way back to the car and find one of the Pet Shops that every Mall seems to have over here, with puppies and kittens in cages in the window and stop for the obligatory 'ooohs and aaahs' - and manage to get away without buying one, but it was close!

We get back to Auntie's place and continue with the reminiscing until my Auntie is sent for a rest or she won't be able to come out to play later - that's dinner! We all play with our respective devices, and when she returns an hour or so later, the memories and questions continue about our families and it is lovely to hear her remembering things she thought she had long forgotten!

The plan is to meet up with Sue's brother Philip and his family at an Indian Restaurant just down the road from Auntie's place at about 7 p.m. as Philip has some tutoring to do first. A table is booked and we arrive shortly before the family which is when Becky and I realise that it is another one of those BYO places and we haven't Brung Our Own - but here, Phil comes to the rescue and pops over to a Bottle Store and manages to find some more of the wine from his Vineyard which will sort us out nicely - thanks Phil!

When Philip arrives with his wife and three children, chaos ensues and children and adults all intermingle and we're not quite sure who belongs to who. Introductions are made and we're told that Philip has told his children that we talk like the Queen, so that's something to try and live up to! I think the children are completely confused as we look nothing like the Queen and probably don't sound anything like her either - poor confused kids!

Becky and I are placed safely at the end of the table and have a chance to catch up with cousin Philip, who spent a year living with my Mum and Dad when he was a mere teenager and it has got to be over 30 years ago, but at that time, we got on really well, being similar ages. Catching up is really good, he hasn't changed except for the greying hair, like the rest of us, except his is only on his chin now! It's a very nice meal, dishes being swapped around amongst most of us, except for Sue and Auntie as their diets prevent them from eating ours, but we get to try theirs which seems unfair but, Oh well! The wine goes down well and we even take a little left in the bottom back with us, and it makes us feel even more like a couple of old alkies when no-one else drinks alcohol - not even the children!

After the meal, it is decided not to stay here for dessert but to call at an Ice-Cream Place in Terrigal Beach, just near to where Philip and family live and the children all seem quite perky still and raring to go, so we all pile into the respective cars and make our way to get dessert. We manage to park along the road from the Shop so it's not too far for Auntie to walk and then, meeting the family in the shop, we take about 15 minutes for everyone to decide on the flavours, cone or cup, one or two scoops, required and finally get the order placed. We sit outside the shop on the sidewalk and the little ones crawl all over Uncle Phil like a rash, at one point almost falling off his head onto the road behind him, but they're saved by Sue's quick thinking! It's warm, but raining, but we have a really good time with all the family and all too soon the ice creams are gone and the kids are failing (along with the rest of us) so it's time to head home with a promise to see everyone tomorrow.

Catching up with friends

The next morning, we decide to try to get into Sydney to meet the sister of my good friend from back home. She is over here at present because her husband is working on a project here and they arrived about a year ago for three months and are still here for at least another three months so only overshot by a year, not bad! In fact it's her fault that Becky and I have come on this trip as when she first came over a year ago, I suggested to my friend that I pass her sister my cousin's email address just in case she needed to have a contact in Sydney. This resulted in Sue and her meeting up and getting on reasonably well, so when she came back to the UK for a visit, she came to visit her sister and wanted to thank me for the connection. When we met up, she suggested I come out to visit and I replied that I would not be doing the journey again, ever. However, she planted the seed and when I went home and thought about it, I decided I should make one last trip out to see my Auntie and family as none of us are getting any younger and it's a chance to catch up on some family history.

Before coming out, my friend and I had discussed the coincidence of being in Australia at the same time and actually thought we would be in Sydney at the same time, which didn't work out, so we're here the week before they arrive! Sue had been in touch and had arranged to meet my friend's sister and we were going to meet up yesterday, but she has her son over at the moment so they made the most of the nice weather yesterday to get a beach day in. Today, it looks like there's a small window of opportunity and it would be a shame to come all this way and not see her so, after Sue's spoken on the phone with her, we get moving so we can get a fairly early bus and meet at about 11 at Darling Harbour, the other side of the bridge to the area we were in yesterday. Becky is barely out of the shower when we give her the good news of our imminent departure and she isn't impressed. As we walk to the bus stop she drags her feet like a stubborn five year old, in fact the stubborn five year old she used to be (up until about last year!)

It isn't such a nice day and by the time we've walked down to Darling Harbour, it is decidedly grey and could even rain! We meet up with hugs all round and her husband joins us for a short while (he goes off to do some shopping and leaves us ladies to it) so we start walking around the harbour, which is quite a long walk, and get about half way when Becky's need for coffee becomes apparent as her tongue is hanging out by this stage. We have coffees and a nice catch up and her husband soon rejoins us. We're conscious that they want to get back to their son but they decide to have lunch so we join them and even Phil comes and joins us from his work, which is only about ten minutes away. It's a really nice lunch with lovely company and we even get to meet their son as well, plus, we're sat under cover and miss the quick shower whilst lunching and when it's time for us all to move on, we say our farewells and Sue, Phil, Becky and I can't resist the Lindt Chocolate Shop and accidentally make a few purchases, more gifts for our hosts and family than for ourselves, tempting as it is!

Although it's still grey and overcast, we get the bus and head back to Sue's car (as previously mentioned, don't walk if you can drive) which is parked just up the road from their house and just around the corner from the bus stop! I have some gifts to send back to the UK for my little granddaughters and we drive to the Post Office (about 200 yards), managing to park on the road outside and get the items posted off, costing more to post again than the items cost in the first place!

We pop back to the house to gather ourselves and, before long, Sue suggests a ride out to Bradley's Head for a walk. I think we both could probably have just sat with our feet up but we get going and drive through the Sydney traffic through an area called Mosman, an area on the lower North Shore, which developed originally as a Whaling Community, but doesn't look like that now, and then go quickly from very built-up to very rural and arrive at the area known as Bradley's Head. We drive right through to the end of the road and park, where there are two huge white wedding cars sat in the car park and as we emerge from the car we see a Wedding Party down on the bit of Headland having some lovely photos taken with the Sydney Harbour, Bridge and Opera House in the far distance - how lovely!



It is a really pleasant walk along the boardwalk which leads to a small and secluded beach, the weather is brightening up and as we turn to return to the car, Sue let's out a huge scream and we all jump, thinking we're going to have to run for our lives, but it turns out to be one of those Australian spiders, in a web across the path, and it was all of half a centimetre in size and probably no different to the ones we walk into when walking the dog in the morning back home - scare over!


Back at the car park, there is a memorial to the HMAS Sydney in the form of a huge Mast which in the year 2000 was re-dedicated to all Australian ships and sailors lost in conflict. Probably of more note, this area was used in some scenes for Mission Impossible II, in fact the area where they had been taking wedding photos earlier! There is a Lighthouse still in use and as I take a photo, I notice the signpost for 'Chowder Head' and that reminds me of The Simpsons and makes my day!

Heading back through the Sydney suburbs, it is surprising how busy it is but all keeps moving and we're back home again before long. Phil has beaten us home and prepared tea, oh no he hasn't, so we decide to have a Chinese take away which suits us fine! After a catchup with my Son back home, we watch the film Flight which was very enjoyable but once again, we could do without flight disasters being brought to our attention, thanks!

Crossing the Great Divide (Sydney Harbour Bridge)

We had decided to spend some time in Sydney so we get up in our own time, which is unfortunately still tuned in to a mix between Brisbane and New Zealand time, so I'm awake about 6 and because we've got our own rooms, I haven't a clue whether Becky's awake or not. As we're with family and my cousin's husband is a computer whizz, the wifi is accessible all over the house and doesn't cost anything, unlike the wifi in the motel in New Zealand which admittedly only cost $5 but lasted 5 minutes and was long enough for us both to get on Facebook but not to reply to any messages and certainly not to do any blogging! So I think I'll see if anyone's around at home and FaceTime the family for a catchup, which is amazing, instant chatting and being able to see them as well - and I take the IPad down to Becky to see if she's awake so she can catch up too. My daughter back in England is bringing us up to date when her baby wakes and starts to cry and she takes us with her, up the stairs and into her room, where we join her as she plugs the dummy back in and the baby settles back to sleep. This new technology is amazing and I'm sorry but I just can't get over the fact that we're on the other side of the world and are walking around a house back in England. My parents would never believe it if they were alive today! I can barely believe it, when I was a child, blah blah blah ...

During the night, Becky was woken by her phone receiving an email and found that she has an interview when she gets back to England for the next stage in her life so she's very excited and let's me and her sister know whilst catching up. Then we try to Skype John to let him know the good news and we manage a chat where he can see us, but we can't see him - probably just as well, we have only just woken up!

When my cousin gets up, not realising we were up because we were being so quiet, we decide that we'll go out for breakfast so leisurely get up, showered and dressed and by the time we're ready to go, it's well after ten so we drive to a place in one of the many inlets around the Sydney harbour and Sue takes us to a tucked away place called 'Echo On The Marina' where they serve breakfast 'til 11 and we just make it in time!


The photo below is from the top of the area looking down to where the restaurant sits right on the water. After a beautiful breakfast, and a bit of a walk around the headland (we drive from one side to the other, probably less than half a mile) and view it from the other side, where we took the photo, then we head back home to pick up our bits and head off to catch a bus into Sydney.


The bus turns up and Sue pays our fares using a system whereby you buy a card from a newsagents and it has a set number of journeys on so you just 'dip' the card in the machine - no talking to the bus driver! She dips three times for us, telling the driver at which he grunts his 'ok' and the journey then takes about half an hour and we're in The Rocks area near the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge but unfortunately the famous market is only on at weekends but its nice to have a look around and it brings back memories of our other visits. We make our way to Circular Quay and take a few pictures of the Opera House, again - it hasn't changed from last time! Then we decide to have an ice cream as we're not hungry after our late breakfast. It's very pleasant sitting in the sun on the Quay eating our ice creams and listening to what sounds very like an English busker doing his version of Mumford's hits and some others which I can't remember!

Then we head for the Harbour Bridge and find that we have a couple hundred steps to climb to get up to street level on the bridge. When we came out to Australia in 2000, we all did the Bridge Climb (except John, for the same reason as he hasn't come on this trip, i.e. fear of heights) and thoroughly enjoyed it - you get an amazing view of the city from the top of the bridge. I discussed it with Becky before we left home and we decided we didn't need to do it again, plus it is very expensive to do the official Bridge Climb. Sue and Phil had suggested walking over as there is a dedicated pedestrian path so that's where we're heading and it doesn't disappoint. The views are just as amazing, albeit only in one direction, but it's the right direction as we can see the Opera House and Circular Quay and the ferries that criss cross the harbour all day long.

When we get to the other side, we go to catch a bus home and have a while to wait until it turns up so while we're waiting Becky spots a likely looking traffic sign and we leave Sue to go for a photo opportunity for Becky's Pole group and manage a nice shot (if i do say so myself) with the Harbour Bridge in the background. Eventually, the bus comes and when we arrive back, before going to the car, we stop at the local supermarket for a few bits which I win and pay for! I still find it strange that you can't buy alcohol in a supermarket here, having walked around looking, but Sue takes us to a Bottle Shop where we find a nice bottle of red wine with a lovely label and a beautiful whale on it, I just wish I could remember what it was called to look out for it again! We walk to the car, parked just around the corner and drive two minutes down the road to the house and soon we're home again and ready to put our feet up.

Luckily for Becky, as previously mentioned, Phil is a computer whizz and there's at least four laptops in use around the dining room, not counting the others in all the other rooms, so Becky has been set up with a Laptop to use and soon settles herself down to getting her blogs up to date. We have a nice relaxed dinner and a quiet evening, all sat playing/using our respective devices - whatever happened to the old fashioned art of conversation?

The Land Down Under Part Deux

Once again, the time has flown by and although it was only a couple of days here with Mike, it has gone really quicky but we are both really glad that we made the effort to stop in and see him, and surprisingly i think he is too. This morning, we are leaving the Motel and Mike is very kindly taking us to the airport but wants to stop and show as Rakaia Gorge on the way. I'm just hoping that we get to the airport in time and that we don't get a puncture/have an accident/get caught in a traffic jam. any of those wouldnt surprise me, the luck weve had so far!

It's not long before we get to the Gorge and even though, once again, the weather is dull and cloudy and we still didn't get to see Mike's Mountain, it really is a gorgeous Gorge with a lovely blue river winding through and under a rickety old bridge that I'm surprised is still standing and hasn't been replaced by something twice the size and much newer and shinier.


After this, as we're driving along one of those long straight roads, we see a car stopped on the side of the road with a man stood next to it and a traffic cone in the road, at which point we all think 'strange' but Mike carries on and then we realise why, as we are suddenly confronted with a road full of sheep!


We realise soon after that we haven't had breakfast and stop in a nice little town called Darfield and find a good coffee shop for breakfast and pastries. Before we know it, we're back in Christchurch and arrive at the airport where Mike leaves us to get on with our journey, just a short flight to Sydney. It's a very good airport, modern, clean and we get to use our 'smart' passports - we're very impressed. I guess this will be how we'll all be travelling soon! No one to speak to, just look in the eye of the camera and run your passport through a scanner and your history is known to all! Still, it was all very quick and painless and we had a free trial of some liquor on the way through duty free and a look round the shops for last minute souvenirs which decide not to bother with, and a bit of free wifi before boarding for a very pleasant flight.

We were met at Sydney airport by cousin Sue who hasn't changed much since I last saw her in 2006 when I came out with my other daughter to visit my son while he was backpacking around Australia. Abbie came with me to see Adam as it was his birthday while he was away but we had a two week trip, three days of which were spent in Hong Kong and a week with Adam in Coffs Harbour having a proper holiday! We came back to Sydney for the remaining few days and stayed in a city centre hotel, and spent a day with the family but it was a difficult time as my mother had just passed away and she was the sister to my Australian auntie who we came to visit. At that time, my uncle was also quite ill, having recently undergone surgery and unfortunately died later that year. All in all, it wasn't a good year! While Adam had been travelling, he had stayed with Sue and Phil. Now, we're driving back to Sue and Phil's place after going through the weepy reunion and whilst catching up, Becky remarks about how it's her turn to come with me this time as Abbie came last time. Sue seems a little blank and we find out later that she thought 'how rude, coming to Australia and not coming to say hello!' It seems her memory is worse than mine, and I thought mine was bad!

Back to the journey back to their house and Sue wants to stop at the local supermarket to do a quick shop. She works full time and has taken three days off to look after us so we're extremely grateful and offer to pay for the small amount of shopping (I've never done a shop that small, I don't think, even when I've just gone out for milk!), so we argue about who's to pay and Sue wins this time, but I will win and get my purse out before we go! It brings back memories from our previous visits, going to the Australian supermarket. They're so much nicer than ours in England!

Its nice to be back in Sue and Phils home, they have a lovely place (but i think the driveway would put me off as you have to take a run at it with the car - it has a very steep slope at the bottom!). Anyway, we get to settle in and have a bedroom each which we've got used to from the last stop and then Phil gets home from work, and after a quick catch up with him, he takes us out for half an hour to show us the sights arounds the area in which they live and Sue stays to cook dinner.

When we return, we have a nice home cooked meal of fish and vegetables and can relax afterwards, Phil even manages to find a bottle of red wine for Becky and I, which apparently comes from a vineyard that he owns a share of, and fortunately for us, neither Sue or Phil drink so, although he has a small taste, it's all down to us!

All in a days work

This is pretty much the only day here with Mike in Methven and he is determined to show us his favourite sights on this beautiful island as we just haven't got the time to do it all. He has shown Becky and other friends on Facebook the pictures of the mountains that surround him and presumably make this the skiing resort that it is, but there is absolutely no sign of any mountains and we think he's just been putting pictures from books on for all to see - hmmm!

So when he picks us up for a day trip to see views, we don't hold out much hope of seeing much as its just like a day at home only not quite as cold as it is at present, more like a cold cloudy summers day! We pick up some breakfast on the way and, being a truck driver, Mike knows all the places to stop for the best food and his local supermarket is apparently one and doesn't disappoint, greasy and cheesy as it is -yummmm. This is also how he knows which views to take us to see so we are completely in his hands! As we drive along, I am amazed at the long straight roads, they are like the roads home in England, if you got someone on each end of the road and pulled and pulled until its straight and seemingly three times longer! The roads go on and on and on and then you come to a junction and turn left or right and then they go on and on again! Why didn't we build our roads like that a couple of hundred years ago when then were just dirt tracks? The weather is still grey and it starts to drizzle, even more like home and its not looking good as we approach some mountains where the roads actually have a few bends in them - flat = straight and hilly = bends - all quite straightforward really!

After driving for a while up and down, and through drizzle/rain, we suddenly emerge into blue sky and a beautiful sunny day, barely a cloud in the sky and Mike says "get ready, just around this bend" and as we go around, the most beautiful view of the bluest lake you've ever seen appears like a mirage and it is truly stunning. We head down towards Lake Tekapo and turn off on a track to stop and just admire the view.


Then we head towards the small town and stop to admire a statue of a Collie Dog. Now, we love dogs, but a statue? But apparently this is Mackenzie's dog who Mike tells us used to go off at night and round up the neighbours sheep and bring them back - now that's a clever dog! Whether that's true or not I don't know, but the plaque is to commemorate the collie dog's importance to the huge farms of the area and it seems a fitting tribute, so Becky decides to clamber up to have a photo taken with the dog.



Climbing down from the dog, we walk onto the beach here, on the edge of the lake, and notice many piles of rocks - the rocks that make up the beach in fact! These piles, upon further investigation, turn out to be called Cairns and I have seen them before when I've been away with John - France I think but could be anywhere. Some of the piles are really impressive and so - of course - we make our own which probably won't stand the test of time, or even a bit of a gust of wind, but still, we have a go and it's still standing when we leave which in itself is quite impressive. We do tell Mike that when he's next out this way truck driving, he needs to check that it's still here, but I doubt he'd recognise it again!


Our pile of stones:

There is a small church near the statue so we go inside for a moment of religious reflection, or actually to admire the view from the window which overlooks the lake, and it is the most beautiful place to put a church. God gets all the prime spots of land!

After this, Mike wants to show us Mount Cook which I don't know about so think 'oh well, if you must' but after another half hours drive we arrive at another beautifully blue lake and we stop to admire the view which, at the end of Lake Pukaki, is Mount Cook. It's worth the journey and we are more than happy to have been shown these lakes and the views. Thanks Mike, good job you're a trucker and drive all over the island, just so you can show us the best views in town, but I guess it's all in a days work for you!


We head back to the town and stop for a look around for post cards and gifts, and find somewhere for lunch before heading back. We are very warm, layers have been removed whilst looking at the views and its hard to imagine that it'll change, but amazingly it does as we cross those mountains once again and before we know it, we're heading back to Methven and its drizzling again and very grey and those layers start going back on again. Becky and i find ourselves nodding just a little and the eyes close, even though we try to stay awake to be company for Mike who tells Becky she'll get whiplash if she keeps waking herself up like that!

We get back to the Motel with an hour or so to freshen up before going out on the town!!! It really isn't much of a town to go out on, but about the most impressive thing is the Brown Pub on one side of the road and the Blue Pub on the other side, like they stand there daring each other to just try it, go on, just try it! We visit the Brown Pub for a quick drink before dinner at the only restaurant in town (I think) which happens to be a Pizza Restaurant - tough luck Becky, just can't get away from your Pizza!

Ferry, cross the ... Cook Straight

The wine works again, and before I know it, the alarm goes off and it's time to get up and start another day of travelling, and today it's a Ferry from Wellington to Picton in the South Island which, when we booked it, we were told that it was one of the prettiest ferry routes in the world. We had originally booked ourselves on the 2.15 afternoon sailing thinking this would give us a morning to look around Wellington and maybe go up the Cable Car to Mount Victoria.

Whilst in Auckland, and after Becky had been in touch with our South Island contact, we found that there were no connections from Picton to Christchurch at that time of day and that we would be stuck in Picton, which I pictured as a small one horse type of town, for a night with nowhere to go and nothing to do until the next morning when it connected with the outside world again. So, from our hotel in Auckland we were able to change our booking and get ourselves onto the early Ferry which then connected at Picton with the 1.00 Scenic Railway train to Christchurch. Surely, we couldn't be so unlucky that the Ferry would be cancelled and we would have to go by submarine or some other mode of transport where we would not be able to see this beautiful scenery that had been foretold! Or unlucky enough that the train would blow up and we would have to go by bus again!

The taxi arrived and took us to the Ferry Port and we were able to check in and deposit our luggage which would go straight through to Christchurch as we were booked on the train - ideal, no bags to lug from the boat to the train, things are looking up! The Ferry looks big enough for me to be able to manage three hours as long as the weather holds and there's no rough water, not quite the Plymouth to Roscoff Ferry, but it'll do! We board and find a nice spot to sit while the vehicles are still loading and it's still quiet, but by the time we sail and go upstairs and out on deck, everyone else is there and we can barely see land to say farewell to Wellington. I suppose as we hadn't seen much of it already, there was hardly any point in seeing it now!

The sea is so calm, it's not really sea, it's just flatter than any flat sea I've ever seen before and the sun is shining so it really is a beautiful crossing. As we stood on deck leaving Wellington and I looked at the map of our journey, I worked out that there were pretty much three parts to it - part one, the first hour, was going around the headland of Wellington and finally reaching the relatively small piece of open water between the two islands; part b, the second hour, was the open bit of sea called Cook Straight where if I was going to be feeling ill, it would be that bit; and part iii, the final hour, where we pass through the channel between the many islands to get to Picton - should be fun, and I wasn't disappointed.


As we sailed through the amazing scenery with the crystal clear blue waters and the lush green islands, a few small sailing boats meandered their way through and it really did look like Paradise, if only we hadn't been on a big tug surrounded by irritating people, quite a few of whom were smoking and, because we were standing at the rear, the smoke from the funnel was just annoying us because we were outside! Still you needed to be outside to see these views and it really was stunning. At one point, four rich boys with the jet skis came up behind the Ferry to take advantage of the small waves being made, and gave a show as they raced back and forth past the boat. Before long, the last hour was gone and we were coming into very scenic Picton on a lovely sunny day - in fact one of the best days we've had so far! After docking, we emerge onto dry land, not having to worry about our luggage, and we follow signs to the Railway.


When we get there, we join what seems to be a queue until some loud American comes up behind us and asks if this is the queue and goes through the office and announces from the other side that it is not the queue, the queue is over there and promptly joins it and leaves us to bring up the rear! Still, we check in and the good news is there's no alternative, the train is a train and we can go and get some lunch and be back for the train at 12.45 to board! We wander off and Picton really doesn't look like quite the one horse town I imagined it would be but more an upmarket Marina with lots of yachts in and a couple of hotels so maybe we could've stayed! Becky spies a pole that looks like her Pole Dancing Poles and wants to give it a go for a 'photo opportunity' for her group back home but unfortunately it's connected to a children's play area and specifically a pirate ship play area. She removes additional items: bag, sunglasses etc, and goes in for the pose after some random children have moved out of the way. I'm ready with the camera (trying not to snigger too loudly) and start taking photos. On the first jump, there's a clonk and an 'ow' as she jumps and misses, and I ask if she's ok to which she says "yes, I think so" and she tries again and successfully strikes a pose. It's only as we walk away that I notice she's limping slightly and I ask if she's ok again, to which she replies "I think so, I just banged my toe on the pirate ship!" Sounds good! " I hope it's not broken"!

We go for some lunch from Subway and share 12 inches which sounds a lot worse than it is - I've not had Subway before and it's just a foot long bread stick filled with whatever you want and today's special is Morrocan Lamb which we opt for with all the salad bits - it's very yummy with the minty yoghurt dressing and we debate whether to go back for another before departure, but decide that's not the best idea and so get ready to board the train as everyone queues to get on. I notice the luggage going into the rear of the train and feel the need to go check ours is there and the nice man, after talking to us about Coronation Steeet for a short while, allows us in to check which I do and can see three out of four and decide that's pretty good odds!


By the time we've chatted to this man for a while and can finally get away, the train is loaded, queues gone and we can get straight on and head for our seats which are the only vacant ones - it seems the train is full! We sit down and engage in conversation with the nice couple opposite who are on holiday from south Australia and ask us about our trip so we give them all the details along with the story of the trip down on the trus the day before and they seem happy and amused by the tale. As the train gets going, there is very little to see, the scenic bit hasn't started yet apparently! Passing by the salt beds, it is amazing to see that they're red and our commentary tells us its because it contains the same algae as in the red sea! Very pretty though!


It's not long and the views start to improve and then before long we're heading along the coast where, on a good day, you might be lucky enough to see all sorts of wildlife out to sea, especially whales, - but not today. However, the coastline is amazing and we get a few photos, then I decide to go outside on the viewing platform to get a couple of pictures and find its so windy that every individual hair on my head is tied up in knots with its nearest neighbours and some not so near - I can barely get my fingers through my hair when I get back inside!

By halfway, we decide on a coffee which I go and get and just about manage to do it without falling over, and sit back down to eat some cookies which we'd bought for yesterday's train journey that didn't happen. Then we see some seals on the rocks along the coastline, which is lovely but we're going too fast to get photos and also were drinking coffee and eating cookies and we only see them because the man doing the commentary informs us they're there!

There's plenty more scenery but we just want to get there by now, and when we eventually arrive, and get off to get our luggage, it is so nice to see a familiar face in the waiting room where Mike is sat waiting for us. We finally get our bags and they're all there, it's all looking good, and Mike takes us out to his car telling us how excited he is to see us - things must be bad in New Zealand! The station is temporary as the main one was damaged in the earthquake, but as we leave Christchurch, we don't really see much evidence so the damage as we're on the outskirts and leaving town to where Mike lives, about an hour away in a small skiing resort called Methven. It's about an hour away but we soon get there and the roads are so long and straight and find Mike has booked us into a Motel just up the road from his place, to give us a bit of space, what a lovely man.

We arrange to have a freshen up, which for Becky involves coffee, and fortunately there's a kitchen and coffee so that's sorted. There's two bedrooms so Becky's pleased to get a bit of peace and so am I. We arrange to walk just down the road to Mike's as he's prepared dinner for us and got wine in, ideal. As we walk down a very wide, quiet road wondering if we've missed his place, we see him in the distance reversing out of his drive and think 'ahh, he's coming to meet us,' but no, he stops and shouts out the window that he's just going to the shop and to let ourselves in - its not locked! We're not in the UK now!

He soon returns, having suddenly thought we might like 'starters' he had rushed to the local store and got some melon for us! So we catch up, have a lovely home cooked meal and a nice drop of wine and before we know it, it's bedtime as we both feel very tired after all the travelling and Mike kindly gives us a lift up the road, even though its not far, it seems you don't walk anywhere here if you can drive!