A few snaps from our garden this week

Blackbirds:




The tuis are feeding on the flax flowers:











And the goldfinches appreciate the weeds in our garden!

Gisborne Trip with Pete

My mate Pete bought a ute, and I volunteered to drive up with him to collect it a couple of weekends ago.
It was a 1050km round trip. On the way up we wanted to get there as early as possible, so no photos. We set off at 5:30am and got there at 12 - On NZ roads that's not a bad time.

As always I took a couple of photos:

Lunch stop in Gisborne







Statues to the boy who spotted NZ land from Captain Cook's ship, and Cook himself








Then it was off back towards Napier










After 750km of driving, the cars safely parked at the motel in Napier


When we checked in the bloke said "Two queens okay?" I said "what are you trying to say?" :)

Around Napier
















The traffic in Napier was murder!


After brekky Sunday morning we went to the National Aquarium




My car collected many bugs, two windscreen chips (they were boulders I tell you!) and one bonnet chip down to the metal! Oh, and a coating of sheep pee from a dribbly truck that we were following!!


The worst traffic jam we encountered


Home!

Noodle at the beach

UK Trip - the journey home

Posted by Rob

So Tuesday came along - our last day in the UK - and we sorted out all of our stuff and Melanie's dad dropped us at the airport hotel.

We stayed at the Premier Inn at Manchester Airport - never again! The power kept going off in our room so we were given a new room. The new room had no pillowcases and it took ages to get the heating/aircon to work.
Then we ordered a mixed starter platter in the bar as a quick snack, and it took over an hour to arrive and wasn't all that nice.

Anyway the next morning it was across to the airport. No way were we going to risk breakfast at the hotel!
We had an excellent brekky:


Then it was separate flights to Singapore!
If you remember, most of our flights were booked on Singapore points. Well we didn't have enough points for one flight from Manchester to Singapore, and it turned out that Qatar Air was half the price of Singapore Airlines, so I decided to go via Qatar.
So off I trotted to join my flight, leaving Melanie to find hers.

Melanie flew directly Singapore, checked into the transit hotel so had a nice quiet room, shower etc. She had a facial at the spa and chilled out.

I had the Qatar Experience!
On the first flight I was sitting in the aisle seat next to a girl who wanted to get up every hour for ten minutes, and who spilled a whole cup of cold water down my legs about halfway through the 8 hour flight. Fortunately I had another pair of jeans in my bag.
Then we landed - in Qatar they don't dock the planes to the terminal, you walk down the stairs, across the tarmac in the desert heat, then onto a freezing cold air conditioned bus - mostly standing - and get driven to the terminal, which took about 10 minutes. Then you queue to get security checked and bags scanned on the way into the airport.

You go into a nice duty free shop

And that's the best bit of the airport by far!

It's basically a transit lounge, so there are a couple of cafes and two food places. One smelled of aeroplane food and the other smelled of grease, and both had constant queues of about 50 people. So I stuck to Costa Coffee which had no queues!
And don't ask about the toilets - not pleasant at all.
So after seven hours there I was feeling somewhat frazzled.

Onto the next flight - about 10 hours I think - and I was on the back row which was nice, but surrounded by a large group of teenaged girls heading to Jakarta. They were all constantly chattting at top volume and seemed to be saying everything three times (they weren't speaking English, obviously!)
The two next to me kept turning their phones on and having to be told off by the airline staff. The lass next to me kept asking me how to work the entertainment system or recline her seat but spoke no English so we didn't understand each other! When I finally dozed off (thank goodness for the free earplugs!) after a while she dug me in the ribs with her elbow to wake me up because they were coming round with the hot towels!!
One time when I went back to the loo one of the attendants came over and said "Are they pissing you off yet? Because they are me!"

So when I arrived at Singapore I wasn't feeling too bright and breezy!
I had to check through customs into Singapore then back in to collect my luggage and check in with Singapore Airlines - so I got my passport stamped and was officially in Singapore for ten minutes!

Once that was sorted I could meet Melanie, have some food and chill in Singapore Airport, which is a wonderful place!















After a great night's sleep in the transit hotel we were refreshed and ready for the next long-haul flight!!





Leg massagers


Singapore Post


The Butterfly Garden in the airport








An A380 taxiing


Our plane!


After an overnight stay in Auckland on Friday night there was one final flight to take back to Wellington.
This is more the scale of plane we're used to!


Auckland


Random coast and clouds






Nearly home - Keneperu Drive and we're about to pass over our house


Petone seafront


When it's been raining a lot the water from the Hutt river pushes out silt into the harbour

UK Trip - Meeting Rob's family in York

Posted by Rob

Because we only had six days in the UK we decided to meet my mum, dad and sister in York and have a bit of a day out :)

It was far too short, but wonderful to see them and spend some time with them.

A pub








The Shambles








We went in all the posh shops


York Minster








Of course I had to climb the tower










Nether Hornpot Lane?!?




Geese in the park


Even more photos are here

UK Trip - Sunday at the pub

Posted by Rob

On Sunday we parked ourselves at the Angel carvery pub and met as many friends as we could.
It was great to see you all and your babies! Thanks for coming :)

UK Trip - James and Jenny's Wedding

Posted by Rob

James and Jenny's wedding was the reason for the trip - it was a great day.

We were worried about the weather as it was rather windy and wet in the morning, but the sun came out just before the wedding and all was well! Still a bit breezy as you'll see when I overload you with photos in a second.

Saltaire church is a lovely building - built by the legendary Titus Salt









Salts Mill over the road!


The ceremony













Back the the hotel for the reception














Speeches


And a song!


A proper Yorkshire wedding breakfast!


And finally the following morning - the throwing of the bouquet

UK Trip Part 2

Posted by Rob

We spent the next couple of days in Birmingham seeing Melanie's mum's family, then driving up to Leeds and meeting up with her dad and brothers. Here's a selection of photos:

Melanie's mum's




Raiding the cupboards for stuff they don't sell in NZ





Mmm, pies, and a pint of Lump Hammer!


Up to Leeds - we stayed with Melanie's dad and he very kindly hired a car for us which was great and helped us to see more people :)








Out for a meal in Leeds






Richard and Anne


Melanie, dad and Pam


Geraldine and Rob




Not sure what's going on here!