Good old Blighty...

It's good Friday and we've got rain. It's not cold which is a bonus! The daffs look good and were a welcome sight when we arrived back in the UK. Marg and I are having a bit of spring clean starting with a) my study and b) Matt's old bedroom................more of a chuck out than spring clean! Matt will have one chance to reclaim anything but there are two big jumble sales coming up -one for the scouts in our old suburb and one for Bluebells which is a cancer charity. I have just filled a wheelie bin with other stuff, as well as filling the paper recycling bin -getting rid of old "work" related stuff for me; and losing Marg's diploma in payroll management stuff had been quite cathartic. Neither of us intend finding a use for that ever again!!

We ate at the Bradway last night -new chef trying out a new menu for Thursdays -very nice indeed. Tonight Trevor and Anne are coming round for the evening and we'll get a Chinese takeaway. Tomorrow we've been invited to our friends Sue and Alan for the afternoon and evening (Sue' s a REALLY REALLY good cook...my mouth's watering already); and on Sunday Nick and Clare are coming round to discuss our imminent trip to Italy to suss out wedding venues etc. Also, we're having Jack and Emms overnight on Sunday..(think we'll ask for the car seats...that way we can be in control of when we take them home on Monday...only joking Dan and Sal x).

Right, back to the boxes and decluttering the study....HAVE A GREAT EASTER EVERYONE!

nearly home now....

Apologies but I am still playing catch up with the blog...now covering the last couple of days in Nz before flying home.

snapped entering the Maori village

Here's a few more fairly random pics of us around Hot Water beach -it doesn't look it from the photos but that water in the sand is very hot -heated by hot rocks 2km below the surface the CO2 reaches the surface at around 65 degrees heat. The volcano has long been extinct (thousands of years) but those rocks are so hot they will take several millenia to cool down.

Back to the cave explorer and a shoal of red snappers -pity we didn't have a net handy!

Saying "farewell" to the fantastic location, sporting Jack's new Aussie hat; and one last barbie overlooking the HWBeach

It's goodbye to Frank and Liz from Auckland airport....see you again for sure!

These business class seats are more than OK...CHEERS everyone!!

After watching a few films; taking a few drinks and meals we arrived early in Singapore. We spent a few hours shopping (what else) at the airport before relaxing in the Business Class lounge whilst waiting for the flight.

The flight to Manchester was fine and we refused all offers of food and wine...."nothing til breakfast"...and managed to get the seats into their bed positions, with several hours of sleep awaiting!

The bags came off the carousel at Manchester almost immediately, the taxi was waiting and we were back in Sheffield within 90 minutes of touchdown; sufffering with temperatures of 3 degrees!!

It was great to catch up with the kids and gran'kids -who of course tried on their pressies from our trip....Emily had it all on, from her chinese Pjs, Oz tee shirt to her Ugg boots and parasol. Jack likes his crocodile hunter's hat (which nearly all the school kids have as part of their school uniforms in Oz)

We have had a fabulous holiday!! Immense thanks to Liz and Frank -especially our "guide de tour par excellance" without whose chivvying we wouldn't have seen half what we experienced. From Sydney to Port Stephens, to the Hunter Valley and Blue Mountains, down to the southern highlands and Bowral, down through Kangaroo valley and beyond to Bateman's Bay, onto Canberra and Gouldburn, back to Bateman's bay and then onto Watson's Bay before flying to Auckland...from Auckland to Lake Taupo, then to Rotorua and finally Hot Water beach...what can we say except it's been a BLAST!!

It's been fab too to meet up with Liz's relos and I must also mention Karen and Mark who hosted an evening for us all in Rotorua (Karen is a sister of Sandy..who is one of Liz's friends). It was great to meet Ross and Nalda and Gail and Steve (swampie) and other cousins Susan and Wayne..and Wayne's lovely wife Ann...we really hope all of you guys will look us up when you next come over to the UK/Europe. Gail and Steve/Wayne and Ann -bon voyage on your trip to Canada.

It was also lovely to meet up with Ian and Sarah and Ethan and Imogen and meet the latest Wroe family member...boy did she make an impression!! And good luck with the new job Ian.

Frank and Liz -great news that your house sale is going through OK along with your garage sales etc! Happy house hunting in South Queensland and enjoy caravanning for a while.

Lots of love from us all in Sheffield....xx

From Lake Taupo area to Rotorua then to Hot Water Beach and home!!

On our first night at the famous B&B, which Liz has reported on fully in her BLOG, we experienced a bit of Maori culture....fetched and carried back to our B&B, which included a full Maori "hengi" (food cooked by hot stones and wrapped in blankets, a dark walk around the village to see the glowworms and kiwis, as well as a few scantily clad maoris (steady girls) n their dragon boat, a good meal and plenty of wine and a few songs back in the cab!

"Frank, you weren't supposed to get in with the hot stones under the blankets!"

"here come the boys"

grub up!

In Rotorua itself we visited the old bayhhouse which is now a museum, explaining in more detail (as well as an experiential cinema showing of -Whakatane!!) the famous eruption which buried the village earlier reported.

the old bath house/now museum

Liz, ever the exhibitionist, trying her hand at pole dancing

Our "bach" over the road from hot water beach

view from bach to beach

evening sunset over HW Beach

Liz and I had a sneaky feeling that this rubber duckie is our cave cruiser..but we've been promised "no speed, full cover (no getting wet) and calmness"...mm


"Now Kev, tell me that's not the cruiser Liz promised for the boat trip?!"

"Bloody hell! Life jackets as well...who's gonna fit them round my boobs?"

Marg relented and helped me.

Leaving Taupo...onto Rotorua

Before hitting the road to Rotorua we called in at the Buried Village where a violent and unexpected volcanic eruption of Mount Tarawera during the early hours of June 10, 1886, was New Zealand's greatest natural disaster. Over 150 people died during which for 4 hours, rocks, ash and mud bombarded the peaceful village of Te Wairoa. As well as the ending of so many lives and livelihoods, the eruption destroyed what was known as the eighth wonder of the world - the magnificent Pink and White Terraces , and buried the staging post for travellers from around the world to the Terraces. These Terraces were obviously so special, as people travelled from around the world to see them - normally taking 3 months for a return trip from the UK. The Maories quickly learned the art of tourism and free market economy and were making about £7000 pa for their village from visiting Victorians...imagine the horror when it all blew up and got buried, sadly with such loss of life too.

view from the landing..where we had lunch

Lake Tarawera, with Mount Tarawera in the background, 7 or 8 volcanoes which split the mountain and re shaped the valleys and lakes

We decided to call into Orakei Korako Thermal Park en route from Lake Taupo to our 2 night stay in Rotorua. The Lonely Planet Guide states that this is possibly the best thermal area left in NZ and one of the finest in the world. Access to the hidden valley is by a short ferry trip across Lake Ohakuri. Orakei Koraka (in english means "place of adorning") has remained completely unchanged for thousands of years. 20 million litres of hot water flow over silica terraces every day. ...but boy! was it hot there?

Known as the hidden valley and only accessible by a small chugging ferry ( 5minute crossing) it looked foreboding from the other side!

the short crossing

on the other side..with the ferry returning in the background

guyser (not Frank)spewing out of the terrace in the background

some welcome shade

After returning to the mainland it was time to set off to Rotorua with yours truly driving. We were reliably informed by a local Kiwi that it should be a 45 minute drive....not for the first time 45 minutes equated to two hours...never trust a Kiwi to give you an accurate forecast of time over distance. Trusting our knowledge we ended up running for an hour on petrol fumes from the tank which was empty..and all the filling stations were closed up and now just shops or derelict. So with stiff thigh and calf muscles from all the steps and walking we retired to the MPV and air con. I reckon that this was our hottest and most humid experience of the holiday.