Summer Holidays

Some belated photos from our recent holiday in the south island. Swimming and kayaking at Okiwi Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.

Driving practice at Tahuna Beach campsite Nelson.

Momorangi, Marlborough Sounds.

Cable Bay Skywire near Nelson - the world's longest flying fox at 1.5km, or just under a mile in old money..

Cable Bay.

Spooners Tunnel, south of Nelson - the longest decommissioned rail tunnel in the southern hemisphere. That's not the light at the end of the tunnel - you can't see that due to the hump in the middle, it's a bike light of someone else coming through.

Quinney's Bush Camp - a bit further south from the tunnel, on the Motupiko River.

Amy takes a dive.

Gabrielle

The aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle. This is the tree that brushed our window on the way down about 2am on Valentines Day.

The tree which fell on the neighbour's house, thankfully causing no damage but blocking the drive to 53 and 55a.

Greenwood Road above our house.

Greenwood Reserve, not normally a lake, looking towards our house.

The normally tranquil Tekahika Stream in the higher bit of the reserve.

Finally, the Tekahika Stream at the bottom of the garden. Normally dry at this time of year at this point!

 

First Day at Intermediate School

 New School, another New Uniform.

Where did the last six years go?

Looking very grown up.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Greenwood Road.

Santa's been.

 

Al fresco lunch

Our outdoor Christmas tree - the first Pohutukawa bloom since a severe haircut.

End of an Era

A few pics from Amy's last few weeks at primary school. We went yachting in Napier - here she is with Olive in an Optimist on Pandora Pond.

School Triathlon.

Peak Trailblazers. With Olive.

With Nuelle and their Kowhai trees after the end of term assembly.

Sunrise Hut

School holiday trip up to Sunrise Hut - about 1.5 hours drive from here to the start of the walk. We found a bit of snow on the way so Amy and Olive had to build a snowman!

Room with a view.

Beds for the night

Sunrise over Hastings

Harry Potter Studio Tour

The highlight of Amy's trip to England. For none Potter fans, this is Amy drinking butterbeer by the Knight Bus.

This way to Platform 9 and 3/4

 

Amy manages to rescue Helga Hufflepuff's cup from the vault at Gringott's Bank.

September

Still in England it's been such a warm summer here we had to find some indoor activities - this is Jump Inc in Sheffield.

Baking outdoors and baking indoors! Amy is getting really good with cakes.

 

Back In England

Escaping the NZ winter now the borders are finally open. Unfortunately some of the toys seem to have shrunk since we were last here.

With Grandma and Grandad.

Holmebrook Valley Park

With Malcolm and Bruno in Northampton.

 

June 22 - a bit late!

New passport time and here's the photo to prove it!

 Lining up at the start of the Hawke's Bay Schools' Orienteering Championships Relay. Amy came in a close second on the first leg, but they didn't stay there!

Looking out for a team member.