Well it had to happen eventually. I’ve been doing a bit of work for the last few weeks for a company that does gardening jobs for Christchurch council – mostly clearing walking tracks and cutting long grass around trees in parks. We spent more than anticipated on our last trip overseas so I said I would get some work until we’d replaced the bank balance! Trouble with work is it gets in the way of everything else you want to do.
Our only visitor this year was John my mum’s ex-physio. He was with us for a couple of days around February time. Unfortunately we’d sold the campervan just before Christmas so didn’t have any transport whilst he was here, but we managed to get around a bit by bike (which he didn’t enjoy) and bus. Since we were going to be away for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year and then for 5 months we decided not to buy another till we got back – just as well as some of the money ended up funding our trip.
Donna’s mum’s partner of about 20 years, Noel was in a hospice very ill with cancer so we spent the 2 weeks with them – mostly camped out in the hospice grounds in Donna’s Aunt & Uncle’s campervan. Unfortunately Noel passed away in March just before we left. They hadn’t expected him to make it till Christmas, but her mum enjoyed her precious last months with him although he needed constant care, but he kept his wicked sense of humour till the end. We felt guilty about leaving when we did but plans were already made and tickets paid for. We left less than 2 weeks after the funeral.
We had a great time in Western Australia. There was a big Hash House Harriers event on over Easter weekend, then we hired bikes and cycled about 500 miles down to the south coast, 9 days and a few other bits on purpose built mostly off-road bike tracks. It was great fun and we were local celebrities when we turned up on a campsite with all our gear – until we met the round the world cyclists who’d already cycled from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego! We put the bikes on a bus back to Perth, did some cycling round there, then hired a campervan and spent a month travelling up the west coast visiting national parks and trying to spend as little on camp sites as possible. Highlights included hiking in Karijini National Park, canoeing in Kalbarri NP, watching wild Dolphins being fed at Monkey Mia as they swam around our feet, and to top the lot swimming with whale sharks – just young ones – only about 6 metres long!
After 2 months of almost constant sunshine, we arrived in England at the end of May to a terrible summer. I did my last 2 weeks back at Banco Abbey, and we spent a week at a cottage in Devon with my sister and mum and dad to celebrate his 80th birthday. Weather wasn’t even too bad that week apart from the hail storm we had while walking part of the south west coastal path when we were miles from anywhere. Rest of the time was taken up with visiting friends and relatives and doing jobs around the house with my dad – like pruning trees and repairing 8 foot garage doors.
The last week in July we flew to Fiji to resume holiday mode. After a couple of nights on the main island we took the overnight boat to Vanua Levu – the second largest, where the reunion was to take place. Donna’s dad was one of the youngest of 18 children brought up on the family plantation here. The land is still in family hands, and one of Donna’s cousins has a holiday home here. This is where the event was held – he’d put up various other shelters in the grounds, and some toilets and showers so a few of us camped there for the 3 day event. The rest stayed in the town of Savu Savu, 20 km away. I’m not sure of the exact numbers, but it was around 150 I think. The last reunion had been 28 years ago. It was a great do with snorkeling on the reef and bush/plantation walks and games during the day and feasts at night. Afterwards we went to 2 other smaller islands – one you could walk round in about ½ hour, and did some rainforest walks, snorkeling and relaxing, before going back to the mainland to catch up with relatives again before coming home.
As we flew over NZ on the way back at the end of August there was a lot of snow on the mountains – it had been a long cold wet winter. We had a weekend away at the end of October in the foothills about 2 hours from here and we had another snowfall then, but it soon melted the next day. Since then we’ve had several days with temperatures in the 30’s.
Donna had a job 2 weeks after getting back, temping but due to be made permanent soon. It’s in Christchurch, but she cycles most days, having bought a super duper bike and is loving it even though it’s a 66 km round trip. We have bought another van and we’re kitting it out as a camper – Donna has made curtains & I’m doing the rest – in between my work golf and gardening – we’ve decided to grow some veggies this year, which involves some backbreaking digging up of lawns.
Donnas mum is coming for Christmas. She has sold her house and coming for a trip south before buying another smaller place. She is doing a bit of a tour with a friend. They’re coming next week for a few days then coming back for Christmas. Donna’s Aunt and Uncle are coming for Christmas too with their camper van, so for the first time we’ll be entertaining for the holiday, and spending only our second Christmas in New Zealand at home.
Overlooking Rangitikei river on our way back to Dannevirke 8th January.
Walking in Tongariro National Park, central North Island.
Mount Ruapehu, central North Island - 5th January.
View of Auckland from Northcote, out walking near Donna's dads on 4th Jan.
Christmas day in Dannevirke. Bruce (Noels cousin), Donnas mum, Uncle Bill, Donna, Brandon (Bruces son), Auntie Emma, and cousin Debbie. 
Tina and Steve, Hashers from Milton Keynes - our only UK visitors of 2009. A few weeks later Steve was doing some work on the house in Bradwell for us with Marcus.
'The Waterfall', Hanmer Springs.
The Summit of Mt Isobel, just over 1300 metres.
Escaping the English summer at the end of July, this was a typical Fijian day. We had to be there for a family reunion (Donna's dads side) on the island of Vanua Levu. This was taken on a little resort island called Leleuvia between the main island Viti Levu and Ovalau. We spent about a week here in the end with a great couple David & Brigitte from Sydney, most of the time as the only guests bar one other.
Martin with Neil & Kerry at their house in Perth. They moved out here from Northampton about three years ago. Neil used to work at Abbey, though never with Martin. They put us up for a few nights, and looked after some of our kit whilst we were cycle touring.
