Away... again

We are back in the South Island after having a really good 12 days at home.  We got to spend some really quality time with the boys and got all the jobs done around the house so we were ready to get away again and restart our holiday.

Everything went to plan and our motorhome was waiting safe and secure at Christchurch.  You can follow us on my other Big Tess blog—I update that often because it is record of our travel which is such a valuable resource to have.  Stu's father reads it every day as well so I feel a little obliged to update it daily, he loves it so much.

We are now in Reefton for the night before heading north to the Nelson/Tasman area where we will be spending more time just relaxing ie, spending longer at each place! We have friends to visit in Nelson on Saturday and they've invited us to dinner... lucky us, they are foodies and REALLY great cooks.  I'm looking forward to that.

This motorhome life is almost too good to be true at times... the freedom is amazing as is going to so many new places and having new experiences.  

On a personal note I am feeling really 'blah' about my appearance but sadly, it really is just a fact of life and getting older.  Being heavier that I ideally like is also a constant niggle but it's just life.  I do feel a little embarrassed sometimes realising how much I have changed/aged but I know I just need to accept it.  We all age, I just don't feel that old and often get a shock when I see photos or reflections in windows!  I know I'm not alone in this.

~ Lynda

Hanmer Springs for the night

Evening drinks out at Hanmer Springs

Reefton for the night by the river.  A lovely free site.

We did the Reefton historic power station walk - part of it was over this old bridge.

Reefton is such a beautiful little historic town.

Boys

We have had the boys here since Saturday - the mother stayed here Saturday night as well which was lovely but since then just us and the boys.  They were pretty well behaved and didn't get too bored.  Stu took them on the train today to Newmarket and they had a blast.  They have now gone back to their parents until Friday when we have them again until Sunday.

It has been wonderful to spend so much time with them (and the oldest one, he has been around too).  We've also got the grounds ship shape - lawns mowed, hedge cut, weeds sprayed, bushes pruned etc ready for going away again..

I have a haircut booked for tomorrow and we are back on the plane on Monday back to Christchurch to continue our motorhome holiday.  It has been really great to come back home for this time though.  I find being away for two or more months is just too long and by breaking it in the middle means we both enjoy the time away much more.

Stu has been doing a work related job (updating software he's written for a client) and he's also been helping F with his university studies.  He's not doing any of the assignments of course, but his business knowledge and spreadsheeting skills are helping F a lot.

So that's where we are at, back on the road soon... this time we'll be travelling around the northern part of the South Island before getting the ferry back to Wellington and driving back home.

~ Lynda

Doing some drawing - we've been trying to get them off screens as much as possible.

On the train with Poppa.

At Archie's in Newmarket playing some sort of bowling game.

Yes, they both have Crocs on - apparently they are all the rage!

Poppa sure spoiled them while out - they had burgers as well!

Home for awhile

Phew... we made it back to Auckland today.  It's lovely to be away but also lovely to be home for a little while.  We left the motorhome at Christchurch at the NZMCA storage area and flew back.  We are here for 12 days, just enough time to be ready to get back on the road again. 

Stu has some work to do and the section here needs a good few days spent mowing lawns, cutting the hedge and weeding etc.  Thankfully being Autumn the growth is slowing down. 

We had the best time away and were so incredibly lucky with the weather.  It is dreadful now down on the West Coast—flooding, slips etc and the roads are closed.  We sure timed all of that well.  I was ready to come back home though which is why we do what we do ie, fly home half way through.  I'm not really one to be away for three months or so.  Maybe when we have a house we can safely lock and leave and the grandkids are older we might think about longer stays away.

It's a real luxury coming home to a washing machine!  On the road it's just not so easy to wash regularly and I hate it building up.  The first thing I did when we got back was put on a load of washing!

My own bed tonight as well... bliss (not that the motorhome is uncomfortable but you can't beat your own bed).

~ Lynda

Last week

Hello!!  It's been a week since I updated here but I have been updating every day over on Big Tess's blog.  Next week we are flying back to Auckland for 12 days and leaving the motorhome in storage at Christchurch.  We did this last year and it worked well.  

When we get back we will be having the boys quite a bit because it is the school holidays... plus we have missed them and apparently, they have really missed us :)

We are just having the best time and the weather has been great every single day.  Yes, we have had rain at night but fine during the day.  We had a blast at the Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow and then moved on to a bay around from Wanaka, Manapouri, Invercargill and now Alexandra.  

We did a bike ride today on the Otago Rail Trail (37 kms) and while I am not confident to ride through narrow walkways on bridges or the chicanes on the trail (to stop cars getting through) I certainly managed the rest really well.  I have figured out that what I can do I'll enjoy and for the few things that challenge me, I'll just walk my bike.    

Tomorrow we head back over to Aoraki / Mount Cook for the night—we have stayed there twice before but it's just so stunning that we thought we'd go back.  I intend to do one of the walks there, not the Hooker Valley as I did that last time but perhaps the Kea Point track.  

I think everyone in the family is good.  We have had contact with them all and we've not heard of any major issues so that makes me happy.  

Some photos below (which you will see on the other blog but never mind).

~ Lynda

Relaxing at Glendhu Bay, Lake Wanaka.

The old, iconic, Cardrona Hotel. 

Another swing/suspension bridge.  This time at the entrance to the Keplar Track. We love these bridges!

Lunch out, Manapouri.

A crazy, pretty sunrise at Manapouri camp.

At Gemstone Beach where there are really pretty coloured pebbles and stones.

At Bluff, the end of the South Island (well except for Slope Point).

On the trail - excited to finally find a real, high, old rail bridge to cross!

Clearly enjoying the bridge crossing!

Stu outside the historic "Ladies Rest Room" of the Galloway railway station on the rail trail.