Did he jump or was he pushed?

It's now Thursday 4th Jan 2007. Our New Zealand adventure is entering it's final lap - I think I just heard the bell.

We've had an action packed time in and around Queenstown with the Guyomars.

New Year's Eve was a pleasant BBQ with friends - both the human and bottle varieties.

New Year's Day saw us ride the gondola and the luge over-looking the town - what a view! And who would believe it - during an afternoon down by the beach, we bumped into an old college mate - no other than Mr Darren Rudkin. Now I really do know it's a small world!

Tuesday saw us travel over to Wanaka and a visit to the rodeo - what and amazing show! Never been to one before - probably won't do another one - but fanatastic to watch. And that Mr Rudkin turned up again!!

Weather has turned quite marvellous - have sun-burnt my scalp through my hair (and so has Sarah - so she has just told me!)

She and Chris have had a fab time with Izzy and Floss Guyomar - they now want us to move to Wellington!

Wednesday we were departing Queenstown for Lake Tekapo. Kids had a final fling on the para-flights and bungy jumps were booked for Mike and I around 11am! Did we do it? Sure did....and Mike's eldest daughter Izzy also took the leap of faith.

Beautiful drive up through McKenzie Country towards Lake Tekapo - Mount Cook looked awesome in the sun - how come the snow doesn't melt?!

Sleepy town, but more breath-taking views. Had an emotional farewell with the Guyomars.....then they turned up on Thursday morning and invited us out for brunch!

So here we are in Fairlie. We've eaten and had another parting of the ways - until next time! Off to Christchurch now........let's see what excitement we can cram into our last 24 hours.

3-2-1-jump!

PS. Maria's asked me to wish Jack a happy birthday - so all the best Jack, from all of us!

Week 2 Review - Just been too busy to blog!

Left Wellington on Boxing Day after a fab time with the Guyomars over Christmas. Great hosts. Choppy crossing across Cook Straits!

Our time on the Marlborough Sounds was amazing. Went dolphin and penguin spotting. Also had a great walk along a stretch of the Queen Charlotte Track - some breath-taking views of the Sounds. Weather was glorious - resulted in a few bits of sunburn. Ate and drank well at the Snapper Bar for 3 nights running in the Portage resort.

Headed south to Hanmer Springs on Friday. Another glorious day of weather made the views even more spectacular. Beautiful beaches down the East Coast near Kaikora - plus smelly Seals! Had a good soak in the sulphur baths at Hanmer.

Have now arrived at Queenstown following a damp day's travelling via Christchurch. Drank too much last night and have had a headache most of today (New Year's Eve). Mike took us up to take a look at the bungy site - he wants to get me worried about the thought of doing one in a few days! We've also been out on a Jet Boat ride on the Shotover River this afternoon - that sorted out the headache!

The sun's out, so we're planning a BBQ this evening - we're entertaining some other friends of the Guyomars too....should be a good party! I think my tapering over the last few days and a good training session last night has left me in peak condition for tonight's festivities!

Hope you all have a great New Year's Eve.

Day 8 - Merry Christmas from us in Wellington

Kids up at around 6am fumbling through their stockings and pretty soon the first renditions of "Sounds like Teen Spirit" was being sung on the PS2 Star Sing. Not sure whether Kurt would have appreciated the cover - we certainly didn't by the time the 20th effort was being sung!

Chris cooked the breakfast on the BBQ again - he's starting to excell.

After a present opening session, we headed over to the other side of Wellington to meet up with Mike's family for nibbles and fizz. Great to see them again.
Made to feel very welcome...and we enjoyed a few games of ping-pong before heading off to Scorching Bay for a quick pre-lunch dip in the sea. Lovely and sunny, but the water was a bit cold....but it had to be done.

Back to Lower Hutt for obligatory pre-dinner drinks, with-dinner drinks and post-dinner drinks. In amongst the liquid refreshment, Fiona served up a sumptuous feast - trad. christmas fayre.

And then it was big-kids turn on the Sing Star. Mike and I anihilated Roxanne - too high for our dulcet tones; whilst the big girls sang along to a Dusty Springfield number. Meanwhile the small kids made a home movie - obviously inspired by Wellington's film making heritage. Apparently, there are some scenes still to be filmed down in Queenstown! Who knows, I may have to graduate to You-Tube next to show the finished product?

The rest of the day was very chilled....unlike the beautiful red wine that kept us fuelled into the evening. I think that I have represented the UK very well in the Lower Hutt Wine Drinking Olympics....possibly not wrestled the gold medal away from the host, but certainly achieved a creditable silver. I now have the opportunity to do some further training over the next few days in Marlborough Sounds in the run up to the Queenstown New Year World Championships.

Not sure how accessible an internet link will be out on the Sounds....so this may be the last post for a few days. If so....you'll be able to catch up later.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and that Santa brought you what you wanted.

Bye for now.

Day 7 - I'm not a celebrity...but get me out of here!

We had arrived at the Lodge on the Orongoronga River just before dark and managed to get the fire lit and supper cooked before night-fall. Kids retired to the bunks quite soon after supper and quietly played with nintendos whilst the big kids sat round the wood-burner, quaffed 3 litres of wine and reminisced over times past - it was fantastic. Wandered out into the pitch-black before bed-time for star-gazing. Awesome! Then the fun started as Mike's snoring first amused those who were not asleep (or had been awaken by the rumble) but then turned to annoyance!


So we awoke early on Christmas Eve in a cold Bush Hut on the back of patchy sleep with no milk for the cereal! But hey, it was nearly Christmas....

We headed on out at 8am and arrived back at civilisation around 10am. A fantastic brunch at Days Bay - Pancakes, bacon, banana and maple syrup.

We decided that a trip into Wellington was order of the day, so the Burns tribe headed to the harbour after lunch and then took a ride up the cable car for views over the city. Te Papa museum had been an option but the lack of sleep last night has resulted in a lack of desire to wander around too long.

Back to Lower Hutt and a couple of chickens were slowly cooking on the BBQ. Time to open some Lindauer....then some sauvignon blanc...then some shiraz. Mike is such a bad influence!

Another remarkable day! Not sure how long we can keep up the pace!

Day 6 - Plans for a night in the Bush.

The rain has gone and it's a bright start to the day. The beer talk of a swim at 7 for the big boys has proved to be just that!

Chris cooked some breakfast on the BBQ. Very tasy indeed.

Went to a local splash pool for some water fun - plus some
lengths to work off last nights excesses.

Rest of afternoon spent preparing for our night camping in the bush.

Set out around 5pm - rucksacks full of sleeping bags, "lollies" and camp tucker.



Around 2 hours into the bush before we waded across the river to our lodge. Mike had not done too good a job at managing the expectations of the kids regarding the standard of our accomodation! "It's a dump.....I'm not sleeping on that.....It's dirty...!"...and that was just Maria.

We're reliant on a good fire to keep us warm and to heat up the water for any body-part claening. Best get chopping down some trees...

Day 5 - Heading to Wellington

Friday morning, gloriously sunny start to the day again, sad to be leaving this fantastic place but looking forward to seeing the Guyomars down in Wellington.

Called in at Wai-o-tapu and watched Lady Knox Geyser erupt, as usual, at 10.15am. This place is wierd!

Then the long drive south. Took in a quick look at Huka Falls as we approached Taupo. Fab views of the mountains in Tongariro National Park - "Mount Doom" - over Desert Road - every corner brought an amazing view over big countryside.

Made good time down to Wellington - until I was pulled over by the police for speeding! Fortunately the officer took pity on me and let me off with a verbal - "don't want to spoil your holiday...but don't do it again!"

A great welcome at the Guyomars in Lower Hutt. Dinner, washed down with 6 bottles of wine - Mike was very drunk! He ended up sleeping in the garage!

Went for a walk around the block to see a local house that had been dressed up in Christmas lights.....I don't think that I'm exaggerating if I suggest that there were probably more lights in this one house than the whole of Heatherton Estate!

The only down side....it's raining.

Day 4 - continued....4 seasons in one day

The rest of day 4 was spent in glorious sunshine wandering around Rotorua and then back by Lake Tarawera. Strangely they experienced a hail shower at Tarawera half an hour before we returned, bringing the sunshine with us.
Discovered the root-cause of my photo-mare - a bad memory card; so Mr T beware - we might have been sent a dodgy pair!
Chris offered to cook dinner and did some garlic prawns and lamb steaks which were really tasty. The remainder of the shiraz was consumed along with a bottle of fizzy white which resulted in a rather chilled-out evening. We went hunting glow-worms once darkness fell...and found them not too far from our lodge.