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Showing posts from March, 2019

New Year's Eve 2017 & New Year's Day 2018

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Here we are, one of the biggest notable celebrations, New Year's Eve in Sydney, an iconic piece of tv reporting. Here we are, going to be part of it. We awoke early to rain and a dull morning, luckily, it soon burnt off and we had yet another good weather day. A day where people were in the apartment's pool, on the edge of the Bay. Can this really be New Year's Eve? After breakfast, Jonathan cut Neil's hair, I messaged a few people & sorted souvenirs, Caroline got the picnic sorted before we headed off to the garden at 2.00  Up to twelve guests can be invited by each tenant/owner and a list of invited people have to be given to the gate's security person. North Sydney, McMahon Point are sealed off by the Police and people who camped out overnight have to move off from the Point by 3/4.00 am New Year's Day. 2.00pm?  Wasn't this far too early? What we do for 11 hours? Well, the time passed by so quickly and there was so much to do and see and to savour....

Thursday 28th - Saturday 30th ... Yet more new experiences.

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No standing still for us!  We awoke at 10.00 - another hot and sunny day, how lucky have we been to have had very minimal rain and what has been the "heavy" stuff has come overnight. Summer clothes all the way, so far. Jon & Caz went out to return goods and we toddled off to "Breadworks", a new bakery with coffee shop attached. We caught the train to Central from Nth Sydney to meet up with Jon & Caz and their friends to have a bite to eat in a pub before moving off to Sydney Cricket Ground to watch Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. An experience which is another first for us. I had pink dye put in my hair and had pink painted on my cheeks - well you have to have an "immersive experience"! I shall say that it is an interactive affair with a Snog Cam & Wiggle Cam, Mexican Waves are frequent as is bashing a beach ball around. Good Fun. The game came right down to the last ball and Sydney sadly lost. We returned home by bus and train leaving ...

Saturday 24th- Wednesday 27th Christmas. 🎄🎅

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Well! This was going to be a first for us, Christmas in the sun and what a magical place to be - Oneroa, Waiheke Island. A Christmas that will never be forgotten. Shavari We left the Hotel in Auckland at 9.20 and made our way to the port for the 10.15 ferry to Waiheke, a journey of an hour. Christmas Day - Cheers Another beautiful, sunny and warm day meant that we sat on the top deck to soak up all the views. What a Christmas Eve!! the AirBnB was a short drive from the ferry port and Wow and Wow again, what a place. The owner came to introduce herself and soon it was off for lunch before going to the Countdown supermarket to buy Christmas food and supplies which felt rather weird - not to be shopping on a cold dreary day as it usually can be. Caroline had a comprehensive list and all worked out perfectly.  Lunch was next and sunscreen was brought to the table for us to use. Later in the afternoon we went to the beach and ventured in to the lovely warm clear water. A...

Thursday 21st, Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd Raglan & Auckland

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So, Today was our last day in Raglan and we were going to enjoy the prospect of spending our time here. We awoke at 7.15 to the sounds of a group of lads who were packing their two tents and belongings, I was highly amused to see them simply lift their fridge and put it in the boot of one of their cars. We walked into town and had coffee and eggs on toast and enjoyed talking to the cafe owners. All the shops are independents, (even the mini market), artisan, goods are made: clothes, shoes, jewellery, and artisan bakery to name a few. Basically the town's ethos is: Shop local, buy local and enjoy local. A town run by the town for the town. We came across a skateboarding Santa and his Elf, who were inviting folk to take a Christmas Cracker, not to be rude, I did just that on the assurance that everyone contained a prize. Ha! Every cracker contained a business card and voucher for their bespoke skateboards! We mooched around and relaxed by the jetty, watching youngsters divin...

Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th Matamata, Hamilton, Waitamo & Raglan (!)

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h We checked out of the Blue Lake Resort at 9.30 and headed off to Matamata for Hobbiton. A lovely sunny day and once again the countryside changed appearance to that of green, agricultural and "horsey". Properties were far and few in between but more ranch like - a very pleasant drive. We arrived at Matamata and enquired at the Tourist Information Office about tours to Hobbiton. Sadly, they were fully booked, (and quite expensive), and only entry was by the tour operators. So after refreshments we carried on to Hamilton where we spent a lovely afternoon relaxing in the Botanical Gardens. Tourist Info Centre   The gardens cover a vast expanse,  54 hectares, and is situated on the banks of the Waikato River. It attracts 1 million visitors a year and it is easy to see why. Themed gardens and a lake - and river cruises can be taken. Gardens included a Japanese Garden, Maori Garden, Alice in Wonderland, English, Rose & Rhododendron to name a few. Produce from the Kit...