Catching the Magic

Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!

  • Home
  • About
  • Blasts from the past
  • Country Kids
  • Motherhood
  • Poetry
    • 2011 Poetry
    • 2012 Poetry
    • 2013 Poetry
    • 2014 Poetry
    • 2015 Poetry
    • 2016 Poetry
    • 2017-2018 Poetry
  • Travel
    • Auckland
    • Fiordland
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Cook Islands
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • NZ to UK, with our 9 month old, 2004
  • Running
  • Special Days

Author: BritMumInNZ

Things I’m Loving…. Special times with old friends & family

October 19, 2012 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Holidays, Loving & Not Loving

Nearly a week since we landed in England, all the way from our home in New Zealand, with a couple of nights stop over in San Francisco. There’s been no need for big ticket attractions, as simply shifting from spring to autumn in a matter of nights – and wooden houses to brick – is […]

Continue reading


A poem to old friendships – Old friends are like gold…

October 18, 2012October 19, 2012 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Sarah, Writing

Yesterday I caught up with one of my dearest old school friends, today I’m visiting a friend I lived with at Southampton University, who now lives in the beautiful, historic city of Winchester. There are so many old friends I’d love to see in the short week and a half we are here in the […]

Continue reading


Old – The Gallery

October 18, 2012 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Holidays, photography

I’m here in England after five years away – there is so much ‘old’ and I’m loving it! Old are the photographs in my parents house… Of generations before. Love this old photograph of my Grandma and her sisters (she was one of seven!). Old is the land and the marks of history left upon […]

Continue reading


Impressions of ‘home’ after five years away from the UK

October 18, 2012 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Holidays

I feel like a tourist. Every brick home, red telephone box, pub, thatched cottage, red robin, squirrel and deciduous tree, turning with the autumn tide, make me want to grab for my camera. Holly bushes, berry laded bushes for the birds through the winter, acorns littering the garden – I am seeing autumn in England […]

Continue reading


NZ to UK, via San Francisco stop-over, with three little Kiwis

October 16, 2012September 12, 2014 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Californian Adventures 2013-2014, Holidays

It’s been five years since we’ve done the long-haul flights from our home in Wellington, New Zealand, to the UK (and having just done it, I now remember the reason why we left it so long before doing it again, it’s bloody hard work!). It had to be done though. With the talk of us […]

Continue reading


Fishnets – Lyrical Sunday

October 15, 2012October 19, 2012 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah

Latte Junkie posted a photograph as the inspiration for this week’s Lyrical Sunday. I found myself sat in ‘Players’ restaurant, at the end of Pier 39, in San Francisco writing the following poem. My two year old was asleep in the buggy next to me, whilst my six and nine year old had a wonderful […]

Continue reading


Out of here!

October 10, 2012October 10, 2012 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments Holidays

I’m going to be living every minute of life to the max over the next three weeks (and sleeping when I can). They’ll be little time for blogging so I’m hanging up my dressing gown (which is what I mostly blog in!) and taking off on a bird in the sky. Up to Auckland on […]

Continue reading


I’ve discovered what fuels those surfers at Lyall Bay…

October 8, 2012October 8, 2012 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Sarah

After months of hearing about Ekim Burgers, via my friend ‘Latte Junkie‘ (who frequently makes the half hour plus drive from Upper Hutt to the orange caravan at Lyall Bay, on Wellington’s south coast), I finally sampled the goods. The moment the home-made tomato-cumin relish, drizzled on a cup of chunky wedges, entered my mouth […]

Continue reading


Things I’m Loving – parks, gardens, beaches & daylight

October 7, 2012October 7, 2012 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Loving & Not Loving, Sarah, School hols

I can’t say enough how much better I feel when my body is exposed to longer hours of daylight. I don’t need hot temperatures and scorching sunshine, just more hours of daylight to make my whole being glide smoothly over life’s little hurdles (instead of crashing at every one). I feel more energized and positive. […]

Continue reading


Please take me to a farm, so I can feed the animals!

October 5, 2012October 5, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Alice, Sarah, School hols, Sophie

The mouths of babes can be very insistent and, after several weeks of asking, my two year old’s wish came true. It was a spur of the moment visit. The stars had aligned to make it all possible – sunshine, no school pick-ups, or rush to be back at any set time, my two year […]

Continue reading


Lyrical Sunday – Daylight

October 1, 2012October 3, 2012 BritMumInNZ 8 Comments Lyrical Sunday, Sarah, Writing

The sun dipped down at six thirty on Saturday night, with a sunset to warm me to the core, leaving winter nights behind – and knocking on summer’s door. The clocks took us closer, as we slept, waking to a new time & a season of promise. My mood that’s felt depressed, since May’s darkening […]

Continue reading


We visited Asia at Wellington Zoo!

September 30, 2012September 30, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Sarah

There was a festival atmosphere at the best little Zoo in the world yesterday. Visitors came to greet the sun bears in their new enclosure and see the tigers, who’ve been away from public viewing since earlier in the year. The staff at Wellington Zoo have kept the new ‘Project Asia Precinct‘ area of the […]

Continue reading


Happy travels to our nine year old – first independent flight!

September 29, 2012September 30, 2012 BritMumInNZ 5 Comments Charlotte, Holidays

Charlotte approached the international departure gate and was approached by someone waiting for her. She turned to smile and wave us a good-bye. I was aware of her Daddy saying, ‘Can I have a hug?’, whilst I grappled with young two-year old Alice in my arms – who was determined to make a run through […]

Continue reading


Things I’m Loving…

September 28, 2012September 28, 2012 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Loving & Not Loving

Loving a moment of freedom at sundown on Monday, with just my six year old – Sophie, at Lyall Bay. Hubbie came home a little earlier than his usual 6.30pm to mind Alice and Charlotte (who were happy to stay at home). We found star-fish and hermit crabs in the rock pools, climbed the rocks […]

Continue reading


Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Archives

Recent Posts

  • WAI2K 50km trail adventure, November 2024! February 20, 2025
  • Visits back to the UK aren’t always a holiday – when those you love aren’t well. February 6, 2025
  • Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a long weekend on the Gold Coast – June 2024 January 6, 2025
  • ‘Last time’ moments on a spring visit to the UK, May 2024 January 2, 2025
  • Race Tekapo 50km September 29, 2024
  • Running the stunning Motatapu Trail Marathon May 30, 2024
  • 50km for 50 years! How I saw in the first day of my fifties running the 50km Faultline Ultra! May 21, 2024
  • Six month catch up! March 9, 2024
  • Ten blissful days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. August 8, 2023
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration August 7, 2023
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon! May 10, 2023
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles! April 4, 2023

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (51) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (71) Country Kids (59) family (117) family time (57) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (133) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (62) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (50) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (33) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)
dazzling Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress