Catching the Magic

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

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  • WAI2K 50km trail adventure, November 2024!

    In November 2024 I took on the epic endurance event of the 50km WAI2K Ultra, from Woodside Train Station in Greytown, through the hills of the Wairarapa and Kaitoke Regional Park, to Tunnel Gully Upper Picnic Area in Upper Hutt. This mixed terrain course involves around 2,500m of elevation gain through dense scrub, beautiful native […]

  • Visits back to the UK aren’t always a holiday – when those you love aren’t well.

    Life is never all sunshine and roses. When we have had the good fortunate of having people in our lives that we’ve loved deeply, and have felt their love in return, it is painful to see that person suffering. Life is all about beginnings and endings, hellos and goodbyes, first moments and celebrations, and also […]

  • Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a long weekend on the Gold Coast – June 2024

    At the end of May 2024 my husband and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary and took the opportunity to grab a fix of winter sunshine, over the ‘King’s Birthday’ weekend public holiday (beginning of June), with a trip to the Gold Coast – on Australia’s East Coast. We were joined by our children, Sophie […]

  • ‘Last time’ moments on a spring visit to the UK, May 2024

    After over twenty five years of living thousands of miles away from my birth country, and many flights back and forth, I am still in awe of the fact I can be on the other side of the world in 24 hours. I remind myself that jet passenger services didn’t start until the late 1950s […]

  • Race Tekapo 50km

    Race registration on Friday night, by the shore of Lake Tekapo, was a ‘hold on tight to your bib’ or you won’t be going anywhere tomorrow affair. The bitingly cold air was a shock to the system, after my husband, daughter and I had driven from a sunny, spring like day in Christchurch. Our flight […]

  • Running the stunning Motatapu Trail Marathon

    This was one of the most beautiful trail marathons I’ve ran and was a great way to celebrate a summer of running and see in the beginning of autumn (though the weather was still very much throwing the heat of summer on event day – which fell on the first Saturday in March). The 42km […]

  • 50km for 50 years! How I saw in the first day of my fifties running the 50km Faultline Ultra!

    I’ve been on a good running streak for over a year now (meaning no injuries, illness or troublesome hormones to slow me down – thanks to a mix of strength work, good luck and hormone replacement therapy!). When I saw that a new event was going to be held in the city where I live […]

  • Six month catch up!

    Time is literally flying away on me and blog writing is very neglected these days, but we are all well here and can’t believe our lovely Christmas and New Year festivities were three months ago! Spring and summer has raced by and now we are on the cusp of autumn here in New Zealand. Since […]

  • Ten blissful days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.

    With the days dark and short here in New Zealand we jetted off for some warmth and sunshine in the Cook Islands, just a three to four hour flight from Auckland. We have never visited any of the Pacific Islands and it was with great delight that we touched down on the runway in Rarotonga, […]

  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon!

    Round the Bays Wellington, held in February every year, is always an iconic event, generally bestowed with sunshine and an amazing turn out of people of all ages. The atmosphere for this event is like a festival, with entertainment lining the route of the first 6km, between Waitangi Park and Kilbirnie Park (where all the […]

Visitors from the UK!

February 18, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I met my Great Aunty Ellen and Great Uncle John for the first time and had lots of cuddles.

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I’ve been swimming

February 6, 2004July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I’ve now been swimming twice and I love it lots. Both my Mummy and Daddy have had turns taking me.

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I cut my first tooth!!

January 22, 2004July 27, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

It didn’t hurt much, thanks to furious chewing on everything I could get my little hands on and yummy rusks..

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Walking on the Wild Side

January 15, 2004July 27, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte


It was a long weekend so I had heaps of fun playing with Daddy. Mummy and Daddy took me to Staglands Wildlife Park, which was amazing.

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Mummy, Daddy and I flew down to Queenstown

January 2, 2004July 27, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I was very good on the plane and even slept part of the way there and part of the way back (though I was sick on the way home after having too much rusk and milk!).

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Nearly New Year!

December 30, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

This week was very special as we celebrated Christmas Day.

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My First Christmas

December 25, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte, Special Days

I loved wrinkling the paper, trying to eat it (when Mummy wasn’t looking) and chew on the labels. I got so many lovely presents (the things wrapped in the fun paper).

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I have been blowing lots and lots of raspberries.

December 20, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I’m moving around alot more and make it much harder for Mummy and Daddy to change my nappy.

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Mummy took me to see the ducks this week.

December 13, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

Mummy took me to see the ducks this week. After weeks of playing with plastic ones in the bath I got to see what a real one looked like and I love ducks – quack, quack!

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I went to the park and the beach.

December 7, 2003May 27, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I went to the park and the beach. I LOVED the waves, they were amazing! I really enjoy being in the front pack and seeing the world from Mummy and Daddy’s eyes.

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Return of the King

December 1, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I’ve been living in the home of Middle Earth this week with the World Premiere of the Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King.

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I started solids this week.

November 25, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I started solids this week. I tried some baby rice which was OK, but I also tried some mashed potato which I thought was brilliant.

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I slept through the night!

November 18, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

My Mummy was getting very tired with the 3am feed I kept wanting, so I started to sleep all night, sometimes till 6am!

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I like sucking on my big toe.

November 17, 2003July 28, 2010 Charlotte Leave a comment Charlotte

I haven’t yet managed to get both feet in my mouth at the same time, but I keep trying.

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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

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