Catching the Magic

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

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botanical gardens

On the sculpture trail in the Botanic Garden of Wellington

July 4, 2011July 4, 2011 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Alice, Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie, Walks

When the man of the house has a game of football adjacent to the Wellington Botanic Garden there is no excuse for his supporting ladies not to follow. The weather was calm and dry, seasonably crisp, but nothing to grumble about. We rugged up and trooped along. We lingered to watch the start of the […]

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A Forecast to Smile About

October 2, 2010 BritMumInNZ 2 Comments Art, School hols

After the deluge of rain that drenched Wellington on Thursday we were so delighted to see the sunshine on Friday. What’s more the forecast for the whole week is SUN, SUN, SUN! Now that’s something to SMILE about, especially on the school holidays! I’d pre-booked to take the girls to a craft activity in the […]

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Perfect Friday Out and About

April 9, 2010April 9, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments School hols

Today was a perfect Friday – for those of us not having to work that is. Whilst Dan was extremely busy meeting deadlines, his girls were lapping up the Autumn sunshine. He’s been cycling to and from work most days, but this morning we drove him in and enjoyed a cuppa. We’re so loving the […]

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Sunshine and Fog

January 28, 2010 BritMumInNZ 4 Comments School hols

On Tuesday we headed out to the Botanical Gardens in gloriously, hot sunshine. We parked at the top of the cable car, with a plan to walk all down hill, via the playground, duck pond, Sound Shell, Rose Gardens and into the city, before riding the cable car back up. However, poor Sophie had a […]

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Winter sunshine makes for lots of fun

August 7, 2009November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Charlotte, Sophie

When the sun is out, there is so much fun to be had in the great outdoors of New Zealand. Even though we live in a city (well in a suburb a 10-minute drive from the city) we have plenty of nature within our grasp. Whilst Charli was working hard at school and earning certificates […]

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Crystal Clear

April 3, 2009November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 3 Comments Charlotte, Sarah, Sophie

The brightness of colour in Autumn here isn’t one of blazing autumnal leaves in fall (unless you journey to the South Island). Most of the native trees are evergreen. But the sun sitting lower in the sky brings about an incredible clarity to the light reflecting off every surface. Morning and evening the temperatures are […]

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Twinkle, twinkle in the night

January 19, 2009September 8, 2010 BritMumInNZ 7 Comments Charlotte, Dan, Random Musings, Sophie, Writing

Lights glittered through the trees and music throbbed in the warm, night air. Small hands fumbled with car-seat buckles. They couldn’t wait to escape the confines of the car and be amongst the music and lights. As soon as their feet touched the ground their bodies started moving to the music. Running down the fern […]

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Bloomin Beautiful!

September 28, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 6 Comments Holidays

Just a quick post of some sunny cheer before we finally head off. It really was magnificent today and with the clocks having sprung forward we really are embracing the lighter evenings and warmer days. We joined the celebrations of the Spring Festival at the Botanical Gardens today. Poor ‘ole Charli still isn’t A1 and […]

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Having a blast – long may the summer roll!

January 29, 2008November 27, 2009 BritMumInNZ 1 Comment Charlotte, Dan, Sarah, Sophie

It’s been a crazy few days of sunshine. We had a blast at ‘The Teddy Bear’s Picnic’ in the Botanical Gardens on Sunday (got some great video-clips, but no time to string it together tonight!). Charlotte loved singing along to the music and Sophie enjoyed wandering around the rose garden and riding on the ‘rocket’! […]

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Four Seasons in One Day

October 2, 2007November 28, 2009 BritMumInNZ Sarah

The infamous Crowded House song, ‘Four Seasons in One Day,’ certainly rang true in Wellington today! Helen Leggatt in Canterbury, New Zealand, regularly posts to an online forum about life in New Zealand, which has a weather thread, and people from all over New Zealand post their daily observations. Her San Diego Reader article sums […]

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Wellington Botanical Gardens: A Must Do!

May 15, 2007November 28, 2009 BritMumInNZ Charlotte, Sophie

For tourists and visitors alike Wellington Botanical Garden is a must do! Today was a perfect day in Wellington. One of those days you wish for when you see a cruise liner dock in the harbour. Wellington on a good day is paradise. Take a ride up the cable car for magnificent views and a […]

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Happy Days with Grandma

February 26, 2006July 28, 2010 Charlotte Charlotte

Cock-a-doodle-doo, the chicken wants a poo!

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Fun with Grandma

February 20, 2006July 28, 2010 Charlotte Sophie

Sunny days and lots of fresh air.

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Life’s a Beach!

January 29, 2006May 27, 2010 Charlotte Charlotte

We’re been sunning it up and paddling in the sea, life’s a beach in January!

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Older posts
  • WAI2K 50km trail adventure, November 2024!February 20, 2025
    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… Read more: WAI2K 50km trail adventure, November 2024!
  • Visits back to the UK aren’t always a holiday – when those you love aren’t well.February 6, 2025
    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… Read more: Visits back to the UK aren’t always a holiday – when those you love aren’t well.
  • Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a long weekend on the Gold Coast – June 2024January 6, 2025
    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… Read more: Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a long weekend on the Gold Coast – June 2024
  • ‘Last time’ moments on a spring visit to the UK, May 2024January 2, 2025
    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… Read more: ‘Last time’ moments on a spring visit to the UK, May 2024
  • Race Tekapo 50kmSeptember 29, 2024
    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… Read more: Race Tekapo 50km
  • Running the stunning Motatapu Trail MarathonMay 30, 2024
    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… Read more: Running the stunning Motatapu Trail Marathon
  • 50km for 50 years! How I saw in the first day of my fifties running the 50km Faultline Ultra!May 21, 2024
    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… Read more: 50km for 50 years! How I saw in the first day of my fifties running the 50km Faultline Ultra!
  • Six month catch up!March 9, 2024
    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… Read more: Six month catch up!
  • Ten blissful days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.August 8, 2023
    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,… Read more: Ten blissful days in Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday CelebrationAugust 7, 2023
    Turning 50 is definitely a milestone birthday, but hubby Dan didn’t want a party so in February we decided to head away for the weekend to celebrate at the Marlborough Food and Wine Festival. Dan’s Birthday fell on the same weekend as the festival, in the sunshine summer month of February here in New Zealand,… Read more: Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon!May 10, 2023
    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… Read more: A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon!
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles!April 4, 2023
    On Census night in New Zealand we were away from home, up in Auckland (along with thousands of other people from all over the country) to enjoy an epic night of entertainment at Mt Smart Stadium. We flew up first thing on Tuesday morning, giving us plenty of time to enjoy some sight seeing before… Read more: Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles!
  • Celebrating a Birthday with a Meerkat Encounter!March 30, 2023
    Our youngest turned 13 in February, joining her older two siblings in ‘teen hood’ (though our oldest will turn 20 in June this year!). Having started high school a couple of weeks before her birthday there was, certainly for me, a moment of nostalgia as I reflected on how grown up my ‘baby’ has become… Read more: Celebrating a Birthday with a Meerkat Encounter!
  • Summer holiday in Rotorua & TaupoMarch 29, 2023
    The last week of January, before the start of a new school year, we drove up from Wellington to the central region of the North Island for a week’s holiday. We’ve holidayed in this area many times over the years and never tire of the endless outdoor activities on offer in the most beautiful natural… Read more: Summer holiday in Rotorua & Taupo
  • Christmas and a Birthday in WellingtonJanuary 12, 2023
    Sunshine was gifted to us on Christmas Day this year in Wellington and we had the most wonderfully relaxed day together (well, almost all together, as our oldest currently lives in Melbourne and so we video chatted and were delighted to see them having an awesome time with a friend and their friend’s family). We… Read more: Christmas and a Birthday in Wellington

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