Here in New Zealand the holiday season dawns with the first blooms of the Pohutukawa and Northen Rata trees, their bold red blooms create a swathe of red alongside roads, along the beaches and in gardens and parks across the country. In Wellington the blooms are accompanied by festive flags, fluttering on flag poles throughout […]
From a sea-life safari and massive water slide to a historic house and gardens, here follows more snap shots from our week’s holiday in north-east Cornwall (for the first post, of beautiful coastal walks, click here!). Boat Trip with Padstow Sealife Safaris Early in our stay the forecast across the country was for extremely high […]
We left Fleet in Hampshire early on Saturday morning, joining the A303 and waving to historic Stonehenge as we drove on the stretch of single carriageway through the World Heritage Site at a moving pace (which was good, considering it was summer, sunny and often known to be a stretch of road that can see […]
I’ve been back in New Zealand for just over two weeks and came from record breaking high temperatures and dry conditions in the UK to the wettest winter on record in New Zealand and hundreds of slips all around Wellington. Earth is on a scary path of more extremes and it is frighteningly noticeable. I […]
Mum’s funeral was a day of coming together for many people that had touched her life, even though many people hadn’t seen much of Mum for a few years – such was the torture of Alzheimer’s disease in stealing her away from so many people. It was a moment of remembering the person she was […]
I was freed from the confines of MIQ (managed isolation and quarantine) nearly two weeks ago, on Friday 21 January, having spent 10 days in a room, with no opening window and only 30 minutes of fresh air a day. It was a strange experience to be on my own and between the two families […]
It’s day 5 of my 10 day quarantine (MIQ) here in New Zealand. I’ve had 3 covid tests so far (all negative) and am hanging out for my freedom day and to be reunited with my family on the south coast of Wellington. They sent me this gorgeous photo of the sunset, on their evening […]
It was always going to be a different Christmas, with me in the UK with my dear Dad, visiting Mum in the care home, and my family in New Zealand thousands of miles away. Leading up to Christmas Day we were planning how we’d spend the day. My Dad, sister and I all wanted to […]
It’s day 3 of my 10 day stay in Managed Isolation and Quarantine in New Zealand (otherwise known as ‘MIQ’). I landed on Tuesday 11 January (day 0) and it’s now Friday. All being well, I’ll be out of here on Friday 21 January and able to reunite with my husband and three daughters, after […]
Before they rest for winter the deciduous trees glow with such awe inspiring beauty, the leaves giving a grand finale before preparing to stand stoically through frosty nights and bitterly cold days. Leaves turn from green to golden yellow, copper and red, hanging onto the branches till the wind carries them down to carpet the […]
It’s been four weeks since I landed in England, where half of my heart lives. It was so hard to say goodbye to my husband and three amazingly supportive children to make this journey, not knowing when I’ll be able to return to New Zealand. I talk to them via video calls most days and […]
It’s been a few quiet weeks at home for us, with the level 4 lockdown lasting for two weeks and then moving to level 3 on 1 September (basically level 4 with takeaways for us!). Tomorrow, on 8 September, we move down to level 2 with schools and hobbies resuming. Auckland remains in level 4, […]
Happy New Year! I have to say I’m feeling very fortunate to be living freely in New Zealand at the moment. Writing about all our freedoms seems a little unfair when so many people around the world are struggling with the Covid-19 Pandemic, facing lockdowns and huge restrictions on normal day to day activities. I […]
I miss her, Mum, even though she’s not gone. Still here, but not. I see a flash of her smile and hear her laugh. Drying dishes. Tears in my eyes, wishing for easy conversations. I move on. Wipe down the kitchen bench-top; my daughter has left hot glue gun remnants soldered onto the surface. I […]