An Aussie in Auckland

Fire and ice ...

2010-03-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

You can take the Brissie girl out of New Zealand, but you can't take NZ out of the girl. Or something like that.
What I mean is that although I'm no longer an Aussie in Auckland, there's a little Kiwi - or perhaps a Kakapo - that resides inside my heart.
So when @LanghamAuckland shared some exciting news via twitter, I just couldn't resist posting about it.
Remember Earth Hour? It's coming up this Saturday, and to celebrate the hotel's Chuan Spa will be plunged into darkness, and the lights replaced with hundreds of soy candles. Then, the spa will offer a unique Fire and Ice Candlelit massage, using hot stones and ice-cold gemstones.
Best of all, 10 per cent of the proceeds from each massage will go to New Zealand's WWF.
The 1 1/2 hour treatment costs $NZ200, and would be almost worth making the hop across the ditch for ... (hint @FlyAirNZ?)
But wait, there's more!
To mark Earth Hour 2010, the hotel's chandeliers and main lights - including the iconic rooftop sign - will also be switched off, and replaced with 1700 soy candles.
So you can pamper yourself AND help the environment as well.
You can't beat Kiwi know-how!

E noho rā'

2009-12-30T19:02:00.000-08:00

All good things come to an end, and so too, has our stay in New Zealand.
Husband has accepted an offer too good to refuse, so we will be relocating across the ditch to Australia, back where it all started.
It's with mixed feelings that we say e noho rā' to Aeotearoa, and for now, I will still be blogging about our adventures there whenever I get time or inspiration.
In the meantime, thanks for reading, and for your wonderful comments - I love them all.
Happy 2010!

A Very Aussie Christmas

2009-12-27T19:51:00.001-08:00

So, how was your Christmas?

We enjoyed an Aussie Bush Christmas, with loads of family and friends, just as it should be.

My siblings, parents and I were together for the first time in years, plus we had loads of extended family and friends around as well.

My sister and hubby were our gracious hosts, and as usual, they went all out to ensure everyone were comfortable, fed and watered. (Or alcohol-ed. Though I think I may have just made that word up).

The kids spent most of the time in the pool, playing with their cousins, and eating and drinking far too little.

While the adults spent most of the time OUT of the pool, and eating and drinking far too much.

Just as well Christmas comes but once a year!

Christmas Eve was spent, in the main street of Wondai, for the 60th annual Christmas Street Carnival.

Each year, we say never again; Each year, we go again anyway. There are the ham and turkey wheels, the merry-go-round and jumping castle, plus free ice-blocks for the kids from Santa. Not to mention the drinks at the RSL a bit later. Hey, it's tradition!

On Christmas morning, it's church, again in Wondai. This year, Uncle O. was the layreader, and we giggled as one of his grandchildren yelled out: 'Hello Pop!' Then it was back to L and O's for champagne, pina coladas, and beer ... and mountains of food.

L's special muscat-glazed baked ham, barbecued chickens, prawns, bugs, crabs and loads of salads. Then unmentionable desserts.

All washed down with good Aussie wine and beer, plus softies for the kids and the drivers.

The next morning, we enjoyed a barbie breakfast on the deck at my parents' home, before taking the long drive back to Brisbane, and discovering that Santa had visited Nana too!

Much to my surprise, I discovered the kids had been Very Good all year after all.

Ah ... it's the magic of Christmas.

(Pic: Santa and a Very Special Reindeer, photo courtesy of Husband).

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-16T08:16:00.000-08:00

Boxing day, 2008

I admit it: I've been slack.

I know I haven't blogged lately, and I have a couple of cameras worth of shots to upload. But I have two words for you: Blame Santa.

Yes, the time for end of year/Christmas craziness has well and truly fallen upon the Aussies in Auckland, and I've not had a moment to blog. Or shop. Or do much of anything apart from work and kid-wrangling. Oh, and shouting.

We've been too busy! There have been carols by candlelight, nights out, summer festivals, parties, Santa parades, school break-ups, and more ...

And forget about Christmas shopping. (I'm thinking Santa is going to need more than a few little helpers this year...)!

Anyway, I will post about all the fab things we've been enjoying in and around Auckland, as soon as I get time. But in the meantime, I would love to wish you and yours all the best for the festive season.

This year, we're heading home to Australia to spend our Christmas with family.

I loved Christmas in Auckland last year. The flaming pohutakawa trees, the Franklin Road lights, the near-empty and not-boiling-hot beaches, and the fact that Auckland empties out over the holidays.

But we did miss our family and friends, so it will be nice to share the festivities with them this year.

Merry Christmas to all my dear readers and followers and thanks for your comments and emails during the year.

I hope Santa is kind to you and that you're not feeling quite as stressed as I am!

Don't show the children ...

2009-12-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

Eek ... send a ransom! Santa has been kidnapped by terrorists!
No, actually this photograph, courtesy of NZ tweep @gnat, is of Auckland's famous Whitcoulls Santa about to be unveiled in the CBD.
Since the 1960s the iconic Santa has looked down benignly on Aucklanders as they dodge homeless people, bodily fluids, and fight each other for Christmas bargains in the lead-up to Christmas.
Last year, there was a huge controversy, because some Bah Humbug/politically correct types thought Santa looked seedy, with a finger beckoning creepily to children, and a rusty eye winking sleazily at them. Seriously, even the P. word was used.
In fact, there was a debate as to whether old Santa should be retired, but public opinion weighed in heavily, and it was decided Santa should undergo what all Good Santas Of A Certain Age Do, and have a makeover. (In fact, there's even a Fan Page on Facebook now for NZ's infamous Creepy Santa).
Off he was whisked to a secret location, where, with the magic of cosmetic surgery, he was rebuilt into a younger, buffer version of his original self. (Really. Is nothing sacred?)
Anyway, this year he is back, younger and better than ever before ... but not before the children of Auckland were forever traumatised by the sight of their beloved Santa trussed up and his face covered in bandages!
Even better, the usual Kiwi Ingenuity has shone through, with one of the people who have done some of the cosmetic work now auctioning up Santa's rusty eye on trademe. Check it out - www.trademe.co.nz under antiques and collectables, then click on Maori and New Zealand. At the time of blogging it was going for $NZ102.
Wonder who will be getting a lump of coal in their stocking this year?

The flights ...

2009-12-03T02:45:00.000-08:00

We flew to Samoa with Air New Zealand, which was awesome. Well, except for the food. But you get that, right?

Chicken pie (erm, looked and tasted nothing like it) and couscous salad. The salad was okay. Unfortunately, the ice-cream dessert had nuts in, so the kids couldn't eat it. Honestly, is it too hard to arrange a nut-free meal? They do halal and vegan ... (And yes, I did try to organise it but was told it couldn't be done, and to take snacks myself, which I obviously did. But still, grumpy kids like to be 'treated' like everyone else.)

Salmon pie - apparently

Miss 6 enjoys the inflight entertainment.

You know you're back in New Zealand territory when A. the greeting is Kia Ora, and B. You can catch up on the Shortie Street episodes you've missed ...

Duty free shopping, Samoan style.

Our first Christmas Tree of the Season - at Apia Airport

Miss 6 took her Lolly Girl Status seriously, even waking up passengers to check if they needed a sweet ...

The food

2009-12-02T04:49:00.001-08:00

So, while in Samoa, we chose to do an all-inclusive meal deal.
In my single, child-free travelling days, I would have choked at the thought; preferring to eat locally (and probably vicariously).
But when you have kids, you need good, reliable food, and often.
The all-inclusive deal for Aggie Grey's Lagoon Beach Resort and Spa at Apia was amazing. I think Kyle and I paid a bit over $100 each extra for it, and the kids were free. That was for the duration of our stay.
To be honest, I do wish the kid's menu changed occasionally. But there was so much food, that we could never hope to eat, that I sometimes ordered one of my meals for them, to spice things up a bit, and just had an entree. (Okay, once I had a dessert too. Just once though. In nearly 2 weeks. And it was banofee pie with bananas in it, so was almost healthy ... so there!)
C. was such a favourite with the breakfast chef, that he was invited up to help cook. Check out the cap!

Another omelette, you say? Certainly!
He loved the food. Tucking into mac and cheese for lunch.

The after shot of our Umo lunch ...

And before. Truly, the most divine-tasting food. Especially the palusami - coconut milk and taro leaves.

coconut milk and onion baked on the umo

Hmm...deciding what to order from the kids' menu

A traditional Samoan feast is on the way

Scraping the taro, breadfruit, bananas and coconut

The Kitty Whisperer

Mango ice-cream and fruit salad for dessert

Mmm... mango ice-cream...

A prawn curry from the Asian restaurant. There was a choice of 3 or 4 restaurants for dinner. This was one of our faves.

Nasi Goreng

Spring rolls, a lunch-time staple
A lunch-time kiddy burger

And ever-popular pizza!

I'll drink to that ... drinks in Samoa!

2009-12-01T06:11:00.000-08:00

While in Samoa, we enjoyed a few cocktails, and of course the local beer, Vailima. Wine was expensive, although on a few occasions I splashed out on the 'house white' - Dan Murphy's cleanskin chardy. Usually purchased by the truckload for as little as (AUS) $1.99 back home, it was always amusing to have it served with a flourish and offered for tasting. (And it cost about $18 at the resort, so was still reasonably affordable).
Meanwhile, the kids loved Shasta soda drinks. Apparently a US soda chain, Shasta Cola was often substituted without explanation for the more expensive Coca Cola, and was also often the only diet cola available. (Diet drinks a hit with hubby, because he is diabetic.)
But they had other yummy ranges too (according to the kids - they were too sweet for me!)
Unfortunately, they were also full of nasty colours and flavours, which had the ability to turn the ruggies into monsters. So the drinks had to be limited - or used as rewards (or taken away as consequences). Unfortunately, Miss 6 qualified for a few more rewards than Mr 8.
They must be evil, as the kids still miss their Shasta treats, and I miss them as a parenting aid!
Shasta strawberry. At least they are honest about it being artificially flavoured!

Cheers!
Shasta and snacks at cocktail hour.
Soda with other Natural Flavour. Nice ...

C. has a mocktail, Daddy has the real thing. I think C's non-alcoholic version was more potent, thanks to the colours and preservatives!

Can I have what he's having?

Shopping - Samoan style!

2009-11-29T16:13:00.000-08:00

Let's face it: You don't go to Samoa to shop. Or to use the Internet. Or check emails. Which is just as well, because apart from a zillion different lava lavas, there isn't a lot to buy. And the internet doesn't appear to work for most of the time.
Which is actually great, because with the time and money you save, you can enjoy a few cocktails.
Anyway, I still did my bit to support the local economy, and couldn't resist a little retail therapy.
A bar in Apia
One of the markets ... The stalls basically all sold the same things for about the same prices. Die-hard bargain-hunters can bargain a little, but not too much, as everything is cheap to start with. Usually, they will give a discount if you buy a few things from them, but I couldn't bring myself to try it on. It must be a hard way to make a dollar. Or Tala. (We are in Samoa after all). One local, a tour guide, told us his weekly wage was 100 Tala, and a decent bag of rice costs about the same - so you can work out how hard many Samoans have to work to support their families.

Some interesting flavours of crisps/chips.

In the deodorant aisle of a supermarket

More chippies (Octopus and cuttlefish flavour. Yummy)

Or perhaps you'd prefer to snack on Mr Bean?

Missy searching for an elusive, child-sized lava-lava. (We didn't find one. Sizes and styles of everything were limited. At one supermarket, they sold not one diet softdrink in the entire store. Husband must have diet, since he's diabetic.)

Market shopping. The in-season fruits were divine! And cheap!

Local transport. Jump in the back of a mate's car ...

Or grab a bus. Open-air (air-conditioned, and the locals sit on each other's laps to make room for spoiled tourists. Though one man told us he preferred the busy buses, so he could get pretty girls to sit on his lap!)

A must-purchase - Vailima beer. $5.80 tala for 750 ml in the supermarket; $12 in the resort.

Paradise found!

2009-11-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

I was amazed at how well I coped without social media in Samoa.
Okay, so the internet was slow and unreliable at best ... we had to go into Apia at one stage to get an emailed document printed out because we couldn't do it at our hotel!
Honestly, I thought I'd get twitchy fingers not being to update regularly. Instead, I found it easy to chill out - reading books by the pool, treating myself to a massage, walking the beach, feeding fish with the kids, and just being in the moment.

Rush hour at Aggie Grey's Lagoon Beach Resort and Spa ... we're off for drinks and the evening torch ceremony, then dinner.

Catching crabs. No really!

Miss 6 loved the tropical attire

Male bonding

Chilling out and wondering what to do next. Pool? Kid's Club? Feeding the fish? It's a tough life!

Aussies in ... Samoa

2009-11-26T19:22:00.001-08:00

If I've been a bit slack about blogging lately, it's because, well, I've been slack. In holiday in fact, in beautiful Samoa!
We had an awesome holiday, and created loads of amazing family memories. The people were so friendly and gracious, and I've become rather used to being treated like a Princess, I must say.
Who is going to bring me cocktails, and give me coconut milk massages now?
It was an unwelcome return to reality this morning, when Husband and ruggies both forgot my birthday. Hmm ... I'll let them off this time, but only because we only arrived home last night and after all, I have enjoyed plenty of treats over the past couple of weeks.
More posts and details to come ... and I warn you, I will bore you to tears with happy holiday snaps.
But in the meantime, here are a few images to get you started...

Just another morning in paradise...

Mmm ... young coconut milk. Freshly husked and opened with the bare hands of a handsome young warrior, Samoa Joe

The water was deliciously warm - and full of fish and other marine life. Plus a few humans!

Missy relaxing after a hard day, er, relaxing

A taste of France

2009-11-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

When Nana came to stay recently we asked her if she had any requests, in regard to sightseeing. Her immediate reply, after reading my blogs (Tourism New Zealand, you really should start kicking back...) was to visit a few markets I've written about.
So off we went to one of the nicest markets we've come across in Auckland - La Cigale in Parnell.. Even though it was probably the least friendly. At least on our first visit.
On our first visit, we couldn't get near the cheese-tasting area, and a nasty man whipped a chair out from beneath Husband's bottom as he was about to sit down. People pushed in and rushed past, and almost knocked over the kids who got rather upset.
But still - the food and produce - was lovely.
So we tried again.
This time we went early, and the market was a lovely experience. People were friendly and laid-back. Tastings were available and the kids got loads of attention, much to their pleasure. Many stall-holders had brought their very friendly dogs, and there was room for everyone. (Except at the cheese-tasting stall.)
We enjoyed a few nice coffees, breakfast, and picked up plenty of produce to enjoy back home.
Ham on the bone ... sandwich, anyone?
You can buy pretty much anything here!

Handsome young man

Missy enjoys her first chocolate eclair.

Mmm ... eclairs

Husband's sausage with emmental cheese in a fresh baguette

Mr 8 loves raclette and potatoes!

Mmm...raclette

Sweets anyone?

Paella being prepared

Yummy asparagus

Mr 8 - loving the salmon and tuna

Karma anyone?

2009-11-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

New Zealanders can be funny buggers.
One of my favourite things is trawling through www.trademe.co.nz - kind of like a Kiwi version of ebay, but more human.
Regular readers will remember my delight in seeing kiwi-shaped feijoas and penis-shaped oranges for sale - and actually being sold too!
Which sparked a frenzied, but short-lived obsession for fruit and vegie fondling, as I tried vainly to find my own money-making unusual-shaped produce.
Anyway, this week, an enterprizing Kiwi dude is selling ... karma. And not just any karma, but Good Karma! (You can never have too much Good Karma).
The owner claims he's been secretly storing up karma over the past two years by doing good deeds. Things like paying for lunch with friends (sometimes even with his own credit card), and helping old ladies across the road (whether they want to go or not!)
Anyway, this extremely virtuous citizen has so much Good Karma, he has no need for the excess and is offering it to cashed-up peeps in need. The starting bid is NZ$20. Go here to check it out.
The Good Karma comes with an original letter of authenticity.
You've got to love Kiwi Ingenuitity!

Unwanted visitors!

2009-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

As Husband guest-posted recently, something always happens when he is away for work.
Sometimes, it's myself or the kids getting sick. Another time, I broke my thumb and dislocated a finger. More recently, we sold our house!
On this occasion, some @#$% losers decided to break into our home in Auckland.
It's okay. We're fine.
This place is like Fort Knox once it's locked up - and those who know me, know I am anal about always keeping the doors locked.
But still it really shook up Miss 6 - okay, and me!
I'd put the kids to bed - Mr 8 upstairs, Miss 6 downstairs, and myself on the middle floor, watching telly, checking out Facebook updates, and making sure neither of them were sneaking out of their rooms.
Mr 8 - thankfully - was asleep, when Miss 6 came up and told me someone was trying to get in and yelling about drugs and alcohol.
"Don't be silly," I began, thinking she'd had a bad dream or was wanting some extra Mummy time.
But then I looked into those wide, frightened eyes and realised she was serious.
Sure enough, as I walked downstairs, the door handle was moving wildly, and someone was thumping on the door. (We don't have a doorbell and if you are upstairs with tv/music/cooking blaring, you can't hear when someone is at the door).
They were opening the letterbox and shouting things like: "Let us in! Come on, we've got the drugs, everything you want."
My immediate reaction was to tell them to bug off. In slightly ruder language.
They just laughed and continued yelling and thumping.
I told them I would call the cops, and they continued opening the letterbox and shouting. And mocked me. "She's calling the cops .... hahahaha!" So I did.
While I was on the phone, of course the would-be visitors scampered off. Real big men they were to scare a mum and six-year-old, who I must say, was being very brave.
Anyway, 111 (it's 111 here, not 000 or 911 or 999), were great. I told them the thugs had left, and expected that would be the end of it.
I crawled into bed to comfort Miss 6 who was now sobbing quietly. She had almost gone to sleep when the thumping on the door resumed.
With a sinking heart, I went downstairs and asked who was there.
"Police!" came a manly voice.
"Is it really?" I asked, peering through the curtains to see a police car right outside.
But it really was.
Despite the danger passing, two officers had come by to investigate the call. I estimate it was within about 20 minutes of my initial phone call to 111.
How awesome was that?
They were kind, polite, and thorough. They checked that everyone in the household was safe, and reassured Miss 6 that everything was okay.
They promised they would hang around for a while and patrol the area.
That they could even take the time to respond - and quickly - to my phone call was wonderful. That they could immediately calm a nervous six-year-old - okay and her Mum - was also nice.
To know they would keep an eye on the place? Awesome.
Some of my friends are cops, and I know just who and what they have to deal with sometimes.
It was a reminder of how lucky we are as a community to have brave guys and girls looking out for us like this.
For the record? We are all okay, nothing stolen or damaged.
And for that, I know we are lucky!
Miss 6 was still teary this morning, but she's also proud of how brave she was. Mr 8, I think, is annoyed he missed out on all the excitement. (Apparently, he would have kicked their butts).
The building manager managed to find some footage of the losers on the security camera, and we are pretty sure they were either high or drunk - or both - and had mistaken our door for someone else's.
It's reassuring to know it was probably a case of mistaken identity that brought them to our door.
But rest assured, tonight I will be locking all doors and checking them twice - and giving the kids an extra kiss as well!

We're famous (well kind of)!

2009-11-08T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here it is... the story in last weekend's Canvas magazine, in the New Zealand Herald.
And if you're interested, you can read it online here.
The photo is courtesy of another Mummy Blogger featured in the story, Faery Sarah whose blog is www.bobbyrobin.co.nz
Meanwhile, back in Auckland, it's been a busy time with Nana visiting from Brisbane.
The kids have enjoyed having some special Nana time, and catching up on cuddles.
Each day, in-between finishing work and school run time, G. and I usually hit the shops.
We found a really cool fashion store on Manukau Road, Epsom, called T'da which sells, and I quote, "fabulous clothes for curvaceous women".
I was loving the size guide:

In nearby Mt Eden, we found Antique Alley, an Aladdin's Cave of old jewellery, chinaware, coins, and pretty much anything you could think of. Seriously, I was scared to move lest I send the whole lot tumbling down in the style of a Russian forklift driver! And G. was thrilled to be able to pick up a few bargains to add to her collection back home.

The shelves were packed!

In fact, pretty much all available space was taken up with beautiful old things.

Another antique shop, this time Yvonne Sanders Antiques, back on Maukau Road, Epsom.

Nana found a few more beautiful pieces here too.

Does anyone else have any fabulous shops they want to share?

The hills are alive ...

2009-11-04T16:36:00.000-08:00

The hills around Auckland are alive with the sound of ... fireworks!
Yes, today is Guy Fawkes Day! Technically, that's celebrated tonight, with fireworks and friendly gatherings. In Auckland, however, Guy Fawkes seem to involve fireworks being let off at random times and places for days - and nights -beforehand.
Also, there are dudes selling fireworks from their sheds, garages and even the back of their cars.
Even weirder, you can buy them at the supermarket, along with other essential home items, like eggs, bread and milk. What The?
And today, to my great delight, quite a few bangers went off from a guy's van, just up the road from the post office. A few of them shot, smoking, out into the middle of the road.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: There is always something happening in Auckland!
Speaking of which, the other day a young woman walked up Queens Street, dressed in black and - wearing her hot pink undies over the top of her clothes. If only I'd had my camera!

Fancy a few fireworks with your food? (Apologies for my poor photography skills. That is why I am a journalist and not a photographer)!

Delights of the World anyone?

Seriously, I do pity the animals though, and parents of small children. Keep them safe tonight!

I want candy!

2009-11-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

It's been even busier than usual for the Aussies in Auckland.
First, Husband's Mum arrived for a visit from sunny Queensland. The kids got an early mark off school so they could pick her up from the airport, much to their pleasure.
We spent a very pleasant weekend, eating and drinking far too much! The kids have also enjoyed showing off their swimming, reading, and gymnastics skills.
Of course, Saturday night was Halloween, and after experiencing their first in Auckland last year, our own little monsters were raring to go!
Later, we ended up at our local pub, The Drake, for dinner. It's a relaxed kind of place, and best of all, it's within walking distance (although poor Nana regretted not wearing a jacket!)
Finally, Miss 6 and I were greeted like minor celebrities when we arrived at school on Monday.
Why? I'd been featured in a story about Mummy Bloggers in the New Zealand Herald's Canvas magazine over the weekend, and H. was in the photo with me. (Mr 8 could have been too, but the publicity-shy one declined).
As a journalist, it's not a big deal for me to feature in the media (after all, if I expect other people to do it, I have to be prepared to join in too). But it was cute to see how impressed H.'s little friends were.
Look out! There's another media diva in the making!

Missy eating chips and aioli at The Drake

My pan seared salmon with asparagus and capers

C. happy with his adult portion of gunard and chips - no kids' meals for him!

Husband's cottage pie and chips - the ultimate in comfort food!

A platter of yummies to share

Nana gets some kiddie love!

The kids knocked high and low in their search for Halloween lollies.

Miss 6 was a princess, and Mr 8 was a monster

Miss 6: You don't have to be evil on Halloween

Mr 8: What's the point if you can't be evil?

Waiwera Thermal Resort

2009-10-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Husband was away, so the kids and I decided to play during a recent long weekend, when I took them to Waiwera Infinity Thermal Spa Resort.
Kind of like a Wet and Wild, the difference is that the water is thermally heated, with several natural mineral hot pools, of varying temperatures and depths, to relax in.
There are also loads of water slides for the kids (and the young at heart).
One of the most popular spots was the movie pool – where movies are screened twice-daily, and video clips run in-between.
What I love about Waiwera – and I have to say most attractions in New Zealand are the same – is that not only is it family friendly, but visitors are allowed to bring in their own food and drink.
I’ve had it with stingy Australia tourism operators, who not only have the audacity to charge inflated entry fees, but then force punters to pay more inflated prices for mostly unhealthy and cardboard-tasting food and drink.
In New Zealand, zoos, museums, rollerskating centres, indoor climbing venues and more, are all relaxed about allowing visitors to bring picnics and snacks. Places like MOTAT, Waiwera, and the Auckland Zoo, provide glorious grounds for picnicking, with loads of shady trees, gazebos, and picnic tables. At one rollerskating centre, people even had pizza delivered!
I was out of bread (Mother FAIL), so didn’t pack a proper picnic, but we did take a cooler with cold drinks, snacks, and fruit to save money.
At lunch time, we shared a delicious seafood basket. (C. of course, needed more and had a hot dog on a stick as well).
The biggest surprise? The café made a really lovely coffee. And there were healthy options, like salad panini and pasta dishes as well.
It goes without saying that the kids had an awesome day. And I enjoyed it as well, especially when they graciously granted me time to soak in the Sapphire Pool. Heated to 40 degrees, I stationed myself where the aptly-named Lava Pool (48 degrees) waters ran into the pool – mmm, deliciously hot. It was like honey for my poor, arthritic bones.
Best of all, because the waters are natural and full of life-giving minerals, eczema-prone Mr 8 could enjoy to his heart’s content. The day at the resort actually improved his eczema rather than inflaming it, like normal pools do.
So a bit more about Waiwera:

It’s New Zealand’s most popular thermal resort and was the Southern Hemisphere’s first spa
There are 22 pools to choose from, and 8 slides
There is a day spa there as well, which I didn’t get to enjoy because I had kids to wrangle. Maybe another time?
The healing waters have been famous since the 1840s, when people came from far and away to take the waters
Waiwera’s natural mineral water was originally called Te Rata. Translated from Maori, this means ‘The Doctor”. It is sourced from a geothermal aquifer located 1500 metres below the resort, meaning every pool is 100% naturally hot!
Independent carbon dating by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences estimates Waiwera water to be between 10,000 and 15,600 years old, making it the oldest water in the world
Waiwera Artesian Water is still bottled at the source over 140 years later! And I can vouch that it’s delicious.
It's affordable. NZ$60 for a family pass (two adults and two kids, with a current special allowing another two kids as well). Given the resort is open from 9 am-9pm each day - and you can get pass-outs - that's incredible!

A couple of thermal slides

Missy in the sapphire pool (lava pool in the background)

Aaah....

C's favourite slide, the Squeeze. He even convinced his sister to try it!

Delicious, health-giving water

Lunch time. Okay, it's not healthy, but look at how skinny he is! Wish I had his metabolism.

Miss 6 on one of the slides

She started on this one before working up the courage to become more adventurous

More slides

The movie pool. Kids are in there somewhere ...

Oh look, I found one!

He's baaack ...

2009-10-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

This week, Husband returns to guest blog due to popular demand ...

So it is time that I do another guest blog for Bron.
The last few weeks and the next eight weeks are going to keep me extremely busy with travel (surprise surprise), with having just been through five time zones (some flying over of course).
I arrived home Monday morning about 2am from the airport to find that Bron is still sick, that both the kids had taken possession of my bed, and that I was missed but only a little. (Bron: Hey, not true!)
It was good to arrive back in Auckland after a week of travel, and it was great to see a few people I had not seen in a while. Paul in Perth, Rowan and Linda in Brisbane as well as Crickie, and of course Mum.
It's amazing though when I go back to Australia or visit family something always happens. When we last went to Oz ,we put our house in Brisbane on the market, and when I went back this time we sold it! (Of course subject to this and that).
Ok as to the trips coming up - I have Adelaide, Sydney, Sydney, and the ACT. In the middle of it, we're going on our family holiday to Samoa. Hopefully that will be about it. Oh and probably a few site inspections here in NZ, though I hope I wont have to fly!
As to other things happening around in Auckland, we have my mum arriving on Friday.
The kids are jumping out of their skins for her to turn up. H. keeps yelling 'Nana Nana only two more sleeps! WOOHOO'. And the little man C. just smiles and does a quiet yay!
Talking about the kids, they are both in trouble at the moment. C. decides every trip I go away on to play up and do things he knows I wouldn’t approve of, and then I get home and get placed in to a situation that I need to lose my cool. Grrrrrr.
As for H., the little minx will dob her brother in for anything, including things she has done.
As you can see, because I have had quiet nights away and busy days working, I came home to a not so stress-free environment. Little buggers!
As for Bron, since she has been sick, I thought I'd do the blog in my lunch hour for her! Hooray for Nana, only one more sleep! (And maybe some assistance with the kids for a week!)

Monkey kids ...

Diwali henna tattoos

2009-10-23T12:22:00.001-07:00

A few of you were interested in seeing the henna tattoos which were done at the kids' school in honour of the Diwali Festival of the Lights.
So, courtesy of their school, enjoy! Above is one of the tattoos being done.
The festival itself is a five-day celebration by the Indian community, which involves fireworks, lights, flowers, sharing of sweets, special meals, dancing, new clothes, togetherness, and worship.
It celebrates the inner lightness in all of us, the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness.
Generally women and girl get henna tattoos as part of the celebration, and some wonderful Indian women came to the school to show us how it was done. They collected gold coin donations in return, and gave the lot to the Samoan Tsunami appeal, which I thought was lovely.
Many of the boys lined up for tattoos too. This is actually C's paw being painted.

And this is a typical tattoo for girls.

After a while the hand/arms are washed and a red/orange outline remains. It usually lasts for at least a few days, about a week.

There's a big Indian community in Auckland, and it was wonderful to get an insight into their rich culture.

Awake in Auckland (with apologies to Sleepless In Seattle...)

2009-10-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

What a week to leave my camera at home!
I took a walk up to SkyCity the other day to meet some peeps from twitter. It was great to meet people I’ve been tweeting with on and off since we moved here.
So there we were enjoying a fairly uninspired coffee, when the fire alarm went off. Everyone ignored it for a while, as you do, but the alarm continued followed by a disembodied voice announcing something indecipherable.
The unconcerned wait staff continued to serve meals and drinks, as the convenience store closed and the entire kitchen staff assembled outside - chef hats and all.
Five fire engines arrived, followed by burly firemen carrying hoses and other gear (give me a minute here ...sigh!)
Finally, we called a waitress over and asked if we were being evacuated.
“No not yet,” she said, before handing us the bill and suggesting we might like to pay it now, just in case we did have to make a run for it.
Er, yes, there might be a fire or bomb in the building; your kitchen staff have been told to leave; but yes, let's just make sure the punters pay for their coffees before they all DIE or something. Service FAIL!
Stupidly, I didn't have my camera, so I missed capturing the whole debacle for your pleasure.
We paid up anyway (humph), and left, and then @wendywings introduced me to another reason to visit Auckland, Giapo.
Giapo is the founder of Giapo Gelati, the yummiest icy treat in Auckland. He’s also a keen twitterer and uses social media in his marketing. You can even twitter in his shop, and of course, wi fi is de rigueur.
Anyway, the occasion was World Chocolate Day with every flavour of gelato involving chocolate of some kind. There was white chocolate and raspberry, strawberry chocolate, orange chocolate, black forest and more.
For $10 one could enjoy as many cups as one’s stomach could handle.I tried the giapo rocher and moccacino before giving up in a nod to my waistline. Mmmm, it was delicious though.
Finally, the kids and I arrived home from school this afternoon, to find a commercial being shot right outside our townhouse. In fact, the model was posing on the window sill outside our home office!
The kids hung around upstairs peering over the balcony with interest and watching the scene unfold, and occasionally calling out to the crew below. The crew were lovely and I even managed to get a quick snap before they left:

In other news, Husband has been away for work again.

I've managed to cope quite well, despite having two little bodies in bed with me most nights. Sadly, C. takes after his Mum, and is a very noisy sleeper, talking, moaning, sighing and generally throwing himself around the bed half the night. The second child spends the night at the bottom of the bed, cuddling ... my foot! (I know...)

For his part, Husband hasn't been sleeping well either, having to cope with a four-hour time difference as well as steamy weather and long hours. Then there was a red-eye flight, crammed into an economy Qantas seat next to a snoring guy who was twice the size of him.

I can't wait until he gets home - Husband, not the snoring guy - and things return to normal. And then maybe, we'll all get some sleep!

A little light in a dark world

2009-10-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

The kids looked cute this morning as they set off for school. Students and teachers dressed up in holiday gear, as a fundraiser for the victims of the tsunami in Samoa.
What a great cause!
There were jandals (thongs), lava lavas (colourful sarong-like cloth), swimmers, flowers, and leis all round.
Of course, all this had a serious side too, and the kids all donated towards the cause of helping Samoans rebuild and recover from their tragedy.
Speaking of which, we’ve decided to take our holiday next month. The Samoan tourism people have asked travellers to keep their holiday plans, with tourism tipped to play a big part of the country’s recovery.
Yes, there may be some inconvenience, and we will probably see some terrible sights and hear horrific stories. People have pointed out that the holiday may not be as ‘good’ as before, with grieving locals too busy or sad to pamper visitors, or some areas off-limits or destroyed. But that’s nothing at all compared to what these people have gone through. If we can help in some small way by keeping our plans, and getting some of our meagre funds flowing into the community, we’re happy to. In fact, we are looking forward to visiting Samoa more than ever.
To be honest, I think it will be a good education for the kids, and a reminder to all of us to be thankful for our good fortune, and sympathetic and empathetic to those in need.
On a happier note, a few lovely Indian Mums visited school this week, to talk about Diwali, the Festival of the Lights.
After eating and drinking their way around Auckland Viaduct’s version of the festival on the weekend, the kids couldn’t wait to get their hands decorated with henna tattoos.
According to Diwali tradition, the tattoos symbolise blessings that light up the soul. They are traditionally for females, but quite a few of the boys, including Mr 8, clamoured to have their hands decorated too!
I wish I could post a photo, but I’m still waiting for a cable to upload photos from my camera to my computer. Dang technology!
Instead, let me leave you with a bit of fun from the Tourism Paeora people. Kiwis have a great sense of humour, and I’m often left chortling at advertising campaigns.
This one, like L & P softdrink (diet of course), hits the spot!
http://www.youtube.com/tourismpaeroa#p/a

Spring shivers, and the Fiasco of the Week!

2009-10-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

It is with cold fingers that I type that there has been a return to frosty mornings, dark skies, and icy rain in Auckland recently. In fact, so far, spring has been more like winter than, er, winter.
In spite of that, we’ve managed to make the best of it.
Last weekend, Missy and I braved the elements to walk up the hill and into central Auckland for the annual Blessing Of The Animals.
Held in a gorgeous old church, St Mattthew’s In The City, the event raises funds and awareness of the work of the SPCA (New Zealand’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
It’s a cliché, but all creatures great and small converged on the cathedral – dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, mice, rats, donkeys and even a bull!
We were warmly welcomed, and the presence of the animals gave the service a festive feel.
I’ve never had my butt sniffed at church before, but there’s a first time for everything! And Missy fell in love with a fluffy Samoyed, who kept howling along with the hymns. By the time we left, Miss 6 had a blotchy red face and streaming eyes and noses, thanks to an allergy to the friendly pup – but she still couldn’t resist bringing home a fist of his fur. (Which I later vacuumed up, accidentally on purpose. Shhh! Don’t tell!)
Then this weekend, we went to the Diwali Festival, the annual Festival of the Lights. The Auckland Viaduct was like a little slice of India with colourful stalls, delicious food and drinks, and loads of entertainment.
The kids had a few days at vacation care each week, while I caught up on work, but we also had lots of fun swimming, rollerskating and rock climbing. (Well the kids did the last two. Husband banned me from anything too physical, due to my predilection for falling over and breaking and/or dislocating things).
I can’t post photos, because I’m waiting for a new thingamajig to put in the wotsit on the computer, but I’ll upload them as soon as I can.
Meanwhile, in a return to the Wine of the Week, let me present Fiasco Wine’s Gee-Whizz Gewurztraminer 2008.
I was lucky enough to win a bottle recently, and wasted no time cracking it open. (My infamous Fall Up The Stairs which ended up in wedding and engagement rings being cut off was judged ‘The Fiasco Of The Week’ in a recent competition. Glad my clumsiness was good for something!)
The company describes their wine better than I ever could:
“Our Gee-Whizz was harvested with soft hands, then gently squeezed like a lover, and fermented slowly to retain the intense Fiasco flavour. We’ve had a ball getting it from vine to bottle and now it’s your turn to enjoy our wine, the one that can only be pronounced after a few glasses!”
It was delicious, cool, light and tasting just slightly of ginger, flowers and lemon. Cheers!

Beware the salami ...

2009-10-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

The first week of the school holidays is almost over, and the kids have been having a ball.
So far, they’ve been swimming, dancing, and roller-skating (you should see the bruises). They also went ‘indoor camping’ at vacation care. Oh, and they’ve had a quiet day at home after C. was violently ill one night – from both ends. Poor kid. And poor me who had to clean up all the mess. I kept them both inside and quiet the next day as a precaution.
It’s been a sad week too, with all the natural disasters occurring around the world. The Samoan earthquake and Tsunami, in particular, hit home. As some readers know, we’ve booked a family holiday there in November. But it’s not just that. Many Samoans live in New Zealand, and have family there. And its proximity to NZ means its not just a popular holiday destination, but that Samoans are like family to this country. Quite a few Samoan kids attend our school, and I can’t help wondering what all this means for them and their families. It is unimaginable what they must be going through.
Friends have asked if we’ll still be taking our holiday, and I guess, we’ll have to wait and see. If, like the Thai people after the Boxing Day tsunami, the Samoans want foreigners to visit and help them rebuild after this tragedy, we’ll be happy to go. I just feel so sad for those who have lost family, homes, income and even the clothes on their backs, that it would be silly to worry about a holiday.
I feel doubly blessed because we had wanted to be in Samoa this week! We’d tried to book for the school holidays, but it was way too expensive, being peak period. So we waited for a better deal, even though it meant we'd have to take the kids out of school for a week. I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if we had been there as we’d hoped.
On a lighter note, there have been some funny things to happen this week.
One morning, H. asked me if we were going to get salami. Yes, I told her, we’ll get one when we go shopping. “No a BIG salami,” she said. Okay, I said. We can probably get a big one. “No, a really big salami that will wash over us and take us away!” she said, all wide-eyed and concerned.
Of course, she meant tsunami, and was worried about what she’d been hearing on the news. Bless.
What was really funny, was, when the whole of New Zealand was on a tsunami alert, and some areas were being evacuated, a percentage of the Kiwi population decided to go down to the beaches and wait for it. And they say Aussies are mad! Click to see the NZ Herald's gallery of the Kiwi Tsunami-watchers ...

School's out!

2009-09-27T17:19:00.001-07:00

School's out in New Zealand, but not after a hectic couple of weeks.
First there was the school art show - where the kids proudly displayed their work created during the term. As usual, there was a sausage sizzle, with wine and beer for the adults, and cordial for the kids.
It was great chatting to the teachers and other parents in such a relaxed atmosphere.
During the evening, teachers displayed their own art work and there was a silent auction so parents could bid on the masterpieces.
Bidding started slowly, with just $1 and $2 bids rolling in, until naughty Husband took over and started bidding in $15 and $20 increments to get things rolling. You would never have known that he used to be an auctioneer - not!
A few of the teachers were upset not to get any bids, so we put a few sympathy bids in too...and ended up picking up a painting for $10. Bargain, don't you think?
The final week of school wound up with a concert by C's class. He proved to be a dab hand on the bongo drums, and even sang the New Zealand National Anthem (I didn't even know he knew it!) H. loved applauding her brother and their friends.
The kids are growing out of their shoes and jeans, so we took them to Otara Market on the weekend. This is seriously one of the best places in Auckland to pick up cheap clothes, shoes, and ... well, pretty much anything really.
It was a pity about the weather - cold and wet - or we would have picked up some fruit and vegies too.
On Sunday, I put the kids to work, by taking them with me to see a film I'm reviewing, Ponyo.
It's so different to any other kids movies I've seen, like a storybook come to life. The kids were mesmerised and C. declared: 'It's not normally my thing, but I liked it."
Guess it will be getting the thumbs up then!

The painting we won, by the head of the junior school

One of H's pieces

And the Little Dude with another of his (he was rather prolific)!

Otara Market, where you can get just about anything - including contact lenses ...

I've always wanted a Mumu...

Big spender

Colourful stalls

Surveying the stalls

Missy and a Fluffie (babycino)

C. chose a hot dog. An American hotdog is a frankfurt in a bun. (C. looks like he's about to shove that stick up his nose. And I don't know what's wrong with Miss Crankypants! Look at the face...)

Coconut bread

Breakfast vans ... C. is wearing my jumper because he 'doesn't feel the cold). Yeah, right.

Hangi anyone?

Buon Appetito, Auckland!

2009-09-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we ate our way around the Auckland Italian Festival.

Organised by the Societa Dante Alighieri, the day featured food, wine, and entertainment, and was a great way to spend a few hours of quality family time.

It was like Little Italy had come to Auckland!

Mmm ... gelati

Check out the body language! He had lemon-line, She had blood orange.

The jumping castle gave Husband and I time to scoff some divine eggplant bruschetta.

Gnocchi with lamb ragout...more please!

Pasta-making workshop

Mobile wood fired oven

Pizza dough resting

Mobile menu

The pizza. Chorizo, olives, onion jam and balsamic glaze. Buon Appetito!

Fun and games on the way home

(Apologies for crappy photo and text placement. I change it time and time again, but Blogger reverts back to this format ... have no idea why. If anyone more blog-savvy can help, I'd love it!)

Something for nothing (and the zoo for free)

2009-09-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

Guess what? You can get something for nothing – at least in New Zealand.
The other day, I entered a competition run by the New Zealand Herald. It was for one of those fashion/hair/beauty makeovers, because apparently, I need it.
(Conversation with Husband the other day:
Him: You’re not wearing that are you?
Me: Why? Is it daggy?
Him: You’re always daggy …(and no, I haven't divorced him – yet!)
Anyway, of course I didn’t win. But the newspaper emailed me to say they were giving everyone who entered the competition a chance to have the paper home-delivered for free for four weeks. No catches, no need to cancel at the end of it. Just free. Try it and see if you like it. No questions asked.
Well, what do you think I did? I’m loving getting a paper home-delivered again. It’s not quite the same reading papers online, and plus, you can’t leave old copies lying around to irritate your husband. Where’s the fun in that?
But Kiwis are often offered things for free over here, and I'm still getting used to it.
For example, for the whole month of August, Auckland residents could visit the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) for free. Not restricted to one entry per address, mind, it was free entry for the entire family.
Their PR company told me it’s because August is traditionally a slow month – being wetter and colder, and they just like to give locals the chance to experience it. But still – to me, that’s just awesome.
And when Kashin, a much-loved elephant at Auckland Zoo, died recently, the zoo’s response was to open the gates for one day, so that residents could pay their respects and visit her burial site for free. In a world where so many companies are focussed on profit margins and budgets, I think it’s wonderful that organisations like this can put that aside for the greater good.
It’s not just the big corporate citizens that are generous either.
The other day, I passed a coffee shop on Ponsonby Road which was giving away their empty, divine-smelling coffee bags (gold coin donation suggested). They would probably end up being sold at markets back home.
At our lovely school – where about 23 different nationalities are on the roll – parents from other countries who are struggling with English, are given free language lessons each week. Again, how gracious that staff give their time and the board provides a venue so that parents can settle into their lives here so much easier?
And at Oratia Farmer’s market, which I blogged about recently, as well as generous tastings and samples, one guy was giving away perfectly good organic apples.
Even at our local New World supermarket deli, the friendly ladies always give the kids a free cheerio each. Just like Mum’s local butcher did when I was a kid! And I scored a free reusable shopping bag when the store recently celebrated a birthday.
Finally on September 25, ZORB Roturua is giving away Zorb rides to celebrate their 14th birthday. All day. For nix.
I feel so blessed to be enjoying life in such a warm, generous country.
Anyone else know of some great freebies - either in New Zealand or further afield?

When the boy's away....

2009-09-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

Confession time: We did something very naughty recently. We went out to dinner while C. was away at school camp!
I blame Husband, who came home saying that he wanted to take his Two Best Girls out to dinner. (Well, at least we are up there...)
And so, we trekked up the hill to Ponsonby and tried a cute little Italian restaurant called Gusto.
The service was friendly and efficient, and they were particularly lovely to Miss 6.
And as we are used to in New Zealand, there was no kids menu (prompting a pout from H.), but the chef was more than happy to prepare a bowl of her favourite, spaghetti bolognaise, just for her.
She pronounced it (and don't tell him): Better Than Daddy's!
High praise indeed.
With just one child (meaning no arguing or fighting) dinner was actually peaceful and relaxing. Almost like date night.
Or perhaps that was the wine...

Husband's pasta. His only criticism was that there was not more of it!

Vegie pizza for me...

You don't get better praise than this. Small child tucking into real food!

For the first time ever, Miss 6 chose to sit next to Dadda instead of me! (Sob - it's all downhill from here)

Mr 8 arrives back at school, unaware of the betrayal that has taken place..

Seriously, he was fine, but thirsty and starving, because apparently they don't feed kids at camp in New Zealand. (Joke: Totally not true! Apparently the meals were even better than mine ...yes, I know, that wouldn't be hard!)

After a few days in the wilds, he was desperate for 'technology'.
And don't worry, he's been for several meals out since then!

To market, to market

2009-09-13T15:22:00.001-07:00

We love a good market, and in NZ we're still discovering new ones, a year after moving here!
Most recently, it was the Oratia Farmers Market at Artisan Wines, Waitekere.
Like so many NZ markets, this one is small by comparison with Aussie markets. But hey, who said bigger was better? We were able to park onsite, for free, and although busy, it wasn't unpleasantly crowded.
The stall holders were extremely generous with tastings - which worked to their advantage, because I think we bought everything we tasted!
It was an expensive visit, but so worth it to try quality NZ products straight from the producers.
Even the kids enjoyed it.
And as a Mum, I loved that the stallholders offered the kids tastes. So often, the little ones are ignored, when let's face it, they hold the pester power in the parental purse-strings.
And if I know they will eat something, I'm much more likely to shell out for something, even if it is more expensive than the supermarket.
And so I did...

Quirky art

Hungarian bread, tomato, fetta and basil

Yes please!

(Sadly, no one obliged. Sigh)

Salami. Even Missy Moo loved this!

(Again - we wouldn't have bought it if the kids hadn't tried it and liked it. So kudos to the stall holder)

Wicked chocolates. By name and by taste!

Getting into the chocolate tasting

Mmm .. to die for is right!

You can get something for nothing in Auckland ...organic apples at a raffle stall

Happy Father's Day

2009-09-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

How was your Father's Day?
We enjoyed a weekend of gorgeous spring weather so made the most of it.
On Saturday, we took a jaunt to Piha, another of Auckland's fabulous volcanic sand beaches.
I was glad I'd only partaken of two glasses of wine the night before, because the road to Piha was windy and steep. I spent half the drive gritting my teeth and squealing, as Husband revealed his inner rally driver.
Nevertheless, we made it there safely, and the crazy drive was worth it.
"Why is the sand glittering?," asked C. "Mumma, there are diamonds in it!" exclaimed H.
Later, we enjoyed lunch at Occam, a Grey Lynn cafe we've been dying to try for ages, as it's always filled to the brim with happy campers. Er diners.
True enough, the meal was fabulous, all the better for nabbing the table closest to the fire.
I am constantly amazed at how few NZ restaurants specifically cater for kids with their own menu - though it is rarely a problem to serve up a mini-portion menu of a main, or something else altogether if you ask. In some ways, I think this is better than the standardised kids' menu, because the kids end up eating and appreciating real food as opposed to more nuggets and fries!
Most recently, the kids have enjoyed reduced sized (and priced) fish meals, pizza, pasta, and also breakfasts - just like the grown-ups, but for little tummies. And they've loved it!
The price usually needs to be worked out, but we've never felt ripped off. In fact, we'd rather pay a little more for our kids to eat specially prepared, quality food than reheated, stereotypical, frozen meals. (Hey, they can get that home. At least if I'm cooking!)
Father's Day Sunday was a relatively lazy day spent mostly at home, though we did venture up the road to our local, The Drake, for their famous two-for-one Sunday meals.
As usual, it was lovely, and as usual, the kids were mesmerised by yet another fire!

He looks so serious!

Oh, is that a fry? Don't mind if I do ...

Pan-fried snapper with wilted greens, kipfler potatoes and capers ... at Occam. Faultless!

Eel Bridge at Piha ... a tribute to the eels which live below. There are golden eel railings ...

And eels etched into the pavement!

Washing shells at Piha

Sibling love

Unspoiled beaches

Piha

Our New Zealand anniversary!

2009-09-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

This week, we realised we’d been living in Auckland for a year!
Yes, it has been 12 months since we were belched off a very unpleasant Qantas flight and into the Brave New World that is Auckland.
I still remember the drive to our temporary city apartment. C. was so exhausted he fell asleep, and Miss 6. was so excited she kept describing everything as ‘funny.’ Including my husband’s boss!
After a quick shower and change, we ventured into busy Queen Street, where C. almost stepped into a puddle of vomit, and then dramatically announced this had been the Worst Day Of His Life. And we wondered: Had we made a massive mistake?
But as the weeks passed in a blur of house-hunting, car-buying, setting up bank accounts and settling into schools, we soon began to enjoy our new home.
And 12 months on, we have no regrets. Kiwis have been marvellously warm and welcoming, and living overseas, even just across the ditch, has been enriching for us as a family. We’ve enjoyed learning about different cultures, trying new foods, and exploring this breathtakingly gorgeous country. We’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
The worst thing about relocating a family overseas is missing your other family. We all miss our family and friends back home, and have our moments we feel homesick and sad. But we’ve been lucky enough to get home occasionally, and have really enjoyed getting visitors from time to time!
And of course, we hate not having pets – though regular readers will know we now have a kitty visitor who calls on us whenever she is hungry, thirsty, or in need of attention. So we get in a pet ‘fix’ every now and then with her.
Yes, moving a family overseas is huge – but it’s also exciting and fun. Here are some of the things we’ve learned:
· Get your kids into school/daycare as soon as possible. In NZ that’s tricky, because you need to live near your school before you can enrol! The minute our kids were in school, they settled down and relaxed. Okay, so it wasn’t quite what they were used to, but they were back into a routine and generally knew what was expected of them each day. That gave them an element of control over their lives, and gave us time to do the stuff we needed – like unpacking and dealing with red-tape - without stressing out the kids.
· Help make the move as ‘normal’ as possible. After arriving at our apartment, we immediately went out and bought soy milk, Milo, and a few other ‘comfort’ foods that we knew they would love.
· Stay in an apartment rather than a hotel while you find a permanent place to live. It’s not just about saving money (though that’s a help). After a couple of nights, eating out got boring, and the kids just wanted to chill out in front of the telly, like they would at home. Having a kitchen, meant we could cook up simple family meals like bangers and mash, instead of going out to eat every night. Not to mention, enjoying cereal and milk or toast in the mornings.
· Organise communication as soon as possible. It took us three weeks to get internet and phone at our new home, and I went slightly bonkers in the process!
· Reconsider a ‘relocation consultant’. They are expensive, and although my husband’s work kindly paid for one for us, to be honest, she wasn’t much help. She was a couple of days too late to take us on our tour of rental places (we found one ourselves in the meantime) and gave us horrendous advice about the best places for us to live. Worst of all, she didn’t tell us stuff we REALLY needed to know: Like registering for a doctor as soon as possible. (You need to be with a GP for at least 3 months before qualifying for reduced rates for visits and medication), and bringing in medication the family needs that is unavailable or hopelessly expensive here.
· Try to do most of the house-hunting legwork without the kids. Ours found it stressful and fairly boring being dragged from one place to another, but having just arrived, there were no family or friends to babysit, and we didn’t want to have them babysat by a stranger. Yes, they can still have a say if you like, but once you’ve narrowed it down.
· Obviously, your kids need to travel with any extra special toys, like teddies. Then, when the moving dudes arrive, make sure you set up their rooms first. The kids were at school during moving day, and when they got home, they got to add the finishing touches, and unpack their toys to their own satisfaction. .
· Bring photos, albums and pictures. We left many behind, thinking we wouldn’t have anywhere to put them. But the kids would have preferred to see familiar pictures in their own new rooms, and they constantly go through the photo albums we did bring.
· Let them have their home comforts. Miss 6 always has vegemite sandwiches for lunch, and Mr 8 likes his Tim Tams. It’s comforting for kids (or adults) to be surrounded by things/meals/drinks that they know. Luckily in NZ that’s easy, and their favourite things are readily available.
· Don’t trust the airline to deliver when it comes to food and entertainment. We were seated too close to the TV screens on Qantas for the kids to be able to watch the movie, and they ended up fidgeting and arguing for most of the flight. And the tiny pack of crayons and activities they were given was the same as they’d had on two previous domestic flights, so they lasted about, oh, all of five minutes. And don’t get me started on the food! Now, the kids always travel with a small backpack with DS games, activities, books and snacks. (Note: Not too many snacks, as you’ll have to bin any leftovers when you reach your destination). Usually forbidden treats like chewing gum works a treat. Also, I carry my laptop, and the kids watch movies and play games on that if they’re bored.

Has anyone else got any tips for relocating a family overseas?

Time for firsts

2009-08-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

So we waved the Little Dude off on his first school camp this week.

He was awake, dressed and ready to go bright and early, after a weekend spent packing, unpacking, and packing again. There were clothes to name, and lollies (for sharing, after dark) to buy.

I had to smile when H. gave C. a cuddle and said: "I'll miss you my brother", and he gruffly replied: Yes, I know, I'll miss you too."

(This was amazing, because only minutes earlier they'd been fighting with each other about something.)

Surprisingly, there were no tears, though I have felt as if my right arm is missing since C. left.

And so far, I've resisted the urge to phone up and see how he's going!

It's been a time of firsts for C. lately. Last week, he did his first proper speech at school, complete with queue cards. And later in the week, he got the highest mark in his class for an art project.

The kids were asked to create something iconically Kiwi. While other children depicted jandals or tikis, my thoughtful little man created an image of Rangitoto Island, an extinct volcano which dominates much of Auckland's fabulous scenery. And in the foreground, he's made a Pohutakawa flower - known as the Kiwi Christmas tree becomes it always blossoms in December.

He's come a long way since his early struggle with school back in Australia, and I'm pleased to see him enjoying school so much.

I was proud of him I had to give him a big cuddle, which embarrassed him no end.

Oh well - isn't that what Mums are for?

All set - trying to look casual

What?

Hugging goodbye!

Rangitoto Island, by C.

A day at Hamilton

2009-08-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we decided to visit Hamilton.
Husband has been there for work before, but it was a first for the kids and I.
It took about two hours to get there, so was an easy drive for a day trip.
Perhaps unfairly nicknamed "CowTown", because it's a bit like a big country town, Hamilton was gorgeous and very relaxed.
I can't wait to go back for a longer visit (and maybe hit the factory outlet shops)!

Hamilton Lake - it's actually the crater of an ancient volcano, a fact which impressed the kids no end

At the Maori section at Hamilton Gardens ... these guys are supposed to make the crops grow better and er, bigger

Hamilton Gardens

Look out, there are two of her!

Hamilton Gardens

Europe anyone?

A stroll with Daddy

Play time

The kids loved the fountains

So peaceful

Running wild...

Wait for me!

More gardens ...

The kids had never seen daffodils growing before - they had only ever seen them in the shops!

Time to refuel

New Zealand - 100 % scary!

2009-08-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

Australia has a fairly well-deserved international reputation as a land of danger. After all, there are venomous snakes, red-back spiders, people-eating crocodiles, boxing kangaroos, stingers and sharks.
When we first arrived in NZ, I was rewarded with huge admiration from Miss 6’s friends when I fearlessly scrambled under a flight of stairs to retrieve a toy they’d dropped.
“But there are loads of spiders under there,” they said breathlessly. But who cared? It wasn’t as if there were funnelwebs, redbacks, or snakes to worry about! I would never have been so brave back home...
In the same way, Missy also received much praise when she calmly dealt with a cockroach that ran across a desk at school one day. The rest of her friends were screaming and running for cover, as she casually flicked it away from them.
“We get much bigger ones in Australia,” she explained.
And it’s true. Australia has a host of scary wildlife, and I breathe a sigh of relief whenever we're out walking that I don’t have to watch out for snakes any more!
But as the months fly by, New Zealand is sharing a few of her own scary secrets.
A few weeks ago, beaches on the North Shore were closed after five dogs died after licking rocks on the shoreline. Dead penguins and hundreds of fish also washed up on the beaches.
Tests have been done, and at this stage the experts believe the mass poisonings are due to tetrodotoxin, a poison found in puffer fish. The beaches are still off-limits while they work out exactly how the poison is getting there.
More recently, deadly porcupine fish have washed up on the Petone foreshore on the South Island. Again, the beach is now closed to kids and dogs, because the fish are toxic.
And in May, the deaths of hundreds of Ray's bream and snapper on a 60-kilometre stretch of Kapiti Coast beach were linked to wild seas pushing the fish from their normal depth.
And that’s not all. Lately, there seems to be an earthquake or avalanche every week somewhere in New Zealand. Though most of them are thankfully mild, there have sadly been some deaths, and some people have had to evacuate from the homes due to earthslips. Television ads frequently warn Kiwis to prepare emergency kits – non-perishable food, water, batteries, first aid kits etc – in the event of an earthquake or volcano eruption. We’re regularly reminded that a major disruption could occur at any time.
One of the kids’ favourite attractions at the Auckland Museum is a volcano eruption simulator. They squeal with delight as the earth shakes and moves, but to me, it’s just a little too lifelike!
Luckily, the worst disasters to engulf our family have probably been swine flu quarantine, and my busted hand. (By the way, thanks for the inquiries. It’s mending well, but I’m still having physio and have to wear a splint for a few hours a day. The physio involves dipping my hand into hot wax, which sounds weird, but feels gorgeous. The heat just seeps into the ligaments and bones, which makes them a bit stretchier when it comes to exercise them.)
Speaking of gorgeous, we've learned a little more about our kitty visitor - or "Catty" as H. calls her. She's a pet which was left behind, either accidentally or on purpose, when a family moved out (Hard to believe, isn't it?)
She's taken to following our complex manager around as he does his rounds, and divides the rest of her time between him, us, and a couple of other cat-loving families. She's been named Dora, after Dora the Explorer, because she is also exploring the complex and making friends. Whenever she is hungry, thirsty or needs company, she turns up on our doorstep and miaows to be let in!
Don't worry, if any of us move out, the manager and his family are happy to give Dora a permanent home.
Here she is, enjoying an afternoon snooze on H's bed...

Camping out and Men Kumera. Oh my!

2009-08-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

So, the Little Dude has his first school camp next week, and he is super-excited.

His bag has been packed, and he's been sleeping in his new NZ-standard sleeping bag for weeks.

It's not without a little trepiditation that I will wave my first-born off to camp. There's his life-threatening tree nut allergy to worry about - but the teachers are all aware of that, and he'll have his epipen of course.

Then there are the physical activities - the kids get to do really challenging things, like abseiling, target practice (with air rifles) and archery. There are climbing walls, a flying fox, kayaking, and something called 'the scream machine', where they fly around the gym hanging onto the end of a rope. Then there's the Burma Trail, a walking track across wobbly bridges and via swinging logs which they do by night, or blindfolded during the day! Husband and I have visions of him coming home with broken bones and bruises!

On the plus side, C. will enjoy toasting marshmallows over camp fires, late night milo, and singalongs. Best of all, (says C), is the fact that it's not lights-out until 9.30 pm! (Usually it's 7.30 pm at home).

In other news, in my never-ending quest to find interesting-shaped fruit, I have at last succeeded in finding Men Kumera!

Yes, in the fashion of the Man Orange, I was stunned to find not one, but two racily-shaped kumera in the vegie aisle.

Luckily, I rushed home to breathlessly photograph them, because the next night Husband ruthlessly roasted one of them to have with dinner. (Very nice it was too, with roast beef, potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, peas, corn and gravy.)

What shall I do with the remaining one? Put it on trademe and wait for the millions to roll in?

Time for lunch

2009-08-13T18:15:00.001-07:00

It's great living close to the city, so that I can meet Husband for lunch occasionally, and we try to do it every couple of weeks.
Without a babysitter at hand, the occasional lunch gives us that much-needed couple time that grown-ups need - and an opportunity to eat, chat and drink without having to break up arguments, mop up spills, and hand over the nicest parts of our meals!
A lot of the trendy restaurants in the city do bargain priced, gourmet express lunches - in and out within the hour. So you can enjoy a delicious meal, and still make it back to the office without a late mark.
For our anniversary, we went to S.P.Q.R, a fabulous spot on Ponsonby Road, where lunch included a glass of Pinot Gris.
But we don't always live it up.
The other day, Husband took me to his favourite no-fuss lunch spot place in the city, The Little Turkish Cafe in K-Road. I'm not talking greasy, late-night drinking fodder here, this is fresh, delicious food, all made on the spot.
Certainly beats soup in front of the computer!

Proscuitto and buffalo cheese salad at S.P.Q.R

scampi linguini

Turkish bread at The Little Turkish Cafe

Can we get one of these at home please?

Turkish kebab

Doggie dancing

2009-08-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we took the kids to a doggie dancing display at 4 Seasons Pets, one of New Zealand’s biggest pet stores.
Our friend Hsin-Yi and her gorgeous Great Dane Honey were performing there, and we didn’t want to miss out.
All the dogs and their owners were awesome, but we liked Honey’s routine the most (though we might be a bit biased)!
Usually, only agility and working dogs like collies are suited to doggie dancing (or canine freestyle as the experts call it). So it’s amazing that Hsin-Yi has managed to teach her lovable but lazy Dane to dance. And not only that, they are New Zealand champions in their category.
Afterwards, the dog handlers were kind enough to spend time with the kids, teaching them how to get the dogs to do tricks. They had a ball.
H. didn’t even mind being slobbered on by an affectionate Honey. (Danes are very drooly).
Somehow, we managed to escape without buying a turtle, rabbit, guinea pig, mouse, birds or fish (much to the kids’ disappointment).
On the way home, we stopped at The Fish Pot at Mission Bay for some excellent terahiki, chips and salad. Terahiki is a Kiwi fish, a bit like snapper but a bit cheaper. Delicious.

C. and Skye

H., Honey and Hsin-Yi

Honey sneaks in a slobbery kiss!

Honey and Hsin-Yi in action

Honey puts her best paw forward

Designer dog toys at 4 Seasons Pets

Lunch at Mission Bay

It's a zoo out there...

2009-08-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

Today, I have a guest blogger: Husband!
Enjoy ...

"My turn to comment for a change, and let the Trouble and Strife have a break - especially since I took all the photos!

Sunday morning had arrived and the kids were being right little monsters, driving their mother and I Krazy, with a K not a C; )

I decided we need to get out of the house and as the only person in the family who has not been to the Auckland Zoo, voted that we go. Much to C's. disgust ('I've already been there') and H's delight ('I've already been there and it's awesome!')
I think B. thought she was dreaming, especially since I didn’t feel like battling dungeons and dragons and other monsters (aside from the kids that is).

As you can see by the photos that B. has chosen, we had a great time at the Auckland Zoo, apart from how bloody expensive food is! Next time we will pack a lunch! $7 just for a small hamburger or sandwich!!!!
Well, we still managed to enjoy the day and see all of the animals (apart from the penguins, much to H's disappointment.) Her exact words were: "Mumma it's not fair, we didn’t get to see them last time either!!! NOT FAIR!" at the top of her little lungs.

I hope B. puts the pics of the piggies and C. in, cause did they stink or what! And C. was really offended with the smell, hahaha payback for his stinky bott bott!

I do think that there was a very sad part to the trip, being Janie the chimp. One of four chimps brought to the zoo in the 1950s, Janie was used for tea parties with visitors until attitudes to animals finally changed, in 1964.

The last of the tea party chimps Bobbie, died in 2004 and Janie has been on her own, ever since. They can't introduce another chimpanzee due to her age and the fact she is fairly domesticated and couldn't survive with other chimps. She has a toy mobile phone, and get lots of attention from staff, but still : Just the look on her face gave me a lump in the throat, and still does."

Janie the chimp

The Little Dude soon forgot to be bored

Missy Moo enjoyed showing off "her" zoo

What's that stench?

Oh, that's disgusting!

Stinky piggy

Otter goes fishing

Meerkat: "Yeah, I'm looking at you. You got a problem with that?"

Lemurs at lunch

"We like to move it move it" sang H.

Servils grooming each other

There were two-legged animals at the zoo as well!

It would never happen back home...

2009-08-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

In the ‘It Would Never Happen Back Home’ category, comes this ad I spotted on our local New World supermarket community noticeboard recently.
As I’ve mentioned before, possums are pests here. You can even buy clothes and toys made out of their fur. (Husband has a pair of soft, warm gloves – the traitor!)
The furry creatures are so reviled here, that on a kids' TV show the other day, one of the tasks in a competition was for them to shoot cardboard possum targets. The child who shot the most number of possums won. Kids shooting and killing animals – two taboos in one!

New Zealand is funny like that.
For example, there’s The Edge radio station/Burger King's current campaign, which touts BK as a perfect hangover cure. On Fridays, they give away $50 vouchers for BK to callers with the best stories of what they’ll be getting up to on the weekend, making them most deserving of hangover food. Radio stations glamourising drinking? Look out!
And finally, our school is having a fundraiser this week. It’s a bingo and auction night, but not as we know it. No, this one is dubbed “Blingo” and is hosted by an Auckland Drag Queen with the unusual name of Ms Beaver Brown.
I mean could you imagine the outcry if this happened in a Queensland school? I’m sure The Courier Mail would be in an outrage!
But Kiwis are delightfully relaxed about these things.
Speaking of relaxed, the kids gave Husband and I a late anniversary present on Saturday by allowing us a sleep-in. They got up quietly and watched breakfast telly by themselves, without fighting or destroying the kitchen once. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer start to the weekend.
It was another wet and cold Auckland day, so we decided on a Doona Day. While the family watched telly or played computer games, I pottered around the kitchen, making the family anniversary dinner we’d been too tired to cook the night before: Roast pork belly with just a hint of hoi sin, warm green bean salad, roast potato and pumpkin, and earth gems. Nigella, eat your heart out!
“But Mumma, it’s not dinner time,” protested H. when she came to help. However, she soon came around to the idea of dinner for lunch! (Roast pork is one of her favourite meals).
I have no idea what earth gems actually are. Even the company’s website doesn’t quite explain, describing them as the “Jewel of the Incas”, and “the ideal nourishing vegetable.” They liken the taste to that of baby beetroot.
After a light boiling, they tasted more like an apply potato to us … but they were pretty nice with the roast.
Sunday dawned sunny and warm, so we took the kids to the fabulous Auckland Zoo.
That’s a blog for another day, so in the meantime I will leave you with a link to the inaugural Auckland High Heels-A-Thon (Warning: Lots of photos of men in high heels). This was held just up the road from our place, but in typical NZ style, I didn’t know it was on until it was over! The charity run had categories for Men, Women and Drag Queens, and was clearly a very colourful event.
Each team coughed up $250 for Kids Can, Telethon’s Big Night In charity for 2009.
Hats off to them, from someone who has enough trouble walking in high heels, let alone running in them!

H. was happy to help, once she realised roast pork was on the menu!

Warm bean and mushroom salad

H. made a face with her food! Roast pork hair, green bean eyebrows and mouth, roast potato eyes and apple sauce nose.

Earth gems before cooking

And lightly boiled

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, goodbye....or Haere rā in Maori

2009-07-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

All good things come to an end, and this week our friends flew back to Brisbane.
Luckily, not before we had time to do some more eating, drinking and exploring!
On Sunday night, we walked to a popular local pub called The Drake, for their two-for-one Sunday night feeds.
The Drake apparently used to be waterfront in the old days, before the area was reclaimed for Victoria Park and surrounds.
They don't serve kids' meals, but the waitress immediately offered to split two adult serves of fish and chips between the kids. They tore into their meals without delay and pronounced the food: Lovely. High praise indeed from the picky Rugrats!
The adult boys took the opportunity to sample a selection of NZ beers and ales, while the grown-up girls were far more sedate and stuck to cider.
We shared a couple of platters, which contained mouthwatering morsels like char sui pork belly, filo prawn twisters, and crab bites. All delicious! The only problem was there wasn't enough of it. (We can be greedy like that!)
The following evening, R. took the opportunity to cook a huge roast dinner. Now R. is an extremely talented chef, so this was indeed a treat. I felt guilty, watching a typical Auckland sunset, chatting, and nursing a glass of wine, as R. wielded his magic in the kitchen. And the results were delicious: Pepper and garlic roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, roasted Kumara, potato, peas, corn, and gravy made from scratch. Sigh.
Later, we shared a box of naughty goodies which L. picked up at The Bakeshop in Ponsonby.
Did I mention, L. has regularly tidied and cleaned, and R. has watched the kids while we she and I have gone shopping? I wish they could have moved in and stayed permanently.
And so do the kids.
The day the family left, the kids were miserable, especially H. "My life is boring now I only have C. to play with," she wailed.
Luckily, their distress didn't last too long. Because when it was time to drop them at school, we were met at the gate by shivering teachers. hovering under umbrellas.
Builders (our school is growing every week) had accidentally blown up a mains fuse, and the school had no electricity - meaning no heating, lights or phones.
They were sending home as many students as possible, due to the extreme cold. And because I work from home (damn!) mine could come back with me.
But I honestly couldn't have had it on my conscience to leave them there. It was a typical Auckland morning, freezing and rainy, and we were all shivering by the time we made it back to the car.
An unexpected day off school is like winning the lottery when you're a kid, so a day at home helped ease the loss of their mates - at least a little bit.
And finally, Husband and I celebrated nine years of happily wedded bliss this week. Okay, not all of it was blissful - this is real life after all, and bringing up small humans, not to mention producing them, can be extremly painful. But we are very happy together, and I struck gold the day I met him (even if he does hog the duvet.)
We don't have a babysitter at the moment, so instead of dinner, I met Husband for a delicious seafood lunch in Ponsonby while the kids were at school. (Scampi linguini, caprese salade, and a glass of Marlborough Pinot Gris. Divine.)
Tonight, we enjoyed a quiet night in, but we're hoping to do something fun as a family to celebrate on the weekend.
After all, isn't that what you do if you're a couple of old marrieds?

Beer-tasting at The Drake

Cider

Platters to share

Another Auckland sunset

R. wielding his magic in the kitchen. Even more impressive, as the Sky Tower appears to be growing out of his back!

The kids tuck in

Mmm ... Yorkshire puddings

Hungry anyone?

Dessert

Cute bikkies for the kids.

A little bit fruity

2009-07-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

What is it about Kiwis and their penchant for rude-shaped fruit, vegies and stones?
Hot on the heels of the penis stone and genital-shaped grapefruit, the latest ‘What The?’ item for sale on TradeMe is this delightfully-shaped Man Orange.
I don’t know about you, but whenever I go shopping, the fruit and vegies are always disappointingly normal. Maybe I’m just shopping in the wrong place?
Never mind, at least the selection of produce available here is always interesting.
The other day, we tried some Apricot Delight Yams. You can also buy Red Yams, and Mellow Yellow yams. I had to look up the Halfords website to find out how to cook them, and roasted them with honey and garlic. Next time, I’d leave out the honey, as they were quite sweet already. They’re crunchy and light, kind of like a savoury apple I guess. Would do well with other vegies as part of a Sunday Roast.
In other news, a neighbourhood cat has taken to visiting us. Since we can’t have pets of our own here, we’re quite okay with it. She walks past, meows, and if we open the door she comes inside and makes herself at home.
Sometimes she’ll stay for a sleep on H’s bed – much to her delight!
She’s never hungry and thirsty so is obviously well cared for – or maybe she has a host of families in the complex that she drops in on.

We don't mind. In the abscence of our own pet, we're quite happy to share!
Kitty visitor makes herself at home or H's bed
And our lounge

Roast yams

This is what they look like when they are raw

Aussies in Auckland hit the road

2009-07-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Guess what?
After last week’s massive Fiordland earthquake, New Zealand is now closer to Australia!
Yes, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake was the country's largest shake for nearly 80 years, and caused hundreds of years worth of changes in just seconds. The result? Puysegur Point, at the southwest tip of the South Island, is now 300mm closer to Australia.
Te Anau moved 100mm, Bluff moved 30 millimetres, Alexandra, by 20mm, and Dunedin, by 10mm. Christchurch also has believed to have shifted towards Oz, but only slightly.
I wonder if that means a reduction in airfares are in order?
And finally, here are the photos from our recent sightseeing jaunt:

Waiwera, where a Southern Right Whale and her calf have been frolicking recently. Sadly, they weren't there, but it was beautiful anyway.

North Island scenery

C. cut his leg on some barnacles. Yes, it did hurt!

C. dramatically collapses in agony as a rain squall closes in...

Stepping stones at Goat Island Marine Reserve

Simply breathtaking. Goat Island Marine Reserve

No. 18, Leigh Fish and Chips. We thoroughly recommend it! Friendly service, comfy surroundings, excellent food!

They use cholesterol-free oils and use local ingredients wherever possible. The beer batter is made to an old family recipe, and they claim all the food is made with that unique ingredient - love.

Seaside takeaways were never like this...

H. and I shared snapper and chips. Okay, I ate the snapper and she scoffed the chips.

C. loved his fish burger with tartare sauce, washed down with L&P

Meat-lusting Husband chose a classic burger - complete with beef pattie, lettuce, beetroot, gherkin, tomato, onion, sauce and Swiss cheese.

Leigh Wharf. A group of boys showed us a bucket of fish they'd caught and were planning to smoke for dinner. A quirky Kiwi proudly showed us a fish he'd caught right off the wharf, which was almost as big as the boot of his car! Sadly, I wasn't quick enough with the camera!

C. at Matakana waterfall

You never know when there will be a photo opportunity in NZ. Here, the kids are taken by a hand dryer, where you plunge both hands in and they are blasted dry in 10 seconds. It removes 90 per cent of bacteria on the hands too - very Swine Flu Friendly.

Husband treated himself to a practical souvinir at Devonport - gloves made of Possumsilk. Possums may be well-loved in Australia, but in NZ the cute brushtail critters are an introduced pest and cause enormous dmage to native forests and rainforest. Hence, the makers of KORU Possumsilk garments claim that by buying their products, you are also helping to preserve New Zealand's unique and beautiful environment. They are made of 40% Possum, 50 % Merino, and 10% Silk. They are really soft and warm, but I don't know that I could go there. Apparently you can buy Possumsilk hats, gloves, and cardies too.

Brunch at Manuka in Devonport - potato rosti, wilted spinach, poached egg, avocado and tomato. The service was friendly and efficient, and the food was divine.

The kid's menu featured a very popular All Day Breakfast

Let's go over there ... H. holds forth at North Head, Devonport.

Sightseeing and shopping in the Near-Nicky-Nude

2009-07-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

We’ve enjoyed a busy few days since our friends from Brisbane arrived in Auckland for a holiday.
So far, they’ve taken in Devonport, Matakana, Otara markets (unfortunately pretty empty due to the weather), Goat Island Marine Reserve, Leigh, Omaha, and Pakiri Beach.
As usual, a key part of our sightseeing has involved sampling Kiwi Cuisine.
And so, the highlight of our trip to Devonport, was lunch at Manuka, a lovely restaurant in the main street. The service was faultless and the food was divine.
And on our trip to the coast, we had a fantastic lunch at the fish and chips shop at Leigh. The food was fresh and delicious, and even the kids devoured every scrap. And the service was friendly and efficient.
Unfortunately, both adult boys came down with a crashing case of Man Flu, so our sightseeing was curtailed a little, as we gave them time to rest and recover.
On Saturday afternoon, while our visitors were admiring the views from the Sky Tower, the kids and I went to the park and did some shopping to give K. some peace.
Imagine our surprise when we popped into New World to pick up some grocery essentials like, erm, ice-cream, when we saw several people parading around in the Near-Nicky-Nude!
To help publicise the NZBodyArt awards, a couple of leading body artists had painted ‘clothes’ on the near-naked bodies of several female and mail models. C’s eyes were like saucers. Near-nudity in the shopping aisles? This would never happen at home!
My camera has died – that will happen when you drop it umpteen times – so you’ll have to wait for photos. (Husband is going to help me put the photos into another camera and upload from there. Because I am technologically-challenged.)
But in the meantime, I’ll leave you with the latest funny item to sell on trademe (NZ’s answer to ebay): a penis-shaped stone. Perhaps it’s a gift for the person who has everything?

We're free!

2009-07-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

After nearly a week of quarantine for Oink Oink Flu, we're finally free.

Yes, after days of soup-making and eating, DVD-watching, reading, and messing about on computers, we finally have the all-clear to be out and about.

And just in time!

We were desperately in need of food and drink, not to mention fresh air.

It was bitterly cold when H. and I ventured out in search of provisions, but after her exile, she didn't wind a bit.

"Woo hoo!" she shrieked, as an icy gust of wind almost knocked her over. "I love it!"

I have to admit to feeling similarly elated this morning, when Husband was dispatched to work, and the kids to vacation care. Finally ... peace and quiet.

And to all who have asked, we still don't know if it actually was piggy flu or not. Would you believe it takes up to 10 days to get the results?

But the doctor said it didn't matter, as treatment and instructions to stay home would be the same anyway. I suppose so, but at least we'd know the trauma in the doctor's surgery had been worthwhile!
We worked our way through the contents of our fridge, freezer and pantry. Here, C. enjoys a healthy banana smoothie.

H. made pigs in blankets people

You wrap them up like this...

We knew she was feeling better the morning she woke up and asked for pancakes!

H. made an apple, lollipop-holder. As you do...

Soup and swine flu

2009-07-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

We’ve been in Swine Flu Quarantine this week, after H. and I came down with sore throats, fevers, sneezing, headaches and the usual aches and pains.
Poor H. had a really high temperature, so together with all her other symptoms, she qualified to be tested for Oink Oink flu.
She was terrified!
I was swabbed a couple of months ago, but the test was much quicker and easier back then.
Now guidelines have changed, and H. basically had to have her nose swabbed with a really long cotton bud. And it hurt. In fact, I'm surprised you didn't hear her screams from here!
To make things worst, the doctor needed two swabs. And because H. wriggled and squirmed – and managed to give the doctor a good kick in the crotch – she had to have three swabs done (one of them didn’t work).
In the end, she had to be wrapped in a blanket, me holding her on my lap and another staff member helping to hold her down, while the doctor did the test. It was horrible!
The results still aren’t in, but because she’s been tested and the doctor suspected piggy flu, we were ordered home and told to stay there. We’re not to come out until at least 48 hours after her temperature goes back to normal.
H. still had a fever last night, so I’m really hoping it will come down soon and we’ll be allowed out during the weekend.
Luckily, the day before we got sick, I’d taken the kids to the DVD store, and bought a stack of ex-rental, $5 DVDs for the holidays. So at least they’ve been able to watch a few movies they haven't seen before, and we’ve also loosened the computer time restrictions to help keep them occupied.
I’d also already done a massive grocery shop for the week. Which was great, because we’re not even supposed to answer the door if someone knocks, and any deliveries are to be left on the doorstep!
Anyway, as we’ve been ill, I’ve been making restorative soups in a bid to keep us as healthy as possible.
The other day, I made Felicity Moore’s chicken noodle soup from scratch. The kids wouldn’t come near it – they prefer the Continental cup-a-soup variety. But I enjoyed it, and even Husband pronounced it acceptable.
And last night, I tried NotQuiteNigella’s recipe for spinach and white bean soup. It was so quick and easy to make and is delicious. We didn’t have any chorizo in the house, so I used bacon bits instead.
Delicious.

Spotted earlier in the week, before swine flu quarantine ... a seafood display at our local fish and chippery
White bean and spinach soup

Family night out, and a wonderful surprise

2009-07-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

Auckland is awesome for foodies, and now the kids are getting older (and just slightly more manageable), we can actually eat out occasionally without it ending in tantrums and tears (and that’s just the adults…)
On Saturday evening, we took a trip up to Ponsonby. C. wanted pizza, H. wanted pasta, and Husband and I yearned for yummy grown-up food.
Luckily, we found GPK, a buzzing Ponsonby restaurant which has apparently been around for years.
While the kids guzzled happily on L&P, Husband and I shared a delicious Nelson Sauvignon Blanc, and actually got to enjoy a conversation.
Best of all, the menu catered for all of us. C. chose bacon and cheese pizza, H. gorged on spaghetti bolognaise (though she pronounced it: “Not as good as Daddy’s”.) Husband devoured his Angus steak, and I inhaled my linguine with seared scallops, asparagus, semi-dried tomato, peppers and basil.
The service was excellent – efficient, without being fussy – and the kids loved their ice-cream sundaes for dessert. (Husband was naughty and enjoyed a sinful steamed fig pudding. Okay, I was naughty too, because I finished the wine).
It was so great to go out as a family to a restaurant which catered to all of us!
Sunday involved a movie, and a couple of visits to the pool, and on Monday – the first official day of the school holidays – Missy Moo had a friend over to play.
Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to let her in, and found a gorgeous gift basket sitting there.
Had K. been overcome by a fit of romance? No, it was a thank-you from NZ celebrities Jay-Jay Feeney and Dom Harvey, whom I’d written about in this week’s New Zealand Women’s Weekly.
Jay-Jay and Dom host The Morning Madhouse at The Edge, New Zealand’s most popular morning radio show. But they also happen to be spectacularly lovely people, and have adopted Jay-Jay’s nephew Seven, because his parents can’t take care of him.
It was a lovely surprise. Over the years, I have interviewed many Aussie, UK, and American celebrities, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve been sent a thank-you. From "normal" people, yes, but not from celebs. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Kiwis Rock!

My surprise. Filled with Belgian chocolates, fruit, jelly, meringues and more!

Linguine with seared sea scallops from GPK

Angus sirloin fillet with gratin potatoes, green beans and bearnaise sauce

Mmm, pizza

Mmm ... spag bog

Do the Hokey Pokey with C...

2009-07-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

C. learned to make a New Zealand favourite at school this week – Hokey Pokey.
Kind of like our honeycomb but crisper, Hokey Pokey is an iconic sweet beloved by generations of Kiwi kids.
That afternoon, he rushed home to show off his new skills.
It was really too sweet for Husband and I (and probably the kids, for that matter), but his enthusiasm was infectious. And messy.
When K. got home that night, he took one look at our sweet-spattered kitchen and declared Hokey Pokey Making to be banned!
Speaking of school, the kids are officially on holidays as from this afternoon. They’re looking forward to a couple of weeks of play dates, swims, vacation care, and possibly a few trips and outings. (If they’re good!)
The last day of school each term is always great fun, with discos, games, videos and in C’s case, a shared lunch. I went all out making spaghetti muffins for his class, but predictably, he and H. declared them ‘gross’! (They were actually pretty nice. Honestly).
Anyway, C. went off quite happily with a Tupperware container full of mini pies, sausage rolls and quiches instead.
The kids have a special treat in school holiday time to look forward to: A visit to the school dentist! Yes, the dental van comes to the school during the break, rather than during school time as we’re used to.
C. has already had to go to another school’s dental clinic for an x-ray and a clean in preparation for the visit, and let me just say, I hope the mobile van is a little better equipped.
This one was like something out of my childhood, with daggy, old-fashioned chairs and equipment.
After the dentist scraped away the tarter and cleaned C’s teeth with that foul-tasting toothpaste they use, she gave him a glass to rinse with. He went to spit it out, like we do at the dentist at home …Except there was no sink like we’re used to! As C. looked around wildly, the dentist said calmly: “It’s okay, just drink it.” Eww.
I guess avoiding the dentist is another reason to consider limiting the making of and eating of Hokey Pokey at home!
And I couldn't leave without mentioning the ongoing Queenstown winter festival.
The latest attraction was a race where the participants wore their undies. As you do.
Check it out at http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2557487/Eyebrows-up-blowup-dolls-down-in-Undy-500

Spotted in Grey Lynn...Are they actually selling S**t, or is the sale just crap? Hokey Pokey - reminds me a bit of the previous photo for some reason...

The Masterchef in action - with Mastereater about to pounce!

He's such a good stirrer ...

Family fun and facepainting

2009-06-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

It was a wet and foggy weekend recently, and the kids woke to find the Skytower had disappeared!
“Mumma, where did the Skytower go?” Harmonie said in despair. “Maybe someone chopped it down!”
Luckily, we scored invitations to a family fun day at Auckland’s Ed Hardy store.
Ed Hardy is an incredibly trendy global brand of clothing, bags, sunglasses, hats, shoes and more, often spotted on celebrities.
The Newmarket store was decked out with x-boxes and playstations, and there was Sushi, and bacon and egg sangers to munch on. C. had two!
The kids were lucky enough to have their faces painted by Carmel McCormick, New Zealand’s fabulously talented face painter and body artist. She’s the woman responsible for the hugely successful Air New Zealand ad ‘Nothing To Hide’, which features AirNZ staff in the nicky nude. (Their rude bits are never seen, and their uniforms are painted on).
She was lovely, and just amazing to watch, because she was so talented and so fast.
The kids scored goodie bags filled with chocolate, drinks, and Ed Hardy goodies like mouse pads and stickers.
Even better, they were thrilled to meet two Kiwi celebrities, Lee Donaghue and Bonnie Soper (Hunter and Morgan from Shortland Street). The actors were gorgeous and very sweet with the kids.

Our usual kitchen window view

Not this weekend though

Startstruck! H. with Lee and Bonnie from Shortland Street.

And again with the gorgeous Bonnie

C's face - thankfully not as risque as the AirNZ ad

And Miss H's - she loved the attention!

Look out Auckland...more Aussies are coming!

2009-06-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

The number of Aussies in Auckland is set to rise next month, when some very dear friends come to stay.
They’re our first visitors so far this year. (Let’s face it: We’re obviously not very popular).
Anyway, I am sure they can’t wait to push a few trundlers, eat their own weight in in Pinkys and Perky Nanas, and help us sample a few more wines and beers.
In other news, my hand is mending very nicely, according to the specialist, but it’s still in a clunky cast. I’ve become very adept at one-handed typing, even managing to meet my work deadlines and (occasionally) update the blog.
Housework has been a challenge though (okay, it’s always a challenge), so I was thrilled to get a call from the ACC to say I qualified for some home help.
The ACC is New Zealand’s injury cover, and basically covers most of the costs of any injury which occurs here – medical costs, transport, even childcare if required. The trade-off is that you’re not allowed to sue, hence ruling out the ridiculous litigation cases we see in other countries.
Anyway, this means I’m getting 1 ½ hours help a week while my hand heals because I’m not able to do some basic household tasks.
My helper arrived on Monday and was wonderful, cleaning the kitchen and bathroom and changing a couple of beds.
Granted, it would have been nice to have the help a few weeks ago, when I was home alone, less mobile, and in considerable pain. (It can take up to a month for them to decide what you can claim).
But I’m certainly not complaining.
How wonderful it must be for the elderly to know they will get the care they need in the event of a fall or accident.
Sadly, the cover only applies for injury, not illness. So if, for example, I was incapacitated from pneumonia, as I was late last year, I’d be on my own. But since I’m incapacitated because of my own clumsiness, it's okay.
Maybe that’s why Aucklanders have that disconcerting habit of walking onto the street without looking for oncoming cars! They must be after a bit of physio or perhaps some home help. Either that, or they are barking mad!
Speaking of barking, I wish the budget ran to a long weekend in Queenstown, as they’re enjoying a winter festival down there.
Highlights include a mardi-gras, concerts, ski-ing, and of course, the Speight’s Dog Derby, which involves farmers sliding down an icy mountain on their bums, with their faithful dogs at their heel. Or bum. As you do.
(I'd be watching out for the yellow snow though!)
Afterwards, the shepherds and their hounds move to the Village Green for a barking contest. Apparently, if the dogs won’t oblige, the owners are allowed to get down on all fours and bark for them.
Barking I tell you!

H. and C. are enjoying their new responsibilities in the kitchen. Here they are making Shepherd's Pie

C. cooks, while H. - erm, actually I have no idea what she is doing!

The kids and Husband discovered a Mexican place while I was away recently, and have been dying to show me. So we went.

C. digging into nachos.

Eating out is thirsty work!

The offending hand

No wedding rings. (Sob). And I can't even do: Two for the Gabba!

He's back...

2009-06-16T16:01:00.000-07:00

The Aussies in Auckland were reunited on the weekend, when Husband arrived home after a couple of weeks back in Australia for work.
We always miss him like crazy when he’s away, but this time was even worse, because I managed to mangle my hand when falling up our infamous stairs.
Luckily, I was clever enough to break my left hand instead of the right, so I’m still able to type one-handed (and of course, I had a story deadline to meet that week too!)
The worst thing was that the doctor had to cut off my wedding and engagement rings, because my fingers were so swollen they were cutting off the circulation.
I don’t know what was more traumatic, the brutal treatment of my rings, or my damaged hand!
I didn’t tell Husband, because things always sound worse over the phone, and I didn’t want to worry him.
The kids were fab: Fetching things for me, tying plastic bags over my hands for the shower, opening jars and bottles, and generally being very sweet. C. was thrilled to discover he can now open cans and child-proof lids! (Maybe not a good thing...)
But I think they were relieved when Daddy came home, and took over.
My accident highlighted one of the negatives of living in another country. We have no family here in New Zealand, and though we've made friends, there was no one I felt close enough to, to be able to call on their help for basic things like getting the kids to school, cooking, or even tying my hair back (the kids couldn't quite manage it!)
On Monday, K. went into the office as usual, only to be told, in no uncertain terms, to go home! Apparently, the company’s Swine Flu management plan requires employees to have three days at home if they’ve travelled overseas. (Of course, no one actually thought to tell him that…)
It was great though, as it meant I had two more days to enjoy his company, while he took care of the school run, shopping, and cooking.
I know Swine Flu sucks, but this time it was a blessing!

Our night at the museum

2009-06-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

Why go to a movie when you can experience the real thing? That’s our verdict, after spending a Night At Auckland Museum recently.

Billed as a chance to see the museum come alive after dark – just as the Smithsonian does in the movies of the same name - our Night At Auckland Museum did not disappoint.

Eagerly clutching their torches, Mr 8 and Miss 6 almost wet themselves with excitement as we charged through the doors at 5.30 pm. Literally. Thank goodness there was a handy restroom on the way in …

I looked longingly at the coffee-cart, but the queue was already lengthy and the kids were on a mission to explore as much of the dimly-lit museum as possible.

The museum certainly felt different after dark. Some areas were in total darkness, and it felt totally creepy – but in a delicious way. Cautiously exploring one darkened display, our torches suddenly lit up the face of a soldier mannequin, prompting squeals all round!

And there was a real carnival atmosphere as kids and adults alike charged around, trading hints on where to find the characters that had come to life. The characters included a soldier, a scientist, a wahine toa, a war-time nurse, an Egyptian princess, a Rarotongan musician, three lively dinosaurs, and the museum’s founder John Alexander Smith, as a portrait that wouldn’t shut up.

The kids loved them all, especially Nurse Nancy, who inquired solicitously about their health while brandishing a scary-looking vintage syringe.

The budding volcanologist voted Jonny Hair’s talk about volcanos and associated mini-eruption demonstration his favourite part of the evening. The reminder that Auckland is home to 49 volcanoes, and that earthquakes and/or eruptions could occur at any time, was music to his 8-year-old ears. Mine? Not so much.

For Miss 6 it was the museum’s resident dinosaur family which delighted, even though we almost needed the little girls’ room again when the largest herbivore, Basil, tried to snap her nose!

“It’s a herbivore Harmonie,” Mr 8 said witheringly. “He won’t eat you!”

The Knowledgeable One was thrilled to be chosen to tame the feisty dinosaur by hypnotising it, and even more excited when Basil chased him under a table for cheekily announcing: “There’s a man in there!”

Part-way through, there was an intermission which gave me time to get a coffee while the kids revived with a couple of hot chocolates and made some dinosaur masks. It was welcome chill-out time for a teary Miss 6, who had been overwhelmed by the crowds and excitement during Dinosaurs Alive.

The only real disappointment of the night was that we ran out of time to see all the displays, and get all of the stamps, before being summoned to the foyer for the Farewell.

Luckily, the staff assured kids they could still hand in their passports at the end of the night, even without all the stamps, to go into the draw for free stuff. Otherwise, we would have had a mutiny on our hands and I really would have been in line for an all-nighter at the Auckland Museum!

The characters gathered again to do a kitsch goodbye song to the tune of So Long! Farewell from the Sound of Music.

Our favourite verse went: So long, farewell, it was so nice to meet you, And we are glad, our dinos did not eat you!

Me too!

A conference with the kuds

2009-05-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well kids actually. It's just with a New Zealand accent, kids comes out like "kuds"!
Anyway, their school held a student-led conference this week. The idea is that parents come in and the kids themselves take them around the classroom, showing off all the work they've been doing, what they're particularly good at, and what they need more help with at home.
The teachers are there, but it's the children themselves who do the talking.
It was really sweet, and must have taken a lot of time and effort for the teachers to organise.
Both H. and C. love school, and they were so proud showing off their portfolios!
It was great to see what they get up to each day, and to get an insight into how their little minds work too.
For example, both had chosen their Daddy when they were asked to write about their 'special person', which was really sweet. And H. had written a story about how Daddy loves donuts!
It was cold and dark by the time all that finished, so the kids and I picked up snapper and chips from our favourite outlet, Oceanz Seafood, at the Auckland Fish Market (http://www.oceanz.co.nz/).
Home of Auckland's favourite chips, the seafood is so fresh it practically jumps onto your plate!
The kids were thrilled when, while we were waiting, a man came in and bought 8 live lobsters (at $85.95 a kilo mind you). They loved watching the lobsters being caught and dropped, wriggling with claws waving wildly, into a plastic bag.
You can imagine their excitement when, moments later, another man bought a dozen live crabs!
Again , they were caught, this time two or three at a time, and dropped into a bag.
I did feel a bit sorry for the ill-fated crustaceans, but it certainly made the kids' evening.

C. showing off his computer skills

H. making a finger puppet

Poor lobsters!

House calls

2009-05-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

I'm constantly amazed at the differences between the Kiwi health system and our own.
Having blogged before about the pros and cons of healthcare, there were more surprises this week, after I contracted that particularly nasty Swine-Flu-like virus.
Apart from the vigilant measures taken at the GP surgery, where masks and gloves were donned and handed out with abandon, I'm amazed at the follow-up I've had since my last visit. Yesterday, the nurse rang me to ask how I was feeling, and the GP himself phoned today to make sure I wasn't any worse, and to remind me to drink my fluids and take my tablets. Considering, we often have to wait days to even see our (admittedly wonderful) GPs back home, it's amazing service.
As the Kiwis would say, Sweet As.
As for that flu? Husband and I are still struggling on, and the kids, so far, have stayed healthy. If anyone has any cures they want to share, I'd love to hear them!
At this rate, I'll be fixing up a pot of Mum's Witches Brew For Flu before long - lemon, honey, paprika, garlic, ginger and hot water.
It may well work, but I don't think anyone will want to be near me anytime soon...

Viva Bris Vegas ...

2009-05-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

Brandied strawberries with pumpkin and vanilla bean gelati, and basil. Sounds weird but it was delicious! This from Al Dente at Middle Park.

Spinach and ricotta ravioli with prawn and crab sauce. Just gorgeous. Again, Al Denta at Middle Park. We highly recommend it.

H. tucks into spaghetti bolognaise which is even better than Daddy's! Courtesy of Al Dente.

C. noshing on ham and pineapple pizza - nothing like Domino's and for that we were grateful!

Aussie afternoon tea - a meringue caterpillar for C, and a marshmallow for H. I know - how healthy are they?

Brisbane street art

C. enjoying duck soup and noodles

H. munching on a Peking Duck pancake

C. also loves his Peking Duck.

Mmm Peking Duck. My mother's day treat

Breakfast at Rocklea Market. C. plumped for a bacon and egg roll, and pineapple juice.

Missy wanted Dutch pancakes.

Hungry little boy tucks in.

Mmm, Yatala pie

Husband had his with all the trimmings - mushy peas, potato and gravy

C. plumped for an apple pie

Face-painting fashion parade on Pacific Blue. Pacific Blue are so great for kids (and parents)!

C. chose to be a demon

H. was a Princess. Apparently.

Daddy's little girl.

Biding time at Auckland airport

A healthy breakfast (not).

Sign at our Auckland GP's clinic

The dreaded face mask

Swine Flu and other stories

2009-05-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

I haven’t blogged for a while, as the family and I had to take a flying trip back to Australia.
Ironically, most of the trip involved spending time with our favourite GPs, specialists and other health carers, in a bid to keep us, well, healthy.
So how crappy was it that both Kyle and I managed to pick up a nasty version of the Brisbane flu? Okay, at least it wasn’t Swine Flu, but that didn’t stop my NZ doctor whipping a facemask on me, lest I wipe out half his surgery waiting room!
Though we didn’t get to catch up with my family this time, we were able to stay with Nana, who ferried us wherever we needed to go and spoiled the kids rotten.
We also caught up with a few dear friends, and managed a visit to the Rocklea Markets, a regular haunt when we were living in Brisbane.
Our flights, with Pacific Blue, were a delight, because the staff are always so happy and clearly love their jobs. Yes, you don’t get all the added extras, like free food and drink, but you get flight attendants who clearly love what they are doing, and pilots who are happy to land on time (or ahead of time).
On the way to Brisbane, the flight attendants took all the kids down the back of the bus, and painted their faces. Then they held a fashion parade, up and down the aisle of the plane, as passengers clapped.
Later, another flight attendant (who we were told made it into the finals of NZ Idol), held an on-board seated aerobics session.
“Smoking is disgusting, and cannot be done until well inside the terminal building,” went another public service message.
Finally, we arrived in Auckland, where our local doctor took one look at me and slapped a Facemask on me. As you do.
Though Australia seems to have forgotten the Swine Flu epidemic, NZ authorities are still being cautious.
With my condition worsening, I had to return a few days later, only to be treated as even more of a leper.
This time, the doctor himself donned mask and gloves before examining me, and a nurse did the same before doing a swab to rule out Swine Flu and hopefully discover which flu virus I’ve bought into the country.
Apparently, since I’ve had a flu injection and been felled by flu anyway, I’m just what authorities need to decide what to put in next year’s flu vaccine.
Oh well, I’m glad that something good has come from all my misery!
When it was all over, I was told to put my mask back on, and leave the building as quickly as possible, not even to bother to pay. For a minute, I thought this Swine Flu-like virus wasn’t all bad, until the doctor helpfully added that I could fix them up next time. When I’m not so diseased.
Got to love the Kiwi Medic's bedside manner...

Beaches, burgers, and 'the Baconater'

2009-05-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Living in Auckland, has turned us into an impulsive family.
Once, we liked to plan weekends and free time – but now, we never know when one of us is going to be sick, or the weather is going to be bad, awful, or just plain scary.
Indeed, on the few occasions we’ve organised to do something, we often have to cancel at the last minute. It’s common in Auckland. In fact, school, sporting, and public events often advertise two dates when it comes to advertising events – the original ‘hoped-for’ day, and the ‘rain day’, in the likely event the skies will open.
So on Sunday, when the sun rose and bathed Auckland in its joyous presence, we were quick to take advantage.
We gathered cold drinks, rain coats, warm coats, and towels, and headed to the wild West Coast.
Highly recommended by my new Auckland friend Hsin-Yi (www.bighoneyblog.com), the West Coast Beaches are where the film The Piano was made.
With rugrats in tow, we only had time to explore two of them (we’ll be back later for more).
First top was Muriwhai, where gannets breed and dolphins play.
Next up, was Bethells Beach, just in time for lunch at the popular beachside Burger Van.
The food, surroundings and ambiance was wonderful.
The beach itself is wild and wonderful. Shimmering, black and silver volcanic sand, sea spray, and caves, just waiting to be explored. And quicksand!

Bethells Beach - a black sand volcanic beach.

So vast, it feels deserted, even though there were loads of people, dogs and horses there! The kids burnt off some energy

C. loved the caves

And the Quicksand!

Enjoying lunch. Burgers, chips and aioli from the beachfront burger van

A West Coast burger - organic beef, salad, red onion, chutney and tomato sauce.

The burger van

Rockpools at Muriwai

A less healthy burger option! C. loves 'The Baconater' a mammoth meaty option from the Wendys takeaway chain. Two beef patties, cheese, bacon, mushroom sauce and minimal salad. It's advertised by a man doing a terrible Arnold Schwarzenneger impression.

Luckily, there's nothing to him, so he can afford to indulge in the occasional junk food binge!

For the mother who has everything

2009-05-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

It seems I blogged too soon about the delights of Trademe. Just in time for Mother's Day, comes this item ...

It's a penis-and-testicle-shaped grapefruit!

(Yes, I never imagined typing that sentence).

Even funnier, is the fact that someone actually bought it for NZA$11.50.

And people say Aussies are weird ...

This post's a bit fruity ...

2009-04-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Kiwis are a quirky lot.

TradeMe is the NZ version of ebay. So far, we've bought a second-hand buggy for the Little Princess, a new bed, and a few other bits and pieces off TradeMe.

But here's something for the person who has everything - a Kiwi-shaped Feijoa!

Here's the sale pitch:

"The ultimate in traditional, natural and non-manufactured KIWIANA! This exceptional and unusual wee feijoa is perfection personified shaped as our own dear little KIWI icon. The adorable little "bird" fell from it's tree in our own back garden on Saturday 25th April - ANZAC Day. The most bizarre, natural phenomenon I've seen personally, especially since all the other feijoas off our tree have been large and regular shaped. But it quick and preserve it for posterity."

And best of all? At the time of blogging, it was going for NZ$12.50. A steal!

Or, the perfect gift for Mother's Day, apparently, is a lovely gift-wrapped box of Weta poo!

The seller trills: "Here are only a FEW reasons YOU should buy this item:

-Perfect gift for Mother's Day! (I bet Mum hasn't got one of these!)

-Totally original! (You don't see Paris Hilton carrying one of these in her bag!)

-Great little treat for miniature plants such as Bonsei Trees (little poo for little plant)

-A rarity! (When was the last time you saw a native weta poo at auction?)

-Take 'would-be insults' as a compliment... Person: "Your gift is a piece if SH*T!"You:"Thanks buddy!"

-Legitimate turd (I witnessed the journey from weta body to dining room table)-100% Biodegradable.-Comes in FREE pink gift box!"

Thankfully, the seller didn't post a photo of the actual poo.
And at last check, this, erm, unique gift, was going at the unbeatable price of NZ$11.50.

Maybe perfume and bath gel isn't such a bad option after all!

The week that was

2009-04-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

My first story for New Zealand Woman's Weekly appeared last week.
Unlike the Australian Woman's Weekly, NZWW, as it's affectionately known, is actually a weekly magazine. However, they do have NZ versions of Woman's Day, New Idea, and the Australian Woman's Weekly.
NZWW is a much-loved Kiwi icon, because it features loads of stories on home-grown celebrities as well as real-life people, and of course, the usual mix of features.

My story on Fair Go host Kevin Milne. Kevin has hosted the same television show, Fair Go - a consumer television program which stands up for ripped off battlers -for 25 years! He also recently turned 60. He was really delightful to talk to, and I could have written realms!

In other news, there was great excitement, as Miss H. got her first wobbly tooth!
About a week later, it fell out, much to her delight. C. lost his 7th tooth recently, so they are a gappy pair!

During a wet weeked, H. enjoyed playing with her Baby Alive baby. We were out of nappies, so she improvised with a bowl for a toilet. So as Baby Alive ate and drank, she also pooed and wee'd into the 'toilet' at the same time. Something strangely disturbing about that. Also, should I be worried that the baby's name is "Bear"?

He won't admit it, but C. loves playing with Baby Alive too. Here's proof! (H. was saying: "You're a good father, C, for helping to feed my Baby Bear.")

Time for the Penguathlon - only in NZ

2009-04-21T15:09:00.000-07:00

Another day, another quirky Kiwi story or two.
This week, an Aussie man who runs a motel in New Zealand banned an entire town from staying there.
I am not making this up.
Some 16,000 residents of the Lower Hutt suburb of Wainuiomata have been told to stay away from the Palmerston North Supreme Motor Lodge, after loads of naughty behaviour from visiting sports teams.
Supreme's owner, Steve Donnelly, says sports teams from Wainuiomata have run amok during stays at his hotel, spitting, playing loud music, swearing and generally being unruly.
Not surprisingly, the town’s residents are outraged, with many of them threatening to descend on the motel in droves.
The fact that the owner is an Aussie just ads insult to injury!
And in other Kiwi news, can lollies be offensive?
A visiting Inuit woman from the Nunavut Territory in Canada claims a popular NZ sweet called an Eskimo, is an insult to her people.
The Cadbury/Pascall lollies are an iconic marshmallow treat here. They are pastel-coloured marshmallow sweets shaped like little people, and come in green, blue and yellow.
The traveller says the word Eskimo has racist overtones, and is an insult in her country.
Personally, I think Eskimos – the lollies – are insults to little tummies. They are so sweet even my sugar-loving kids won’t touch them.
Eskimo Pies though? The ice-blocks? They love ‘em!
Speaking of kids, C. lost another tooth the other day, and H. finally has a wobbly one of her own. She’s very proud of it too, and can’t wait for her first visit from the tooth fairy!
Poor C. came down with a head cold this week, but recovered quickly, as kids do. They were off to Kelly Tarlton’s Antarctic Adventure and Underwater World today with Vacation Care, to watch Penguathlon – where the penguins play soccer, surf, play Frisbee and swing ball, and compete in waddle races. Afterwards, the kids get to play their own penguin games on the ice, and of course, enjoy all the usual Kelly Tarlton attractions. School holidays were never so much when I was girl!
Here they are, all set for a day of fun and frolics

Out to lunch

2009-04-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

One of the great benefits of living in the city, is that I can occasionally meet Husband for lunch.
Eating out sans naughty kiddies is a rare treat, because since our babysitter went back to France, we don't really know anyone well-enough to trust them to look after the kids. And of course, the nearest relative is across the ditch! So that pretty much rules out Date Night for a while.
Luckily, Aucklanders are spoiled for choice when it comes to affordable, but delicious fare, so Husband and I often take the opportunity to meet up in the city for some child-free time while the kids are at school.
My Bento box from a hole-in-the-wall Japanese place, not far from Husband's work.

Teriyaki chicken, fried rice, tempura vegetables, sushi, edaname beans, and salad. There was also a miso soup, which I couldn't fit into the photo. How much for all this? NZ$10. And it was so fresh and delicious. Who would choose junk food, when you can eat this well?

Hungry husband splashed out and pay NZ$15 for his. He had everything I had, plus seafood.
Just delicious.
Oh and the company was pretty good too!

Don't hit me with your rhythm sticks...

2009-04-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

Today, we decided to revisit one of our early discoveries after moving to Auckland - the Otara markets.
Billed as the largest Polynesian markets in the world, Otara is an experience like no other.
Every Saturday morning, Auckland's South Pacific and Polynesian community gather in the carpark of the Otara Shopping Centre.
It's really busy with crowds of people eating, drinking and shopping; and the first time we went, so many months ago, the kids had a meltdown. H. doesn't do crowds very well, and C. was cranky because he'd been naughty in the car, so we didn't give him any spending money!
These days, Miss Six is more comfortable with crowds, and they'd both been good so they had money burning holes in their pockets. That meant we spent a pleasant few hours browsing, and taking in the colour.
We picked up some great gear for the kids, including a gorgeous suede jacket for H. for just NZ$15. She looks very cute in it. C. got a warm Ben Ten top - NZ$10. Husband picked up a fab DJ-mixed CD ($10), and even I treated myself to a T-shirt ($5).
There were bargains everywhere we looked! C. had his first taste of bargaining - he got a $3 Ben Ten toy for $2.50, much to his delight.
The food options are among the reasons Otara is so much fun. There are takeaway hangis - Kiwi pork, sweet potato, potato, mussels and other treats for $12. (None of us could come at that at 9 in the morning though!)
Other foods include roast duck, Chinese pork buns, noodles, hot dogs on a stick (like our Dagwood dogs but with a pork sausage inside), whitebait fritters, souvlaki, Maori fried bread, and Puha and brisket (Puhu is a green, a little like watercress).
There are a treasure trove of items on sale - Maori bone and jade carvings, jewellery, lavalavas (like sarongs, worn by men), handwoven baskets and hats, funky T-shirts, fashion contact lenses, and even headstones!
Husband and I stocked up on fresh fruit, vegies and tofu, all at bargain prices. I couldn't even identify some of the products on offer!
The kids favourite purchase - some Polynesian rhthym sticks. C. has already had fun learning new tricks!
Having fun spending her own money

Gorgeous fabrics for sale

Breakfast time...

C. with his rhthym sticks!

Down they go...

And throw!

An Easter in Auckland

2009-04-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

Our first Easter in Auckland was certainly different to those we’ve experienced back home.
For a start, there were no lunches, dinners or catch-ups with family (well apart from our own little family). But there were loads of phone calls and emails, which helped to make up for that.
We decided not to book a break out of town, mainly because we’d been warned that everyone in Auckland would have the same idea, and the traffic would be horrendous. (After being trapped in a traffic jam last Thursday, as thousands of Aucklanders tried to leave the city, I was pleased we’d taken our friends’ advice!)
Instead, we booked a stay at SKYCITY, the Skytower hotel. Our kids are obsessed with the Skytower, so we knew they would love it. We got a great deal, and the bonus was that it was just up the road. So we got a holiday without the trauma of a long drive with antsy kids. They didn’t even get the chance to ask: Are we there yet?
The quick and easy trip meant more time for swimming, movies, and eating and drinking far too much. Also, the novelty of staying in a hotel again, complete with the attractions of room service and Sky television, was certainly a hit!
We were a bit mean and didn’t tell the kids our plans. Instead, we packed a bag in secret, and then told them to grab their teddies because we were going for a long drive. (They hate long drives!)
Imagine their surprise when we turned into the Skytower, just up the road, and stopped the car. They hadn’t even twigged there was a hotel there! H. almost wet herself with excitement when she found out we were staying there!
To be honest, the hotel itself wasn’t posh (there’s another called SKYCITY Grand, which is meant to be more luxurious), but we enjoyed a break from routine, and staying somewhere different took our minds off being away from home.
A bonus was being able to watch people leap off the tower as we relaxed by the outdoor heated pool – okay that’s a lie, the kids relaxed and made instant friends, while I shivered on the deck watching them. They also loved watching orange-clad people walk along the glass edge of the Skytower above us, like so many spiders.
Back home, there has been computer time, DVD time, and a whole lot of cooking. Not to mention chocolate consumption for the kids.
Easter Tuesday meant back to work, which is always tricky when you have kids home on school holidays. I’m lucky that I have a few days organised for them with vacation care, which is where they are today.
The holiday programs are great over here. The kids get to do fun things like ride the ferry, climb mountains, explore caves, visit attractions like underwater world and the zoo, go ice-skating, disco bowling and more.
They love it, and it gives me a chance to get my work done without constant cries of:

“I’m bored”
“Can I play on your computer?”
“Muuuum, C. hurt me/changed the channel/is being mean to me!” (And vice versa).
“It’s not fair you get to play on your computer!” (Yes, that’s what I’m doing. Playing.)
“I’m hungry/thirsty.”
“Can we go to the park/pool/movies?”
“When are you going to be finished?"

Praying for a fluffie and a muffin ...oh look, it worked!

Footy fans!

The buffet breakfast - all you could eat, and C. didn't stop until he was stuffed!

Street art and a safety message. It's to warn pedestrians not to step out into traffic without looking. Believe it or not they do it all the time! In Auckland, 70 per cent of pedestrian accidents are due to this.

Hanging out at the hotel

C. loved watching Sky television from the comfort of his bed

So did H.

My water baby!

The Royal Easter Show

2009-04-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

“Don’t do it,” said one Aucklander. “It’s crowded and expensive.”
“And you’re guaranteed to come home with a cold,” warned another.
But as newcomers to Auckland, the Rugrats had seen the television ads for the Royal Easter Show, and were keen to experience it for themselves.
With a Pupil Free Day coinciding with opening day, I figured a visit to the show was well worth the risk.
Whether it was because it was day one of the show, or the crappy Auckland weather – rainy one minute, windy the next – the crowds we’d been warned about failed to materialise.
Instead, we were able to make our way around the grounds with ease – too easily, in fact, because we were obvious targets for friendly carnies in the Carnival Area!
The kids had a ball emptying my purse, as they fished for ducks, threw darts, and shot at targets with abandon. They were rewarded with a selection of cheap soft toys, jewellery and cars, which they predictably loved and passed onto me to lug around.
After a stop for yummy donuts (for them) and a surprisingly good coffee (for me), we hit the Cadbury International Magic Show.
Finding front-row seats was a bonus, and the kids were thrilled when the MC announced he would be giving away Cadbury Easter Eggs for everyone after the show.
Billed as an “edge-of-your-seat performance guaranteed to leave you spellbound”, the rather amateurish performance was unintentionally hilarious, due to problems with curtains and the sound system.
Performers were regularly left dancing to non-existent music, and in its place, we could hear mutterings from support crew.
“They opened the curtains too early,” we heard at one stage. “Shit!”
And later: “Have they got any music? Oh for fuck’s sake!”
Think of the children, people. The children!
The illusions were pretty cool though.
At the end of the show, the promised eggs didn’t materialise. Eventually we were told eggs would be available at some stage during the day, outside the hall, and it would be a competition with the eggs as prizes, not giveaways. And despite passing by often throughout the day, we saw no sign of any competition.
Really not good enough Cadbury.
I also thought it was tacky that only the kids whose parents had shelled out for magic wands and swords ($10 each) were invited down to the front of the stage to ‘help’ the performers. Way to make Mumma feel guilty guys!
The ASB Farm Zone was a hit though, with cute piglets, baby lambs, and silly calves to admire. We were told not to pat them, but the kids did get to hold a fluffy chicken each, and milk a fake cow.
A tour of the marketplace was next, before H. dragged us back to the theatre for The Funky Monkeys.
The energy, talent and professionalism of these guys more than made up for the Cadbury show, and they soon had the kids (and oldies) up and moving in the aisles.
C. was thrilled when he won a prize for dancing, and the Monkeys all met their fans, signed autographs, and posed for photos after the show.
The pony ride and dodgem cars were also a hit, before the rain drove us back into the Farm Zone. I ended up shelling out on a few more rides in the Kids Zone, but the kids had fun and at least we stayed dry.
We wanted to stay for Chelsea and her star dogs, the circus, and a few other attractions, but by then we were cold, wet and tired. Plus, I was pretty much out of money (don’t tell my husband!)
Our verdict? It was expensive, but the Royal Easter Show was a fun family day out. And after all, it’s only once a year.
And we didn’t even catch a cold!
I've never been to Sydney's Royal Easter Show, but as a veteran Brisbane Ekka attendee, the comparisons were inevitable.
Here are some differences between the Auckland show, and our own back home:

At the Auckland Show, there were no showbags on sale. Unbelievable, but true. The kids were disappointed, but I was secretly pleased not to have to shell out big money for cheap crap.
They don't have Dagwood Dogs or Pluto Pups. They do have 'Hot Dogs', which are a battered meat sausage on a stick (not a battered frankfurt). American Hot Dogs are frankfurts in buns.
The carnies were really friendly and chatty, especially with the kids. One of them gave Harmonie several extra goes to allow her to get a prize.
And it's not Sideshow Alley. It's the Carnival Area.
There were no strawberry ice-creams. In fact, I don't think there was any iconic show food like there is at the Ekka.
There were wine and art categories, and ubiquitous animal exhibitions, but no cake icing competitions, baking, flowers, fruit and veg, or anything like that.
There were no queues for anything (though I'm told that's unusual).
There are no fireworks at night
Overall, the show was much smaller than we are used to, but on this occasion, was a much more enjoyable experience than the overcrowded, busy Ekka.
The main similarity? The expense. It cost us $30 just to get through the gates, and I shudder to think how much we spent on food, drink, rides and games. It was a fun day out though, and I'm glad we checked it out.

Milking a fake cow, with a fake udder. Something mildly disturbing about this one!

Kids Zone

Pony rides

Funkey monkeys

Laughing at their funny antics and songs

Our least favourite part of the day - the traffic as we drove home!

Sushi, sheep, spas and skate shoes. Not to mention the Smallblacks!

2009-04-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

You know it’s getting close to Easter when day spas start adding chocolate facials to their treatment menu.
The East Day Spa on the ground floor of Auckland’s Skycity Grand Hotel is offering busy Mums time out with one-hour of pampering including a bite of Valrhona chocolate. A snip at NZ$115 a pop. Now that would buy the kids a lot of chocolate!
In other news, the annual Running of the Sheep went awry on the weekend, when about 400 of the 1000 sheep involved panicked and ran amok.
It’s the North Island’s answer to Spain’s Running of the Bulls and clearly was never going to end well.
The terrified animals leapt over barriers, ran down the main street of Te Kuiti, and headed for the hills. One woman was knocked unconscious in the stampede.
With 7000 spectators, authorities were lucky the injury rates weren’t higher. And I wonder just how the poor sheep faired?
Back home, in a reversal of our usual Saturday morning routine, H. enjoyed some Daddy-Daughter shopping time on the weekend, while C. and I trawled up the hill to our local library.
In typical C. style, he was dying of thirst and hunger by the time we got there (even though he’d demolished a bacon, egg and cheese wrap and a cup of tea not long before)! Anyway, I gave him the benefit of the doubt and we dropped into the local sushi bar for an early lunch.
Now, the Little Dude has loved sushi for as long as I can remember as long as it’s one type – smoked salmon. Until New Zealand.
Thanks to the influence of his multicultural mates, C. has come to enjoy the delights of wasabi, picked ginger, soy sauce and salad. He polished off four pieces of salmon and avocado sushi, plus two helpings of tuna and avocado sushi, with all the trimmings.
As for Missy, she was happy when Husband treated her to her very own pair of skate shoes. C. has had some for a while now, and it wasn’t until now that H. felt brave enough to try her own. It’s early days yet, but she’s having fun learning!
I had to work in the afternoon, doing my first story for New Zealand Women’s Weekly, so K. gallantly took the kids off to see Monsters Vs Aliens. A great time was had by all!
Sunday was spent mainly in the park, with a spot of weekend television thrown in for good measure. The kids love Kiwi telly, and I enjoy snuggling up with them on the couch, twittering, reading or doing laundry while they crack up at cartoons and silly segments.
One of their Sunday morning treats is Small Blacks TV, where members of the All Blacks entertain with fitness tips, cooking, and more. Then it’s time for What’s Now TV, which lately has included a hilarious spoof of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen called Foul’s Kitchen. It’s really silly, and again features NZ celebrities happily sending themselves up.
Despite our differences, I think Aussies and Kiwis share a similar sense of humour. Just another thing to love about NZ.

The local skate park. Not sure whether to be thrilled it's nearby or not..

Gorgeous trees in Victoria Park. C. is cracking himself up!

H., and her minions

More face-painting, this time at Victoria Park Markets (it was a bugger to get off!)

Mmmm, sushi...
See, you add a little bit of wasabi, just like this!

'I can clearly see you're nuts...'

2009-04-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

We’ve been blessed by beautiful Autumn weather again here in Auckland.
The leaves are turning gorgeous shades of orange, brown and red, and the sky is blue and crystal clear. I know it’s not going to last forever, so we’re making the most of it while we can.
K’s busy at work, with more travelling coming up. One place he’ll be visiting is Whakatane, which, in the NZ way, is pronounced Fuck-a-tane. As you can imagine, the kids delight in innocently mentioning it as much as possible. There’s also a town called Whakapapa. (Pronounced with the ‘F’ sound rather than ‘Wh’, it sounds like … oh I’m leaving that one alone!) The kids are looking forward to their last few days of school before the Easter holidays. The final day of term has been dubbed Lazy Day, where the students are allowed to bring pillows, blankets and toys, and will spend the day playing games, watching movies, eating popcorn and relaxing. Something tells me that will be one morning I don’t have to nag them to get ready for school!
I’ve been lucky enough to pick up some freelance writing with the much-loved Kiwi magazine, New Zealand Women’s Weekly. I went in to meet the team at their Auckland offices during the week, and they seem like a really nice bunch of people. I’m really looking forward to it – guess I’ll have a reason to throw myself into more Kiwi television now (research purposes of course).
And as the Tastes Of New Zealand experience continues, this week we tried Feijoas for the first time. Also known as pineapple guava, they actually taste a bit like a tart strawberry, and are really lovely.
Unfortunately, not all our Kiwi Cuisine experiences have been positive. New Zealand is home to the world’s first purple sausage. (No I did not make that up!) Imaginatively named named ‘purplos’, they are like cheerios but purple. They’re made from beef, mutton and honey, with a purple casing. They’re supposed to be a perfect snack, and very popular with kids.
Not with my kids though, who pronounced them ‘’disgusting’. And K’s face when he tasted one was priceless. After such a damning verdict, I couldn’t even bring myself to try one.
Luckily, I’m more adventurous when it comes to wine.
The Wine Of The Week isn’t actually a NZ one this time, but with a label like this, how could I refuse?
It’s one of series of Punchline Wines, and comes from South Australia. It was seriously good too. Cheers!

We try Feijoas at last. They're popular in fruit juices and smoothies.

This is what they look like inside.

Purplos. Er ... What The?

Wine of the Week

Their motto is: Life's short. Eat well, drink well, have fun.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

Kiwified

2009-03-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's official - we're becoming Kiwified.
How do I know this?
- I no longer bristle uncomfortably when the lovely ladies at our local New World tease out my life story, flick through my magazine and comment on the latest gossip, and remark on the products I'm buying, all while processing my groceries. What at first seemed weird and intrusive, feels quite normal now, and their happiness is infectious. I always leave the supermarket with a smile on my face (even though the bill is usually quite scary).
- The kids say: 'Sweet as!" local slang for "Cool" or "Fab". And C. calls thongs 'jandals'.
- C. hardly ever wears shoes and it no longer bothers me. (He fits in with his mates).
- I've become quite the demon driver. You have to be to survive Auckland traffic (and pedestrians for that matter!)
- I no longer have hysterics when the kids go crazy in parks and playgrounds. I'm resigned to the sight of roundabouts, monkey bars, climbing frames and slippery slides now. Sure, they come home with a few more scratches and bruises than they used to, but there have been no serious injuries yet. (Touch wood).
- And here's the big one: I'm starting to like the accent!
Some things take getting used to though.
- The kids are constantly nagging me to let them walk to and from school on their own, because so many of their friends do. Call me a helicopter parent, but at 8 and 6, crossing busy city roads (with the aforementioned crazy drivers), alone? That's not going to be happening any time soon.
- The kids are constantly nagging me to let them take public transport on their own. Again, because so many of their friends do.
- And I'm amazed at how many children their age are left home alone until their parents get home from work.
I guess Auckland feels a lot like growing up in country Queensland did. When I was a girl, Mum would often nip out to the shops and tell us to lock the door and not answer if strangers came knocking. We rode our bikes to and from school on our own. We played on equipment now deemed dangerous by Australian authorities, understandably leery of legal action. And no real harm ever came to us. (Unless we were naughty and Mum got the strap out!)
Of course, Auckland's city centre is much like any other city - full of busy workers, impatient drivers, dusty streets, drunks, drug users and homeless people. But move just a few kilometres away, and the pace is more relaxed, the people friendlier, and life that little more laid back than we're used to back home.
And luckily, we like it.

Weeeeeeee!

C. being sick after one too many spins on the roundabout. Would you believe he got straight back on?

One of the playgrounds at school. The kids use these like slippery slides.

Er no, it's not an instrument of torture, it's part of the playground.

A change of season

2009-03-29T16:06:00.001-07:00

We’ve been enjoying the cooler weather so far, with mainly crystal clear days, and chilly mornings and nights.
The novelty has not been lost on the kids, who, growing up in Brisbane, had never really been exposed to changing seasons. (At home it’s hot, damn hot, and stinking hot!)
“Mumma, why are the leaves changing colour?” Harmonie exclaims regularly, before jumping into a pile of them with delight. (Luckily, we don’t need to worry about the dangers of snakes here. Needles though, might be another matter!)
And the discovery that she could see her breath at school the other morning, sparked much huffing, puffing and laughter.
When the cooler weather struck, I was reminded how fast the kids have been growing. Pant legs are suddenly too short, tops and jumpers too tight. So we picked up Husband after work the other night, and headed out for an emergency shopping expedition.
C. was so happy with his new raincoat/jacket that he’s been practically living in it! Missy got a few new things too. Only Husband and I missed out!
At home, we’ve been continuing our taste testing of all things Kiwi. Join us on our culinary adventure...

Like Father, Like Son...
C. takes after his Dadda and loves to cook. Here, he's making Breakfast Tortillas.

The proof is in the eating!

H's new dress says: I Dance Till I Get Dizzy.
So true! (Thanks Nana!)

Apple and Feijoa juice

(Feijoa is also known as pineapple guava)

We tasted these in the supermarket the other day, and since the kids loved them, I bought some to accompany the roast I did the other night. Delicious! (Much nicer than Kumera Chips!)

H. enjoying the kids' current favourite ice-block here, Goody Goody Gum Drops.

They consist of bubble-gum flavoured ice-cream with lollies inside and covered with chocolate. All part of a balanced diet...)

L & P, the national drink. Made with underground spring water from Paeroa, it's like lemonade but more refreshing. Luckily for me, there are sugar-free versions too.

Showing off their new warm clothes.

Fancy a Hot Cross Bum?

2009-03-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm still loving Auckland, where a trip to the supermarket is always an adventure.
Spotted some really funny spelling mistakes the other day and allowed myself a chortle.
Hot Cross Bum anyone? (After all, the Easter Bummy will be here soon...)
How about some beef mice? (Damn, must be fresh out of rats!)

There's always something happening too. Tastings of ice-cream, cheese, wine, beer and fizzy drinks. Free cheerios for the kids everytime we go to the deli. And face painting. (Well, sometimes).

And there are always new tastes to experience. Pinky is a popular chocolate bar over here. It's basically chocolate with a sweet pink goo in the middle. So of course, there are Pinky Easter Eggs. They have pineapple-lump ones too.

And the other day, we found and tried Kiwi Berries.

They're like soft miniature kiwi fruit, without the fuzz, and are totally delicious. Even nicer than Hot Cross Bums!

Flu, Fire and Rain

2009-03-18T15:48:00.001-07:00

The Little Dude finally went back to school today, after nearly a week off school thanks to flu. We've both been miserable together, with red noses, hacking cough, and aching bodies, heads and faces. Though overall the kids have been healthier since we moved here, Husband and I certainly seem to be coming down with more bugs more often. And when we do get sick - any of us - it certainly hits us hard.

Hence, we're making an effort to be healthier: getting plenty of exercise, eating well, and drinking less alcohol. (Yep, even wine. Haven't you noticed there have been no Wines of the Week lately?)

However, yesterday at the supermarket, my love for a bargain found me purchasing a bottle of Montana Pinot Gris, which came with a free keyring. And since Husband had just been been awarded with a pretty important and hard-to-get qualification for work, there was cause to celebrate. (He's so clever!)

The wine, blended from Gisborne and Hawke's Bay vineyards, was aromatic and delightfully pineappley (is that a word?) It was accompanied by K's famous Japanese Curry and steamed rice. Perfect.

Best of all, Husband chose to toast his achievement with a NZ beer, so there was more for me!

In other news, we're constantly being caught out by Auckland's impulsive weather!

For example, as we left for work and school this morning, the sky was clear and blue. By the time we reached school, a few minutes away, it was raining. "Just a sun shower" said K hopefully. By the time we reached K's work, another five minutes on, the skies burst! Rain hammered down, traffic became chaotic, the skies turned dark, and there was flash-flooding all over the roads. It was horrid!

Just two hours later, the skies cleared. Now we're having a sunny summer-like day, without a cloud in the sky. By this evening it will probably be hot and humid, and the kids will be pestering me for a swim!

As I type this blog, sirens are going off and we're surrounded by fire engines and fire fighters. The building at the front of our complex houses several companies, as well as a gourmet kitchen which runs regular cooking classes. Apparently, someone left the stove on overnight and the place caught fire.

The building was evacuated, with the workers all hanging around on the lawn outside our townhouse while they waited for the all-clear.

What's really funny is that I was completely oblivious until the plumber arrived to fix our broken loo (that's another story!), and brought me up to speed on the drama unfolding just outside our door. Looks like I'm so used to sirens going off in the city, that I tune them out.

Maybe I'm turning into a true Aucklander?

Note: It did turn out to be humid and warm that night. Talk about Four Seasons In One Day ...