~ over the ditch ~

So, yes, over a year since my last entry... oh well, move on... !

This year, our long time (10 years in the making) planned extended trip to New Zealand is happening.  Yes, we are going over the ditch, to a beautiful country, for 10 weeks!  2 adults, 3 kids all jam packed into a 6 berth Spacious Automatic Mercedes to travel New Zealand (Aotearoa).  Can't wait!  

People think they've mis-heard when I say ten weeks...  No, nothing wrong with your eyes and ears folks!

We are starting off in Sydney for a couple of days (kids are all very excited about a big city stay!), and then flying into Auckland, where we will collect our SAM and head north before the school holidays begin.  A fishing charter and some reef snorkeling beckons in the beautiful Bay of Islands!  We will endeavour to hit Cape Reinga and the northern most point of NZ.

SAM- Our home for 10 weeks

Cape Reinga, Northern tip of NZ

Paihia Bridge, Bay of Islands

Mt Taranaki

We will meander in a southerly direction exploring the North Island, and toward the end of the year we plan on catching the inter islander ferry over the Cook Strait from the nation's capital, Windy Wellington into Picton, where we will begin our journey in the South Island, enjoying the Malborough Region (wine region), Canterbury Region, and visiting a couple of fancy glaciers and mountains!  

Vineyard in the Malborough area

Lake Matheson, with Fox Glacier in the background

Mt Cook

So, after our adventures in the South Island end, we will fly back to Auckland, then head on to Melbourne for a few days for some sporting action!  Australian Open 2015, and some T20 cricket...

The girls and I may just have to hit Bridge Road for a spot of therapy ourselves.... 

We'll be back home for a week of rest before school starts in 2015.  

I intend to blog our trip, so we have a record, and so I can do a lovely glossy coffee table book of our trip!  

Stay tuned....