Sunday, July 25, 2010

2 weeks and counting

Home is calling my name.  That's right USA, I'm coming to visit soon.

It's been tough to keep up with all that has been happening here.  We moved to a new house, skied on the top of Mt Hutt over looking the Canterbury plains (hardest mountain I have ever skied on), and Thomas went on his first big hunting trip in the mountains.  Things have been cruising along too fast, but that's what happens in life right?

Now the biggest thing facing us is getting everything ready to visit all those people we haven't seen in a year!

10 more days and counting woohoo!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

from Keri Keri wth love

Back in May, Thomas and I decided that it was time for a little holiday to take a break from all the hard work and buzz of Ashvegas.  Our adopted Kiwi family was calling from the top of the North Island and we answered happily!

...They really did call and ask us why we had been in NZ so long and not been up to visit yet...

It was a long overdue break as winter was starting here and the sun was still shining in the Bay of Islands.  Our brother-in-law is a full blood Kiwi bloke so his family is ours, they are wonderful and we have an awesome time every time we see them!

We went everywhere!  From Auckland to Paihia one day, then off on a fishing in a handmade fishing boat out on the open ocean waters for our first adventure.  Thomas and Mac were getting ready to catch "Kingy's" (kingfish) outside the harbour and I was trying to watch the horizon...as it went up and down with 2 meter swells.  We had such a great time, even though I got seasick we loved it!


The next day Thomas and I drove up to Cape Reinga at the tippy top of New Zealand where you can see the Tasman Sea meet the Pacific Ocean as the waves crash on each other.  To get there you can drive the windy highway 4 hours north, or take a detour up 90mile beach.  You drive out to the coast  and all you can see is beach and ocean stretching in either direction.  
100kph + lots of courage and low tide = cruising down the beach!


Our second fishing adventure happened the next day in the bay off Paihia.  Murray took us fishing for snapper in his custom made fishing boat, determined to catch a feed for dinner.  We had everything - a fish finder to see where the fish were hanging out, bait, polls, more bait and even some snacks for morning tea.  I was determined not to get sick this time, it worked out well because we fished standing up which was much better.  We caught heaps of snapper, it was amazing!  

Then as we were wrapping up something big caught my line.  I had to give it over to Murray to save from being pulled in with the rod,  and he brought in the mystery fish.  It was pulling so hard the boat was moving where the fish was taking us.  Just as Murray brought it as close as he could we saw it... A HAMMER HEAD SHARK!  I was flipping out, granted it was a "baby shark" about 2 meters long, but it was so amazing to see.  Needless to say we went home happy, without the shark with all our fingers and toes.