...No, not by Bilbo Baggins - although New Zealand -is- Middle Earth.
Ive sustained another long pause in blogging, and have too much stuff to recount in detail....But I need to post something to break the ice, and get blogging again, for the new year.
Im back from New Zealand. It was an awesome three weeks, with Gail, Macallum and Kieran. We played in the sun, played on the farm, drove around to awesome places, spent time together just talking, Celebrated Christmas, a Birthday, and the New Year - and generally enjoying us all being together for the first time since Mac was just a few weeks old, and Kieran visited us for a day or two back in Feb or March 2006.
Things I very much enjoyed, and memories made:
Our family drive too Gore Bay
Our family walk up to the rocks of Castle Hill, and climbing around
Our family trip to New Brighton Beach, swimming in the waves (and receiving my first -serious- southern hemisphere sunburn)
Late-night walking with Gail, to the beach near our holiday bungalow
Taking Macallum to the tiny "zoo" at the holiday park, watching his reactions to the unusual birds and giant pigs
Our family drive to Lake Tekapo
Mustering the sheep (mostly escorting them down the road) and watching Mac running after the lambs
Christmas shopping with Gail while Kieran watched Mac
Going to the movies with Gail and Mark wile Kieran watched Mac
Walking with Gail and Mac up past the "sign of the Kiwi"
Driving with Kieran and actually getting to know him a little more
Playing on the Flying-Fox, and goading Gail into taking a go at it
Driving to the Rakaia Gorge with Gail, Mac, and Sophie, and taking Mac on a Jet-boat ride through the gorge
Hearing Mac's language progress by leaps and bounds, while hanging out with his big brother Kieran
Driving to Birdlings Flat with Gail and Mac
Seeing my wife in her natural environs, happy with friends, family, and a familiar culture
Celebrating New Years with Gail, at a concert in Cathedral Square
On the way back, I had a 9 hour layover in Sydney, Australia, and I was able to leave the airport and spend 4-5 hours walking around that beautiful city in the crazy summer heat, along Darling Harbor and to the famous Opera House.
Gail and Mac have remained behind, in summer, to take care of a few things over the next 2 months or so. I already miss them!
Im now back in Italy, in the heart of winter, with below-freezing temperatures, oppressive foggy darkness... BUT I managed to take a train to Florence on Saturday - what an amazing city, even on a cloudy day. The Duomo is mind-boggling.
I paid to climb the dome to the very top - close to 500 steep steps, just over twice the height of the leaning-tower of Pisa (375 feet vs 186 feet)
The climb follows tiny labrynthian tunnels that spiral in tight columns, and then circle the inside of the upper dome, giving amazing views of the stunning 15th century frescoes, before exiting at the very top, allowing you to stand and overlook the city.
The dome is the largest masonry dome in the world. It is incredible.
All of my New Zealand pictures are still in New Zealand, on my laptop, but I will try and post some photos from Florence, soon.
I have made a series of New Years resolutions! (But I will save them for another post!)
thats a great list of highlights. bravo.
It was fun to have you here, we miss you too.
Posted by: gail | January 21, 2009 at 11:38 PM