The weekend with a most excellent road trip to Auckland and back

 Hi,

We had such a good weekend - hosted by the Sampson clan up in Auckland and treated so well. Thank you so much! The weather co-operated - it was like visiting Australia in many ways.

Cats enjoy the sunshine before we head north

Calves love 'em

We picked Chelsea up from outside her flat at 4.30pm on Thursday - after getting a bit mixed up with the pick up location. We were stuck in traffic for a bit right in the middle of town. But we were away by 5pm. The expressway bypass is now open through to just north of Otaki. So good! At this time of the day it must cut out about 40 mins of your journey I reckon.

Road trip!

Mike and I switched drivers at Waiouru and I tackled the Desert Road and then up the western side of Taupo. But it was dark, and started raining (the only rain we got the entire weekend) and the hot day meant the rain turned into fog when it hit the road. So I had rising fog, sometimes pelting rain, and an unfamiliar road. I wasn't really enjoying the driving until I hit the Hamilton expressway and the 110km speed limit! Oosshh!

We pulled into Lesley and Wally's driveway at 12.30am. Not too bad a trip. We fell into bed (thank you, Brennan, for giving up your bed for us and sleeping on the couch!) and was out like a light.

Mike was up (with Lesley and Wally) for the working day on Friday. So I tackled the St Luke's mall with Jason, Brennan and Chelsea. It was probably a 25 min walk and it was pretty hot. So we stopped at a cafe not far from their house for sustenance. 

Cafe near our Auckland base!

Slurp!

We got the things we needed at the mall - quite the eclectic mix of things. Wallets. Socks. Groceries. Generally mooched around for a bit and then headed back.

St Luke's mall is just like being in Aus

We stopped at Crave for lunch and convinced Mike to come out as it was lunch time. He joined us as we finished and got his lunch after a short wait.  Then he drove Brennan home and the rest of us continued the walk back.

Cafe Crave on our way home

Mmmmm

The rest of the day was pretty relaxed as people finished the working week. Off to bed at a reasonable hour because it was park run the next morning.

Mike and I got up and it was a beautiful day. We walked the 40 mins to Western Springs - enjoying the birds on the lake with their chicks.

Western Springs park

Run, Mike, run!

Mike did the park run - my calf was tender so I didn't run. He did a good time - around 32 mins. I like this park run - it is very pretty.

We popped into the Auckland Zoo for a coffee afterwards - but they had no iced latte. They are missing a trick there.

Walking back home

Wally got me a delicious home made iced latte

But we walked home and I got a delicious one from Wally. So there, Auckland Zoo!  Way better I am sure of it.  :-)

Wally and I ducked out to the supermarket and got picnic provisions. Then we drove to Cornwall Park - which is conveniently on the other side of the hill from Roz's place.  So I pinged her and she was free and took Yasmin out for a walk to see us! So happy to see her. And Yasmin. Roz is good - she caught up with me and Mike as we munched our way through picnic goodness. Yasmin is such a great wee pup - 7 months old now.

Hannah also turned up with her boyfriend Sean. And we all played Heads Up before Hannah left and we decided to tackle the hill. Mainly to let the picnic food digest!

Hey there wee Yasmin!

Picnic time!

We climb Maungkiekie

Band photo at the top

Jason crashes in the long grass

Back home and we watched more Amazing Race when Mike went out to see Sally and Andrew and Jason and Chelsea went to a party. Hahah.

Into bed and up for the big day! Yes, Meatloaf the Musical. The reason we were up in the big smoke. We caught the train in ($2 for a paper ticket from the station - woot!) and met Sally and Andrew at Britomart. Got some cabinet food from Amaro cafe and sat in a square and ate it. Nice eggplant roll and good coffee.

Iced latte from Amaro cafe in Britomart

Then it was time. Well, okay, we were early for the musical. We got in and got our seats super early. And when it kicked off, Mike was not disappointed.

Waiting for the musical

Mike is excited!

For me, it was partly awesome, partly terrible and mostly good. The actors were great! The stage production was great. It is just sometime Steinman has terrible taste in music. Hahahah. They played Mike's fave Air Supply song. And there was a truly awful duet at one stage. But the rest was pretty good.

Crowd gathers

We all went to Burger Burger afterwards and had an excellent meal. I got an Impossible burger pattie in lettuce! Yum!

Sally and Andrew headed back to their hotel (they stayed in Chamfy's building!!) and we walked the 4km home. 50 mins later and a good walk to understand where they all live in relation to downtown Auckland and we were back at home. Sweet!

Walk home after some food at Burger Burger

Selfie as we walk home

It was SingStar night. Wally got out the old SingStar and hooked it up (I think it is on PS4 and they have moved to PS5 at the Sampson household - but they did get it working!).

Sing Star night!

Okay - back at Spark Arena

And again at half time

For some reason I stayed up until 1.30am with Jason, Brennan and Chelsea playing Articulate and Heads Up while Chelsea baked cookies!

Next day was a working day in Auckland so Lesley and Wally were up and working by the time I got up. Bit of brekkie and a shower and we were ready to head home by 10:10am!

Cafe in Whakamaru on our way home

Such a great weekend, it was sad to head away. But we threw our gear into the Focus and said our goodbyes and then we were off. Lovely day. Headed back the way we came and Mike drove the whole way. We stopped just after the control gates on the mighty Waikato at Whakamaru and had some lunch before doing the final push. Got some snacks and fuel at Waiouru though.  Listened to podcasts the entire way. 

Dropped Chelsea home at about 6.30pm. And we were greeting the cats not too long after.

Good to sleep in our own bed again - as always when you get back from somewhere. But it did make me appreciate good friends. Felt very welcome and at home in Auckland - where I usually feel like a tourist.

Have a great week ahead. Short week for us.

Love,

Angela

The last day of our summer holidays

 Hi,

Happy New Year 2023. Wow! Still not used to that.

Monday saw us in Christchurch. Mike got the van WoF'd finally. Phew! I went to Little Poms with Tessa as Toby had to work.

Little Poms with Tessa

Lovely

Driving to VTNZ to see Mike

The van WoF is always an adventure

We had a lovely brekkie and then headed to the VTNZ to catch up with Mike. The van got its clean bill of health. After about $2300 of work in Queenstown. :-o  A brief scare when the licence plate lights weren't working - the tester slapped the back of the van hard a couple of times and they started going, that was good enough for him.

The guy doing the test seemed to love the van. Hahah.

Proud mother moment

Tessa headed home and we headed to Countdown to buy picnic stuff for us and Tessa. It just happened to be where Toby was working. So we spied on him doing his thing. :-)

Turns out as we left, Toby knocked off for the day with all the orders fulfilled. So we went back to his flat and collected him for our picnic.

We have Coco with us

Picnic spot

We walked up behind Steph and Sam's place - well - up behind the winery above them. Had a lovely picnic in the lee of some rocks.

Pomeroys pub for early tea

Then out to Pomeroys for an early tea. We left Toby and Tessa there as Steph was going to join after her work. And we dropped the van at Toby's flat and Ubered to the airport. We were the last regional flight out of Chc and the airport was nice and quiet.

Sally collected us in WLG and dropped us home - thank you. :-)

Cats were happy and well. And sorted out washing and airing out stuff. Then into bed. Phew.

Happy Moxley and her left eye has come right

It was hard to wake up this morning. Goodness. Mike has a cold - but not covid according to his RAT. Yay for that!

Working from home today. Busy week at work.

Have a great day.

Love,

Angela

The week visiting my parents in Sunshine Coast

Hi,

What a fabulous week in Queensland.  So glad I went.  Good to see my parents and nieces and nephew too.

Toby and Tessa's flight was supposed to leave WLG at the same time as mine - 0615.  But my plane sat at the gate for 30 mins and theirs left on time.  So they were waiting outside customs when I got there.  We had brekkie there (which was so slow!) and got the little Peugeot 308 and headed out of Brisbane.  Picked up Krispie Kreme donuts at Nudgee services - as usual.

Arrived at Peregian Springs the day after Michael got there.  Tyler and Abby got in a few hours after us into Sunshine Coast airport around 1750.  Dad collected them on the way home from work.

Next day was a pool day!  So good!

Swimming with Tyler

Even the eggs sweat

Mum got us into a pantomime - Sleeping Beauty.  It was actually good fun.  The wee arts centre did so well.  Weyba Road - go there and see something if you are in Noosa.

Pantomime time!

Toby ready for inflatable world fun

Dad and I took the kids to the inflatable world place.  They all loved it.

They enter the park!

While I have a very nice iced latte

We also went to karaoke at Strike in Maroochydore.  Woot!  Such fun!  Everyone loved it.

Huge fun!

Dad cooked a lot of dinners for us all - and we all ate in the outdoor enclosed area (which was actually my bedroom).

Typical dinner

Iced latte time - Tyler has her iced Americano.  Abby - iced choccie.

Tessa and I have similar drinks

Should I get these?

Abby and I got out for a run or two.  Which was hard work.  So hot and humid.

Running with Abby was hard work in that humidity

We got to visit the beach a lot.  Peregian Beach had a lot of jellyfish that Abby did not enjoy.  She watched some kid pick one up from the sand and throw it back into the sea with his bare hands.  And that still didn't convince her to swim with them.  Tyler asked the lifeguard and he said they hardly hurt at all.

Hmmmm.

Noosa Beach had almost no jellyfish.  Sea lice though.  But I know now to keep moving spots in the water and they don't settle on you and sting you.

Lots of beach fun!

Good iced latte at Acai Bros.

Iced latte - somewhere.  :-)  I think it was our lunch place below.

Yep - iced latte at the lunch place by the marina

Acai Bros iced lattes are good!

Control yourselves.  Beach feet!

Tyler and I discovered Acai Bros at Noosa Heads - their iced latte was so so good.  The bowls were tasty - but so sweet.

Dad did an Escape Room with all the kids and by all accounts they loved it.  Certainly got them all talking.

Mum was so sore after the first few days of crazy activities.  It's a shame for her.  She needs new joints!  Hips.  Knees.  Then she'd be back chasing us easily.  I hope she recovers quickly from the onslaught.  Thinking about her lots.

So happy I went with everyone.  Tessa and Tyler got along like a house on fire.  Michael was quiet with everyone, but when it was just the cousins he sparked up.  Shona said he rated the holiday 11/10.  I agree with him.

Dad got a new computer (laptop) from his work for their house.  And we got them Alexa!  Mum was so pleased and now she has someone to chat to all day when Dad is at work.  :-p

Saturday morning saw me driving Toby and Tessa to Brisbane for their 8.45am flight (had to be there by 6.45am).  I was back home by 7.15am.  Went with Dad to see Michael onto his 10am flight from Sunshine Coast.

Sunday saw Tyler and Abby to Sunshine Coast for their 1345 flight home.  And me driving back to Brisbane for my 1715 flight.

Tired today at work after getting in after midnight with 2 other full plane loads from Aus.  Mike picked me up and I went straight to bed.  Up at 6.30 and into work to find I left my PC at home.

Oh dear.

Hahah.

Thank you to everyone for such a lovely holiday.

Love,
Angela