Actually no email from you! I may not be able to email for a day or 2 because I don't know where we shall be, so don't worry if there is no news. (oh dear.. so much lovely news from their end and I forgot to send any back. I have done now :-)
This morning we walked to the car rental place and picked up not a Toyota Corolla but a Nissan Sunny - very similar. Recorded all its bumps and bruises, paid the money and back here by 10.15 am.
Mat turned up and we went downtown on the bus to the ferry that takes you over to a village called Devonport, on the other side of the bay. Very gracious houses, huge unknown trees by the water, some shops including lots of 2nd hand bookshops. Got a picnic and ate it sitting on a seat looking out over the bright blue bay with lots of sailing boats. Mat goes sailing once a week.
He seemed very glad to see us, and obviously misses the social life he has at home in London. He is hoping to return to the UK next April, as although he loves the sailing etc, he misses the UK.
Mat and Paul climbed a hill which is an old volcanic plug, and I sat and watched a bizzarely English scene - a cricket pitch with several games going on at once, lots of clapping and cheering from the pavilion.
When we got back I suddenly felt incredibly exhausted, jetlag catching up I suppose, and after supper (bangers and veg cooked in the communal kitchen) crashed out for a bit. My nose is sunburnt, and I am getting hay fever, dammit. Mat says he is getting it too, after all it is their summer! Tomorrow we have an early take-off to the North, to see giant Kauri tree forest, and if we have time to get across to the Bay of Islands.
Another interesting day in NZ for the parents!!
I found a few links.. this one is a photo of a Kauri Tree.. they are HUGE!! And this link is about Devonport. I look forward to seeing photos when the parents arrive home!!
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Do let your parents know how much I am enjoying their emails. I find it hard to credit that there is a tree in the world that your mother cannot identify. ;-)
The 'huge unknown trees by the water' are Pohutukawa trees - the NZ Christmas tree. More details here and a great collection of Pohutukawa tree photo's can be seen here. Brian Z
Dear Brian, thanks for the links.. the trees are lovely!
Dear DMIL - I will let them know, and I'm sure by the time they return,their knowledge of NZ trees will have improved greatly!!
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