NZ for Christmas

Pete and I flew to NZ on Monday and I brought along a head cold, courtesy of Pete - yah! My mum picked us up from Auckland airport and we drove back to Hamilton. My daughter was waiting for us at Mum and Dad's along with my nephew, where we all had tea. We were fortunate enough to hear some of the residents and staff going around the village singing Christmas carols. 

Mum has this beautiful pink delphinium out in her garden at the moment. Last time I was here, she had a gorgeous blue one out, it is now finished and she is waiting for the seed pods to ripen.



We are staying with my daughter, just out of town. It is lovely to wake up to country sounds, instead of traffic and street lights.  The first morning we woke up to a good old Waikato fog. It didn't stay long and burnt off to a lovely sunny day. The Jacaranda's are in flower here at the moment.

Tuesday it was my grand daughter's 13th birthday. We went out to tea at Mexicano - which was really, really yummy. We also bought her a Chocolate Mudcake from the Cheesecake shop, which she was very happy about. Here she is cutting her cake.  Pete and I went for a walk one afternoon and came across a hedgehog. They are quite common in NZ. I guess the Echidna is the closest we get to them in Australia. 

We have been getting ready to go camping - pulling out all the camping gear from the shed, cleaning it, sorting it and buying a couple of new solar showers and some gas canisters for the cookers. We are heading way up North to Matai Bay to stay at a DOC (Department of Conservation campsite. My eldest son and his partner are coming up from the South Island to join us. We won't have power or internet up there, so I'll wish you all a Very Merry Xmas and the best for 2018. I'll be back here writing my blog after the 8th January 2018. 

I'll leave you with a photo of the breakfast I had yesterday morning. 

1 comment family, Holidays, leisure

Fencing, Lawns, Weed Spraying, Christmas Cake

We arrived home on Tuesday night and first thing Wednesday morning got straight back into "life at home". Pete and I both went into Moffat Beach at 5am - me to do a double class of Animal Flow and Move and Pete to go and have a cup of coffee with a friend. We then, all had breakfast together before heading home. I spent time with the grand daughters until Ross got home from work and then went to acupuncture, before picking Annika up and bringing her home with me for a couple of hours.

Pete, meanwhile got stuck right in to replacing rotten fence posts - the wooden boundary fence has been held up up Star Pickets or Warratah's as we call them. One of the posts had completely rotted off and the other two are only just holding on to the ground. Pete is replacing them with treated posts this time and is going to concrete them to above ground level. It was hard, hot work for him, digging out the posts that had been concreted in. He got two or the three dug out, one replaced and concreted back in and the other one ready to finish tomorrow. Pete is not 100% at the moment, as he is fighting off another cold.

We both went for a walk in the evening and noticed how much the stream a few 100 metres from us has risen with all the rain that has fallen here and how dirty it is. Apparently it completed covered the little bridge in the peak of the rain.

Last night, back in NZ, my eldest granddaughter had her Yr 8 graduation, she is off to High School next year. I think she looked gorgeous.

Today I weed sprayed both at home and at Ross's - it took me 30 litres of spray at Ross's place! I also mowed our lawns on a high setting to take all the seed heads off the paspalum and other seeding grasses. 

Then this afternoon, I decided to make the same very nutty/fruity Xmas cake that I made last year that we loved. It takes me a good hour to cut up all the nuts and dried fruit that goes into it.  I will have to make another one tomorrow to take to NZ with us. I have contacted the NZ Customs Dept and they say as long as there is no uncooked fruit or nuts on top of the cake, I can take it to NZ with us.

Cut up nuts - brazil, almonds and walnuts

Dried fruit cut up and added

Ready to go in the oven.

Leave a Comment Baking, Fitness, garden, leisure

Last day in Darwin

Today is my last full day in Darwin. We fly home mid afternoon tomorrow, however, I have to check out of the apartment at 11.30, so will head to the airport and meet Pete there.

Pete ended up having day off work today, and while he went out to 'camp' to pack up his room, ready to go to go tomorrow, I went for a 6.5km walk. I ended up going a different way for part of my walk, mainly because I thought the road I was taking didn't end up where I thought it would, but hey, it's one way to see new things. I walked passed the Supreme Court and Parliament Building - wow! The gardens were pretty nice too. More cycads. I loved how the little ones start their life on the parent's trunk, before dropping to the ground beneath to continue their life cycle.

I finally managed to get a decent photo of the geese that I have seen all around Darwin and on the way out to Katherine. They are unlike geese I have seen before, so I am not sure what "breed" they are.  

Once Pete had finished his packing and got back to the apartment we went out for a drive to East Point,  which is where during WWII there were 2 x 6" and 2 x 9" 'guns' mounted to protect the harbour. Remains of the military time there are still present today.

Pete fishes off the rocks here sometimes - not very successfully I might add :), but he enjoys it nonetheless. We wandered around on the rocks and marveled at all the different coloured stones/rocks there are and the formation of the rocks - it looks like a lava flow, however, I have no idea really.

The water was very clear and looked so inviting to jump into a cool off, however, the fear of lurking crocodiles, no matter how clear the water was, definitely put me off. When we were walking across the rocks, I could hear crunching under my sandals and I said to Pete, "I feel like I'm destroying tiny homes with every step", he assured me I wasn't, but I don't know if I believe him or not. 

I have definitely enjoyed my time in Darwin and there is lots to see and do while staying here. Lots of it free, some things you have to pay for. I've left the Royal Flying Doctors and Fannie Bay Goal to see next time I'm up here, hopefully when it isn't quite so humid. I have yet to visit all the historic places around Darwin City itself - you can either get a guided tour or walk yourself around with a map. I pass several of the places on my morning walks, but still want to actually stop and read about them.

I bought a book while I was here and have enjoyed picking it up and dipping into it. I think it will be very useful on our travels around Australia.  Already I have seen some of the plants described in here when I'm out and about. 

1 comment Darwin, leisure

Crocodiles Jumping, Adelaide River

Today, Pete and went out to the Adelaide River, about 50 mins from Darwin city to do a Croc Jumping River Cruise. We went on a boat with about 20 others up the Adelaide River. There are lots and lots of crocodiles in this river, Salt Water Crocs. We were warned not to put hands, cameras, heads or any body parts over the edge of the railing as crocs can jump out of the water 27 times faster than humans can move!

We saw a number of crocs, smaller females and larger males. The crocs are familiar with the boats and are used to being fed buffalo bones. The small amount they are given is enough to feed them for a week and it wasn't much. We were told that crocs can eat just once a year and still survive. The boat operators try not to feed the same crocs each trip.

We were really fortunate to see a rare "white" crocodile. They reckon she is about 20 years old, from her size and they only saw her for the first time 3 weeks ago. She is beautiful and we really wanted to scoop her up and take her home with us for a pet - no, not really, she would take your arm as quick as look at you. She was really beautiful though.

Isn't she gorgeous

We met Stumpy, who has lost 3 of his feet, the last two last breeding season, when he and Trevor had a big fight over females. The boat operator saw them fighting. Crocs don't "bleed out" when they lose part of a limb or the end of their tail, nor do they get infections!

Stumpy

Trevor had mud all over his nose as did Stumpy and another male we saw. The mud helps cool them and also stops the March Flies biting them. Apparently the March Flies can draw blood from the crocs and given how thick there 'skin' is, they must have one mean bite. 

On the way back to the dock, one of the staff members fed the "kites" that were flying around the boat. It was amazing to watch them fly up behind the boat, come along side and then snatch small pieces of meat out of the air. Quite a spectacle.

I'd definitely do this tourist attraction again. 

2 comments Crocodiles, leisure

Darwin Botanic Gardens

I went for a walk around the Darwin Botanic Gardens a couple of days ago, or should I say dripped my way around the gardens. They aren't what I'd expect of gardens, being used to NZ Botanic Gardens, full of flowering shrubs, beds of annuals and gardens from different countries.

The Darwin Botanic Gardens are, obviously, tropical and also plants that grow in the dry, so very different to any others I've seen.  I took lots and lots of photos, but will share just a few, since everyone isn't as plant mad as I am. I was really interested to read the aboriginal uses for many of the shrubs and trees.

 There were flowering plants, gingers of all shapes and sizes, bougainvillea and others I am not familiar with, such as this one to the right. There was also a white one - it isn't a bougainvillea as it doesn't have thorns or the right leaf.


There were gardens of cycads. I did not know there were so many different varieties of them, big and small.

And then there are the Baobab's - I love them. Their shape and uses. In Africa, there is a Baobab that is so big, it houses a jail cell!

I saw a Desert Rose for the first time. This one is reputed to be the largest and oldest in the Northern Territory. 

I walked up to a little waterfall, through the "rainforest" walk. It was a pleasant stroll and so very nice to have some shade. Running water is always very peaceful. 

Then there was a tree with very large spines on it. I can't remember what it was, but you certainly wouldn't want to brush up against it, or lean on it. 

I found the "cannonball tree" quite intriguing. The flower is lovely, so dainty and pretty, yet the fruit that forms from this flower is like a cannonball and apparently the pulp inside the fruit stinks like vomit! Thankfully none had split open for me to smell. 

 All around Darwin are fig trees that spread wide and put down aerial roots, that then grow down into the ground. These roots not only support the weight of the spreading tree, but supply nutrients and water to it. I can imagine children playing among the aerial roots, but then again, with spiders and snakes- maybe not.  This one is part of the top car-park at the gardens.

Frangipani flowers smell so nice and look so delicate. Some of the streets are lined with large white flowering ones, which look so fresh and clean. I found this solitary flower on the path and could still smell its strong but delicate scent. 

Apart from the heat and the gardens map that wasn't really that accurate, I enjoyed my two hour sojourn at the gardens and would happily go back and spend more time in areas I missed or didn't spend much time in.  

Leave a Comment Gardens, leisure

Morning Walks

The last two mornings I have gone walking around Darwin, 6 km each morning, in over 30 degree heat and what feels like 500% humidity. I am doing a "100km before midnight on 24th December" challenge, which started on December 1st - crazy! I think every pore in my body must have been cleaned out multiple times a day with the amount of sweat that literally drips from my body, all over my body - it is quite disgusting. It doesn't really seem to help with the cooling either!

Anyway, as I walk I stop and admire/look at things and take photos. Yesterday there was a cruise ship docked, spewing hundreds of people off to swarm the waterfront and city. Walking down to the waterfront I passed this unusual rock formation that is alongside the road. My brother gave me an explanation of its formation, however, I won't try and re-explain that to you.
I walked along the waterfront, up some stairs and along the Esplanade walkway, which follows the coastline and has a park alongside it - a nice walk with lots of war memorials, art work and dedications to 200 Territorians.

The Diamond Princess

I have started to look for murals painted on public toilets, the side of buildings/shops etc as I walk around Darwin. I really like them and appreciate the talent that has gone into painting them. 

Rock wall down near the waterfront

Tree roots on a walkway down to Lameroo Beach

This morning, I walked a different way, coming to the top end of the Esplanade walk and making my way back along it to the waterfront.  I really enjoy the viewing spots that have been built into the walk and make a point to stop at each one and gaze out to sea or down to shore below. 

Looks picturesque enough to swim in, but I wasn't game - could be a croc lurking out there.

Rather good sized fish in each of those circles, easily spotted from up above. Wonder what they would taste like?

Then I found coconut trees and coconuts all over the ground. It seems such a shame they are not being eaten. 

The covered walkway below goes from where the cruise ship dock, right across to the road going to the wharf, with another walkway branching off to the Waterfront Precinct, where the wave pool and netted swimming area is. 

I decided to go to a shopping centre after my walk for a look around and had to grin at the Christmas Tree they had there. 

Yep, it's constructed from Jandels, or Thongs if you insist. It has a string of Xmas lights around it, so I'm guessing it gets lit up at night time. 

2 comments Fitness, leisure