Spring travels.

September 16th. Another showery day so what better place to be but in the cinema watching Downton Abbey.  It had  the style and historical accuracy of the TV series with all the main characters and more. Good solid plot with some secondary strands to keep you interested plus some fantastic English properties featuring throughout. Incredible that they got all the original characters together considering their busy schedules. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the lovely English countryside. When we got home we watched Years and Years by Russell T Davies which we record and watch in the pm as it is too disturbing to watch at night. I do believe it was shown in the UK in June so we are much closer to receiving UK programmes in 2019 than when Lynn was here in the 70's. It is a fascinating, disturbing, insight into the future and what might occur in the world. Eerily some of the fictional predictions are already happening. As I write drones have attacked oil refineries in Saudi which could cause global fuel increases overnight. We are living in troubled times. 

September 17th . We are going on a road trip to meet up with some old friends of Lynn.

Lynn's friends phoned to cancel through illness but we still decided to go and have tea with Julia who has just moved back to Whakatane from the Gold Coast. It is a lovely drive from Tauranga especially when the road tracks along the coast. Unlike England you can see the coast line for miles. We had a very nice lunch out and then sat in the sunshine , reading our books and watching the world pass by. Here is a flavour of Whakatane.

Unveiled at the Whakatāne Heads in 1965 as a memorial to the wife of Sir William Sullivan. This bronze statue atop Turuturu Rock lies at the mouth of the Whakatāne River and commemorates the bravery of Wairaka and the daughter of Toroa, captain-navigator of the Mataatua waka. 

When the Mataatua waka first arrived at Whakatāne after making a perilous voyage from Ngāti Awa’s ancestral homeland of Hawaiki 600 years ago, the men left the women alone in the canoe while they went ashore. When the canoe started to drift back to sea, Wairaka (defying the tapu that forbade women to handle a canoe) seized the paddle and brought the waka back to shore crying, ‘Kia Whakatane au i ahau’ – I will act the part of a man.'  This cry is the origin of the town's name.

Hamiora Te Hau o te Rangi Tupaea Tutua (Koro Ching) - recognised elder, carver and expert on traditions and customs of the Mataatua people.

Born beneath the cloak of Tāne at Te Paroa during the great depression; one of 13 children; of humble and modest beginnings; nurtured by his elders where he developed his prodigious knowledge of Ngāti Awa lore and traditions.

I have included a slice of culture so you don't think we just laze around, reading books and taking photos. We are trying to absorb a bit of the history too!!!!

On the way back from the Supermicado , we had two enjoyable bird encounters. Firstly, as the tide goes out Kingfishers sit on the telegraph wires above the receding water. One dived into the water just as we passed by today. Then on the side of the road we saw a Bar-tailed Godwit.

This amazing bird breeds in Alaska and Siberia and migrates to New Zealand. It is the migrating bird who flies the greatest distance, non stop for eight to ten days to reach its destination.

 To be honest our bird experience up until now has been a bit disappointing. In the garden we get  sparrows, blackbirds, thrushes and the odd minor bird. We have seen a Tui at Sue and Ricks and also at Dave and Vrons but our garden visitors are very boringly British.

Saturday 21st. Rugby world cup starts for Aussie and NZ today. We are up and running with our chrome cast device so can see all of the matches through Spark, the mobile phone company. Apparently there was a huge demand for equipment and the App yesterday so very pleased we were once again ahead of the action. My i pad and i phone are linked to chrome cast on the 55 inch TV so the rugby will be awesome later today.

Greerton Cherry blossom festival has been perfectly timed with the trees coming out in full.

They  are either side of the high street and makes a pretty picture. We called in on Gate Pa Memorial Park which is where the British troops were defeated by a much smaller, ill equipped Maori tribe. It was the largest loss of British lives during the Maori wars of the 1860's. The park was set up to commemorate both sides. Lieutenant General Sir Duncan Cameron  and the seven Maori chiefs depicted here.

Another first for us. Booked car in for a service and its WOF ( warrant of fitness)  or MOT as you would know it. Took the bus home using our Seniors gold card and travelled free of charge. Yeah! Took thirty five minutes from outside the garage to the bottom of Kereru Place. Perfect!

October 2nd. Another trip down the coast to visit with Ken and Ellen who stayed with us in 12 Southbourne ...........27 years ago! Lynn and Ken taught at Edgecumbe and through their annual Christmas letters have kept in touch. Coming over the hill into Ohope, where they live, is always a joy.

On the way home had a bit of a chase around the harbour as the Endeavour replica ship is in Tauranga, preparing for its voyage around New Zealand to commemorate Cook's journey. This was as good as Lynn got to it amidst a massif squall. Even from where we were the ship looks really small!!!

This was it earlier in the week in Opito Bay, which is where our Paula Knight picture is taken.

As I write this, a NZ bird that I have never seen before has come to eat seeds from these border plants. It is a Silvereye.

Named that ..........for obvious reasons.

Friday 4th October. Dave and Vrons came for coffee and lunch after their mega trip to Wellington. Their week involved staying with friends with a recently cancelled wedding day; a motel with dreadful reviews which lived up to its billing and snow on the desert road when coming home. They have put it down to experience!!!!! Very thoughtfully they brought us some fizz as Vrons noted it is one year today since leaving the UK. Unbelievable ...........Cheers!

Monday 7th October. Lunch out with Sue and Rick, Dave and Vrons as Rick had another appointment at the hospital in the afternoon. Sent out invites to our NZ friends for a gathering on the 7th December to celebrate one year of moving in to 15 Kereru Place.

Thursday 10th October. Getting ready for our trip to Sydney on Saturday. Booked Uber taxi to Tauranga Airport early doors to test the water for Jill coming over next February. Just got to make sure there are facilities for her to board the plane....... as they look like this!

Arrived early at Tauranga Airport in Pete's Uber taxi. He could become our personal chauffeur if he plays his cards right. As you can see it was not necessary to be two hours early for our 9.15 am flight. This was the departure lounge after checking in.

Flight was 1/2 an hour to Auckland. Then from Domestic to International by free shuttle and arrived in Sydney at 3 pm. Uber to Sarah's for chicken salad and then home to our lovely apartment and a well earned night's rest.

Morning sunrise from apartment. Afternoon book reading at facilities in the block.

Monday 14th. Jill came for lunch on the bus. Three stops down Glebe Point Road...... very convenient. Went out for fantastic local Chinese meal last night and got take home packs for tonight.........yum yum scrum!

Friday  18th October. Almost end of first week in Sydney. Been a succession of coffees, lunches and wine o'clock with Jill through the week. Yesterday we booked her trip to NZ in Feb 2020 and also booked a holiday for us in Noosa, Queensland September 2020 plus an extended holiday back in Sydney. We went to NSW cricket today with Simon, who is Chaplain to the NSW team, at Drummoyne Oval. Smith, Warner, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyons all playing. 

Then lunch at the Tram sheds............... Lobster roll and garlic prawns.....mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!

Busy weekend with the family............. will report best bits next week.

Monday 21st October. Really good weekend starting with Birthday brunch at Sarah's...... bacon and egg rolls. Front row....Ant, Olie, Simon, Charlotte, Alison. Jill and Lynn. Back row L to R...Lachie, Sarah, Emily, Gemma, Lily and Tamara.

 then onto our hotel on the North shore.

 Great views . In the evening out to diner with the Flinders family to our favourite Chinese restaurant. Thanks to all of our English sporting friends for keeping us in the loop with England v Aussie in the Rugby World Cup!!!! Watched NZ v Ireland until late. Sunday was trip on the Harbour to Cockatoo Island, where all the convicts landed.

Cheers! Saw a Black Masked Lapwing.

All in all ...........................a great weekend break away!

Tuesday 22nd Oct. Back at our apartment with fab view of the city. Took this.......

to this for lunch today...........

Sydney's Fish Market.... amazing place.

We were the only people on the ferry to Barangeroo then two more got on for trip back to Glebe and to the Fish Market. Lovely ride gawping at all the swanky properties overlooking the water.

Returned to our lovely Chinese in Glebe tonight and were asked if we placed a review on Trip Advisor after last week. When we said it was we were given this fruit platter, after our meal, as a thank you...... which was lovely.

Friday 25th October. Last day and out to lunch with Simon, Tam and Jill. We are then packing up and going to the airport...... to a hotel .......before our 7 am flight out tomorrow!!!!!!

Monday 28th October. Arrived safely on Saturday 26th after a very smooth transfer from Sydney to Tauranga. Settled down in the evening to the big match between England and the AB's. OMG what a performance by the English boys.  Bring on South Africa next weekend and let's see how a kicking game compares to a brutal forward running game. I know who I want the winning style to be!!!!. I will sign off with that thought. Next blog will be after our mega adventure to Wellington and our gathering here on December 7th with our NZ friends to celebrate one year at 15 Kereru Place.

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