Visitors and Adelaide trip

January 8th. P arrived home safe and well some 6 and 1/2 hrs less flying time than on way out! We are back into our routines and went to the Gym this morning and completed some jobs in and around Tauranga. 

January 11th. The Harry and Meghan announcement seems to have come as a bit of a shock to people in the UK. The NZ's that have been interviewed take the view of "good on them to shake things up a bit." It seems as though they were becoming side lined anyway so good for them to have a go at life their way! Can't be any worse than putting up with the constant tabloid scrutiny of their lives.

Just varnished the letter box at the front which is a magnet for sparrows to come and poo in!!!! Last minute spruce up before the first of our many visitors arrive.

Had really good chat with Marshie and Steve at the weekend who have booked an appointment with Trailfinders Canterbury on the 17th so it is looking serious for Christmas 2020!!! Also WhatsApped Patsy who will talk to them about the things she enjoyed about her trip and will catch up with their progress next weekend, after their appointment. Yippee..... so exciting the planning!!!!

18th January 2020. Went to the beach last night and saw The Royal  New Zealand Air Force Black Falcons display over the sea. The Beech Texan T6C's were imported in 2015.

Patsy gave us a painting of Camber Sands as a thank you for her visit. We have since had it framed and it looks fantastic. All Patsy's own work!!!!!

In situ next to Opito Bay. How fitting!!!

19th January. Good chat with Jill last night telling her we have booked our trip to Noosa for September. We already have the accommodation booked, 4 bedroom, two bathrooms with pool! We will fly direct to the Sunshine Coast, collect hire car and meet Jill the following day off her flight. We all fly back to Sydney after one week, where we stay for another 19 days. All very exciting!!!!! Then with Marshie and Steve's plans being discussed tonight and Simon and Tamara and girls arriving tomorrow.....it is all go in NZ. Marshie and Steve are booked in for Christmas 2020. How exciting is that!!!

21st January. Simon, Tam and the girls arrived about 8.30 pm last night after an hour delay. We went to Bethlehem today for coffee then onto the great water slide in Memorial Park. Great fun for all concerned.

22nd January. Simon, Tam and the girls have gone off to walk the Mount while we have entertained Hilary and Bolly to morning coffee.  

As you would expect in the hockey world we had lots to talk about, loads of common acquaintances and experiences. Hilary spent New Year with Sandie Lister which was how she got to e mail me and plan today's visit. She and Bolly fly home on Friday via Singapore.

Off to see Dave and Vrons this pm with the Flinders family. Called at the Aussie Butchers for steak for a BBQ tonight.

Thursday 23rd January. Simon, Lynn and I have a round of golf at Omanu while Tam and the girls go shopping/swimming. Rotorua tomorrow.

Jan 24th. The panoramic photo at the start of the blog was taken on Simon's phone at the top of the mount in Rotorua. More excitement for the Flinders with a ride in a Gondola and two rides on the Luge. 

Lake Rotorua and Tutea Falls.

Tomorrow a Park Run followed by the market and the Historical Village. Aussie butchers for BBQ items and our last night with the Flinders family.

25th January. Park run completed and now at Ferguson Park.

January 26th. The Flinders family heads home and we prepare for our trip to Adelaide. Many thanks to all for stripping beds and leaving rooms tidy...... much appreciated.

Jan 27th. Took bag of rubbish into Greerton to find a bin and to our horror that morning..... 5am to be precise..... there had been a fire at a tattoo parlour and our two favourite takeaways... Curry Planet and Ruk Thai have been wiped out!!!!!!

With much sadness we drove to Jet Park Hotel where we can leave our car. 

Jan 28th flight to Adelaide via Melbourne. 4 hour flight plus 1hr 15. Arrived at Air Bnb which is in a great location....... 5 mins to the Tram and is really well presented in terms of cleanliness and facilities. Met Tina, the owner, and she was really helpful with suggestions of things to do.

Jan 29th  Hot today so found a fab pool nearby. 8 lane 50 metre pool with shady grass areas.... lovely.

Name that bird!!!

Later............. took tram down to Glenelg to meet up with Roy and cousin Jacquie. Great pad overlooking the sea and then out for a fabulous steak at the BBQ Inn.

Jan 30th. Took tram to Glenelg to meet up with Cathy Harris and Kate. Walked to Marina for coffee and a catch up................... talked so long went into beer time before taking Tram home.

 Hot today at 44 degrees so watched Aussie Open in air conditioned apartment. Weather due to break tomorrow with cool change.

Jan 31st.  One year since Rex died! Wow that went quick. Toasted absent friends with Jacquie when we met up with her. Today took tram into the city to book wine tour for Sunday. City was busy and bustling so had a milk shake and retired back to the apartment. Absolutely persisting with rain, thunder and lightning. Due to go on all night!!!! Last day of Brexit....... four years on from referendum....... what a waste of everyone's time.

Feb 1st. Jacquie came to our Gaff and loved it.

 Went into Adelaide with Jacquie as our "tour guide" and visited The Museum and Art Gallery.  It was great to spend time with her........ somewhere she feels really comfortable ........as shown by this photo!

February 2nd. Took tram into the City to hook up with our wine tour. JR, our driver, was a local lad who was very knowledgeable about the area and the wine making history of the Valley. We had booked to go to McLaren Vale, less known than the Barossa but equally famous in South Australia. Chapel Hills was the first stop. It was amazing to be in such a huge wine area with all the famous wine makers. Hardy's Tintara ........ passed Rosemount too.

Chapel Hill was in a beautiful setting.......

but we preferred the Shingleback Winery for its staff and unique independent family feeling. Eight wine tastings later we bought three to take home with us!!!!  Tour ended in Glenelg and we finished off in Cardone's Sea Food and Grill restaurant which was lovely. What a great day out!

3rd Feb. Penultimate day in Adelaide and we are heading down to Jacquie's again to take our left over food.... eggs, ham, pate etc. Cousins at the front!

Glenelg sea front.

Jacquie had cooked Spag Boll for us so we spent the afternoon with J and R and then Ubered home to pack.

Feb 4th. Fairly uneventful journey home except for the security guard confiscating our three lovely bottles of wine from the Shingleback Winery........even worse was that they were going to throw it away!!!!! We had checked to see what our allowance was but you can only take duty free once you are through security.............. a very expensive lesson learnt. Flew Adelaide to Melbourne at 9 am then Melbourne to Auckland..... collected car from Jet Park Hotel and arrived home just after ten pm. 

Feb 5th. Just waiting on Jane Reed and Terry to arrive for a cuppa from Pahia where they have been staying. Arrived too late for a cuppa so had a G n T instead. Meeting tomorrow for lunch although it is Waitangi  Day and is a National holiday so places might be closed.

Feb 6th. Met Jane and Terry for lunch at Trinity Wharf Hotel.

 Very nice hotel, right on the water. They are off tomorrow to Rotorua and Taupo and then on to Wellington via Hastings and Napier. Great to catch up with them.   Trinity Wharf (click the link for pictures of the Hotel.)

Friday 7th Feb. Dave and Vrons came for coffee and catch up on Adelaide. Great weather again so sat under umbrella outside. This pm have been for assessment on Platelet Rich Fibrin injections for my knees. Very impressed with the consultant and have booked to have both knees injected with my own platelets to facilitate cartilage growth. This will be done on the 19th Feb and I am so excited about the prospect of being in less pain...... fingers crossed. Of course they cannot promise anything but their results have been very encouraging. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Feb 8th. Been into the market for our pork pies for tomorrow's lunch. Home made pate and pork pie!!! Sue and David are on their way to us for 2 nights and Judy and Dan are coming for lunch tomorrow. Sue and David have been on a mega world tour. India, Australia, NZ and then South America.

Feb 8th. Sue and David arrived from Palmerston North. Lots of chat in the evening to catch up on, which we enjoyed sitting in our garden.

Feb 9th.  Shopping for french stick, with S and D contributing to the spirit and wine stocks. Judy and Dan arrived armed with two bottles of Moet which we had to open, of course!  Thank you all for that! Sue and Judy played hockey together for Somerset and the West country when I was playing for the South so lots of Hockey news to catch up on.

In the pm we drove S and D to Mount Maunganui, Papamoa and on to Dave and Vrons at Welcome Bay for a quick meet up. Home to Roast Chicken and roasted veg.

Feb 10th. Sue and David head off for the Coromandel for four nights before flying to South America on Friday. Tomorrow we head for the third ODI of NZ v India at the Bay Oval and that will wrap up a very hectic Blog 19.