IT STARTED WITH AN EARLY CHRISTMAS
Normally we enjoy Christmas Day with our friends the Flawns and their family, plus our co-godparents Lynne and Billy and our cousins Erica and Hendri. Then, on the day after Boxing Day, we celebrate with my niece Sue and her husband Kevin, plus Matt, Dom and Gemma as well as my sister in law, Brenda.
This year, we will celebrate Christmas with my niece Debbie, husband Mark and soldier son Will, in New Zealand, so we decided to start Christmas on November 10th, a week before our departure.
We have an exciting agenda - forest fires, sharks and earth quakes permitting.
First, we fly into Singapore for a couple of days before arriving in Perth to stay with my cousin Bob, who we haven't seen since our wedding over 35 years ago. Then we cross Australia to Queensland staying at Port Douglas and Hamilton Island for the Barrier Reef experience before coming back to the mainland at Brisbane. There we pick-up a car and drive down the east coast, through Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour and Port Stephens, on our way to the Hunter Valley for 3 days. After that we drive to Sydney, where we stay for a week.
The New Zealand leg of our journey begins with a flight from Sydney to Blenheim, via Wellington, for Christmas. Then Mark and Debbie are taking us on a mystery weeks tour of the tip of South Island, culminating in New Years Eve at we know not where.
On New Years Day, we take the train from Greymouth to Christchurch, through Arthur's Pass. After experiencing Christchurch's earthquake history it's on to Akaroa, Omaru and Dunedin. We drive across Fjordland to Lake Teanu, for Milford Sound , Arrowtown (next to Queenstown) and Wanaka. Then up to Lake Tekapo for the night sky experience and back to Christchurch.
We fly back to Australia so we can stay in Melbourne for a few days, just before the Australian Tennis Open.
Finally, its back home, via a couple of nights in Dubai, and we return to London on 22nd January.
That's the plan - hope we make it. Essentials will be packed: swim wear and golf shoes not to be used at the same time (before anybody says anything!).
Please look for our posts as we make our journey and make any comments you feel appropriate or necessary. It will make us feel like being at home - only we won't be.
We have an exciting agenda - forest fires, sharks and earth quakes permitting.
First, we fly into Singapore for a couple of days before arriving in Perth to stay with my cousin Bob, who we haven't seen since our wedding over 35 years ago. Then we cross Australia to Queensland staying at Port Douglas and Hamilton Island for the Barrier Reef experience before coming back to the mainland at Brisbane. There we pick-up a car and drive down the east coast, through Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour and Port Stephens, on our way to the Hunter Valley for 3 days. After that we drive to Sydney, where we stay for a week.The New Zealand leg of our journey begins with a flight from Sydney to Blenheim, via Wellington, for Christmas. Then Mark and Debbie are taking us on a mystery weeks tour of the tip of South Island, culminating in New Years Eve at we know not where.
On New Years Day, we take the train from Greymouth to Christchurch, through Arthur's Pass. After experiencing Christchurch's earthquake history it's on to Akaroa, Omaru and Dunedin. We drive across Fjordland to Lake Teanu, for Milford Sound , Arrowtown (next to Queenstown) and Wanaka. Then up to Lake Tekapo for the night sky experience and back to Christchurch.
We fly back to Australia so we can stay in Melbourne for a few days, just before the Australian Tennis Open.
Finally, its back home, via a couple of nights in Dubai, and we return to London on 22nd January.
That's the plan - hope we make it. Essentials will be packed: swim wear and golf shoes not to be used at the same time (before anybody says anything!).
Please look for our posts as we make our journey and make any comments you feel appropriate or necessary. It will make us feel like being at home - only we won't be.
Have a great trip. I will look forward to seeing your posts.
ReplyDeleteThis is Rob G BTW!
DeleteIt was great to be part of the send off. Have a safe and amazing holiday. Xxx
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fab trip (if a bit exhausting!) Hope all goes off as planned and that your luggage arrives at the same place and time as you do! Enjoy the weather and don't forget the sunscreen. Lots of love, Steve & Heather.
ReplyDelete