NZ Skiing - Mt Hutt

We got back to Aus in mid July and after a birthday party in Victoria and a few days with the grandparents in QLD we headed off to New Zealand for a week. We chose the very uncommercial Methven to stay at this time around - a very small country town 1 hour from Christchurch and 1/2 from the ski field of Mt Hutt (sometimes known as Mt Shut, but not on our holiday - very lucky).

This was the view from the lounge room. We stayed in a really lovely apartment in a place called Brinkley Resort - it has room service and a five star resturant (which we didn't use) - but they also have a kitchen in each apartment, and because we got 3 bedrooms, we also had our own washer/dryer (otherwise the 2 bed apartment shares with the studio apartment). Really good value and really great facilities. Even putt putt, tennis and outdoor spas.

The mandatory family photo. The mountains behind are where the "Lord of the Rings" was filmed.

This is a black run - don't have a photo of the double black diamond run we did (only once), but we did this one a heap of times.

This is me looking like I know what I'm doing (isn't trick photography a great thing).

After a catastrophic jump (late in the day - must remember 7 year olds need hot chocolate at 2:30pm after skiing 5 hours (with a lunch break). Munch did a jump and landed badly - J is last and I'm first - so when we stopped with Bear and C girl right behind me, I could hear her screaming - We don't usually rush over to the kids when they fall down, they need to learn how to get themselves out of jam and get back on their skiis. But J had the skiis off and was calming her and just when she was about to get on the skiis, the patrol came and she happily had them stretcher her down. We went up on the lift to meet up with her, but missed her, so these two made love hearts to make her feel better (Daddy carried her inside to her hot chocolate in 'officer and gentlemen' fashion - she was fine).

Magnificent views on the drive down (hire a 4wd, the 2wd had to use chains every day, 4wd only 1 of the 5 days had to use chains)
.
Another gorgeous shot.

A beautiful groomed run. Sat and Sun were hugely busy as they were clear sunshine with fresh snow from the day before - full of Christchurch locals - the lifts were busy, but the runs were still okay - not too busy. Only 3 lifts for the whole mountain, which is a bit different, but very organised and efficient.

C girl showing how much powder on the run.

Just finished lunch - ready for more skiing, we missed the Italian food for lunch. Lots of people brought their own lunch up.

From the top of the express 6 lift.

The express 6 hits the top of the mountain in about the middle of the photo. You then traverse along the top to get to this point - really fun traverse - lots of spots where you have to go flat out down to get up the other hill.

The carpark is at the bottom, the base is further under the mountain (you can't see it) - this was our favourite run (this is taken from same spot as the last photo).

Another camera - same spot, different day.

With the mountain mascots.

Just about to start the traverse across to the mountain behind Munch and Bear. Anywhere along the traverse you can drop down and go down the mountain.

This is one of the runs down from the traverse.

We loved Mt Hutt - there is only one green run - so it's not a learners mountain, the locals on the road are unbelievably friendly (2wd cars pull over and let the trail of 4wd pass every now and then, and with a friendly wave no less). Methven has 2 pubs (the brown and blue pubs) that are reasonable for food and there are a couple of take aways and two five star resturants if you prefer. It doesn't have the variety of resturants or shops that Queenstown has, nor does it have the bungy jumping or jet boat rides - they are one offs in my book (they cost a fortune) - Queenstown also has more green runs (learners) and 3 ski fields close by incase it's bad weather in one you have a backup - Methven just has Mt Hutt. There are other things to do there - we could have gone up in a hot air balloon - but because the skiing was so awesome we didn't bother even looking at anything else to do.

Kids want to do terrain park coaching next time, think I will get some lessons so that it isn't so obvious that the kids have surpassed me in skiing. Brilliant holiday - will go back to NZ instead of Aus every time now - 2 out of 2 for NZ, 0 from 1 for Aus - why would we even try Aus again when it costs the same?

Home again

After getting home from 10 days in Perth on Friday night - we had the map of Europe on the floor on Sunday night trying to work out where to fly into............ those itchy feet are just getting itchier.

We went for a swim meet. Asia vs Australia - we were with Asia - now that felt wrong. But you can't change teams when you get there.

Not all swim meet - this is what we did while C girl trained on Good Friday.

I was actually freezing - jacket zipped up to my chin - it was April. But it doesn't ever stop kids does it.
.

A beautiful little girl turned 7 while we were there. Took the kids and 2 friends to Adventure world.

There was car racing, rides, waterslides and a zoo. Lovely day.

Not all lovely though - someone had been tall enough in the morning, but not tall enough in the afternoon to go on a certain ride. It was distressing - "How did I get shorter after lunch...it's just not possible".

Yes, Happy to be home. Great holiday - our first Easter with J for over 3 years.

Venice - Jakartarocks style

I have over a thousand photos to go through. I will write about the trip in a series of sections. Venice is first because it was the most recent great experience.

We went to visit Venice on the Wednesday before leaving Italy. We stayed in Bologna on the night before and after the visit - we didn't want to kill the atmosphere with 5 suitcases (not to mention 2 coffees, 3 hot chocolates and 2 croissants cost 40 euro (but we were served by a man in a dinner suit).

We travelled by train there and back. Had an issue with the train on the way back, but the trip was not too long or short. Got a water taxi down the grand canal to San Marco square. Walked around, got a gondola ride, took the lift up the bell tower, walked around all the shops buying this and that, and walked back to the train station (which was breathtaking, easy and a lovely way to look around). Kids didn't moan too much about the walk - too impressed by the buildings.

Our first view of Venice. Water bus from Train station to San Marco.

The official family photo - in front of the church we didn't take our children through and didn't get them to climb (we have mercy).

Jenny Pose - don't we look glamorous

The girls got along brilliantly on the trip. Poor Munch was unfortunately dropped like a sack of potatoes when we got home, but they were very close on the trip.

Do you think these kids have any idea how lucky they are? Poor kids were looking for a gondola like the ones at the snow (which explains why they kept saying - where, I don't see a gondola, where - there is absolutely no gondola where I am looking)....

I know we don't look like we are on a honeymoon, but don't we look "in love"?

It's a pretty unique situation to be on one - the kids discussed honeymoons on this ride........but I intend to be back on my "no kids" moon (you know, when all the kids leave home and you get a really cool holiday).

The water was amazingly clean. The buildings amazingly beautiful and old.

The view from the bell tower. Very beautiful view - you can imagine how beautiful it must be in summer (and how crowded).

On the walk back to the station.

Another bridge - another breathtaking view

Beautiful buildings around every corner


The last view of Venice (on bridge on the way back to the station)

Italy here we come

We are so excited. We will be flying out to Italy in less than 2 months.

On the agenda - the first 8 nights will be spent at a ski resort that is on the Italian/France border. We will stay in Italy then have lunch in France - as an Australian that sounds unbelievable. Only occasional ski school for the kids as they are getting to the point where it's more fun to ski with them than without them....but we may need a break for a few hours every few days.

C girls birthday and christmas will be spent skiing or doing other winter fun stuff. Best way to spend christmas, open your present - then get on out their for skiing.

(Please note - we have room for 1 more person on the skiing leg of our journey - visitors most welcome - you know who you are!!!! We can meet / drop off at Milan airport).

Then off to Florence for 2 nights. During the middle day, we will hop on a train and see the leaning tower of Pisa, then get back to Florence for a walk around.

Then off to Rome for 7 nights (including new years eve). Fingers crossed a day trip to Pompeii while we are there (it doesn't look too far in the book, a few 100 kms). Think that will be very cool. Bear is learning all about archeologists at the moment - so that is appropriate.

Then off to Bologna for 2 nights -with the day inbetween going to Venice. Don't want to kill the Venice experience with the kids - but I want to go on a gondola ride and see the piazza etc. We will go back there without kids one day and see all the sights.

Can't wait for the food in Bologna (we are going there because of a book by John Grisham - yes we are easily influenced). Plus I want to see the towers that were built for the rich families and see a little university city.......such a romantic.

Then off to Parma or Emilia Reggie or Milan for the last night - that is dependent on the football match we can get tickets to - whether it's a local game or a bigger game. But it's part of our tradition - to see the local obsession sport (see Melbourne AFL and Vancouver Giants) - okay it's a new tradition - but they have to start somewhere. Plus - I have to see the last supper in Milan.

Not expecting to see any of the artwork or buildings for very long - but would like to see them. I can go through a museum or aquarium in under an hour - as opposed to going to the war museam in Canberra with J - it took 2 days.......but I definitely think the kids should go, see. WE tend to take a photo of the captions that are really interesting and then read them when we get home (J in Germany with Bear in 2006 - but he was 4 and he was there to see the world cup not the berlin wall) - but I don't believe in torturing them - or they will torture me.....later, or the next time I want to see something.

Yes - push over parent, but it works for us. C girl has been to the Louvre (8 hours), british museum, london natural history museum, every museum in Canberra and Sydney, Vancouver planeterium, Dachau (plus munich beer hall to finish), Salzburg underground salt mines, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, London Eye, Madam Touseu, Tower of London, Singapore Science centre..... plus seen Circus de soleil (twice), every disney on ice when we lived in Aus (front row seats), lion king, mama mia, swan lake, we will rock you, billy elliot, kelly clarkson, hilary duff (front row), last but not least - THE WIGGLES....... plus a few more musicals that I can't remember (she has always been my date because they were 3 hours from home and I hate taking someone who doesn't love it (picture J at this point).....oh and Disneyland for 6 days.

C girl will either come back eating a lot of different food - or she will be very skinny. I bought her a phrase book and cd for italian language today - she is studying it (has even put on her ipod so she can learn on the way to school) - she is going to be responsible for ordering her own food (we will eat whatever they want to serve us). But she will be eating everything she is given.

We are planning a lot of day trips I guess - but we aren't ones to sit around and twiddle our thumbs - so hopefully we will come back exhausted - but having seen lots of wonderful things.

Can't wait for the skiing, eating, drinking and the constant walking that we will do in the beautiful cities of Italy. Can't wait to be cold as well......brrrrr.....yippee.

QLD July 2009

We are currently in QLD enjoying a very mild winter. Kids are having a great time with their grandparents. Having the same issue I have every year - they don't want to go anywhere because they are perfectly happy playing here all day.

Today they have spent a massive amount of time with Grandpa making wooden warships out of wood. They do the woodwork one at a time, so it is a huge task for Grandpa. But he loves it - which is so nice for the kids to have a grandfather who wants to spend time with them.

Tomorrow is the big Target Toy Sale and the catalogue has been poured through, lists have been written and it should take a total of 1/2 hour there in the morning because they already know what they want.

The weather has been beautiful, we have been doing daily scooter rides and park plays. The other day we even went scootering along a beach path and ended up on a spit where people were fishing and the ocean stretched out as far as we could see. It was truly glorious.

Yesterday was Seaworld. M girl was finally tall enough to go on the corkscrew - plus she was big enough for the new ride - the jetski rescue - really good fun. We went on them around 20 times (until I was going to be sick). Also saw the oldies but goodies - imagine dolphin show, seal show, 4 D SOS movie and pedal boats. Add to that all the little ones ride (carousel, helicopters, climbing, trucks) and we had a very full day.

But the best bit - I can get up at any time and then either go for a run or a swim. If I'm not back before 10:30 - guess what - no one cares.....guess no one did at home anyway - but I don't like to waste that much of the day doing exercise. I am only getting 1 hour of exercise in - but not leaving until late.....it's all very relaxing.

J comes over on Sat. Then the real holiday will begin. He stated that the Outback Spectacular looked .......okay. So he misses out - we are going on Friday night.

http://outbackspectacular.myfun.com.au/?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=PdSrch;Google;Outback

Have a look - it's really going to be great. Plus we are taking Grandma and Grandpa - so they are also very excited as they have lived here every winter for the last 20 years and only get to go to the tourist things when we come and shout them.

Don't worry - I won't come back to Jakarta with a cowboy hat (or one that isn't a surfie chick one).

Before you ask - I feel like a bit of traitor that I wasn't in Jakarta during the bombs. Happy no one from my family was there. J actually rang me about 10 minutes after it happened. He was no where near it (not even in Jakarta), but was in Indonesia. Security had been quite relaxed. We were at the Ritz Carlton for brunch less than 2 weeks earlier. Security will be on high alert again now. I feel bad for my friends who are there and are in a state of panic still.

I think I'll keep to my favorite shopping centre (where you rarely see another foreigner) and have some lunches at home or in small establishments for a long while.

QLD July 2008

When we were in QLD last time - we went to Movieworld.....

And seaworld (each are only 10 minutes in opposite directions from the grandparents house).

We even had Nan, Grandma and Grandpa together for a whole week. Boy - did the kids get some serious attention that week. They had 6 grandparents - and these three were/are the best as far as attention, respect and wanting them to grow into well rounded, real and amazing people (yes this is actually the middle of winter.....in qld).

This is my favorite view. It's on the way home (away from Australia) as we fly from Sydney to Singapore.....this view is consistent for hours. As a child I got to sit in the back seat for 36 hours as we drove from east to west and vica versa around 10 times. I hated it. The fact that I get to fly right over it in 4 hours........and I'm not expected to entertained by it, or stop for "exploring" (code word for - got to go to the toilet every 3 - 4 hours, if we stop the car let's turn it into a camera occasion). Geologically though - it is pretty cool.

This is Australia. It is why I don't explore in Australia. Trust me - I have been to places that people don't even know exist (for a good reason) - and spent weeks/months there. Bring on a well watered tropical forest or beautiful european countryside (or snow) any day.

We are going there in a few days. Seaworld is a definite because Munchkin is tall enough to do the Corkscrew - so she is tall enough now for all the adult rides - plus you really can't get enough of dolphins can you? Movieworld and Dreamworld are going to get missed this time. Compared to Disneyland - Movieworld is way overpriced and does not give the little kids enough action. Dreamworld is great - but I can't do alone with the kids as it has some great rides, but both littel ones need an adult to supervise each and it's really a more spring/autumn venue.

Taking the kids skiing in Aus for the first time - also taking them to their first MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) AFL (Australian Football League) football game. I haven't been for 19 years (and that was my first time). Really looking forward to it - the kids have NEVER seen an AFL game in their entire lives (we lived in NSW when in Aus, they are into Rugby League).

Considering J and I grew up where everyone was watching it all weekend (even the grandparents)- it will be an educational experience for them - they will have no idea what is going on - but the atmosphere will be electric (North Melbourne vs Carlton - J's team vs the Enemy (my team is Collingwood)). It will be huge.

NZ Aug 2008

This is the Jakarta to Singapore route - first class. How wasted is that leg room? Qantas double booked and we had to fly to Brisbane with Singapore. It meant going to Singapore then departing off the plane in Brisbane at 6am jakarta time. The scheduled flight had us going straight from jakarta to Sydney, going through customs at 3am jakarta time (with three kids by myself), then transferring to domestic and flying to brisbane - arrival similar time. We were physically jumping up and down in the air with happiness at having been bumped. It was actually disappointing to get through customs and being in the airport (it took 15 minutes from plane to rental car office). We were normal people again.....boohoo.

Who are these colourful fashionistas? I barely recognise these kids. The only surviving ski wear is the red ski jacket.........

Did I mention that last year we went to NZ for an adrenalin filled holiday?

Who is this purple girl? Why does she look so happy? 5 days of skiing will do that for you.

Shotover jet.

Yes we did the shotover jet (without tears - they are for babies, not 5 year olds). Lots of 360's and going really close to rocks. Failed to scare me though - I've gone backwards at night without lights/engine in a 10 seater wooden flimsy boat down the Barito river with Coal Barges pulling 5,000 tonnes of coal towards us (and yes - it was our coal). A 4 tonne boat with a well trained operator who does the exact run 5 times a day does not scare anyone. It was a tonne of fun. Expensive for the time that you are on it - so it's not a repeat on the same visit thing - but it was definitely worth doing.

This is J. I did it when he had proven it could be done safely. He asked for his arms to be wet (idiot), he was wet to his waist (and very lucky we had some extra clothes in the car because this was the only midday). C girl really wanted to do it - but she was 1kg too light (and would have been the youngest by 1 1/2 years). I wasn't really upset about that - not sure I could have coped with my baby jumping from such a height. I understand the thrill though. In my hometown I was one of the youngest kids to ever jump off the canal bridge (and my Mum was there to watch). Now of course there is a sign telling everyone it's too dangerous as the river below is too shallow.....global warming I think, same.

On our one day without skiing, we did the Shotover jet, bungee, a beautiful drive to a country pub where we had a fabulous lunch, then a quick drive up to the snow field where we hadn't gone to skiing (because it was an hour away). We didn't make it all the way. We stopped at this great little spot and had a snow fight, made snow angels and had a snow fight.

This is the view from our apartment. It was 2 minutes walk from some great resturants and take away places. We could cook a hearty breakfast before skiing, then when we got home we could either take the kids out for dinner (really yum Italian restaurant and Irish Pub), or cook the kids steak and vegies and we could have thai or indian. We had a car for our stay, so we could go and come from the mountain whenever we wanted. Ski lessons were only 2 hours twice a day (and yes - we were the nasty parents who put our kids in twice a day). But they improved immensely and as the lessons started at 10, we didn't have the issue with HIM (Dad) who wants everyone dressed and ready to go at the crack of dawn (or at the bus stop 10 minutes before the bus is due to come).

A great family holiday.