Living the Dream

2010-05-08T08:35:00.031+12:00

The Challenge!! aka "The Goat that Bleats"

Challenge 1
Arrange one of the largest open air, on coals/fire cooking events in the modern history of man, on one of the world's smaller islands with a cultural affinity for B2B (More about B2B later). Check! Well done guys.
Historically I've always understood the b2b acronym to mean Business to Business, but I guess with Annex "C" (Castle) it becomes Born to Braai

Challenge 2
Accommodation for all those travelling from far. If you were too late for a grassy patch at Wanganui Top 10, friends, family and or other venues would have had to do. Check. - Did not see anyone sleeping on the sides of the roads!

Spot the flag!!!

Challenge 3
Trying to keep an ex-pat event multi-cultural. Hmm, check, yes but it is clearly the beer, the smoke and the food that draws SAners together no matter where you are. Oh, and throw a goat into the mix and it becomes an event.
The Goat gets to go there later...

Challenge 4
And in my mind the biggest - reporting on this predominantly AFRIKAANS event in English!!! For the sake of our Kiwi friends who joined us for the day - else they'd have no clue - so wees sterk en verstaan, want ek weet ook nie hoe dit gaan uitdraai nie!!!
(Hoe die ____ doen 'n mens dit?!)

Here we go then....

So arrive early to ensure to "plak" (nicer word would be settle) on your reserved spot.

When you see a RVR you have a good chance of running into a South African!! Dirt cheap, amazing 2.0l AWD, versatile. When you land here first you just cannot resist the temptation. I still drive mine!! :-)

As the stadium slowly fills...

You turn to the next best thing while waiting...drinking! - Or taking photos. Father and son here clearly have separate agendas!

Or if the waiting gets too much, and you don't drink, and you didn't bring you camera, well drape your bottom in a flag and pose with the other flags then.

B2B Annex C with Optional "K" - Koeksisters!!!!!!!

For those whose Koeksister appetite was a little less defined, new friendships was an alternative waiting activity.

While others rekindled romance

For some the mid-afternoon nap on green grassy fields was a feeling so close to home it could not be resisted. A human's noise suppression capabilities are just amazing!

Here's some explaining to do: Die Bok (This Goat) kan bler (can bleat). This is stage two of the Big Wait. Big Braai's Big Wait. STage 1 was the Big Wait to Braai. Now when trying to explain this to Kiwilanders I think they must have expected some concocted cacophony mix between The "Briel" Sisters and AC/DC!!!

THE WAIT IS OVER!

and the Big Braai has a sub-stage named BIG BUILD! Build your Braai! Waar in jou lewe mens?? :-)

For the adventurous the packaging held the promise of a home-made "sled" down the sloped grassy surrounds. "Get it out already and give me the box!!!!"

Carefully contemplating the magnanimity of the Big Build with the aid of another Tui.

And when the Tui-assistance failed to make things happen, some Kiwi-tech expertise was employed. Payment? Food, off course, what did you think I was going to pay Russ? Yeah right.

Look, Ma! Fire! Smoke! We can eat soon!!

By now the crowds have descended on the plains of Wanganui.
No more Big Wait

No more Big Build

Just Big Braai with Big mates

The aroma of cooking on fire in full onslaught on the oxygen molecules

G'n wors nie? Hoe bedoel meneer dan nou?

Big Braaibroodjies!!! Say no more, meneer!

Big Braai, Big Wait, Big Build, Big Cook, Big Eat, Big Drink, Big Party - but alas, we need to still get to... (Drum roll, just imagine it for effect)...

THE BIG BOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn! Oops, uhhh, sorry. First, the Afrikaner Hip Hop bee bop whatever? Soos voorsangers in die kerk; nie die rede hoekom jy daar is nie!

So without reserve, bold and wild, from the plains of Africa, entering with a flash of light...

THE BIG BOK!!!! (Russ & Helen, that's "THE BIG GOAT")

As if we did not have enough smoke on the day, he brought some of his own along, for effect, that is.

So diep uit sy Afrikaner Hart

Big Bok and Big Band on Big Stage

Now I am not famous enough do have had a backstage pass for real quality pics - but I think you get the idea here. Big Party!!! It was good.

The next day the Sunday paper reported that "Pop Idol" Bok van Blerk entertained us the night before. Ek dog ek bedinges myself net daar in my beste kerk pakkie. Ons weet almal 'n bok is dalk 'n bliksem, maar 'n Pop Idol!!??? Dis ver benede hom. But I guess we can't blame the reporter, because he did seem very "popular". So, yes, Bok, jou bliksem, Thanks!!!! Dit was geat!!!!

(Gotta love the Afrikaner entrepreneurial spirit - a few days later Trade Me offered signed Afrikaner Hart CD's!! :-)

Soooooo, the morning after? COFFEEEEE, in the good old Kiwi Tradition of Flat Whites!

And then of to explore. Sonja and I decided to take Niel's visiting parents to go see Cave Beach. I've reported on this before, but here are some more pics to enjoy!!!

Going boldly where you shouldn't? Maybe?

Oom Sas going boldly again, doer in the distance!!!

To return back to... ah, (pause, look worried, ashamed, like you forgot something imporatant) the free marketing, I almost forgot!!! Sorry André!!!!!

Clearing throat (just imagine it for effect) - the final statement...

To return back the the welcoming atmosphere of André and Martie's Top 10 Holiday Park where cooking Potjie on an open fire is the perfect end to a perfect Easter Weekend!

BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG! BIG!

2010-03-12T17:52:00.052+13:00

Picton! Ahoy!

When you want to skip accross to the South Island you can do what all the boring business people do, and fly there. Over-rated, over priced and way too quick to bring any joy. So, rather take the ferry!!

It works somewhat like this...

Plan where you are going to go; off course!

Then, get up with the birds to catch the bus from the stop about 5 minutes away form your house. Ask the driver if he can drop you at the station. (Smile,

And you guessed it, didn't you? Yep! Next step is the train. Get on that.

Don't just sit there with all your luggage, people will stare and wonder.

Then, get to the terminal and get on the ferry. (Did you remember the tickets?)

It is a boat on the outsde, and a bit of a hotel, restauarant, pub, and look-out on the inside - oh, and being a ferry it can take your car on it as well, but for the purpose of this class, Picton 101, we will assume we all make use of public transport!!

After a lovely breakfast (optionally extra, off course) you should be enjoying awesome views from the deck in the lovely sun with hunderds of other curious and curiously looking passengers.

Some may not be so taken with the awesoemness of surrounding ocean, landmass and the volumes of super-fresh air and may opt to rest-up for the next party.

And after a while the nice breakfast (see above under optional items), and the warm sun catch up and you decide to join those less inclined to the view(see above, again)

Leaving the shores of Wellington removes the bit of wind-shield you may enjoy on the first part of the journey. If you had not secured a nice spot away from the wind, you may wish to enjoy the ameneties provided on the inside.

For those brave enough, the views are worth the resistance!!

Especially when enetering "The Sounds" - the land mass bits of the northern part of the South Island. Because words would just spoil it, here are some of the images for your enjoyment.

PICTON!!!! Yeah!!

The absolute calm that unfolds as the open sea winds are shielded by high hills make all those insider pile out into the open for fresher air, photos and whatever all else people do on decks of ferries.

You may even be fortunate enough to see those leaving and you just hope they left some of it standing for you to enjoy.

Wheteher entering by boat

By plane

or in your thousands...

Picton sure was a pretty busy landing spot!!!

Congratulations! You're in Picton! Now what?

Rental car! Sounds like a great idea. Just pay the extra $15 dollars and go with the known names - the budget option is sometimes a bit dodge, but hey, it was transport!!

Oh, and you would need a nice place to stay; something like a Marram Trust holiday house or something. They're not used to cardboard boxes and old blankets infront of store windows in this town, so you might be frowned upon! Get a room!!

Now, before the sun sets; don't worry, that's around 9pm, get into your rental and go get some local scenery into memory. Rain or shine, just do it!

Check out how the locals live and secretly envy them...

Be prepared to be awed. If you are not awed you are emotionally flawed and be reminded that you will not be refunded; this was all your own decision.

Carry along the roads surrounded by all this amazingness and think to yourself why the originators of the Adam and Eve story did not place them here as opposed to some dry desert with a view 4 rivers in the Middle East.

The Queen Charlotte Sounds - just images; words only damage the magic it spells on you...

BOO! Snap out of it! Let's break the silence!! Pack your stuff & let's go - more place to see, things to do - experiences to be had Come on, come on, let's go!!!

So she packed up...

On a bus to Kaikoura, and gone with the green. South of Blenheim has only green vineyards. Arme hulle!

The awesome coastal scenery breaks the bland dryness of brown hills.

To arrive a couple of hours later in "Whale Town", Kaikoura (Kiwi Land's Hermanus)

Ah, off to the beach for whale watching, then.

And we're looking...

Still looking... (Maybe the HUMP-back's needed some privacy to go live up to their name)

Some take to fishing while they wait.

We opted for a nap on somewhat less comfortable pebblles. Nonetheless, what lovely scenery.

Can't sleep all day, so back into town for munchies!!

The Whaler, how wrong the name, but how awsome the Spare Ribs - the best in Kiwi Land so far!!!!

A very welcome spot to enjoy a cold beer after a long day's exploring, or

to be annoyed by snap happy females with cameras!!!! I'm the camera guy, me, no one else! Grrrr...

Scenery from Kaikoura that don't need spoiling comments... (or maybe I just run out of things to say from time to time).

Back to Picton was a sleepy ride on the bus to arrive in the dark, tired, but left with a sense of fulfilment... The next morning saw us up early and here are some breathtaking images from a sunny Picton as we made our way though the motions back to Wellington...

WHAT A WAY TO SPEND A WEEKEND.

2010-02-07T08:38:00.023+13:00

Remote and forgotten right next door
Small towns and unbridled nature

I know a few of you follow this blog regularly, which is great, thanks. Some of you go even further and actually read all the text bits! Wow! So you're like that person that actually reads the paper and not just skip to the cartoons in the back. Anyway, you'll know by now that Sonja and I are so taken with New Zealand it's like a drug. We've grown so fond of Wellington in particular, that if some criticise it in any way, such as crappy weather or so, it kind of gets under our skin.

Which bring us to Martinborough!! If I lived there and shared the same views there as I do on Wellington, well, I would probably dislike the guy who writes this blog entry! :-). So I'll try my best to put it in a positive light, but the facts are against them!!

Some of these facts:

Martinborough is a town in South Wairarapa, a district in the Wellington region on the North Island of New Zealand. It is 65 kilometres east of Wellington and 35 kilometres south-west of Masterton. The town has a population of about 1300 full-time inhabitants.
If you want more, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinborough where I got this.

So this is 1300 full-time inhabitants from the air...

I know the question begs, so what did we do there? Hmmm... good one. Every year, for two Saturdays, one in Feb and one in March, the kind folk of Martinborough close their streets and open their hearts to thousands of riff raff visitors to attend their "Rotary Martinborough Fair".

And alas, what would a good fair be without proper BOERIE ROLLS!!!

In queue to get proper Boerewors in a roll with tomato sauce and mustard.
(Vir almal wat boerewors ken, mense, die ding wat hulle sausage hier noem is so melerige afvallerige gemaal in 'n stuk derm-ek dink ek kom eerder om van die honger! So wanneer ons die geleentheid kry, dan ondersteun ons die boerewors oom en tannie)

And as patriotic as boerewors is to us, so will no public event be complete without the wares and wit of TUI!! (See blog history for more on TUI, if you really have nothing else to go do now)

People milling about the sunny stalls - it was a hot day in Martinborough!

Cleverer people milling about shady stalls in the central park. I called it "goedtjietjies en kakkietjies", cause you could get from some dude's painted pebble to another's rusted and used nails and screws, like any good flea market.

And uh, yeah, uhm, what do I say now, uh, Briel Susters? As far removed as acapella style is from my gothic metal preferences, I must hand it to the foursome, they have awesome voices!!

And that, wraps up a day in Martinborough!!!

But there were some sunshine hours left in the day and we took a left out of Featherston, and drove down to the beach area on the "other side" of Lake Ferry. Now Google Earth reckons it is called Wharekauhau, but with only gravel roads, and a few beach bach "shacks", well, we were in unbridled nature!!! A piece of heavenly bliss on earth with hot as hell black beach sand that burns blisters onto tender feet in the hot afternoon sun. Really, Sonja has the scars of war to prove it!! :-)

Just a few informal settlement style dwellings for the keen anglers to store their gear and beer.

Pictures don't do it justice, all I can say is "WISH YOU WERE HERE"

This is how you do it: 1x guy, 3x lines and a chilli-bin full of the cold stuff, oh and sun block, and sandles or slip slops for the hot sand, and patience, and extra hooks, lines and sinkers, and extra bait, and a cap, and sunglasses and something to sit on- gees, fishing, it just never caught on for me - I just stick with the chilly-bin full of the cold stuff! The rest is way too complex! :-)

Some more of the breathtaking nature

Cool mountain streams flow into the ocean, here

I don't have a picture of where we sit in the stream to cool down - the camera is not a Scuba-Steve style one. So just imagine us in there, ok? Or not!

I know, I know. Silly hats, silly people - maar as jy op Eiland Casparia wil gaan bly is dit belangrik om die slagspreuk te ken: "Kry vir jou 'n flippen hoedjie" - anders gaan die son jou brand dat jy lyk soos daai rooi "kreefgevreet kartonmonster"!!! Ons kry toe sommer breë-band-blok-baie-son hoedjies!! :-)

On the way back refreshments were in order

Have you ever tried to eat a melting Magnum while driving through a winding mountain pass? DON'T!!! Your lap ends up having more chocolate and Ice Cream than you do, so it's just unfair!!! Now in NZ you can still stop at that little spot indicated by this rest stop road sign!

CONCLUSION: I started off stating how awesome it is here..., I think I don't need to say more. Thanks for taking the time to read this post.

2010-01-03T12:27:00.016+13:00

THE WILD WEST
Of New Zealand's North Island

On 2010's new year's day we travelled to two beaches just north-west of Wanganui and discovered some amazing wild and picturesque beaches, Waipipi Beach and "Cave Beach".

Here are some of the photo's taken on the day...

Map to show where the treasures were hidden...

Cold, but not Blouberg...

On the rocks

Reminded us so much of Trekos!!!

This is why... Camp for free as you like. All they ask for is a donation you leave in the Honesty Box!

See, camping big or small, no problem. It's up to you!!

Gotta get me one of those!!!!

As close as we get to catching a fish!

Kids - know no boundaries!

Droom verlore...

CAVE BEACH...

Not too far from Waipipi Beach you get Cave Beach and Long Beach. These are the amazing views of "Cave Beach"...

Eroded structures from the top

Famous arch

When the camera itself is the auto camera-man you take the shot you get. The wind kept blowing the camera off the coffee cup it was balancing on!!!

They say life emerged from the seas. It then swam out underneath the magical arch to give it lungs to breath air and the ability to walk upright.

Splashing around to the caves

Eroded "caves"

Get your timing right, else you may get trapped by the water.

They say early man lurched about in caves!! :-)

Evidence of ongoing erosion.

2010-01-03T08:36:00.017+13:00

New Year's Cheers

Like a moth drawn to light, we found ourselves mystically drawn to the magic appeal of open fire braais, sunny skies (If you are lucky!), the peaceful flow of the Wanganui river and the jolly company of friends old and new.

Yep, André and Martie's little settlement at the WANGANUI TOP 10 HOLIDAY PARK (Weereens, André, free marketing!!! :-)) was the host to our celebration of 2009 past and the advent of the much bespoke 2010.

Once again, we had a ton of fun, as we always do and wish to thank all of you who made the efforts to be there, to those who made all the efforts of arranging the stuff (SAMCA & Pierre en julle), and to André & Martie for putting up with plesierige afrikaners, again! Oh, and to all who actually take the time and efforts to read all the blah blah blah - may your 2010 be the year that fulfils all your wildest expectations (Whether that includes Bafana Bafana or not!) :-)

!!!!!!!!!!!HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Open Fire braai!!! Come on, admit it, it beats gas grills pants down!!!!

Getting to know each other is a crucial part of the ritual; cause soon we'd be dancing! And who likes to dance with strangers? Strange people, I guess...

Eating, what a wonderfull invention!! I like it...

Sports? For the energetic...

Sunset smiles... Belinda, Pierre & Tom.

Designated photographer for the night, or was he torn between two responsibilities? Depends on whether he is left or right handed; see, the beer is in the right hand.

And the dancing begins! Or is he pulling a resistant wife towards a place where she does not wish to go??

Oh, so it was the dancing thing, not the pulling thing, others joined in the same actions later on.

Some even met new friends on the dance floor.

If you are lucky, you get to keep the friend after the dance!

If you're not so lucky, you take your dancing off the floor and resort to alternative measures!

If you just don't get the "skoffel" thing, try a Head Bang - Air Guitar action to Dansvloer Treffers - moenie. Dis 'n gemors!!

Better to just smile and try to dance like everyone else, it might make the photographer go away... cause you blend in.

Or just pull faces at him and he might go away!!

At the end, being with family is what matters.

The morning after, we do reccommend you shade up, for the glare, you know. Oh, and avoiding loud noises helps too.

What would the blog be without eventually showing you the hosts, André & Martie - actually, Martie and André - it's important to get the gender identification correct!

The next night, the dance floor was turned into a grand cinema - eers gedink ons beplan 'n groeps woeps toe hulle al die matrasse neerlê!! :-)

En wie dan nou anders as Leon??? Wanganui se eie Cannes festival, featuring the Leon in all his disguises.

2009-12-26T10:45:00.016+13:00

Merry Christmas All!!!

Good food, good wine, merry friends and lots of presents for the kids. Here are some images of our Xmas activities. Sonja and I trust you had a wonderful time celebarting with friends and family. To all those we normally enjoy the festive cheers with us, that couldn't be here, or us there - we missed you a lot but kept you in our hearts and thoughts.

Good food and wine - I wasn't lying...

Merry friends and family - still no lies!!

Stirring the Xmas spirit

Sharing the joy

The deer family, Knoetze

The deer family Knoetze staring into the blinding light of an oncoming photo!

It's all about the love and sharing, they say.

Yeah right! Come on, face it, it's about the presents!!
"Dankie, Tannie Inaaaaaaaaa!"

Repetitive eating!

Repetitive fun!

Always nice to receive something you really like...

Even if you don't know what it is yet - just look really overwhelmed!! :-)

The fun is always in the receiving

She had by now received exactly what made her happy and showed little interest in the rest that piled up

Sometimes the tables are turned and the sacrifice of receiving is the gift itself to the giver of the "gift" - torture was more like, but hey, it's Xmas!!! At least they got to use their gifts on the day.

2009-10-11T21:16:00.004+13:00

Wellinton Botanical Gardens

11 Oct 09

TULIPS

Sundial

View from the cable car

getting everyone organised.....

2009-10-04T13:10:00.012+13:00

Birthdays!

When decades turn, you have to go big or go home

Here are some pics of the celebrations...

First, a quiet family style celebration...

The cake

The cake with candles

The cake was really GOOOOOODDD!!!!!!!

Happy to be on a sugar rush

And then, we go to Phase 2: Let's go out!!!

We found an amazing spot called Osteria Del Toro right in the heart of Wellington's night scene.

All cheers to the brithday girl!

Ken explaining to Russ just how serious things can be...

and Helen doing the same with Ilse!!

But here's evidence that they can have fun too!

Niel and Esmé, plates still clean, eagerly awaiting the advent of FOOD.

Food came, drinking continued, converstaions flowed...

Busted, Paulus, busted!!!!

I really don't know what to say here, other than I hope you can sense the atmosphere of the restauarant and that we all had a good time.

The Italian/Spanish/Whatever mediterranean dialect Waiter - there was a language barrier but he quite understood "more Vino" so we were all good! :-)

And speaking of wine...

Dit maak jou vatterig....

Dit maak jou vryerig....

En dit lyk of dit baie lekker was!! :-)

En toe die Nightlife.....

Wellington's Courtenay Place at night

A little bit of extra cheers in a pub around the corner...

And a little more cheers....

Hoe later hoe kwater! O, wait, it was a birthday, the later, the older! :-)

2009-10-04T11:02:00.014+13:00

Auckland
The city we did not chose

There were a few obvious reasosn why Sonja and I chose Wellington before we'd even seen either Auckland or Wellington...

1. There was family already living here at the time.
2. Auckland vs. Wellington is like Joburg vs. Cape Town (Geographics, size ratio's, people's attitudes etc.)
3. It just looked better on Google Earth! :-)

But this does not mean that it is not a wow city. In its own right Auckland has a buzz and a beauty which can only be a truly New Zealand thing.

The two of us managed to coincide our AKL business trips and landed up in AKL together! (Sort of like an in-house marital affair with a legitimate partner.)

Here are the evidentiary bits...

The Sky Tower towering it out over all other skyscrapers

An old church

Their own twins - they're still standing though

Another apartment block!! There are gazillions of students because there are too many universities , hence the need for multiple residential skyrises in the CBD. This is also what makes the nightlife buzz, so I guess you bear with it, but it is strange to stand in the Telecom 9th floor Tea Room and look down on someone's washing drying a few floors down in the adjascent building. (See, glad we chose Wellington!)

Auckland's surrounding suburbs seem rather flat, but the CBD is hilly as hell. You get quite a workout walking around town.

Albert Park is a piece of Eden right in the CBD. Pretty as!

Either a very skinny guy or a very old tree. You decide.

Pretty as. Think I said it before.

Another freaky tree. I guess he decided that in a land of Earth Quakes he's not gonna go down without a fight.

The evening skyline is lit by many surrounding building lights, but as you can see, the Sky Tower steals the limelight.

This was the view from our hotel.

On the 2nd day I was in another side of Auckland where I could get some other perspectives of the Auckland City.

2009-09-13T20:06:00.012+12:00

Wanganui alweer!!!!
(Sorry Engelses, Wanganui, Rugby en die Suid-Afrikaner saamtrekke by André & Martie se Top 10 Holiday Park kan net nie in engels gedoen word nie!) Nou ja, André en Martie se Top 10 resort is natuurlik waar ons weer tuis was. Lekker! Ons het al ge-tent, ge-huisie, ge-bungalow ens ens, alles by André & Martie se Top 10 Holiday Resort!!! (As julle wonder oor die herhaaldelike verwysings na die TOP 10 HOLIDAY PARK, dan is dit omdat ek André belowe het hy sal weer free advertising kry by die wie die blog actually lees! :-) Alle grappies op 'n stokkie, dit is rerig lekker om daar te kamp/kuier. Seker maar omdat dit 'n welkome en huislike gevoel het, of omdat die rustigheid van die oewers van die Wanganui rivier dit so mooi maak, wie sal weet, wie sal omgee? Vir ons was dit nog elke keer WOW! Die doel van die trip was natuurlik Rugby. Bokke teen die All Blacks en siende dat arme Niel alleen op sy sitkamer bank moet sit en die katte skrik op die lyf jaag elke keer as hy jubel, gil en komentaar, en bygevoeg dat TOP 10 se e-mail gesê het hulle sal Wellington-Ondersteuning waardeer, het ons besluit dat groot skerm rugby, oop vuur, 5cm dik snye steak en braaibroodjies in samewyn met ander gillende, jubellende, komenterende afrikaners toe nou nie 'n half sleg idee is nie - almal wen! Yipee! Hier volg dan nou die prentjie weergawe...

Niel en André by die oop-kole vuur!

Bok-support was daar nie 'n tekort van nie...

Nog so bietjie advertising vir André :-)
http://www.wrivertop10.co.nz

Niel, baie beindruk met hoe die braaibroodjies vorder.

Na dikgevreet en samewyn is ons toe vort na die kamer met die GROOT skerm. Daar was natuurlik groot viering en die samewyn het nog lank na die game aangegaan vir sommiges!

En toe...

Toe slaap ons dit af en is vort die vlogende dag om weereens by die swaai te stop. Om Wanganui toe te gaan en nie te gaan swaai nie is soos om warm bier te drink. Jy kan, maar jy's simpel as jy dit doen.

Die vreedsame rustigheid is te veel vir woorde.

Toe kom versteur ons dit! :-)

Sonja verduidelik hoe die adrenalien jou laat bewe.

As jy bietjie meer energie het op 'n Sondag oggend kan roei dit vir jou doen, maar ek neem eerder maar net fotos daarvan.

Na die swaaiery het ons belsuit om te gaan uitkyk by die uitkyk punt. Een hoë toring bo op die heuwels wat uitkyk oor Wanganui.

Die Wanganui rivier wat afloop see se kant toe, soos alle riviere maar doen.

Doer in die verte ontmoet vars water see water, soos dit maar gebeur wanneer riviere in die see inloop. (Sien bo).

:-)

2009-09-13T19:42:00.007+12:00

End-Of-Season Work Parties

What a pleasure. "Hi. Would you mind to attend this function where we celebrate the end of the season's activities and party with us?"

To respond to this other than: "Hell Yeah!" would just be stupid! So we didn't. We said yes. Here are just a few pics to show that Kiwi's have fun pretty much the same way we do. This was at a pub in Wellington hosted by Sonja's work.

No introductions needed, I hope.

Andrew & Megan.

The band, obviously.

Russ & Helen just could not be stopped. Duracel Bunnies I tell you!

Courtenay Place in Wellington at night.

2009-09-06T08:06:00.018+12:00

Weekend Getaways!
The stuff memories are made of....

We (Chris, Sonja, Niel and Ilse) recently packed up and went out to explore a bit more of the "wild" East Coast of the North Island. Riversdale Beach was home base for the weekend, From there we drove out to Castle Point and enroute passed through little, hmm, well, "villages" are the best description, cause some of the settlements in between little bigger ones had a post office, shop, church and Pub.

A 2.5 hour drive for a mere 180km trip, winding roads through mountains and valleys.

In Riversdale Beach you can go shop at the Tip Top Shop or you can shop at the Tip Top Shop, that's it. Choice, what a wonderful thing.

If you need to re-fuel, you can do it at the one pump or the other one. Good thing you don't have to drive too far to get to the other pump.

Riversdale Beach also has, yep, a Beach.

And, as expected, a Tsunami Disaster Plan. Comforting.

Yep, alas, the Golf Course. They are like South Africans in New Zealand, no matter where you go, you will always run into at least one or two wherever you go!!!

So, here's where we stayed.

Relaxing...

Dining...

and exploring the surrounds.

The wind was howling at top speeds which made for some impressive wave scenes with spray firing up.

...off to Castle Point, but we couldn't out-drive the wind. The Palm almost looks like a direction sign pointing towards the lighthouse.

Most locals were indoors, so the welcoming committee was down to this chap. We had a bit of a language barrier, though.

The Caravan & Camper park in the background.

Pretty.

The Lighthouse.

It's obvious that Castle Point must have a much larger population density than Riversdale Beach, 3 Pumps!!! The congestion, can you imagine.

More of the Lighthouse.

Still more of the Lighthouse.

I guess Castle Point is known for the lighthouse, then?

Like I said at the start, Weekend Getaways, the stuff memories are made of.

2009-08-02T18:54:00.011+12:00

1st's will always pop up somewhere...

My First NZ Birthday (30 July 2009)
(Ok, actaully celebrated on the 31st, but who's checking?)

Just around the corner in Porirua, the battlefield of the pins!! (10 of them, just in case you wondered why it is 10-pin bowling)

A very serious Niel. He can, cause he's that good (See previous Blog called P-Party)

A less serious Birthday boy, cause I'm not that good. (See previous Blog called P-Party)

A captivated audience of two...

Having the right set of balls for the game is important, they say.

One man, so many balls!!!!

Quite civilized, each in his/her own turn.

Not so sure where that one went?

There are so many sports that make you wear funny looking uniforms. Don't laugh at the shoes, when last did you see what golfers have to wear!?

OK. So not everybody appreciates the same sports.

He's THAT good - just check that form! We hate him. :-)

Two big guys with big balls! ( A blue one and a green one). And TUI's

The TUI's were on special!

Like I said, they were on special!

The end of a special night...

2009-08-02T18:19:00.007+12:00

P-Party
(7 July 09)

That's when you have a party with a "P" theme to it. Ours was easy - Pool en Pannekoek!! No special occasion, just wanted to.

Niel just couldn't help winning, he's that good. But we tried to explain to him that winning against the rest of us was no admirable feat. I doesn't take much!! :-) - Still, he couldn't help being schmuck about it!! - He's officially "uninvited"!! :-)

Saskia taking aim, taking a bow, taking her turn, taking her time, well, whatever. She was playing against Niel - nothing will have helped.
He's that good!!

We cooked, we talked, we bragged(only Niel), we wined and dined on pancakes and wierd and wonderful fillings.

Paulus explaing important matters, whatever they were....

Paulus & Tiny - Kermis Tannies - hulle maak die pannekoeke!!!!

Maar jy sien nie Kermis Tannies argumenteer oor wie die beter pannekoek flippertjie is nie. Dis net seuntjies wat so rof wil speel!!

2009-08-02T17:33:00.012+12:00

Our OWN kiwi home!!!!!

So, the farm was fun and great and all, but it wasn't ours!! , Chance, luck, destiny, Sonja's dilligence, whatever!!! Somehow we came accross this lovely house and decided to make it our home!! We are now not just residents in NZ, we are also home owners! Yipee!

This is the view from our porch. I call it "Our Village". Whitby is a suburbs with a few schools, some churches, one shopping centre, two lakes and lots of hills.

More of the "village" view with the lower lake. No, the people are not "Village People ", and for those of you who know what I'm talking about; KEEP YOUR AGE A SECRET!!!

The view of the house, obscured by lots of trees from the lower lake.

Obscured by the trees in the distance to the left top of the picture... that's us!! (No, not the bird, the house, that's us!!)!

It was a must for the "Rumpus" room - that's what these guys call a "Play" room.

Esme in our kitchen....

The kids in the Lounge enjoying full HD cartoons!!!

Not that they seem to be too bothered by whether "goofy" and his friends are crystal clear quality or not! :-)

Minka seemed more taken with posing with her Jannie Verjaar Water...

And Miah, well, being Miah!

Preparing to dine with the family... Rooi wyn 'n moet!!!!

Our fake fire in the play room - jy plug die outjie in en dan maak hy warm lug!!!!

Discovery drive going past our back yard to the left here

So, if you can spot the yellow dot, that's us, according to Google Earth! If you cannot see the yellow dot, well, again - KEEP YOUR AGE A SECRET!! - of bel jou naaste rekenaar winkel en vra hulle vir 'n beter graphics card!! :-)

2009-08-02T16:41:00.010+12:00

DDD's - 26 June 2009
(Dinner, Dance & Drinks)

Since it's been a while, we thought you might wonder just what we've been up to. And it's no surprise that you'll find us having fun, settling even more in our new lives and here are some shots from a charity Dinner & Dance that we attended.

Yep, dinner & dance, not just dinner...
Prins Paulus en sy silwer kleed - very flash!! :-)

The food was of the highest standards... - (the event was organised by South Africans)

And then, D no 3 - DRINKS!!!
Cointreau's were the order of the night!

And they kept coming to the table!!

Soon, we all smiled!!!!

...and smiled....

Some looked so in love!!!

Some even looked like they were renewing vows!!! Not sure, the music drowned out their conversation from the rest of us...

And some, later on, just sat and watched, and watched...

CAUTION!!!! - DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE!!!!
Seeing that you need your hands, you'll just spill the drink!!!!

So, what to do then???
Get serious, sober up, have some coffee, and still get someone else to drive you home!! :-) Come on, get with the program, spoil yourself a little, imagine they are the chauffeurs.

2009-05-31T20:15:00.007+12:00

Crazy Animals and Dog Whisperers!!

Not all of you know them, but for those who do, this shows that "the kids" are all fine and adapting with no issues!! These are some pics showing them having fun on the farm with us...

Milla: A walk in the forest proves to be tiring...

Merlin: Just no end to the energy...

Maugli: She really gets into these walks and goes a little crazy

And yes, we always had our doubts about her kaniness. Could she be something else that turn when it's full moon or something???

Not sure what the fetal position is for cats, but this is Mishka's impersonation of the "in-front-of-fireplace" position - she does it so well.

Maverick is still Mr. "I'm better than you all" and keeps his distance - and he prefers his own blanket rather than to share fireplace heat with Mishka...

This treat is a reserved and rare one - the three of them together in the house becomes a bit rowdy sometimes - so, it's limited and supervised; thus they put on these little angelic faces of supposed innocense - see pictures above for real expressions (Maugli)...

Now here, Melrin (our petdog) gets a bit of TLC from Paulus(not our pet human - he requires a too much of a special diet)

Maugli also got a turn with the dog psychologist to say her say. Paul is known among some of us who know him well for his talent as a "dog whisperer". Ja, ja, ek hoor julle!! He's no Robert Redford, but then Maugli is no Lipizzaner either, in fact, we doubt her doghood sometimes!!

2009-05-31T19:08:00.008+12:00

Winter whites...

We've gone from ever greens and deep blues to brighter yellows browns and oranges. And now, it would seem, we are entering another colour!!! Winter white. Now to be cold is one thing, but to be cold for no reason is altogether different. And this is not that, it's not the cold for no reason that I am so familiar with. This is cold, yes, but with snow. Snow I can see, feel and touch. Yep, even snowed here where we live today!!

Here are some of the fantastical pics of snow capped mountains and the snow we had earlier today.

We did not give it much time to come down before we ran out with the camera - just like Valies holidaying by the seaside!!

A very green driveway suddenly clad in white!

See, I didn't lie - like valies by the seaside we will brave the coldest weather!!!

With the cold descending, we decided to stock up on the blocks for the fireplace...

Everywhere the snow was startigng to collect. Not sure how much it will still snow during the night - but we'll have to wait and see what we wake up to...

These two pivs are the snow capped peaks on my way back from Hastings - yet another business trip!

2009-05-03T00:01:00.005+12:00

Amazing Sunsets

These are some of the amazing sunsets we've been able to capture to film!!!

Enjoy...

Taupo

Otaki

Waekanae

ANother Taupo one on 25 Dec 2008

2009-05-02T23:16:00.010+12:00

The BIG GREEN is Gone!!!

Yep. It's that time of the year again that makes the green leaves change to all sorts of colours and then fall off to create a leafy ground cover. I'm not too fond of the "winter look" because then it's all just barren branches and twigs and the trees appear naked and vulnerable! Autumn, though, is a bit better and the colourful display of the chaotic order has a mesmerizing quality all of its own.

Here are some images form a recent trip to Napier and Hastings with some of the fantastic autumn images we were fortunate enough to witness.

Believe it or not, this is someone's driveway!!

2009-04-15T23:17:00.011+12:00

Afrikaners - die argitekte van plesier!
(En waar dit nie moontlik is nie, kuier ons tot dit plesierig raak)

Nou die is dan nou die eerste afrikaanse skrywe op die blog - vir die engelses - sorry boys and girls, some things are just better said in afrikaans; cursing being one of them, and the other being a "boere saamtrek" in a foreign country! Befok!

Biegtyd!
- Ek was eers baie skepties oor die hele afere. Meeste van julle weet hoe ek voel oor sokkie en backward masking potjiekos resepte as mens Cora Marie agteruit speel! Maar, ek hou ook daarvan om oor 'n pot en vlammetjies te "faf" en lae na lae kos in te pak en dan aan die einde myself dik te vreet (Jammer aan die van julle met beter maniere, maar daar's net geen manier dat dit wat mens met potjiekos aanvang, EET genoem kan word nie!). Yep, en dis weereens die geval gewees. En wat nie opgevreet was nie - dis 'n groot pot - was vir ontbyt op roosterbrood gesmeer; dikker as peanut butter, ja, en meer chunky! Na die glasies geklink was en ons eers kuier, het dinge net lekkerder geword, en mense van oral en nerens het gesels en kennis gemaak en ons het gedoen wat ek dink net in die boer se broek sit; almal het saam gelag, gekuier, verskille neergele vir meer as 5 minute, en gepaartie!!

Celebrities!!
Nou ja, almal weet Jurie is ook in NZ - maar die hemele hoor my, ek sal my tekkies se sole deurloop om so ver moontlik van hom af weg te bly. Tog is daar ander BBP's wat mens raak drink op partytjies, en dan maak ons so: Ons lag vir mekaar, ons laaik mekaar - en as ons kan, sal ons dit weer doen en lekker saam kuier. Sien, soos baie ander wat navorsing doen oor lewe in NZ voor jy hierna toe kom, moet jy een of ander tyd via Google die Kiwi Boer raak kliek! Ons het sy web site foos gelees, links gevolg, weer terug geggan en weer gekyk ens ens ens - so ja, die man is 'n moerse Superster in ons ogies! En daar drink ons die man raak! Sit nog so lekker en gesels en lag en al hoe meer begin Sonskyn met haar "maar ons ken die man, hy lyk so bekend...?", en nie te lank nie , toe laat val hy 'n comment oor sy web blad en net daar val die pennie toe ook vir ons! Soos blits gryp ek natuurlik die kamera en papparazzifiseer die arme man met blitse van my flash!! Maar nou ja, lang stories korter, ons het lekker saam gekuier, later weer so gemaak! Nee, ek lieg nie, hy's genuine, gaan kyk maar self: http://www.kiwiboer.virafrikaans.com

Ter aflsuiting; die lot foto's wys mens hoe sterk die kultuur in mens se opbrengs jou hou by sekere optredes, voorkeure, humor en maniere...

Bring 'n klomp SAners bymekaar, voeg genoeg eetgoed in, steek 'n vuurtjie of twee aan, speel bietjie musiek, ontkurk 'n wyntjie of twee, en viola, PAARTIE!!!!

Kinders speel tog te lekker met vuur, waarom dan nou al die duur speelgoed dan in die winkels??

Analise verkoop haar koek, en ander items op die Saterdag "Mark" - Net jammer sy kon haar melktert nie saamsleep nie. Gelukkig vir ons bly sy in Wellington area en is ons ons gereelde dosisse beskuit, koeksisters, melktert en ander gebak aan haar te danke!! Die nasie sal seker omkom sonder die vrou...

Potte, casseroles, enige iets as verskoning om vuur aan te steek

Dit was so lekker om oop vuur te maak en na rook te stink. Ek was erg nostalgies - "Toe wil ons braai, toe wil ons braai, toe wil ons braai" ...

Die son was skerp, die vuur warm en die glas leeg!!

Willie stook en kook verwoed, maar die arme man het nie eers glas in hand nie...

So far so good - just waiting for the food...

Kyk julle!!! Hier is hy!!! Lourens, die Kiwi Boer!!!

Hy en Ina is al so lank hier hy't al vergeet van oop vure en dink dat potjie en sop sinoniem is!!! Ten minste het hy onthou hoe om 'n bier vas te hou en daar's genoeg sin vir humor in die man om volkere te voorsien!

Toe smeer hy hierdie wenresep onder my neus!! :-)

Drank maak jou simpel

So simpel jy bars sommer in 'n dans uit...

Hoe later hoe kwater!

Nog kwater

Kwaaistes - soos Kwaaitjie kabouter...(Hoe sou mens nou die boonste 3 foto's in Engels beskryf het, vra ek jou?)

So erg ons breek al die meublement!!

Neusie verby! As die vuur eers dooi raak ek sommer huilerig!

2009-04-15T22:37:00.006+12:00

Wanganui, again!

Once in love, it is hard to make a break and flirt around. Here are some pics of the fun we had dring our third visit to this amazing town!!

Pitching in the rain was less fun, but we got it done...

Billy? The pet goat...

Sonja.NOT the pet wife!! :-)...

Sunsets after showers are always amazing...

No comment, these things happen!!

Enjoying the sun.

Helping the young erect their dwellings is a meaningful exercise where the young learn new skills and the older learn patience!! :-) - it was fun, though!!

Happy kids are the the result of the efforts.

Less happy adults, though! :-) Simpelgeid!

2009-04-05T23:22:00.004+12:00

Residency sweet residency!

A previous entry talked a bit about it. Here are the photos of the day we had the crowd over to celebrate with us. It was a fine day, and halfway through the afternoon it suddenly turned and a shower poured from the heavens. It was at this time that some, including Niel, went for a walk into the forest. The sarong you see him wearing is neither fashion statement nor a way for him come out of the closet. It's simly that I do not have anything in the closet large enough to fit him while he waited for his drenched clothes to dry.

2009-04-05T22:51:00.006+12:00

Lest we forget...

On the 20th of March Sonja and I celebrated our 5th anniversary. At first we thought of taking a cross country train trip to Auckland, but the thought of being stuck in Auckland CBD for a day was just way to boring an idea!! Who wants to go to JHB anyway?? :-)

So with a bit of imagination as a guide we thought about what we could do that would not be so easily obtainable/affordable back in SA. What we came up with was a dinner cruise around Wellington bays and a sleepover on the boat!! What a memorable anniversary!!

View of the cabin...

View from the cabin door...

View of the Wellington bay...

The Wellesely

Wine & dine on the boat

The stern, obviously.

Enjoying the sunset cruise...

The dining hall on board...

Sunrise over the marina...

Uh, well, yeah, this photo just had to be done. You can blame Leonardo & Kate if you have to.

2009-04-05T09:31:00.006+12:00

Views of Wellington
My work here in New Zealand takes me to corporate boardrooms in sky rises on an almost day to day basis. Every now and again I get a chance to steal a view from floors as high up as 16th, 25th etc. Here are some of the amazing aerials I've captured of Wellington City!!!!

The next one is the only exception... This is an add just above the ground floor level of a sportswear shop - gotta appreciate the humour!!

2009-04-05T09:08:00.005+12:00

Now who'd want to live here??
After you've just done a 10km walk, what's next on the agenda? FOOD! Yep, the energy spent needs replacing and after an amazing naturesque walk in the pine forest, what better than traditional take-away Fish & Chips on the beach... And I mean ON THE BEACH!!! Just drive up to where you feel comfortable with how close to the water you want to be, and be! Here are some pics from this amazing Waitarere Beach!!!

2009-04-04T20:58:00.016+13:00

Waitarere Forest Walk and Playboy Bunnies!!

When a new life in a new country is your fortune and you have an opportunity to re-invent many things in your life, then exercise is one of those things that I've added as a newbie!! Yep yep, previously I got only thumb exercise from remote control usage on weekends!! This Fun Run/Walk is one of those newly added exercise events in my life, but it also has an element of the old in that I've always been a bit of a nature boy!! Gimme the green, the blue, remove the cars, the structures etc, and I'm a happy chappie!!

During our residency celebrations, this event was discussed as a faaaantastic idea by many who attended the celebrations (you'll know who you all are!!) - but, as the time drew closer, one by one the little excuses started rolling in... :-)

In the end, it was Sonja and I alone who were left to enjoy this magnificent event in one of the most beautiful pine forests I've ever been in on a day which was so uniquely scarce in the Kapiti area - fine, cool, sunny, absolutely no wind - it was just perfect!! Yes yes yes - I am trying to make you guys jealous - and I hope the photos show you what a wow event you missed out on!! :-)

Just a number - yep, but I'm in!!

Also just a number, but she wwas there!!

So were many others!!

And what a beautiful day it was!! Getting ready for the 10km...

And here they are!! The bunnies! Sonja soon decided that no way were three bunnies going to beat us, so we up the pace, but the bunnies were good!! They really packed a punch - so the race was on!

Determination set the pace...

The pass! - After a long chase through winding roads, it was in the cool of the forest that new zest surged the vains and the bunnies were left behind...

Well ahead now, we cleared the thick of the forest and proceeded on our path of victory - the BUNNIES were beat!!!!

Such a joy, the whole personal victory thing!

The road ahead no longer posed a BUNNY threat!

But alas, one of the BUNNY memebers decided to pace up, leave her compatriots behind and speed through to the finish line!!

Well, it was a victory regardless of bunnies and what they did - we beat 2 out of the 3 of them, and we completed the whole 10km. And look, medals too! :-)

2009-04-04T20:40:00.005+13:00

Residents... We are...
Now it may seem a small thing to many, but anyone who's ever tried to make another country his/her new home has had the many trials and tribulations of dealing with miles of red tape and immigration departments that treat your merits purely on the ink and paper of your application. But finally it was done and we have these "stamps" stuck into our passports that say we have been granted "RESIDENCY"

;-)

So what changed?? Not much, besides that we don't have to go back to SA in the middle of the year. And second, we can now make debt??? Not that we would just jump in and do that - thus far we are living debt free and happy, thank you.

So we are now residents of NZ, living near this beautiful city called Wellington.

2009-02-12T00:30:00.016+13:00

Classics

Most of us are of the type that simply point and shoot when we take photos. Why? Well, life's just too short too spend an hour on one photo to get it "just right" becuase you will just feel that you can do better afterwards and by that time an hour is spent and you haven't had any fun yet!! So, if you are anything like me with a camera, you just point, click, review and click again and so on!!

BUT, every once in a while when you sit down to review your shoots some photos stand out as those arty farty types that leave you with a fuzzy feeling. Photos that capture an emotion or an atmosphere which is normally interpreted differently by different people. These shoots also need no captions as the images themselves are stories within themselves.

Here are a few of them, enjoy...

2009-02-11T23:49:00.007+13:00

Odd things
Yeah, not just random, but some pics of things that just makes the grade for the wierd and wonderful, and sometimes downright stupid!!

They really thought they were in for the whole trip to Wanganui - JUST STUPID! They were dropped at the kennels for the weekend!!

Breaking a leg in the middle of your holidays is not what anyone can hope for, but this was just classic that he chose this remote dune to go sit down. And we really had a tough time getting him up again!!

Odd! Money Laundry over weekends when kids mess water on monopoly tables!!

Ok, Ok!! JUST STUPID. The whole drinking and driving thing; I get it!! Oh, by the way, the really odd things is the steering of this trike is done with your legs and back!! Quite tricky, but it makes balancing a beer quite easy!!!

Hot steam in Rotorua, all day, everyday!! Just wierd how this earth works!!

No. Don't ask. It's NZ, what can I say...

Bubbling mud pools!! A first for me...

One of the firsts - all iron, even the brakes which is a little string attached to the steering and a clamp on the rear iron wheel! Imagine a bump in the road!!!!

Someone actually had the time to hammer out an entire body of copper for this car!! Check out the allaborate yellow copper snake horn. If it was a 4x4 I'm sure you can convert it to a raised air-intake!! :-) Just Odd...

2009-02-11T22:48:00.005+13:00

Kiwis and Rain Forrests

Well, I'm sure it's a known fact that the Kiwi is the national bird in NZ. It's just so sad that the little bugger is on the extinct list, is of a shy nature and tend to avoid humans and is bred nowadays in strict controlled reserves. Hense the ban on all predatory animals!! Yep, in all the time here we haven't even seen a live one!! Niel and Ilse did, at the Wellington Zoo. It had only one leg!!!! See, it was attacked by a stray cat and hence the sad tearjerking little display and story you get when vsiting the Wellington zoo!! Hence, I've not been there!!!! :-)

So, enough of the sadness. The rainforrests are amazing. This one listed here is the Bushy Park reserve where Kiwi's are bred. But we saw none when we were there. Think they were all sent to visit Santa. (We were there in December)

The estate house on Bushy Park's land. They serve a mean tea!!! :-)

This is as close to a Kiwi as we could get!!!!

Huge huge huge trees!!! The demand respect for sheer size.

Speaking of respect...you just have to respect the dedication of a serious recreational photographer!!

But it's not without it's rewards! A camera flash lights up the "silver" bottom of the Silver Fern and can turn any photographer into a queen of the jungle. Go Jane go!!!!

Tree-Huggers!!!!Can't take them anywhere!! Wonder of dit hulle Bominee is??? :-)

The atmosphere in the forrest is pretty much magic!! We all just wabted our pictures taken in this amzing piece of nature.

Tiny, Esme and Minka & Maih also felt the awesomeness of the forrest!!

2009-01-27T22:58:00.016+13:00

Oh wow, what a tease!!!

Yep, sorry for the loooong delay!! It's been holidays and then that was followed by digging into starting 2009 career wise. So, until I get my head around where to start with all the amazing things we experienced over the holiday season, bear with me as I present a few teasers from various times, places and events which will be followed by more detail posts later on...

Took 'em to the park - Queen Elizabeth Park

Took 'em for some "Birds & Beers"

No, really, birds and beers, just like I said!!! :-)

Amazing Beaches

Rain Forrests - Silver Fern really reflects silver when light falls on it. Here in the Bushy Park reserve you can see the flash reflecting off the bottom of the famous Silver Fern"

Like children we could swing over the river!!!

Camping!!!!!

Boat Trips!!!

I just don't get away from the brids, do I?

Amazing sunset on Xmas day in Taupo

Blue Rivers of the Huka Falls

Clear water pools in caves

Steamin' Geysers

Sulphur Pools

Snowy Mountains by "The Valley of Mordor"

2008-12-04T23:34:00.013+13:00

People and Places
So the people started coming in from all over. Sonja's parents are here for the holidays (FROM SA). Henk's family finally arrived after some delays (FROM USA). The US postal services stuffed around with their Visa's so Mercia only landed with the kids a week later than expected. Henk is now a "whole" man again!! And we also have some family who's been here already for some time, Tiny and Esme. Niel and Ilse have been here since end of July 08. So here are some random pics of faces you may know...

Dennis ready for the big walk up the hills... (FYI - Gum boots are called "wellies" over here). Dennis is still Dennis here, we think...

The neighbour asked to let his heffers graze in our paddocks. We loved their presence, and they helped keep the long grass in order for a while till they were sold. Yep, you may have eaten them by now!

Tiny just could not resist the after lunch snooze in the shade

Pre-lunch, Tiny still with us in some form, Esme and kids (Mia and Minka) posing for the occasion...

If there's a braai, Niel's the man. Chef deluxe on the porch with the Gas Braai...

Re-united at last. LTR Sean, Henk, Mercia and Natasha

Me, taking Minka and Mia for a walk in the hills to go get pine cones. Wellies are essential as the recent rains left certain swampy bits were you slug through ankle deep muddy waters... (really sinister, the whole axe and kids thing in the forest)
Wat was dit nou weer van die aap en die bos?? Nou ja, there it is, some wierd tyre statue on Paekakariki Beach. We were not sure if it was put there for a reason, but Dennis decided that the work of art held some secret at the top.

Ina feeding the dukcs at the Whitby Lake. Well, pond, but keep in mind that NZ is small, so relatively, yeah, this may just pass as a larger body of water...

No lies. We actually walked all the way up the mountain and found the highest spot overlooking the road down to Paekakariki in the background.

The new addition to the Steyn-Swart family

Ilse also gets her turn to play with kittie, but all he wants to do is sleep

Like I say, he was just REALLY tired...

2008-12-04T20:39:00.009+13:00

Creature Comforts!

One of the joys of settling in another country is the day when your container full of furniture arrives from back home. Being so close to Christmas it was like boxes and boxes of gifts all wrapped in boring brown, but boxes and boxes of stuff! :-) The off-loading happened on a rainy day, but the guys who did it were quite quick and nimble about it and left us with a house full of goodies to arrange.

For a change we could eat around a dinner table again, sit on comfy recliners, have a bedside table and so I can go on! Yep, that's right, count your blessings! When they're not there you miss them! And also, it just goes to show how little one needs to survive. All we surround ourselves with are just creature comforts really. So, a few picks to just show you guys how nicely it all fits in our new home...

Not a "DINNER FOR ONE". We had some more over for dinner. Don't worry, the 5th chair was added later.

Sonja obviously impressed that we don't have to squat all over lounge floors for dinner!

TV and sound all hooked up. Strangely enough my plans were to have the 5.1 setup done first of all, but the rear speakers are still not hooked up!! Priorities...

We have not found the keys to this display yet. Time will tell. Just not sure where they were packed in...

Ah, they're here! All in one piece and just so much more comfortable than the camping chairs we've been using

2008-11-16T23:24:00.008+13:00

Birds and Beer!!!!!!!!!
New Zealand is home to this little furry thing called a Tui. It makes the most beautiful sound and it has these two little feathers just below the neck. To me, they look just like two..., hmmm, well, let me leave it up to your imagination; it's on the males only anyway, so go figure!! :-) We have some of them on the farm here, but I have not been able to get a nice picture of them taken.

http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?imgurl=http://whiteherontours.co.nz/images/tui.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.whiteherontours.co.nz/tui.html&h=478&w=383&sz=34&tbnid=lxkoQ6ldDaQJ::&tbnh=129&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtui%2Bbird&hl=en&usg=__3E6VGXyZnRha0qYdBqG5EKma6TU=&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=3&ct=image&cd=1

This extremely long link should take you to a site where you can hear the Tui's call.

TUI, is also a local beer!!! Now that's better!!! Let's talk about the better stuff. So we decided to drive out to the TUI brewery up country to go look at how they make what we've been tasting!!!

Observe closely the opening and closing times - have I mentioned that the TUI guys are extremely witty?

In the Curios shop we tried on some very orange merchandise...

The sambrero was a bit over the top, really. So I ended up walking out with my beer mug and a scarf. Seeing that sunshine is not available off the shelf everyday, I thought the scarf to be more useful - and it has been!!!!

Maybe in some strange language TUI means orange? See, it even infected the blog's text editing tools!!!!

Best to fill up for the long road home, or wherever you are heading...

No no, relax, Niel was the designated driver!!!

Even the Pool Table was Tuisized

...and Tuisized bathrooms

Not even the garden gnomes escaped the wrath of the TUI invasion! But, they looked happy, so we left them to their business.

No, really, it's actually a real brewery, not some bar owner's obsession with orange and birds

They say it is very important to understand where the beer comes from, as nicely explained in the Tui museum. Now, sometimes Sonja has the camera and I actually appear in some shoots, but a heads up would be nice to muster a smile. But, by this time lesson-time was over and I really just wanted to get back inside to the bar. :-)

Yep. This bar!

OK. No coment on the next two pictures.

Did I mention the wit thing yet?

Just above the bar you get this lounge. The bed in the far corner, well, it seems some may get past the point of just relaxing and a more intense form of recreation is called for. Who knows, I didn't want to ask.
We only caught this on camera on the way out. But, yeah, we did feel welcome, thanks!!!

2008-11-16T22:17:00.004+13:00

Views From The Back Yard
So, you guys have seen the house, now, what’s up on the 13-14 acres of land??? It’s hilly and grassy, but fortunately bad fencing allowed a neighbouring farm’s stray sheep to graze our paddocks!! The north fence is lined with Pine forest and the East (back) side has a larger part of forest on our property, complete with a mountain stream – obviously more prominent during rainy times. Spiders and moths are plentiful, the sheep count to 8 or 9, never sure where they all roam most of the times. Possums are a pest, apparently, but I’ve never seen any around. The bird song during daytime is amazing, and in stark contrast is the absolute silence at night. The absence of night insects like crickets is a strange thing to get used to. African nights are in no ways quiet. This silence is almost deafening, yet it has a serene beauty to it. Yeah yeah, you guessed right, WE LOVE IT HERE!!!!!

Without further a due, allow me to intorduce the strays... One little bugger was having himself a nice little snooze in the lazy afternoon sun, but woke up when I moved past to the other side (See next photo) This is the paddock right behind the house.

.. And this be the little one I woke from a deep sheep nap. He looked so mif at the time, not impressed at all!!! (To the back you can see the southern neighbour's house, down the hill and through a ditch)

Not so far away the rolling green hills give way to the serene inners of the pine forest with a stream running down to the neighbour's fence.

I just turned around and took this one uphill, where the stream comes from, it's exact origin still a mystery. Not sure how the other neighbour would feel if I just go fence hopping and prance around his back yard. They're so far away I haven't even seen them to this day!!!

It's quite a steep climb up the hills in the forst.

This is the view of our house from up top just out of the forest with the ocean line visible to the west.

I had a companion on this afternoon who demanded we stop and rest. He wanted to "take in the view", but I knew the steep climb was just too much!! :-)

On the front corner of the property where west and north fences meet. This is the view of Kapiti island.
And another one of those.
So for those of you geekish enough to know what Google Earth is, and you have this burning desire to get bthe bird's eye view of just where we abide, you can navigate to:
Lat: 41° 0'33.82"S
and
Long: 174°56'6.20"E

Hmmm., for the rest of you, get on the plane and come visit us!!!! You won't regret it!!!!

2008-11-15T12:55:00.009+13:00

Beautiful Places

Queen Elizabeth Park – Paekakariki

Ok, so we live an odd 40km’s from Wellington City, out in the hills. The small town below us is Paekakariki. The beaches are long stretches of sand with some of the most awesome sunsets as it goes down over the silhouettes of the northern tip of the South Island. The following set of images are from the QE park when we celebrated Niel’s first B-day in New Zealand… There's a lookout point and hiking trails that can be taken along the beach or a bit more inland. It's amazingly clean and beautifull. The toilet facilities are also clean and comes complete with toilet paper and hand dryers!!!!! Where in SA I ask you???!!!! :-)

The nature in Queen Elizabeth Park

Picnic on the lawns of the park...

Sunny and beautiful day, but not warm, guess the avg. temp was about 16/17 degrees...

Niel opening presents

All done opening presents!! Now does he look like a happy chappie in NZ or what??!!

Cars parked close to amenities...

Inland views from the look out point

Ocean views from the lookout point...

2008-11-15T11:59:00.007+13:00

Wellington!
The city closest to us. Amazing, beautiful and clean. Busses. trams, cars, bikes, motorbikes, skateboards, pedestrians; yep, any means of transport available and it works!!! The entrances to buildings are just that, entrances. It's not the homes of lost and destitute souls littered with cardboard boxes and old bedding. There is, however, a bum! One! And he's known to all here. Been here as long as most can remember - I've seen the chap, but didn't have a camera with me at the time to get a shot!!! WIl get one soon!

The city is littered with benches, parks and spots where people have coffee, smokes and lunch breaks. The traffic is moderate to NOTHING!! In front of Telecom I tried getting a shot of some traffic but the odd one or two that came by just missed the camera!! :-) Yep, peak times there's more traffic, but not even closely matched to what we're used to in Cape Town, not even to mention that nightmare in Gauteng!!!!!

The centre of the the Wellington Waterfront

Close to the Intercontinental Hotel - the brown glass building on the right...

Buildings around Post Office Square

The Telecom offices where Niel now works in the HR department's IT support

With your back to Lambton Harbour this is the view into the city centre...

2008-10-23T00:56:00.004+13:00

WE GOT THE KEYS TODAY!!!!!!
and obviously we took the opportunity to take some basic stuff there so long and managed to get some inside photos.
This here being the Main bedroom with en-suit bathroom and study/walk-in dressing room, or whatever else we feel like doing with all this space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The en-suite dresser/study

The en-suite bathroom

Spare bedroom 2...

Spare bedroom 3

Hall way

Open plan dining room/lounge from the kitchen

The entrance

2008-10-23T00:42:00.002+13:00

The wood burner in the lounge with bay window at the back for sunny afternoon reading!!!

Hout! Hout! Alles is hout!!!!

This is spare Bedroom 1 of 3 with own patio west facing for afternoon sun...

Fortunately the architects also added a kitchen! Most helpful when entertaining guests!! The house comes standard with oven, stove, fridge, wahing machine and tumble dryer - we'll have to store our own when the container arrives!!!

The main bathroom of the house...

2008-10-21T20:25:00.006+13:00

Soon, our new house in the hills!!!
Moving in on the 24th of this month, our House in the Hills!!!
The Deck from the back

Walkway from the back yard

View of the garages, studio and storage area

Paving infront of garages

The front...

From the back paddock

The back yards