coromandel extra pics

Extra pics, of Sawmill Bay...gorgeous and this is the middle of winter in NZ! It even had a rope swing in a Puhutakawa tree out over the bay.
The train was great fun for the boys. They got to sit right at the front and loved yelling in the tunnels and looking down the valley on the gully crossings.

Coromandel part 2

Whilst in Whitianga we got to go on the Driving Creek Railway which went all the way up in the hills and had a view over the Hauraki Gulf. Then we got to have dinner with DJ's friend Toby - Toby moved up north last year. Then the next day we went to Hot water beach. DJ and I had to dig a hole in the sand and we found hot water! A winters day and we were in the water at the beach! Nice and warm too, Mum, Nicola, Dad and Leicester all soaked their feet in the water. Dj and I laid in it. Mum said the water was about 40oC not bad for an air temp around 15oC.

The on the way home we stopped in Rotorua. J and DJ were suffering from the weather cahnge so just Dad went out for a mountain bike ride this time. And he managed to get back in one piece....depsite trying out the rough grades and going for a 'ride' over his handle bars.
We relaxed in the hot pools morning, noon and night before our drive back to wellington. What a great trip.

winter holidays

We were off to Whitianga and sunshine....or so we hoped. After an early start on saturday we arrived in Waiouru to find ice on the ground, in fact I broke some. It looked just like pieces of glass. And there was heaps of snow on the mountains.
We stopped to have a look at the war museum. It was a great place to explore. We got to dress up and check out the big army tanks (just like the one I made at school).

Then it was onto Hamilton to stay the night with Ashlee and her little sisters Jesse and Stephanie. With 5 kids in the house it was a noisy night!

Then onto Whitianga the next day. Leicester and Nicola met us and stayed with us for a couple of nights. We caught the ferry across the harbour to Sawmill (?) Bay. The weather was lovely, for the middle of winter 16oC was great (and t shirt weather).

swim and survive

for the last week of lessons this term we had to swim in our clothes! it was a bit weird but we both survived, even swimming through the 'waves'.

visitors

Liecester and Nicola came down to visit us last weekend. We got to go out for lunch after soccer. It was chilly though....brrrr