New Zealand Arrival

This is the time in the journey which calls for most patience. The ground is in site, but the pilot comes in to land ever so slowly. Then there is customs. This is thorough in NZ. (Almost paranoid about food products.) But, after all the country depends on its food export. On top of this the officials are trialling a new computer system and the queues are haphazard and slow. We lift the tensor tape and scramble through to the more empty lane.


Now we are through and enter the new world through a wide portal. There is a great divide between the arriving passengers and the throngs waiting to meet and greet. Somehow our daughter and granddaughters are slap bang in front and in the centre. The barrier holds no fear to a six year old and a four year old and through they come; hugging, swinging on arms and offering to take the luggage. Soon we are in the car and speeding away from the airport. We take a detour to avoid the bee swarms they encountered on the way to meet us.


At the house I cannot remember the exact details of the time. But, one of the ceremonies was to receive our presents from under the Christmas tree.

Christmas Presents Kiwi Style

The girls were pleased to be able to go into the pool. The sun gods from the UK had arrived and the pool temperature was now sufficient for pool use.

Emily in the Pool

Zoe in the Pool

Sally on the Pool Edge

Irene and  Ian

 Our room is really nice. We have a brand new room. For two night we are to use sheets at the window until the blind man comes on Tuesday. The bathroom is very smart. NZ fitting are very sophisticated.


An so to an early night.


On Monday it was beach day. Once again the sun shone. The whole family had fun. This was Ian's first day back to work and the first day without rain before his holiday began. For New Zealand this is very strange. 

Emily Surfing

Grandma burying Zoe

Zoe Playing

Emily Already Buried

Four on the Beach

In the afternoon we went shopping for things in Mitre 10 (This is a superior version of B and Q) Sally had a choice of a great range of wireless door chimes. Then we did the food shopping.

On Tuesday we went to a place called 'Crystal Mountain'. It is a strange place in North West Auckland. It is quite a rough piece of ground with a track around it (tarmac) for the very slow train which Emily loves. Then it was the roller coaster which Sally and girls enjoyed as we watched. 

Fun on the Roller

There was also horse riding for the girls and a mini bungy jump. 

Emily struggled with it, but was determined. Zoe managed a back flip.

The central area was much smarter. Here was a clean well stocked restaurant and the gem of the place which was the collection of crystals in the museum which was a lift ride below ground and in the shop.

 At the shop the girls bought bags of mud and gems to do the panning activity.

There was also animal feeding and watching.

Emily and Reindeer

Zoe and Big Bunny

New Born Bunnies

We ended the morning with a picnic at the centre.