Hey everyone :)
Things have been really quiet on the Restyled Vintage front lately, but they will pick up again soon, I promise!
The reason for the lack of posts is that we are in our third week of a three-week North Island Road Trip. As I write we are holed up in our holiday cottage in the Hawkes Bay, housebound due to severe weather and flooding. Not the best way to end our holiday, but we have still had a wonderful time!
Here are some shots (taken on mostly finer weather days!)
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| Flaxmill Bay, Coromandel Peninsula |
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| Flaxmill Bay, Coromandel Peninsula |
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| YUMMY lunch at Whangamata |
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| Ingenious way of disguising a power substation - Whangamata |
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| Me & My Girl at Burger King, Mt Maunganui :) |
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| Hundertwasser Toilets, Kawakawa |
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| Bay of Islands |
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| Auckland Skytower |
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| The boy has no fear! |
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| My kids being kids at Russell :) |
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| All geared up for a wet wild boat ride! |
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| Boiling (and stinky!) mud geysers in Rotorua |
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| Soaking in our own hot pool at Hot Water Beach - one of the strangest things I have ever seen! |
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| Huka Falls, Taupo |
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| Tane Mahuta, Kauri Coast, Northland |
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| Clear blue skies on a freezing cold day in Whitianga |
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| McDonalds breakfast in a DC-3, Taupo |
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| (I borrowed this photo of the McDonalds Taupo plane from someone who was there on a sunny day - it rained for us!) |
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| Haruru Falls, Bay of Islands |
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| New Zealand's oldest wooden house, Kerikeri, Northland |
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| Maori Waka, Waitangi |
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| Waitangi Treaty House, Waitangi |
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| My kids being kids, Whangamata |
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| Jake & 'The Mount' (Mt Manganui) |
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| My gorgeous girl with gorgeous Art Deco buildings in Napier :) |
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| Jake & his best 'I am getting eaten by a whale's jaw' impersonation |
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| A piece of New Zealand paradise, Coromandel Peninsula |
We have packed alot into our time away, staying in Wellington, Cambridge, Dargaville, Paihia, Auckland, Cooks Beach, Whangamata, Mt Maunganui, Taupo, and Napier, where we are right now. Tomorrow we head to Wellington to begin our homewards journey, which I think we are ready for now, and all looking forward to (not the journey, but being home!)
I am a bit ashamed to say that it has taken me this long to see so much of my own country, but better late than never, I guess. It is fantastic to finally be able to have a real picture in my mind of what some of these iconic Kiwi places are actually like, rather than just imagining what they might be like
(and some of my imaginings were a bit out of touch with the reality!)
At least we have given our kids this wonderful experience at an age where they will hopefully remember at least some of it...of course when we ask them their favourite parts of the trip, they list seeing the movie Hop, the trips to the lolly shops, the new Mighty Beans and Squinkies, Easter Bunny finding them in Mt Maunganui, the place we stayed that had bunks, and the place we stayed that had two sets of stairs in it as the highlights!
And I think that makes them completely normal :)
xx Karen
Clearly you've all been having a lot of fun :) Rotorua has to be 'smelt' to be believed doesn't it! It's many many years since I was there and I'm sure I can still smell that sulphur. Have a happy and safe journey home.
ReplyDeleteWow! You have packed alot into three weeks! Sounds like so much fun! You have an adorable family!
ReplyDeleteWow you have packed a lot in over the last three weeks. Brrrr at today's weather, I am in Wellington and its freeeeeeezing here today, alas I am grateful for no flooding.
ReplyDeleteDid you get a chance to check out second hand shops?
What a wonderful trip and beautiful photos, Karen! It's so nice to have those family vacations. Your kids will always remember this and the time spent together. It sounds like such a fun adventure. Safe travels back to your home. Take good care.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome vacation!! The kids look so happy and the pictures are great! Can't wait to see more of your furniture B & A's when you get back home!
ReplyDeletewow......you have done some travelling!!
ReplyDeleteIts funny what the kids see as highlights compared to the adults highlights!!
Awesome that you are able to take your kids away like that!!.......but you missed the best bit.......the Naki!!.....lol
NZ is such a gorgeous country - I say that everytime I come back home.
ReplyDeleteSpent a lot of time on the beach at Whangamata as a teenager. Love that place.
Pam x