Approach Down Under

Now add the following things to any food you have handy

1 tea spoon of Dried Basil
1 Desert Spoon of fresh oregano
1/2 a cup of semolina
1 cup of self raising flour
1 Handle (NZ beer measurement) of paprika
1 Pint of Hair Gell
1 Tankard of Momassas Finest Tomatoe Puree
1 Glass of French White Wine Vineger
250mls of Tibetan Snow
12ozs of Fosters
17 quarter weigts of cooked mussel shells
1 plump young Strawberry
75 Hogsheads of Finest Somerset Cider
1 small sip of Bad Hungarian Wine
17011 small flecks of salt
45 wires from your TV
A freind with a strange look
A slightly off Christmas Date you left in the box
76 Chiss Truffles

Now then once complearted and if any of you do my congrats pat yourself on the back hug yourself and find a Koala!!

So we be in Australia - having arrived at Christchurch Airport at at 4am we then found out that Virgin Blue do not run early morning flights to Melbourne anymore!! Flight Centre had apprantly told us (liars)

Anyway thanks to the marverlous women on the desk we managed to change our flights on the spot and for free and fly around 45 mins later to Sydney - where we entered land of Oz - and hopping kangas.

Then a domestice flight down to Melbourne.

So then we met Lorinda and went off to the wedding rehersal - Chrissy did’nt know she was doing a reading!! The rehearsal over we ventured to our Motel and went out and got some Beer and wine - (we were unsuccessfully) looking for the train station.

So the little lady and I then drank some beer and Jon arrived - we than went off to KFC (first one!) then I began to pass out at 8pm (not bad considering I and the wife had been up since 1am [Oz time that is] all very confusing)

Anyway baffles apart - move a small Badger to your right - slap your sofa with a wooden spoon - shift a mate over your shoulder and splat some Tommy K on your washing machine.

Mega Love and Hugs

Zach

Hey everyone,
Well, we have finally made it to Melbourne (Tim and I via Sydney!) and Jon and Claire joined us last night.

Our last afternoon in NZ was spent wandering around in the sunshine, including a stroll by the River Avon and me desperately attempting cartwheels in the park - still can’t do the damn things!
We found a great Indian resturant (having found a pub with happy hour on beforehand) and all ate and drank a bit too much!

Tim and I managed to get to the airport for just after 4am to catch our flight to Melbourne, which was eventful - sure Tim is writing about that as I write this so won’t say anymore.

It’s great to be in Oz, wonderful to see Lorinda and meet all her family. Tim and I got a sneak preview of the wedding, as we went to the rehearsal yesterday afternoon, just after I discovered that Lorinda wanted me to do a reading - she was sure she’d asked me but she hadn’t! Ah well, should be fun!

The tanned Claire finally managed to make it to our motel, just as we were all dropping off to sleep so the gossip and catch up had to wait until this morning!

We’re gonna spend the afternoon/evening exploring Melbourne, possibly catching a bit of cricket too if Tim gets his way!

Anyways,
Kind regards,

Christine

Greetings from Sydney - Its a long story with some funny twists and turns and a ing Airline to whom we owe our thanks and the crap Flkight Centre to whomn we owe a traditional British style thrashing (6 of the best trousers down)

Anyway more from Melbourne when we are there in a hour or 2

But we got a Sydney staamp in our passports - cool or what

Respect n Love

Tim and the wife

Hey everyone,
it is indeed our last day in NZ, so I’m gonna keep this pretty short so we can get back out into the sunshine!

It has been an amazing trip, with so many memories to take home with me (plus a couple of T-shirts - although not as many as Jon!).

As well as Jon moving to Kaikoura, I’m going to be opening a B&B (with spa) in Taupo - man, I love that place! Admittedly I haven’t seen a huge amount of the South Island, but Taupo wins my vote on so many levels - not least because its where Tim and I got married!!!!! Ah the happy memories I have of that most romantic ceremony on a floatplane.

Anyway, we’re off to Melbourne tomorrow (at stupid o’clock) and I can’t wait to see Lorinda, Marco, Claire and Sharon - gossip city or what??!!

Loadsa luv,
me
xxxxx

PS Especially big hugs to all the Berrys right now

Yo Guys

Jon is blogging at the same time.

So here we are in Christchurch Town today ready to say goodbye again to NZ.

So as such and without getting to wet around the eyes here are some personal reflections.

Its been amazing to be back in this great country the fact that I have spent the past two and a half years going on about it may have given you some indication of how much I enjoyed being here.

On the places we have been it was great to spend some time in Auckland looking a little bit more round and hopping up the Sky Tower as well as being able to eat in the same places but drink in different bars.

Taupo was frankly amazing and in many ways made me see far more value to the North Island - which sometimes gets a bit of a bad press and after 3 nights in Taupo I challenge anyone not to realise how good it really is. New Year was calm and the bar we went to was terific - Great Beer and Food and an amazing plane trip all summed up the place for me

Spending more time in Napier was also a real bonus espcialy with our wine tour - thanks to Fran for showing us around all those winaries and the cheese place - deffinatly something I would recomend

The Nostlagic revisist to Paraparaumu was fun and we think we have uncovered a real star in the cheap and excellant Lakota resteraunt + the beachcomber bar does not change at all and that is so funny

Wellington was fun for the Cricket - which I loved and cheers to Chrissy for coming both to the Basin Reserve and then the Westpac for the one dayer

South and to Picton and Kaikoura - I really recomending stopping off in Picton - its to easy just to rush off the Ferry and get south and its a great little spot to spend a few hours and a night even

Lodsa congats to Chris and Suzzy at Driftwood for their terific acomadation - amazing value for money and a really top class B&B - in fact its World Class.

So why come 24 hours on a plane - well if nothing else come just to say you’ve gone that far - its a bloody long way and well - after all those hours the rewards are amazing

So pack up your house badgers get them on a plane and get out here -

We are gonna be compiling a list of places we recomend and we will also let them know that we recomend them as well - just in case you hop out here so you can find something amazing to eat drink or sleep on.

Cheers to Chrissy and Jon for ur company on the way round

Laters from oz

Timmy

Tim is blogging at the same time so we’ll see who gets their entry up first.

We’re about half way into our first day in Christchurch and our final day in New Zealand. For me it’s only been a fleeting visit but I’ve decided that I’m going to move to Kaikoura, get a pilots license and fly the whale watching tours and shuttle service between Picton and Wellington. Ok, maybe I’m not being entirely serious here but it has been a truly memorable trip so far. The best bit is of course I’ve still got a week in Australia to go. I definaitely need to come back one day and spend some real time here. I shall be accepting donations on behalf of the “Send Jon back to New Zealand Fund” NB - This is a fictional charity.

Lorinda, we’ll see you soon and I hope all’s well with the wedding preparations.

Be Cool

Jon

ps - Look out for our upcoming collaborative blog entry “A complete history of New Zealand”

Well Guys we’re running out of time in NZ with tomorrow our last full day here.

At the moment we have been enjoying a relaxing lunch and walk in Kaikoura before catching the train to Christchurch this evening and then flying to Australia on Thursday at stupid o’clock.

The last few hours have been focussed on food and drink in the main with large amounts of drinking and eating - so much we are now full - until later that is and the atractions of Christchurch’s Oxford Terrace come into full View

Now before we leave we will be awarding some awards to the best places in NZ - and trying to e-mail them as well to let them know

Here are the nominations so far

Best Acomadation.- YHA Wellington. Sequina Lodge Picton, YHA International Auckland, Drifwood Villa - Kaikoura

Best Luxuary Acomadation - The Cove Taupo

Best Beer - Montiths Summer Ale, Macs Gold, Macs Sassy Red, Macs Dark, Tui, Speights Old Dark

Best Food - Villino Taupo, The Olive Brach Kaikoura

Best Kiwi - Robbie the Barman from Villino Taupo - Fran from the Wine Tour, The Crazy Insane People at Paraparaumu

Chrissy says high

:aters with the results get your ball gowns and Diner Jackets On

Timmy Boy

hey everyone, my turn now (finally - have to let the guys go first otherwise there’s trouble).

Yes, I was sea sick - can’t even blame the rum punch this time Jills! But I’m pleased to say that we weren’t the only ones and at least we saw the amazing sperm whale and some very beautiful dolphins who were dancing and leaping around our boat.

The most important thing to say is that I’ve had my first hokey pokey, nope its not rude, but a great butterscotch ice-cream with pieces of honeycomb in - yum yum and thanks Jo for the recommendation!

Can’t really think of anything else that hasn’t already been said by the others, except that if anyone has any ideas as to how we could put a spa in our house please let us know!

Also, any of my family/friends please feel free to add comments - so I can beat Tim in the popularity stakes!!! (Jon’s winning so far!)

Ok, gonna love ya and leave ya
byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Yo what up? Jon here,
We have arrived here in a little place on New Zealand’s west coast called Kaikoura. It’s a tiny little town whose economy seems to revolve around serving local seafood and whale watching.

I feel I have to comment on our excellent accomdation. We decided to spring for a B&B instead of going to a backpackers hostel (although all of the hostels we’ve been to have been very good). I’d very much recommend it and I’m shamelessly plugging it. It’s called the Driftwood Inn - Kaikoura. Of course the rooms are a good size, it’s clean and tidy and you get a full breakfast cooked for you on request, but by far the best thing is the spa in the back garden looking out over the surrounding mountains….yes we really have arrived!

We were slightly dissappointed last night after finding out that mussel boy’s (a chain seafood restaurant) had sold up and moved away, however we decided to give the new restaurant in it’s place a go (Pipi’s). This was an exceptionally good idea. I had a steak that was at least 2 inches thick! and Chrissie ended up with what must have been a whale & chips. Again I’m shamelessly plugging it.

Anyway back to today. We’ve all just come back from Whale watching and thanks to some choppy sea conditions are all feeling a little bit delecate…did I say delecate?? I meant violently sick. However, it was more than worth losing our breakfasts to see these amazing creatures. I shall be posting some pics soon, I promise. We were also lucky enough to find a small pod of mating dolphins (oo errr missus).

We have one more night here in Kaikoura before heading down to finish the New Zealand part of our trip in Christchurch. However don’t despair we still have a week in sunny, sunny err sunny Melbourne.

Stay tuned.

Jon

This blog entry has been brought to you by the good people at the Driftwood Inn in conjunction with Pipi’s cafe and restaurant )

Yo Guys

Well we are in Kaikoura - recovering from some mass vomiting on our whale watch! - More on that later from Chrissy and Jon.

BUT we did see the arse end of a whale diving into the sea and some Dolphins as well

Ok since my last contribution we have been to sunny Picton the port on the south island and stayed in cosey beds in a great little hostel with on suite twin rooms.

On the High street and a small one it is to we passed the youngest acordian player in New Zealand being a martyr for his art - pretty good player as well. We then travelled by train south on the Tranz Costal - some special views from the observation carridge on that one especialy in the gorges just out of Picton and then as the Kaikoura range opened up in front of us.

Anyway I am off to continue rehabilitating my stomach into the present time.

yo yo to you all again

TBMJ - Gangsta Rapping’s undescovered talent!