Mt Cook

Believe it or not... The view from our window at the Hermitage, Aoraki Mount Cook :)

Moon Gazing at Mt John

Roundhill Ski Field

What a stunning day on the slopes at Roundhill, 30 minutes drive around Lake Tekapo. We could see Mt Cook from the top of the mountain and, wow, we virtually had the slopes to ourselves for the day!

Church of the Good Shepherd

Wayne and I went away for a romantic winter holiday to the South Island... to Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, and Waimate xx Dreams come true!

Dad's Birthday Dinner

Yes we have enough yukata's to dress the whole family AND a takoyaki plate...

Bethel's Beach Adventure

Our final adventure with Joey, Phil and Max before they moved back to the UK... A windy walk around the point at Bethel's Beach and then back across the black sandy wild beach. Oh we miss our cobbers!!!

Passover Seder

Last night we shared Passover Seder with some friends from St Pauls.

Passover is an ancient Jewish spring festival. It lasts eight days and is a joyous occasion. It commemorates the rededication of the Jewish people to the service of God each year, by recalling the exodus from Egypt, when the Jews were freed from slavery. During Passover no bread or leavened food of any kind may be eaten, and special prayers are recited.

The Seder is a festive family meal, held on the first two nights of Passover. Matzah (unleavened bread), bitter herbs (a reminder of the bitterness the Israelites felt during the time of their torturous slavery) and roast lamb are eaten. Four glasses of red wine are drunk representing the four phases of redemption, and the story of the exodus is told. A special effort is made to explain the story to children.

The last meal Jesus ate with his disciples was this one, Passover. Christians remember it mainly as The Last Supper, and the First Communion. The symbolism is endless and stunningly consistent.

This weekend we celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection. Have a wonderful Easter everyone! xx

Video Postcards

I've just been away for another week helping international visitors film "video postcards" via our mobile film studio. You should definitely have a look at some of them... www.youtube.com/purenzhaveyoursay. 日本の旅行者からのメッセージ... http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=ACBB15ED5FE11F97

Whale Watching

We saw two giant sperm whales! And a pod of several hundred dusky dolphins! http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/

Kaikoura (= Eat Crayfish)

We passed through Kaikoura (=Eat Crayfish) while I was working on the Have Your Say Mobile Studio so we did the inevitable, we stopped for crayfish for dinner one night. It was AMAZING!

Waimarino Glowworm Caves

While we were in Tauranga for Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival we kayaked 45 minutes upstream to the Waimarino Glowworm Caves. Thousands of glowworms lit our path! www.waimarino.com

Whakarewarewa Thermal Village

I've been to Rotorua so many times since I was small, but I'd never been to Whakarewarewa Thermal Village until recently. And, wow, did it take my breath away! It's a living Maori village on the site of thermal hot springs... they bathe and cook in the natural heat. I'd like to go back and take my time wandering through the alleyways and chatting to the locals. www.whakarewarewa.com

Tree Adventures

We went adventuring like monkeys in the trees of the Woodhill Forest! www.treeadventures.co.nz

Parachute '09

I couldn't stay away from Parachute '09 - the largest Christian music festival in the Southern Hemisphere. We joined over 25,000 others on Sunday for a day of fun, food, friends and... worship :)

Goat Island

This seems like forever ago! I'm sorry I've been so slack at keeping in touch! Here's some photos of a night away camping beside and then snorkling at Goat Island. It was incredible to see some many people out enjoying this natural attraction of marine wildlife!

Cathedral Cove

You've got to go there!