We've been in the bus for a year!

Well, here we are on the last day of the year parked up just south of Oamaru listening to the waves crash on the beach out one side and the chatter of birds on the lagoon out the other.  It has been a year now since we have been living on the bus!! On the one hand I can hardly believe that we have been on the bus that long then I think 'how did we ever fill a big house with so much stuff?'.

This month not only saw our anniversary of bus-living but has seen us get back onto the road after a good 9 months parked up in Kaikōura.  It is proving to be a time of re-adjusting as we find our new norm again while combining travel, sight-seeing, learning and everyday chores.  It is a work in progress ;)

Before we hit the road though we made the most of our last month in Kaikōura so here are a few photos of the highlights over the last month, in no particular order.

Christmas at Nan's

A few repairs on the go before we left Kaikōura

Tramping up Mt Fyffe

Cards in Mt Fyffe Hut

Mucking around up the Mt

Keeping cool on the farm

Checking out the replica Moa egg at Mt Fyffe House

Leaving Sequoia Farm

Getting ready for Christmas ... I think the facial expressions say it all

Travelling isn't always sunshine and roses ... us at Aoraki

The bus at Aoraki

Feeding the sheep at Totara Estate near Oamaru

Exploring All Days Bay near Oamaru

Sandcastle fun

Braving the wind and rain to spot penguins and seals

Our plan is to head up to the North Island in Feb and spend the rest of the year there checking out everything we can and catching up with everyone we can. Look out for the big green bus coming to a town near you!! ;)

Arohanui
Y

A busy November

Aside from when we were travelling at the beginning of the year this past month has been our busiest so far for getting out and about.  

Each week we were parked up in Kaikōura busy with our activities (me teaching Infant Massage and workshops, Jasmine with Guides, Daniel with Judo and both kids with Golf lessons) and then each Thursday night we would venture off for our great escape. It was wonderful having a chance to get out and about so easily each weekend and just as great being part of the local community each week.

On the 'Our Amazing Place' treasure hunt in Kaikōura

For ease of writing and getting this to you before the Dec update is due I think I'll just give a short re-cap and a load of photos ;)

Our first weekend away was up to the Nelson Cider Festival to catch up with friends.  It was such a full weekend visiting two different lots of friends that the 3 days away ended up feeling like a week away.  The kids loved exploring Founders Park while we enjoyed sampling lots of yummy cider.

Enjoying the Cider Festival with friends

Our second weekend away was down to the Hororata Highland Games.  This was a definite highlight and something I would fully recommend if you get the chance.  It was such a great family day with lots of free activities for themselves, things to see and try including some drams of whisky.

Free T-shirt the kids got 

Having a go at the caber toss

The third weekend away was over Canterbury Anniversary weekend as Jasmine had a guide camp to attend.  It was very a different experience having only one child on-board for 2 days I can tell you!!  While Jasmine camped up in the hills with her guiding friends, we climbed up and over the bridle path with Daniel (at his request) and enjoyed catching up with friends.

Jasmine on camp

Daniel on the Bridle path

Our final weekend of November did see us stay in Kaikōura so that we could enjoy one of their mobile Movie nights and also 'Our Amazing Place' Treasure hunt.  It was fantastic walking around town with the kids doing activities at different 'stations' and finding out more of what Kaikōura has to offer.  It was yet another great weekend for us all.

Making a trailer cover in the Community Shed

Sadly though, after all the highs of the month, we finished the month on a down.  After 3 years of living with us and almost a year of travelling on the bus Jasmine's Moonlight Mouse passed away on 30th November.

Themselves with Moonlight on Moonlight's birthday

Thankfully herself got to say goodbye before Moonlight died and we spent the rest of the day just being.  It was heart-breaking watching her grieve her loved pet that she had for almost a third of her life and yet amazing watching how she was able to express herself and the pain she was feeling.

Arohanui
Y

October on the farm

Although we have certainly had our fair share of rain and cloudy day over the past month, today as I sit and write this in the sunshine with the kids playing happily outside it really feels as if Summer is on its way ...... thankfully ;) Themselves have certainly made the most of the sunny days when they arrive that is for sure.

Picnicking on the farm

Building huts from driftwood down at the beach

 

Since Daniel's birthday weekend over to the West Coast was cancelled, on his actual birthday weekend, we decided to head over in the first weekend of October.  Despite the rain coming down on us we had a fabulous time catching up with friends, exploring old haunts and wandering around Shantytown.  After all it just wouldn't be the West Coast if it wasn't raining!  The highlight for us all was having a go at gold-panning and then dressing up for an olden day photo with our friends, something that we won't normally do.  It was a short weekend trip but really great to get back over there .... something about arriving on the Coast makes me feel like I've arrived home.

Dressing up

On the steam train in Shantytown

The school holidays brought with them more excitement for themselves with a few kid's activities around town.  The first was a 'Give it a Go' golf session with the local Golf Pro which they both loved.  They did try a bit of golf when we first came into Kaikōura with this same lady and I could see then that they were hooked.  They even invested in a couple of old golf clubs and balls to whack around on the farm so when the holiday programme came up they were more than keen.  It was a perfect day for it and they both got in a few nice hits - this coming from someone who knows nothing about golf apart from her own inability to connect the iron with that tiny white ball!  They have both signed up for actual lessons which begin next month and are very excited about being able to play on the course after the lesson so watch this space.

Practicing their swings

The second big event for them was a trip to Orana Park in Christchurch with the local Guide group.  It was a full on day as we had to go through the road closure in convoy at 7 am and then return the same way at 6.30 pm.  It was worth it though as the sun was out, the animals were willing (the 4 legged kind that is) and all the kids had an amazing time.  It was great learning a bit more about the animals in the park, from the volunteers, too and not feeling that we had to rush through.  There were lots of interesting conversations about the animals being in there vs their natural habitat and the pros and cons about that.

One of the two tigers - both brothers

Even when term time began again the excitement wasn't over.  Over Labour weekend there was a JOTA (Jamboree Over The Airwaves)/JOTI (Jamboree Over The Internet) event down in Christchurch which both were able to attend as a Cub and a Guide.  They were able to sign off on a few more badges as well as trying out Geo-caching and talking to Guides in another country.  Even though I thought we'd just be there for an hour we ended up lasting 4 hours as the activities kept them engaged and we were all enjoying ourselves!  I think the Geo-caching will be something that gets dipped into again as Daniel had already tried it and Jasmine was really enjoying it too, especially now that they know how to programme in the co-ordinates.

Trying out the stilts at JOTA/JOTI

 

Now we are enjoying another long weekend, it is Marlborough Anniversary on Monday, even though we are all getting over a few days of coughing, sneezing and lots of nose-blowing.  After all those activities taking us out of Kaikōura it is great to just chill and blob. ;)

Arohanui
Y

Travel, elephants and birthdays

Well it has been an interesting and busy month of September! While it is really only 2 events, a 2 week holiday to Thailand and Daniel's birthday, the time has flown by and the combination of time zones and daylight saving starting has meant a bit of that time flew by while we were sleeping.

Travelling Thai style

Checking out the markets in Chiang Mai

At the beginning of the month we left a very wet and cold Kaikoura to drove down to an even colder Christchurch in order to be up at 2am for our flights to Thailand.  The heat of Thailand after the cold of New Zealand took some getting used to and Daniel even asked 'Do they have a heater on'  as we left Bangkok airport ;).  It was a great holiday though and an awesome learning experience for both of the kids.  By the end of the trip we were able to take an hour and a half 3rd class (no air con) train trip without a murmur of a complaint .... well apart from when a monk was intent on stroking Daniel's hair and trying to set him up with another child travelling!!  In fact Daniel and his hair were a definite favourite of many a Thai adult .... I think we could of earned a pretty penny if we had stood somewhere for photos. ;)

This pretty much sums up us trying to get a family photo!

Trying another Thai mode of transport!

The big request when we left New Zealand was too visit some elephants in the wild.  While this is a little tricky without going into the jungle for days on end we did manage to book a half day trip where we were able to feed, walk and wash the elephants.  These elephants had been returned to the hilltribe village where they were from (couldn't quite get an answer about how they got there in the first place) after being leased out to other companies for tourists to ride on.  I think that if we had just feed them and left Daniel would have been well pleased as it was a little too remote and jungle like in the village for himself .... Jasmine on the other hand would of happily lived there I think. ;) Hopefully he'll remember it fondly later.

Walking with the elephants

Feeding the elephants

It was such a different experience that we really did need the two weeks for themselves to adjust.  The heat, the new smells, the noise, the language, the food, the animals and the traffic was all an eye opener for them and it was great seeing their inquisitiveness and openness about it all.  They soon had their favourites in the market stalls and were able to say hello and thank you in Thai by the time we went.  It was great also for Liam and I to re-discover some places we had been before and discover new places in Thailand.  We ended up (accidentally that is) staying in the same guest house and the same room in Chiang Mai as we stayed in 13 years ago! The kids thought that was really awesome.  The highlight of the trip though would have to be a stay in Phrae (in the North East) where we were given the whole place to look after when we asked to stay.  The owner was just about to leave for a trip and so let us use her whole house for a couple of days .... it was a great experience as it was a traditional wooden Thai house with no air con and a sprawling garden where the kids could collect their own mango to eat for breakfast.  The whole of Phrae was like this, trusting, helpful and friendly, and it was such a breath of fresh air to be off the tourist trail.  It really did feel like we were seeing the 'real'  Thailand or at least how it was before all the farang started bombarding through.

Train travel

Our traditional Thai house for a few days

Once back in NZ we had planned to spend Daniel's birthday weekend over on the West Coast but unfortunately the weather closed the roads on the Friday we were to leave which meant that we had to stay put.  I think it may have been a blessing in disguise though as in the end Kaikoura put on a fantastically hot and sunny weekend while the coast had rain.  Since we still have the postponed 'party' over on the coast ahead of us we had a relaxed day around the bus before heading out to tea at the Pier hotel ... as requested by himself.  So now are parked up in a paddock with the sunshine coming in, enjoying the extended daylight and slowly getting back into a rhythm after 3 weeks of excitement.

Himself with his pooh zum zum cake

Back on the farm

Hope this finds you all well until next time.

Arohanui
Y

An Early August Update

Finally it feels like Spring is touching out lives on the bus ... it gives me a whole new burst of energy which is why I'm getting onto the August update now ;)  The days are getting longer and the days, though not always the evening or mornings, are getting warmer. The calves are increasing here on the farm and themselves are loving being outside more. Life is so much better with a bit of sunshine!!

Himself helping with calf feeding

Enjoying the sunshine at the farm

The month began with us heading up Mt Fyffe again for a wee tramp. It was certainly was a good way to warm up quickly on a frosty morning that is for sure as the track is very steep all the way.  Herself had the idea to go up to the lookout so that she could take a few photos for a local photo competition which gives you 48 hours (over a nominated weekend) to capture local images.  She took some amazing shots and entered 2 in the Junior section. The thing I love most about small towns is being able to get stuff done without a wait and within a day we had the images printed and mounted!  The longest part of the process was waiting until the last weekend of the month for the judging.  It was worth the wait though as she received highly commended award for her 'Sheep Circle'  photo.

We have been making the most of our weekends on the bus lately.  Each Saturday we wake, eat, pack up, empty the grey tank and fill the water tank then head off somewhere.  Sometimes it is for the night and sometimes just for the day but either way it has been a great break and very restorative especially when themselves are happily entertained on the beach for hours on end. Mostly we have ventured South, as the state highway north of Kaikoura is still closed, or just parked up around town.

The road south

Parked up near Oaro

Himself jnr. has begun Judo here so our weekly routine has got a little busier in the afternoons. He is absolutely loving it!  He was quick to pick up a bit of Japanese too, that is spoken in class, and by the third session surprized everyone, including me, by being able to fluently count to 10 in Japanese for the stretch section of the class.  I think herself is a bit worried as his skill base increases and improves but I think it will be a while before he is more than a white belt ;)

Ready for Judo

The warmer days have also given themselves plenty of sunshine to quietly whittle outside.  We recently invested in a knife for them each to add to their whittling kit (a peeler and 3 shaping tools we got online) and I have really noticed the difference it has made.  It was a special thrill to see them so engrossed in working their wood and an even bigger one when I was presented with a tekoteko from each of them for my birthday.  I've even been having a go and can see how addictive it can be!

Birthday Cake leftovers for morning tea

My whittled presents

Well that is it for now as the sunshine and my book are calling.

Hope this finds you warm, happy and healthy.

Arohanui
Y