Kapiti camping

Another long weekend so I decided it was time to take freya camping. A bit ashamed that it has taken this long to take her, but her dad isn't very fond of camping. So we had a girls camping trip with our friends Kareen and her 22 month old Melina. We had a plan a few days before, but that had to change because the campground was fully booked, so we made another plan.....

We set off mid morning on Saturday to Otaki forks, only to be thwarted by a road closure due to another slip on the road after heavy rain the last week. So we headed to Otaki beach for lunch and spent a couple of hours playing at the beach waiting to see if the road to Otaki forks would open. 

Freya and Melina at Otaki beach

The road was still closed at 4pm, so time for plan C, we headed to the very basic Waikawa campground North of Otaki. This was also very boggy and wet, but we found a spot that was dry enough and set up camp. 

Camp, Freya and Melina playing in the tent. 

Freya seemed to take it all in her stride and tried to help put up the tents and then enjoyed playing with Melina in the tents. They both enjoyed splashing in muddy puddles and exploring the camp....with a few meltdowns when evil mums wouldn't let them play in the really big muddy puddles. Melina did manage to dive/ trip in to one of them and cover herself in mud. There were also a few meltdowns over sharing toys, books, chairs, balls.....I guess they are at that age where sharing is hard and meltdowns are common. But in between there were moments of playing nicely together....and a few minutes peace for the mums to chat. 

Just as we were corralling the girls into bed it started to rain....freya did very well going to sleep quite easily (she was pretty tired from chasing, playing and fighting with Melina all afternoon). Unfortunately I realised that our tent leaks quite badly as it looks like the seam tape is disintergrating. Luckily the rain stopped after an hour or so... And so did the drips! So my visions of a very soggy unpleasant night didn't materialise. But I was kept awake by hedgehogs trying to get into the rubbish bag...eventually getting some watermelon rinds. Freya slept really well, with only a couple of wakes. I wish I could say the same. 

The next morning after breakfast, a few more meltdowns, and packing up some rather soggy tents we set off to check out the Raumati water park/gardens that I had heard about from our previous neighbours. We arrived around 10am just as temperatures were warming up and just a few kids playing. Freya and Melina had a quick bounce on the seesaw, but then headed on to the spray pad. They really enjoyed running in and through the water sprays, with a couple of interludes playing in the sandpit and on the swings and slide. We didn't get a chance to check out the rest of the gardens as the girls got cold and it was time for some food before heading home at lunchtime, so the girls could have their midday naps. 

Raumati water park

A fun camping adventure.....meanwhile Aaron worked hard I the garden. 

Tararuas tramping

I thought we would have taken freya for an overnight tramp before now....but time has just slipped by and there has always been something else going on, or we were too tired, or we thought she would keep everyone else in the hut awake. So an easy ranger tramp was a good excuse to go....and now freya generally only wakes a couple of times a night it was time to give it a try. We also went to a hut where there were a couple of bunk rooms, so less chance of waking others.

It was also great to have a couple of other adults who could carry some extra stuff for us as it turns out that you can just about carry freya and her clothes...but not much else in the baby backpack. And Aaron couldn't carry everything else. So others carried Freya's sleeping bag, some food, and a stove and fuel. 

We were headed in to Atiwhakatu hut in the Tararuas. A 2-3 hour, undulating walk....no big hills. The Rangers and rest of the group were much faster and headed off...and we trundled along behind, catching up with them when they stopped for a snack or break. Freya loved the bush and there were lots of shrieks with delight.....especially when she spied a dog and other people. She was pretty happy most of the time in the pack and even had a 30 minute snooze...although she woke when we stopped. She loved to play on the bridges and walked for about 20-30 minutes....with lots of stops to pick up and throw rocks.

Freya loved playing on the bridges

Tramping and tripping.... focussing on her feet.

 

She enjoyed the hut. Watching the girls try to start the fire and all the different things to explore. As luck would have it another toddler turned up who was a little older than freya...and they enjoyed racing each other and playing with Freya's ball. 

Despite quite a few people at the hut (17), we got a bunk room to ourselves, and freya slept okay. She was very tired after lots of exercise and not much sleep that day. 

Sunday morning we woke up to rain. So we got to test out our rain cover for the baby backpack in anger. It seemed to work just fine. Freya wasn't too fussed by the rain, especially dressed in her galoshes and coat. In fact I think she enjoyed the whole experience. Hopefully we can find other excuses and people to act as Sherpas over the summer. Although at 12 kg Freya is getting a little heavy.....

Testing out the rain cover for the baby backpack - you can see little ted sticking out - Freya is fast asleep warm and dry.

 

Stunning Switzerland!

Well after a week of thinking far too hard at the conference it was time for a holiday. After lots of fun at Amsterdam airport playing at the playground and watching planes from the observational deck, Freya and I boarded yet another plane to Zurich to meet up with Aaron and stay with some ex-NZ friends for a few days. Karl, Anna and Malachi very generously hosted us for several days in their countryside apartment just outside the city of Zug.

The old classic looking farm house that the apartment was in. 

Freya and 5 and a half year old Malachi got along very well. There were lots of hugs between them. Lots of good sharing of toys....especially the duplo. Karl and Anna acted as great tour guides taking us out to different places and giving us lots of tips about where to go and how to get there. Also acting as interpreters for the incomprehensible Swiss German.

Malachi, Karl and Anna going up in a gondola.

When we arrived in Switzerland it was very hazy, but after a day of solid rain the weather improved and was great the rest of our stay. We timed our trip to Mt Titlis to coincide with the best weather of the week. We got up to the Trubsee and spent the afternoon walking around the lake. The clouds still hung around and there were limited views of the mountain tops. We stayed overnight at the hotel and were rewarded with clear skies and amazing views in the morning.....and after a large breakfast we jumped on the first cable car to the top, well Kleine Titlis, to avoid the crowds. The views of the alps were spectacular...changing with the angle of the sun during the 2 hours we were at the top. We explored the cliff walkway and large suspension bridge, the ice cave and Freya experienced her first snow and sledging... She didn't want to put her hands down in the cold snow...but was very happy to slide down the slopes on her bottom.

Freya walking around the lake at Trubsee

The Hotel at Trubsee that we stayed in - very quiet in the off season!

Looking back down toward the lake and hotel of Trubsee from the Gondola

One of the many amazing vistas from the top

At the top of the cable car of Kleine Titlis playing in the snow

 

 

The crowds started to form at the top....so time to head back down. 

It was a great week. Relaxing and active with lots of nice walks. Thankyou so much to Karl, Anna and Malachi for looking after us and feeding us and being such awesome hosts. We hope we can return the favour one day. 

Walking the new escarpment track

A few weeks ago a new section of the Te Araroa (the track that goes the length of New Zealand) along the Kapiti Coast opened. It traverses along the coastal range with great views out over the Tasman sea and Kapiti Island. With great weather forecast, we decided it was time to check it out before the end of summer and before Freya gets too heavy to carry, and wants to walk for herself and not sit in a backpack for several hours. The nice thing about the track is that this particular section starts and finishes at a train station. So the logistics of doing a through walk were easy. 

On the train causing mischief 

As a result of this the track starts and finishes along the train lines, personally I didn't find this particularly exciting. But in the middle it climbs up the steep escarpment, well above the road and rail below, with great views. Lots of steps going up and down, and a few token swing bridges were fun. I quite liked the short sections through the bush which gave you a bit of shade and change from the exposed track. 

Walking down lots of steps

One of the swing bridges

Aaron and I took it in turns to carry Freya as it was hard work carrying the pack. While Freya enjoys riding in the pack she did get a little bored and frustrated just before we stopped for lunch at the top. Freya certainly enjoyed the bus and train rides, as well as watching the trains and people go by on the walk. Not sure she paid much attention to the scenery! 

A nice day out from wellington and big adventure for our little one. 

Out and about

We have had a few glorious cold, clear and calm late winter/early spring days lately so we have been making the most of it going for some nice walks around Wellington. Our buggy that we had on loan got a flat tyre and Freya was getting a little big for the carry cot. So we have started using our bike trailer as a buggy until she is big enough to be towed behind a bike. It is very light and easy to manoeuvre, but a little wide at times for some of the narrow wellington pavements.

The trailer in buggy mode

Testing out the trailer/buggy in the botanic gardens

The camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias are out...

We headed up Mount Kaukau on the weekend. Freya is getting pretty heavy in the sling, so it was hard work going up, and a little tricky coming down with the front pack as I couldn't see where I was putting my feet. Anyway we made it unscathed. The views looking down on the city and the harbour from the top were worth the effort!

Nearing the top

The top of Mt Kaukau. 

We also headed up the Catchpool valley for a picnic at the Orongorongo river. We tried Freya in the sling on the back, which worked pretty well and was much easier to walk. 

Asleep in the forest

Freya's first picnic

Looking forward to summer and more outdoor adventures with Freya. 

Winter adventures in Colorado

After their three weeks in New Zealand I travelled back with our nieces to the US, which gave me the perfect excuse to go and visit Gill in Colorado and meet my god daughter Mallory who is already 18 months old. Aaron and I had previously been to visit Gill in the summer of 2012 and had some great summer adventures with Gill and William (who was then 12 months) and Gill's dogs - Reka, Maxx and Sacha. So while Aaron has been riding his bike in Rotorua I have been having some winter adventures in Colorado. Despite a little jet lag, getting used to the altitude and a short lived stomach flu, we have been out downhill skiing at A-Basin, dog sledding, and sledging with the kids.

Gill's house in a winter wonderland

Skiing
We were lucky enough to get some fresh snow the night before skiing and got some lovely powder to ski in. Unfortunately the altitude got to me in the mid afternoon and I was struggling to breathe. But it was great to get my ski legs back and get some nice runs in on relatively empty slopes, with no lift queues. Only one tumble in the soft powder when the light was a little flat and there were some hidden bumps underneath...

Gill at the top of A-basin ready for a run down in the powder

Helen coming back down

Dog sledding
Gill now has 5 dogs - Reka, Maxx, Sacha, Meg and Maya. Normally they just pull Gill along on her own, but they have been doing a lot of training for an upcoming race and they managed to pull 2 (well 3 of us) of us on the sled up a gentle hill and then back again in a couple of hours. A total of 9 miles - great weight training for their 10 mile race!

Gill was even brave enough to let me drive the sled a couple of times. There were some fast moments when we started off, but the rest of the time it was pretty steady with a bit of help pushing/scootering the sled up some of the hilly sections. You had to be on your toes in case of the dogs needing to stop or them seeing a squirrel and taking off to chase it. Fortunately Meg is a very good lead dog and you don't have to steer very much - just leaning the sled to make sure it follows the dogs around the corners, which were pretty gradual on this particular track.

The view from sitting on the sled - you can just see my boot toes at the bottom of the photo

Turn around point. Gill with her team - Meg at the front, Maya and Sacha next and Reka and Maxx closest to the sled.

Sledging
William and Mallory have been really enjoying sledging so they have been out a couple of times this week to play. Mallory even went by herself for the first time today and then refused to get out of the sledge as she was having so much fun. I'm sure there will be a lot more sledging and will give her something to do while William is learning to ski this winter.

William and Mallory in the sledge

Hopefully we will get some more skiing and dog sledding and plenty more sledging, playing and relaxing next week before I have to leave this winter wonderland. Thanks for looking after me so well Gill!

Rotorua Trip

Mount Ruapehu on the way up

Dan on top of Tokorangi Pa. Lake Rotorua in the background

A very hot Kerosene Creek

Bubbling mud

Waikato River just before Huka Falls

Kinloch from W2K Track

A very busy Spa Park

NZ adventures with Emma and Kortney - Part 3 return trip

Unfortunately it was time to leave Queenstown and head home. After packing up and cleaning the house we spent the rest of the day driving to Christchurch via lunch at Lake Pukaki with amazing views of Mt Cook.

Mt Cook with the amazing turquoise Lake Pukaki in the foreground

We made it to Christchurch and spent the evening with our friend Dan.

Aaron sharing his chocolate mousse - devoured within seconds!

The next morning Dan and his partner Charlotte took us for brunch and showed us around the centre of Christchurch, which is pretty empty with many buildings removed... but things are starting to be rebuilt. In the meantime there are a bunch of temporary quirky sculptures and thing to entertain the tourists and locals around town - including a laundromat-dancefloor - which we spent a couple of minutes shaking our booty along with some other tourists who joined us. Finally we went to check out the container mall.

The cardboard, temporary cathedral

Weird sheep? Lego like? 

Oversize garden furniture

The Dance-O-Mat

The container mall

Unfortunately we had to drive north and catch our ferry.... the end of the south island road trip and adventures. 

Passing the time on the ferry playing the girls new favourite card game...

NZ adventures with Emma and Kortney - Part 2 Queenstown

We spent the first day in Queenstown just chilling out and enjoying the view from our friends house we were staying at and shopping for supplies. We did brave a short dip in chilly Lake Wakatipu in the late afternoon.

Emma braving the cold waters of Lake Wakatipu

The next day we headed in to Queenstown and while Aaron was visiting the doctor to get his man flu checked out the girls went shopping! We then headed up the Gondola and had lunch overlooking Queenstown and Aaron and the girls spent the afternoon racing down on the luge.

Emma and Kortney in the gondola

Emma and Kortney heading up to go luging

Aaron and Kortney whizzing past!

View down over Queenstown from the top of the gondola

The next day Aaron and I went up to Lake Alta for a morning walk and then in the afternoon we took the kayak out on the lake.

Emma in Sprite... 

Looking back from the lake towards the house (middle one in the top row)

Wednesday we took a jet boat ride from Queenstown down the Kawerau River - with the driver throwing in multiple 360 degree turns along the way - making sure that we all got a little wet! Our friend Rebecca arrived in the afternoon to catch up with us for a few days.

Kortney, Emma, Helen and Aaron in the jet boat still dry at the start!

Thursday was our final day in Queenstown and Aaron and Rebecca booked a shuttle to go mountain biking over towards Coronet Peak and Skippers Canyon. Kortney, Emma and I headed up towards Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu to go for a horse trek along the Dart River. This is the area where Lord of the Rings, Prince Caspian and a number of other movies have been filmed. In the morning the clouds were low - but they burnt off and lifted to reveal the spectacular scenery. The riding was good and we even attempted a couple of trotting sessions along the way, and had to cross a couple of braids of the river.

Emma, riding a horse called Ben, and Kortney, riding Yankee, along the Dart River

Kortney on Yankee

After 2 hours riding along the river our legs were like jelly - so we drove out had lunch and did a short walk at the start of the Routeburn Track to stretch out the legs and enjoy the beautiful beech forests and mountain scenery.

Emma walking through the beautiful beech tree forest

Emma and Kortney with the clear Routeburn River