A week in Queenstown

After hanging out in wellington over Christmas we got away just before new year. Aaron drove the car down to Queenstown with most of our stuff over several days and nanna and papa, Freya and I flew down. Unfortunately for Aaron, he had to drive a few extra hours due to the main highway still being closed after the earthquakes a month or so earlier. He managed to listen to quite a few audiobooks on the way there (and back). 

We also met up with a couple of friends from Canberra, Dave and liz, who were holidaying in Queenstown at the same time. "Daze" (she could say Dave) soon became a favourite of Freya's. After all arriving on the 31st December....we didn't quite manage stay up and see in the new year. 

Colouring in with "Daze"

New Year's Day we were up bright and early as usual with freya! The weather didn't look great, but we headed up from the remarkables ski field to walk up to lake Alta. it was really windy and cold....we were slightly underdressed for the conditions. It was still very pretty, but unfortunately the clouds didn't lift off the peaks. Unfortunately the weather forecast for the whole week was pretty average. We got out for a few shortish walks on a couple of days. Nanna and papa took a coach tour to Milford sound for the day.Aaron and Dave did a few mountain bike rides (well shuttled each other, and took turns riding), and Freya got to try out a few different playgrounds around the area. She did splash in a couple of streams and dipped her toes in lake wakatipu, but no swims or kayaking in the lake this year....too windy and far too cool. Instead we ended up going to the nice warm indoor pool a couple of times. 

Arrowtown playground with the big kids "Daze" daddy and Liz

First fluffy

Family photo from the lookout above arrowtown.

We did have one great weather day when we did the first part of the Routeburn great walk track. We walked up to Routeburn falls hut and back. 6 hours of walking and one hour of stops for lunch and breaks. Freya walked 4 different times for up to 30 minutes, and tolerated being in the backpack the rest of the time, with a couple of short naps. Dave and liz (who are crazy runner people) ran the whole track in the day and we met them at the end. 

Photos to come

Not the most exciting week in Queenstown, but pretty relaxing and Freya enjoyed a lot of attention from 6 admirers! 

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. 

Sunny Utrecht....

A very quick flight from Aberdeen to Amsterdam and then a short train ride and we arrived in Utrecht. Everything is so close in Europe. We stayed in a little apartment with a lovely courtyard for the week. Fortunately the weather was perfect all week and Freya enjoyed pottering around the courtyard most afternoons, occasionally getting a visit from the owners friendly Bernese mountain dog. Mum and dad kept her busy in the mornings with visits to the Mifi museum, playgrounds, swimming and shopping. On my afternoons off we also made it to the botanic gardens and on a canal boat trip through and around the city.

Picnic at the botanic gardens, Freya with Nagymama and Nagypapa

Boat trip around the canals of central Utrecht

Although I had managed to make it to one day of the local New Zealand geoscience conference last November...this was Freya's first conference. She crashed the ice breaker and ate a lot of Dutch waffle biscuits and was introduced to many of my international colleagues (and friends) at lunchtimes and afternoon drinks. She was so fascinated by it all....constantly looking around and trying to take it all in. There were a few other babies and children there... But conferences are definitely not the most fun thing for a small child to be dragged around. I will try not to drag you to too many conferences in your childhood! 

It was a bit of a juggling act between trying to catch up with colleagues I needed to talk to about different projects, going to talks and trying to get around the many posters....as well as trying to spend a bit of time with Freya and mum and dad, who did a great job looking after her. Definitely not my most social conference....but I'm glad I made the effort to go and catch up with the world of paleoceanography! 

It's a long way to "Aberdeen".....it's a long way to go.....

I really didn't think I would get funding from work to go to my favourite triennial conference in holland this year. So when I did I was surprised and also very nervous about flying all that way with a 15 month old on my own as Aaron couldn't get enough holiday to come with us the whole time. Unfortunately freya is too big for a bassinet on the plane....so we had to buy her a seat.....or I would go insane with a wriggly girl sitting on me the whole way. With very low expectations of how well the trip would go....we set off. Fortunately freya did great and slept more than I thought. Delayed flights meant she didn't get much chance to run around at the airports where we had to change planes...so we did have to run up and down the aisles a few times. Freya turned on the smiles and got lots of attention from surrounding passengers and crew, and only screamed a couple of times and only briefly. I managed to keep it together until Heathrow when I almost lost it, when going through security for the 4th time on the trip, they confiscated the baby paracetamol...then I had to carry all my bags between 2 terminals as trolleys were not allowed to go on the train...and no one offered to help. Anyway we made it from wellington to Aberdeen ...very tired and jet lagged.

We had 6 days in Aberdeen catching up with Freya's cousins...and for Freya to become familiar with her grandparents who had volunteered to look after her the following week during the conference. Unfortunately the trip seemed to coincide with a new clingy phase for Freya....very unlike her normal adventurous and happy self...so this made it a little harder and frustrating. 

 At the playground with her cousins....

Making music together ;)

I shouldn't have been surprised, but the summer weather in Aberdeen was rather disappointing...but Freya had fun playing with her cousins toys and going to the winter gardens at the park, playing in her nagymamas garden, seeing real pigs, cows and sheep at the petting farm...although she was pretty scared of them all except the chickens. 

 Nagymama feeding the sheep....

 Playing in Nagymama's garden

Learning how to be a monkey from her cousins!

 

Great to catch up with the family and over the space of a week we were mostly over the jet lag. 

Weekend in Christchurch

We haven't been away for ages....so time for an adventure. We headed down to Christchurch for the weekend to see Dan and Charlotte. Time to test out how Freya would go on a flight now she is a little older. We had thought we might go to the snow....but there hasn't been much and it involved taking even more stuff with us. So instead we went to check out the new playground they have just finished - the Margaret Mahy playground. 

There were lots of really cool slides....which Freya loved. She also enjoyed the trampolines and she would have enjoyed the water park if it hadn't been so cold and she had been allowed to get wet....As Always she enjoyed the swings.....but wasn't such a fan of the flying fox. Unfortunately the tower and the cargo nets were a bit advanced for her....maybe in a couple of years time. 

Bouncing on the trampoline

Playing with the water

View of the playground from the top of the big slide

We also went to the beach and for a couple of nice walks in the port hills, and around the suburbs to visit several other playgrounds and to fly Dan's drone. We also got to meet dan's nephew Max, who is 6 months younger than Freya, she didn't know quite what to make of the younger baby and was not impressed that he was getting more attention than her, or playing with the toys. 

Aaron flying the big kids toy.....drone.

The drone hovering 

It was great to get away and to catch up with friends.  Thanks for having us Dan and Charlotte. 

Adventures with Gill, William and Mallory

New Zealand is a long way. So we always appreciate it when people come and visit from a long way away. So nice to see an old friend and her wee ones. We had a fun week starting with some nice walks on the volcanoes at tongariro national park through the native bush and to waterfalls. Freya's first time to the volcanoes. 

Freya enjoying her walk with views of ruapehu in the background. 

Mallory being chased out of the bush by William. 

Then we had a few days in wellington going to the botanic gardens, cable car, zoo, beach....and multiple playgrounds around town. The weather was very cooperative, with virtually no wind (for Wellington) and fairly balmy for this time of year. William also enjoyed playing and grooming our cat mifi.  While Freya enjoyed having some big kids to watch, copy and play with in the bath. 

At the beach paddling and throwing stones.....

Riding the purple dinosaur with Mallory. 

William and mifi cuddling. 

Hope it isn't too long before we see you again. 

 

Annual pilgrimage to rotovegas!

Over the last few years Aaron has made an annual trip to Rotorua to visit the mountain biking Mecca that is whakawareware forest. We were not sure how we would do it this year with a little one... But we're determined to give it a try when our friend Dan suggested a trip over the Waitangi long weekend. This would be Freya's first long road trip..so we weren't quite sure how she would go. We left 3pm after crèche and we kept her entertained in the car with a new toy every 30 minutes or so. Thanks to our friend mike for giving us a bunch of new toys just before the trip...perfect timing. Then after dinner she slept the rest of the drive. So it worked out perfectly.....and we won't be quite so scared of longer road trips in the future. 

Freya playing her new xylophone 

Unfortunately the weather forecast for the weekend wasn't great, so when it wasn't raining the next morning Aaron, dan and Charlotte jumped on there bikes, while Helen tested out our new osprey poco baby backpack on some of the walking tracks in the forest. It did start raining, but in the trees it was pretty sheltered. The next day, however, there were some much stronger showers, so we decided to go rafting instead of biking. So Dan, Charlotte and Helen went down the kaituna river, over the largest waterfall that you can raft over as a punter...7 m. We were one of the few boats that tipped and we all swam, including the guide. The rafting was great....lots of Rapids down a beautiful gorge. Aaron and Freya watched us from the walking track. 

Freya fast asleep in her poco

Going over the big falls before flipping over

Dan, Charlotte and Helen ready to go rafting...sorry Freya you are just a little too young! 

We did a few more rides over the rest of the weekend, taking it in turns to look after Freya and take her for walks in the backpack, which we are really pleased with. Thanks to Charlotte and Dan for letting Aaron and I go for a ride together. Helen even remembered how to ride a mountain bike off-road again. We also went in the hot spas a few times...which Freya really enjoyed. It was a great weekend. We look forward to our next trip to rotovegas....next year, or maybe sooner 😉

48 hours in Singapore

The final stop on our round the world tour was hot and humid Singapore. The primary aim of the stop was to break up the long trip home and get some sleep and hopefully over some of the jet lag, but it was also an excuse to explore Singapore. 

We took the underground subway to the city and arrived at our station Lavender to be greeted by the oppressive heat and pouring rain. Completely unprepared for this weather we set off in to the rain. At least it was warm! Within a couple of minutes a random woman gave me her umbrella....wow, what kindness...a great start to our stay. We dumped our stuff at the hotel and headed out to little India and found a vegetarian curry house for a delicious dinner. 

After a slightly rough night, in not the most salubrious hotel (although at least the air conditioning worked well), we set out to explore. We headed to the Marina Bay Area, to see the famous hotel and the gardens in the bay. Unfortunately we set off on the subway during rush hour.... However when we got to the mall at Marina Bay it was completely empty as we were there before the exclusive shops opened. We walked around the empty waterfront on the double helix bridge and around the strange looking art and science museum, taking in the views looking back across to old Singapore mixed in with the new city. We then crossed over the sky bridge, through the Marina Bay Sands hotel to the gardens in the bay. This is a series of gardens with several large domes which house indoor flower gardens and other plants, but also the very impressive super grove of gigantic trees with creepers and ferns slowly climbing their way up the structures. 

Freya and Aaron on the double helix bridge.

Looking up at the Marina Bay Hotel all 57 floors

Looking down on the super grove from the observation deck at the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel from 57 floors high

The super grove from the ground

It was hot, so we headed to the children's water garden. This is an area of fountains and sprays for kids (and adults who are supervising!!) to run through. It was great to cool off and Freya loved playing in the fish fountains. 

Water fountains and sprays in the children's water garden with one of the garden domes in the background.

Freya playing in the fish fountain

Next we headed to Chinatown to find some lunch. It wasn't quite what we expected...it was much more cosmopolitan with lots of different culinary delights. We chose Vietnamese. By mid afternoon the heat was too much, so we headed back to the hotel for an afternoon nap. We emerged again just before dinner and headed to the Arab district checking out the mosque and the old buildings, before finding some dinner at one of the Turkish restaurants. Another great meal. 

The Arab district and the mosque

The next morning we went to check out the old fort canning on the hill, then briefly checked out one of the many shopping malls along Orchard road, before heading back to check out of the hotel. We headed to the airport mid afternoon and after checking in for our flight we headed to the airport swimming pool and swam and hung out for the rest of the afternoon before boarding our flight. The swimming pool at the airport is just awesome....so much nicer than spending hours in the departure lounges. 

Plenty more of Singapore to explore and delicacies to eat. Next time....hopefully at a cooler???? Or at least a less humid time of the year. 

New Years visit to the Bostocks in the UK

Well after leaving warm and sunny Wellington, then visiting cool and sunny Phoenix, we reached cold and wet England. After a week of playing with 2 little ones, Freya now had 5 little cousins to play with, and a lot of different toys....she thoroughly enjoyed all the attention from the cousins and uncles, aunts, grandparents. 

Playing tea party with the girls

Great aunt Thalia and 1st cousin once removed Christopher, who was very good at making Freya laugh

Despite the inclement English weather we got out every day for a walk or activity. Freya went on her first train ride on an old English steam train in the pouring rain. Unfortunately we couldn't see much of the English countryside as the windows were all steamed up. We also went for several walks in the local, muddy woods. We had a family trip to the local swimming pool (indoor and heated) and the nearby Roald Dahl museum.

The hardy Bostocks walking in the rain and mud in whiteleaf hill above the cross

Chinnor steam train

On a rather windy day we went to the Uffington White horse and Iron Age castle and caught up with a friend Laura. Although due to the arctic conditions we spent more time in the pub. 

With Laura in the fox and hounds pub

We made a special trip to Nuneaton to see grandad (great-grandad for Freya) on his 90th birthday. Unfortunately a week was not enough time to catch up with all the family....that will have to wait till next time. 

4 generations of Bostocks 

Thankyou so much to Paul and Thalia and family for hosting us and looking after us so well...with lots of delicious home cooked meals and cakes. 

Christmas with the Lymans in Phoenix

We made it.....arrived to a cool, dry and sunny Phoenix. The Oregon Lymans arrived by plane and car over the next few days. Freya seemed immediately at home and enjoyed playing with her cousins, grandparents and uncle and with lots of Millie's toys, although climbing through the coffee table was a favourite game. 

Kortney and Freya

Playing with cousins Akhen and Millie. 

A family trip to the Phoenix zoo was a highlight of the week. Freya's first trip to a zoo. I think she was just as interested in all the people as she was with the animals. 

Giraffes at the Phoenix zoo

We managed a few walks around the neighbourhood, frequenting the local playgrounds, and a couple of hikes in the desert. At the end of the week we had a fun hike and scramble up camelback (along with many others). With great views from the top. 

Helen and Freya next to a teddy bear cholla cacti in south mountain desert park. 

Kendall, Aaron, Freya, Craig, Helen and Kortney at the top of camelback

Aaron and Freya at the top of camelback, looking down the way we came up. 

We had a great week, consuming plenty of Mexican food, catching up with several friends. Thanks to the Phoenician Lymans for hosting us.