So February was all about Australia! We went to visit our grandchildren in Sydney. I am actually terrified of flying but managed somehow, I guess it was the prospect of seeing my lovely family again that got me through the 24hr journey.
The little ones were excited to show me around everywhere and although the weather was a bit too hot for me, we made the most of our time there and had some great days out. Sydney harbour didn’t disappoint; we tootled around on ferries, visiting beautiful little beaches and villages I never knew existed.
We also spent a few hours walking around Centennial Park which was buzzing with wildlife such as Australian White Ibis (bin chickens), Grey-headed Flying Foxes, (fruit bats, which were huge) but thankfully we didn’t see too many spiders.
After some quality family time, we headed to Queenstown, New Zeaand. The lakes and mountains were stunning and we did some tootling to various places including Milford Sound before heading to the North Island where we vaught the scenic Northern Explorer Train to Auckland. There we hired a car and visited Hobbiton.
Top of my list were the geothermal pools which seemed otherworldly. Of course we had to have a swim, which was sublime.
‘The Artist’s Palette’
The little fantails, or Piwakawaka, were so friendly. They would hop along the tree branches to follow us down the pathways (possibly to catch bugs disturbed by our walking). According to Maori mythology, the Piwakawaka is a messenger from the Gods, bringing news of an imminent death, or event. Thankfully the rest of our trip was without such incident and we made it home safely, thoguh I remain obsessed with this sweet little bird.
