Green Intentions

It has become quite a tradition in our household to go to the Green Expo each year at the TSB Arena in Wellington.

I find it rather inspiring that so many businesses are interested in becoming more eco-friendly and that equally so many people wish to live a more sustainable lifestyle. I realise that all of the business are ultimately interested in making money, but if they do it in a way that encourages us to think about how much we consume and the way we use things, then its got to be a good thing, right?

The expo was packed as usual and full of interesting and very earnest sellers. We picked up our traditional stock of organic peanut butter, reusable food wrap and information and leaflets on electric cars and sustainable roofs. The kids ate as many free samples of ethically produced chocolate and organic coconut yogurt as possible, so much fun was had by all!

After strolling around the expo we headed next door to Munchin to have some pretzels and burgers. It was also a good location to observe the preparations for the football match that was going on later in the day. The All Whites vs Peru. 

I believe the guys in this picture are members of the All Whites. This is judging by the reaction of people who burst into applause as they passed! I have no idea about football!

We spotted loads of soccer fans as we wondered around Wellington including this chap who was dressed up as a Mummy for the match.

It was another beautiful day in a city that Ed Sheerhan has recently claimed is his favourite :)

The Last Guy

Autumn was always my favourite time of year when we lived in the UK. This was solely because it meant it was time for Bonfire Night. My Grandparents lived in a small Surrey village called Brockham. If you picture an idyllic English village in your mind then Brockham would probably have met most of your expectations. Its set around a village green with a church and is reached along winding narrow country roads.

As soon as the first leaves begin to fall people start to collect piles of wood and other combustable materials in the centre of the village green. By the beginning of November they have created an enormous bonfire in front of the village church.

On November the 5th we would travel a couple of hours in the car up to stay at Nan and Grandads for the night. We would wrap up in hat, scarfs and gloves, and join in the torch lit procession to light the bonfire. Yes they really did hand small children lit torches made from oil socked rags tied to branches. It was awesome. Only a few people were unfortunate enough to loose the odd strand of hair.

We would then have cups of soup, watch the pig being roasted on a spit and end the evening with fireworks.

I have to say I miss this. In New Zealand it is just not the same. Understandably as its not Autumn there are no bonfires and the fireworks, although good, start late at night as it's spring. It also lacks the whole pagan atmosphere that the British bonfire nights tend to have. After all it is all about burning someone alive. It is a good bit of gruesome fun which unfortunately this former British colony finds difficult to replicate. And perhaps that's the point, maybe it should not be trying to replicate something that originates on the other side of the world. Maybe it should be creating its own traditions.

However due to the large expat community Guy Fawkes is still big here and Wellington Council puts on an annual firework display in the harbour. It is pretty spectacular watching the fireworks light up the harbour from one side to the other. The atmosphere in the city is great. The waterfront was full of families like us this year, wrapped up against the wind and eating food from the many stalls dotted along the water.

This was the last Guy Fawkes fireworks display the the council is going to put on. They have decided to celebrate Matariki instead. This is the Maori name for a cluster of stars that rise in mid-winter and signifies the start of the new year. I think this is a far better idea and more appropriate than celebrating a thwarted attempt to blow up the parliament of a country on the other side of the world!

Rabbit Island - Mapua

I am not a big bike rider. I used to be as a child. I would ride my rattly old blue bike everywhere. However as an adult my rear end is less forgiving and I will only ride bikes with extra comfort seats. Both the girls are bike mad and so whilst on the South Island we went to Mapua and caught the ferry across to Rabbit Island to have a go at the cycle trails.

The ferry is fully equipped to carry bikes across, which clearly make up the bulk of the load. Once across the other side there are various different trails you can follow which take you past the estuary, through woodland and alongside the picturesque tidal beach.

It was one of the most enjoyable bike rides we have been along as a family. It was interesting and challenging enough to keep the thirteen year old amused and flat and easy going enough to keep us happy.

Trampolines and cars

Its been the last week of the school holidays this week. The other half has had to go back to work for most of it, but me and the girls have spent the week at home. I've been mostly marking assessments and the girls have been enjoying time just chilling and doing the odd bit of crafty stuff around the house.

On Friday we met up with friends and went to a trampoline park in Wellington. Things like this didn't exist when I was young (in the dark ages!) but they look such fun. I am extremely jealous that they don't seem to make these places for forty year olds.

It's basically a large warehouse filled with as many trampolines as they can squeeze in plus the odd foam pit and climbing wall.

On Saturday we went to the Car Show of the Century at the TSB Arena in Wellington. We spotted the first car on the harbour before we even entered the Arena. Obviously an amphibious design.

I love cars and was a huge Formula 1 fan when I was younger, so the opportunity to see the Maclaren from 1973 was fantastic.

The other half's favourite car was the "Treka". A New Zealand attempt at making a practical rival to Land Rovers and other farm off road vehicles. Although weirdly it was not a four x four. I personally couldn't see the appeal. I think is looks like a metal box on wheels.

I did like the modern Maclaren!

The girls liked the "driverless" cars. You apparently have the option of driving it from either side of the vehicle (as the steering wheel moves) or not driving it at all and allowing the  car to drive itself.

I do not understand the appeal of this. I enjoy driving and would not enjoy relinquishing control to a computer.

The whole exhibition prompted a lot of heated debate about the future of cars and we ended the morning at the Crab Shack. 

A good ending to the holidays.

(I am not happy with the quality of the photos in this post. All of them were taken on the i-phone. I think I will go back to my normal camera next week!)

Cyclones and bugs.

Cyclone Cook has been causing havoc across New Zealand over the last few days and we expected it to reach Wellington last night. I dug out and checked all the batteries in our torches and made sure nothing was likely to freely blow around in the back garden. I even brought the Guinea pigs inside in case they ended up mimicking the cows in Twister.

We woke up this morning to a bit of an anticlimax. The cyclone appears to have completely bi-passed Wellington. We had a bit of rain overnight but nothing out of the ordinary. There was very little wind, and certainly no where near the ordinary Wellington gusts that can take the unsuspecting off their feet. All in all it was a bit disappointing. However I shouldn't complain. Some areas of New Zealand had uprooted trees and flooding again, a repetition of the week before.

So once I had taken the Guinea pigs out of the bath (they spent the night there as it was the only emergency indoor accommodation I could find) and put them back in their hutches we headed into the city to look at the bug exhibition at Te Papa.

This is the last weekend that his exhibition is on, and it is rather cool.

Although I wouldn't recommend it if you have a fear of everything creepy crawly. There are huge models of praying mantises and bees devouring other bugs. It's all rather gruesome. The kids loved it.

I think the bit that really stuck in my mind was this huge model of bees attacking a hornet. Apparently 30 hornets can destroy a hive containing many thousands of bees. However some bees can defend themselves by working together to raise the temperature of the hornet above its tolerance levels so it basically cooks alive. All rather cleverly gruesome.

Although the cyclone didn't cause any problems in our region, it certainly appears to be creating some interesting and rather menacing clouds above the city.

Tanes Track and Cream Teas

It's a tough time of year. We have two weeks to go until the Easter holidays and it has been a very long term. I'm tired, the other half is tired and the kids are apparently exhausted. Getting them away from their tablets and television on a Saturday morning is proving very tricky.

So this Saturday we decided to head out towards the Hutt Valley and visit Tanes track which forms part of the Rimutuka Rail Trail. It is always beautiful out that way and despite the greyish sky it was still as stunning as ever.

It is a lovely track, winding through lush native bush. Its one of the rare areas where dogs are allowed to run off the lead and Ted makes the most of this freedom!

Someone has painted and hidden stones in various places along the walk. We spent a lot of time searching for these. It added extra interest and fun along the walk.

These stones were clearly a labour of love and were beautifully decorated.

After a walk refreshing walk in the woods we headed to a fantastic little cafe offering cream teas for lunch. 

I can thoroughly recommend the place. My other half had a very interesting chat to the owner whilst he put together the freshly made scones and cream. The little house and barn had been their since the 1860's and he had photos of the original occupants. They took 5 months to travel from England and ended up living in this beautiful location. They must have been very satisfied with their new lives!

Cuba Duba

This rather cloudy Saturday we headed into Wellington to have a look at the Cuba Street Festival (or Cuba Duba as it appears to be known). 

If you have never been to Wellington then one of the must visit places is Cuba Street. Its a pedestrianised shopping area full of weird and wonderful shops selling everything imaginable from vintage clothing, army surplus, comic books and memorabilia. Plus an apothecary, fabulous cafes, bars and art shops. It always reminds me of the lanes in Brighton but is far less painfully trendy.

This weekend the street was full of art and crowds of people. There were many street artists and bands dotted up and down the street. Plenty of stuff to keep all of us happy and amused.

Thankfully, despite the threatening clouds the rain held off and we could still appreciate the art exhibits dotted around and above us.

Outside my favourite chocolate shop we came across a group singing opera. I'm afraid I am not sure exactly which opera they were singing but it did involve this chap attempting to climb the building at one point!

Eventually he climbed the building using the internal stairs and reached what I presume is the love of his love and they sung a beautiful duet.

These guys were my favourite group. The double base and guitar were awesome. Unfortunately by this point the kids were worn out and we had to head home before the evening entertainment started. My eldest is going to become a teenager this year so all the way home she moaned about how embarrassing it is when people over thirty dance in the street. All I can say to that is next year, this forty something, will be going to Cuba Duba again and dancing in the street with the rest of them!

Wellington by night.

I think you can really tell the character of a city by exploring it at night. When the stars come out the veneer or daylight disappears, then you can really begin exploring the bare bones of the city and the true character of the area is revealed.

When living in the UK I loved Bristol and Brighton. These cities felt quirky and interesting to me and when wondering around at night (as long as you kept to particular areas) I felt relatively safe and people were good natured and generally friendly.

Swansea is beautiful at night and I spent many nights wondering along the seafront gazing at stars and having philosophical and deep conversations as a slightly inebriated student. However my favourite city at night is now Wellington.

Thanks to our lovely local babysitter (make sure you find one if you move here, they are a vital resource!) the other half and I get to go out reasonably often in Wellington. Its always a lively but fun evening and we often end it with a stroll along the waterfront gazing at the lights of the city and the stars.

Despite the fact that sections of the city are still cordoned off following the large earthquake and subsequent decision to demolish particular buildings, the city is still alive and thriving. People are just working around the streets that are no longer accessible. It also makes for a rather good dramatic backdrop to a night out.

The city comes alive at night with people enjoying the huge number of restaurants, shows and entertainment on offer. For such a small city it packs a big punch entertainment wise. People of all ages wonder through the night markets and the streets packed with a huge variety of restaurants and eateries.

Having done this many times it always feels a safe and friendly place to wander.

We went to The Orpheus, a New Orleans themed restaurant. The food is rich, delicious and plentiful. We haven't yet managed to actually finish everything we've ordered. However the best bit is the live music. Traditional New Orleans jazz. It reminds me of the music from the original Disney Jungle Book. (clearly my knowledge of music is very sophisticated!). It has a lovely lively atmosphere and I could have sat there all evening listening to the trombone and drinking cocktails. Unfortunately I did have to make my way home eventually.

Martinborough Fair

The sun is out woohoo!....

This summer has been a bit of a disappointment in Wellington. According to the news it has been the worst summer, in terms of hours of sunshine, in thirty years. We have had the lowest number of beach days (days with more than 8 hours of sunshine) since 1987.

Luckily we spent a lot of the summer on the South Island and managed to avoid all the bad weather. However at this time of year we would normally have managed to swim in the sea quite a few times, and so far we have only managed it once.

So following our first week back at work we decided we needed cheering up and so headed north over the Rimutaka's to check out Martinborough Fair in the Wairarapa. A colleague recommended it as she liked visiting all the craft stalls but she did warn us about the traffic. And she was right. Clearly a lot of other people from Wellington had the same idea.

We had to park some distance from the little town and walk in. It was packed!

It was a gorgeous day and we didn't mind the walk into town as we got to pass all the vineyards that surround the little urban area.

The little town square and surrounding streets were jam packed with stalls and stands selling crafts, second hand goods and delicious smelling chutneys, jams, cheese and sauces. We spent a good couple of hours exploring what was on offer.

They also had a section for fairground attractions and weird balls on water. I think their called Zorbs.

Unfortunately we only spotted the horse and carriage just before we left. If we had seen it earlier I would have loved a ride.

I can thoroughly recommend Martinborough Fair as an excellent day out. Even in the heat we had today the little town has plenty of shelter and the food trucks are plentiful and varied enough to suit everyones taste. 

The bit I loved the most though was the lady doing the announcements over the loud speakers. During the day as well as the normal announcements for lost children, she announced several lost husbands who had apparently been mislaid and were looking for their wives. Plus half an hour before the fair closed she advised everyone to check they had all they had come with and to make sure that their bags, keys and purses were not lost. It was like someone had handed the loud speaker to my Nan for the afternoon!

End of holiday greens.

I've started back at work this week. This always bring mixed feelings as I love my job but I have had a wonderful summer with the family and I'm not ready to let go yet!

Saying goodbye to my sister was not easy. I have now lost track of the amount of times I have cried in Wellington Airport. I guess the airport is used to these dramatic displays of emotion. The looks of sympathy from travellers in the airport, as my kids and I burst in to tears again, suggests that plenty of people have experienced this.

I guess New Zealand is basically a country full of immigrants so most families have members who live abroad. It's not easy.

To distract us we have been out and about this weekend exploring locally. We climbed (what felt like a mountain) Colonial Knob in Porirua this weekend. The car said it was 30 degrees and it certainly felt like a route march up a mountain in the tropics. 

The route is beautiful but it is also basically vertical up over 1000 steps. People obviously use this route regularly as a work out as we were passed by many sports clad individuals who were either very fit, or clearly seeking to be fit.

The view at the top is stunning but the route is described as challenging. And I can confirm it is!

The route starts on the edge of an industrial estate and climbs through native forest to reach some stunning views across the Cook Strait to Kapiti Island.