Home again

What a totally wonderful holiday!
All our fears about flying with Ara are gone...she was wonderful and I don't think I want to drive to Auckland ever again we'll just fly. Ha haha.

We managed to pack in a lot round our little family. We decided not even to take a backpack and just use a sling for Ara which I think was the best call out. We had very little baggage. Attachment Parenting is just great when on holiday! We didn't have a car on the first or second days and we walked everywhere.

Our first night we managed to get out to "Little India" for a meal. I was totally boggled by the amount of people in Queenstown (poor little country bumpkin) and we were not even there on the weekend or late at night.

That night we totally roasted in our room - southlanders trying to be northland temperatures - we slept with the ranch slider open just about all night along with sleeping on top of the bed....underfloor heating on total over load!

Next day we went for a ride up the gondola. I was very scared about the heights and with Dave and Ara walking around and leaning on glass handrails I was a bit of a bundle of nerves....But the view is just amazing!!!! And an up to date and very rare family photo!!! Which we all like.

We then booked our selves onto the Earnslaw (big old boat) and enjoyed the views from there as well as reminiscing about our tramping days of doing the Dart. I spent a while thinking about Grandpa and when he used to work on the Greenstone tracks the story he told me of running from the last hut when the Earnslaw would toot its horn as it left town and made its way down to the other end of the lake to pick up him and the other crazy conservation guys. The other end of the lake is where the sun is....sorry Queenstown you'll have to up lift and move down the other end of the lake...no sun for the whole day....very hard for a little northlander to handle. BUT the views! The moutains the water...oh its just soooooo lovely!!

Dave booked a car for the next day so we could take Ara too the snow. As we were driving up she looked very confused. We parked the car and caught a bus up the last little bit, while we waited Dave gave her a few bits of snow to hold. Once we really got there all she wanted to do is hold it and eat it. I think we have a snow bunny in the makings and we'll have to try next year.

We also made it to Arrowtown. Now that was VERY relaxing! So quiet and lovely. I would love to spend some more time there.

Our flight home was good too...I bumped into Anna from school...she's living down there now with her family...little bub 10.5 months old he handled the flight well too.

I've heaps of photos and lot more to tell but...well you'll just have to see us.

Love ya all

m