Can't wait for spring!!!

Yup, we broke out the bikes with the first inclings of sunshine.

Tobin had a blast riding through some giant puddles.

We watched our neighbour building a huge snow ramp that he dragged his bike to the top of, but didn't see any action. Later, Tobin wanted to ride his bike on the the snow bank, also :)

boys and trains

I was tempted to post the photo of Ryan playing with the train set all by himself...who's having more fun?!

Abel Tasman to Anikiwa

From our time in Nelson where we spent a few days... doing something that I can't remember we headed east again to do a short run/hike on the Abel Tasman. This is one of the most popular hikes in NZ and rightly so. It's a 60km walk on well maintained trails along the beach and through the forest. There are campsites with running water every 10-15km or so and beautiful golden sand beaches. We took a water taxi out from Totaranui to Big Tonga where Trace and Phil jumped off with the kids. AMG and I continued on the boat to Bark Bay where we jumped off and ran the trail back to meet the others. It was a beautiful section of trail through native NZ bush and along the beach. Then Trace and Phil tagged and we picked up the kids and baggage and carried while they ran ahead to Awaroa Bay. Then we drank some beer and started the rest of the 11km hike to the car.

More Vanette evisceration on the Abel Tasman

Poppy fuelling up before the day. That's not chocolate on her face. You know you're in New Zealand when the kids walk around licking Vegemite off the spoons.

The mule. "How long y'all been an arsehole? Ever since ah found this here hat"

Awaroa bay

Racing the incoming tide across the vast tidal flats.

Posers

Posers

Busy beach with hikers tracks

Totaranui

Almost back to the van

Those house like structures are 'tents', New Zealand style

Here we are having a drinking contest. I'm drinking a day old Gin and tonic while eating a banana and Phil is drinking warm milk from the carton.

I think we were getting ready to hit the road and were cleaning out the 'cooler' (more like a warmer).
Mmmmm, delicious milk.

Then we hit Anikiwa, the outward bound base. Trace and Phil spent 4.5 years here teaching so when we returned they were treated like rock stars. It was pretty fun. Especially Phil and I going to 'PT' or physical training at 0600. This is the daily routine for kids there, an instructor runs everyone through drills for about 45 minutes, push-ups, sit ups, dips, jogging on the spot etc etc... The culture of the OB base is for the instructors to be grim faced and militant. This didn't really work for me and I had to suppress a smirk while we did some sort of complex dance move in the guise of exercises. It was pretty weird.

The weirdest part though was when the instructor shouted "COUNT IT OUT HOKITIKA WATCH!!!!"

Uhhh, I guess this is us, I thought to myself...

Phil picked it up without missing a beat and instantly transformed into Sergeant A-hole screaming out "ONE, TWO, THREE.....NINE, TEN, TEN, TEN, TEN, TEN, ELEVEN". This happened a few times and then once in a while he would pause.... and that would be my cue to say "twelve", kind of sheepishly.

After that everyone goes out to the road where they have a timed 3.2km run. Now I haven't been so into running lately and all I had was my hiking shoes and a nice button up short sleeved shirt to run in. What the hell I thought, and besides they'll probably string me up by my reproductive organs if I don't comply. So off we went, and damned if I was going to let a bunch of punk-ass 16 year olds beat me in a race!

The only real problem was the gastrointestinal upset that had been plaguing me for weeks. It seemed that as soon as I would get up in the morning, or start any sort of jostling around, I would be overcome by an immediate and urgent need for a toilet.

The running was going great, I was kicking ass on most of the kids, and not too far behind Phil. But then I started getting that feeling. And my eyes kept darting over to the side of the road where the impenetrable NZ bush looked mockingly back at me. Run faster run faster, oh my god run for your dignity!!! Fortunately I made it to the finish line where I turned left, instead of right and sprinted for the nearest bathroom. All's well that ends well eh?

Then we borrowed canoes and did an overnight paddle down Queen Charlotte sound to camp at Mistletoe Bay

Tobin found this motor to admire. Yes, his hat is pretty goofy.

Someone had this cool swing in their yard that he got a kick out of

Tobin's First Ski Tour

Just around the yard. We're working on his pole plant.

"Shoulders square to the fall line, son!"

Charleston to Paynes Ford

From Charleston we headed up to Tauranga Bay where we ran, swam and surfed a little more. Then we drove inland towards Murchison through the Buller Gorge and did the New Zealand version of an *endurance* drive to Nelson (I think it was about three hours - everything in New Zealand is amazingly close).

Tobin in travel/rockstar mode

Eels. 'Tame' eels are to New Zealand as Go-karts are to Canadians. There seemed to be 'tame eel' attactions everywhere. These eels aren't tame, they've learned to slither up on the land and extend their disgusting bodies towards any biped in the hopes of snagging a child or someone's hot dog.


These things gave me nightmares. We went to one place in Hokitika that had a tank with 50 gigantic eels in them. Most of them weighed 30kg and were at least 2m long. They would hover just above the bottom of their tank with their creepy opaque eyes and gaping, gasping mouths waiting for some sucker to fall in so they could tear them to pieces. It was like some kind of aquatic zombie movie. Disgusting.

Tobin was fond of them. Almost every day he would say 'more eels!'.

"Look out!"

Tent time with the kids

Breakfast time in the refugee camp

Trace and Ann-Marie at Paynes

Tobin, just waking up at the crag

The best swimming I've ever seen was at Payne's ford. This was right at the base of the crags. The water was about 12' deep so you could do just about anything you wanted off these little crags. Great bouldering all around the holes too. Phil assured me there were no eels here, but I made him go first just to make sure.

Avalanche Traverse

Some pics from a ski day. Traverse around Uto, Eagle and Avalanche mountains. A beautiful seldom seen place. Nice trip, but got a little too exciting near the end. All's well that ends well.

Early morning skinning up to Mt Sir Donald

Looking towards Avalanche Mountain and the low col we gained

Last rays of sun on Avalanche Mt; on the home stretch. Only 5000' of broken glacier and unknown cliff bands to go!

The Big Boy

Yes, we managed to raise him to TWO years old so far! Valentino Marmalade just turned two today. We had a party with all his girlfriends and his new boy buddy (Bence). Lots of chocolate and presents. The whole idea was pretty lost on him though, except for the blowing out the candles part.

Tobin got a lot of presents...

...but this sweet balloon was a fave.

I forgot to get the standard belly in a bikini picture in NZ, so I made Ann-Marie dress up for one at home.
"Who's a sexy lady? That's right I'M a sexy lady!"