The wonders of nature..........

Hello poppets!!!!

The Glacier was amazing!!!!!

Yesterday we made our way up to the Franz Josef Glacier to be in awe of the beauty that nature can produce. As you walk up the river bend to the base of the Glacier you feel so very small, the scale and grandeur is breath taking. 

Then we were off in the "Basil mobile" down through the National Parks, along native bush lined roads and peaceful river valleys.

We spent the night at the Haast beach camping ground, which had a lovely bush walk to go on in the fading light of the evening,  it was just lovely and we provided the local sandflies with their supper.

Itchy & Scratchy today.......grrrrr, but worth it.

Today was more traveling along the coast and another bush walk to see the "Blue pools" at the Haast Pass, they are created from the melting Glaciers and have this stunning ice blue clear water, which is so transparent.

I said to Warren today, "this is the most nature and bush walks I have every been on", and we both agreed that they have been such wonderful to experience, we are seeing what all these tourist come to see here in our own country. 

Tonight we are near Wanaka, at Glendhu Bay, which is a walk down memory lane for Warren, his family camped there for many years when he was a wee whipper snapper.

Love V&W

Westcoast Wandering........

Hello Sweet-peas from the wild and rugged west coast of NZ!!!!

Yesterday was the most gorgeous sunny and hot day, the squirrels meandered down the coast, stopping at a beautiful bay for sandwiches on the beach. 

I have really enjoyed get back to taking photographs on this trip, its been such a long time. It was such a huge part of my life for so many years the reconnection has rekindled a passion I had lost when we had the shops.

Up early this morning in the pouring rain we travelled 5 mins up the road at Punakaiki to the famous "Pancake Rocks". These amazing coastal rock formations are quite incredible to see and the blow holes where putting on a great display.

Then it was off to Greymouth for a little op-shopping, found a cute wee jacket and a polka dot skirt,  not a polka dot skirt I hear you all say!

Then it was the big drive down the stunning bush lined roads in the rain, sooooo Westcoast.!!!!! It was just amazing. Tonight the squirrels are staying the night in Franz Josef, off to see a Glacier tomorrow.

Love V&W

Happy little campers........

Hello Sweet-peas!!!!

From the South Island!!!!!

Happiness is......

Saturday morning in the sun(still in my pjs) having breakfast on a picnic table!!!!!

The Squirrels are in the quaint town of Murchison, the camping ground we are staying in is just lovely with a whole menagerie of animals, set in an idyllic tree setting.

Look at the cute wee furry critters.

Hope you all are having a weekend filled with happiness too.

love V&W 

Thanks giving..........

From the land of "Hobbits", bubbles and Jellyfish.......

We have spent the

 last two days in Wellington before an early sailing tomorrow back to the South Island.

It was the most beautiful sunny and warm day, which meant hanging out on the waterfront was just glorious! The morning started with a coffee and a shared blueberry muffin. Then a very relaxed two hours at Te Papa, next some big bubble watching, followed by spotting the huge amount of jellyfish in the harbor, they are quite memorizing as they glide like whispers of light in the water.

The capital put on a last hooray for the squirrels in the North Island, we have truly had the most wonderful time exploring this beautiful country. To see just how in incredibly lucky we are to have all this on our backyard has made a lot of the pain and hurt of the last two years just melt away.

 I think I have really understood the sense of being blessed and how incredibly thankful I am to have had this time with my best friend traveling in Basil.

Happy thanks giving!!!!!

Love V&W

" And they call it bunny love"

Oh it really is bunny love......

Hi Sweet-peas!!!

I hope you are all going "mwah" to the cutest little white bunny ever.

Mr Warren was so very kind and bought him for me after the look of true heartfelt love washed over my face when I saw him.  He is just so worn with love and a little tatty. We found him in this very cool wee shop in Foxton, called Goldies Junk in Disorderly. Carla the owner understood the lost toy thing and was so happy he was going to a good home.

The lupins in the sand dunes must have made the wee squirrels a little loopy on the the beach.

Look at the fabulous vintage wool jacket Mr Warren bought in Palmerston North, it has the most awesome zip hood, which makes big fluffy fur ears, a great source of amusement for me, not so much for Warren. I think I may have to sneak the hood to wear myself.

Lying on the sand looking up at the blue sky, feeling free and sightly crazy is all good......

Love V&W

On a Winter like day........

Hello sweet-peas from two wee squirrels that have been soaking wet and wind blown....

We got up on Saturday morning in Wanganui to go to the "Rivertraders market" I was so excited, only to have it pour with rain, the poor stall owners it was just terrible, so much so we didn't even look around and instead went for a hot chocolate.

With very soggy clothes and feeling a tad miserable we decided to go to the Sarjeant Gallery and the museum. Each had some interesting works and were well worth the visit.

Between the heavy showers we had a good look around the streets and admired many of the beautiful historic buildings, and had a yummy lunch at a wee cafe I forgot to get the name of, but the carrot soup was delicious, yip soup in November.

What to do on a poo poo day???

Winter like day...... winter gardens.

Don't you just love that heavy smell of heat and plants when you walk in?

With a break in the weather again we walked around the very beautiful gardens and duck ponds, filled with lots of bird life. The white swans were so big and very hissy, but I did manage a couple of pics.

It was all too fitting really as I had bought these very cute wee green swan buttons from a great op-shop called "Cheeps" that is a charity to help sick and injured birds.

Lots of Swanning around in a lovely city.....

Tee hee.....

Love V&W