We’ve been back to the Toi Tū, Toi Ora exhibition in the Auckland Art Gallery a couple of times now, and our appreciation of the diversity and significance of the Maori art works has deepened. There are paintings, of course, and sculptures, models, kinetic features, flags, jewellery, computer images and all manner of visual objects, […]
Adventures in Te Waipounamu
January 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Tanya has just returned from a stunning adventure in Te Waipounamu …here’s her story and pictures… It began with an unexpected invite from our younger generation of Cumbos – Barney, Jo and 8-year-old Ellie – to my older brother, Garth, and me, to join them on a cycling adventure (A2O: Alps 2 Ocean) in the […]
Christchurch Whanau
January 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Before starting our cycling adventure in the South Island, Garth and I spent two days in Christchurch. Our first date was with our cousin Philip Carter, who took us on a guided tour on electric scooters (an exciting first for Garth and me!) of the new city developments in Christchurch. Philip is one of the […]
An hour from our front door…Rangitoto Island
January 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Back to the simplicity of bach life in summer… On New Year’s Day we hopped on a bus downtown, then a ferry across the Waitemata Harbour to Rangitoto Island for a stay in Bach 52, five minutes walk from the wharf. Bach 52 is another small 1920s bach which has been lovingly restored to near-original […]
Happy Solstice, we hope…
December 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
We wish you a Happy Solstice, with a colour-full covid-free summer if you are in Aotearoa or the Pacific… …and if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, or in a Covid-infected area, and dealing with lockdowns and deaths, please take care, and know that we are sending our love to you, with our hopes […]
Lockdown/Rahui again…
August 19, 2020 by 1 Comment
We’re in Level 3 for 12 days because of a new cluster of Coronavirus cases detected in Auckland City, and since a few cases in Tokoroa and Rotorua. The whole country has been put into Level 2: https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19/alert-system/alert-level-2 Here in Auckland, we feel for the smaller shops and cafes that can’t afford to become delivery […]
1. In the south…Whakatū-Nelson
July 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
On 22 June we took off to the South Island for 10 days, to catch up with friends and explore an area we hadn’t visited for some years- Whakatū (Nelson) and Mohua (Golden Bay). Of course, we were doing our patriotic duty too, at PM Jacinda’s suggestion, supporting AirNZ and a range of small businesses […]
Living in Level One …Catching Up with Whanau, Friends and Photos..
June 18, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Our government’s success in managing Covid-19 has meant we were able to move from Rahui Level 3 to Level 2 on 14 May, and to Level 1 (life as “normal” except for closed national borders) at midnight on Monday 8 June. Emerging from Rahui Level 3 enabled us to spend a few days of blissful […]
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