Hello from Mt Cook, New Zealand

Hello Family and Friends.

Why am I sitting in a hotel floor foyer, in my lovely blue and white starry flanelette PJ's? Because I've found free internet? Shouldn't that have been obvious :)

I feel like I'm on some weird parallel planet. I've been using my eyes to work out the weather, I've been relying on the ATM to tell me how much $ are left in our accounts (not enough!), we've been using PAPER guide books and leaflets to work out what to do and where to go.....I MISS MY INTERNET!!!!!!!!

I did sneak a 5 minute peek at the messages a few days ago but how do you reply to over 100+ messages in that time and update a blog? Needless to say, I read fast and the blog didn't get updated :( Where are my priorities?

So, since my last post, we've flown from Brisbane to Christchurch (New Zealand)......and who thought that children SHOULDN'T be given meds on a day time flight? Well we won't be making that mistake on the way home. Let's just say that the flight was plenty long enough for the patience (or lack thereof?) of our munchkins and their accompanying entourage.

Christchurch was lovely, we took in the gorgeous Botanical Gardens, the Gondola (loved it), the lovely fishies and chippies at Lyletton and the weather was magnificent.

Then across the plains to Franz Josef Glacier. Sounds so simple doesn't it? How many times was Ethan car sick between Christchurch and Franz Josef? Four. Doesn't sound like a lot but at Hokitika I went supermarket shopping for towels. Forget jade, glass and all the things Hokitika is famous for - give me towels!

Franz Josef started with me waking up to find Georgia ill with gastro but at least Ethan was well by then. Luke went helicoptering and quad biking while our dear friend Nicole (who was travelling with us) and I ran what felt like a hospital ward in a motel room. How many loads of washing did we do that day? So many I can't remember!

We tried to charter a plane to get grey coloured Georgia and car chuck boy Ethan to Queenstown without the drive from Franz Josef but the $2500+ price tag was enough to fortify us that it could be done, and by car. Damn I wish I was rich! But we made it with all stomachs in tact - hooray!

Queenstown was lovely. Georgia did the 'zoom bungy' (kid bungy....aka trampoline) just about every day, we fed ducks, we spent lots of time in various playgrounds and we thoroughly enjoyed the GORGEOUS lake view from our apartment. Luke and Nicole went on the bungy swing (no I didn't do it, no I didn't think about it, for goodness sake you think I'd part with cash to do that - oui!!), everyone other than me went on the luge at the top of the Skyline Gondola (I was enjoying the sun, the view and was happy minding the bags), Luke went paragliding (Georgia was VERY ticked off to be told - repeatedly - that she couldn't go....next time sweetie!), AND I got to visit Pumpkin Patch...twice. What a great town.

We very sadly but Mrs Nic on a plane home to Brisbane on Saturday (sob, weep, oh how we miss her!).

Today (Monday) we packed up our toys, clothes, toiletries, food, towels (got to love those slightly used Hokitika towels!), the two strollers, various coats and all the other bits that make our van very, very full and we have driven the 'short' trip...only took us 4-1/2 hours....from Queenstown to Mt Cook.

Wow, this place is gorgeous. Despite low cloud we've been able to see glaciers from our hotel room. Our children are going to grow up with such a bizarre sense of normal.....Mum, can I go parachuting today - please? (No) Look Mum, the cloud has moved and I can see the glacier. (Wow Georgia...amazing). Mum, can we go on a gondola tomorrow - pleeeeeeeeease. (No Georgia, no more gondolas and besides you've been on them in two cities already on this trip). Yes, just like standard 'ordinary' kids speak - not.

Tomorrow we will take in the gorgeousness of Mt Cook and Wednesday it is on the road again back to Christchurch. All going well, we'll be home at Ashgrove on Friday night.

Love to all....except if you Aurelie and Nico in which case I'm saying Au Revoir as I have no idea what love to all is in French :)

Michelle (the pyjama clad blogger!!)