Back in time

Garage on the main highway south

Jo's new shoes

Jo bought some snazzy sumer golf shoes on a trip to the USA recently and was all set to show them off today. After she put them on they didn't feel quite right. She then discovered that they were different sizes, but thats not all -  they are both left feet!

Quake Damage

First time I've been around town since I arrived home. Discovered  there are a few buildings that have Earthquake damage including this bar and Restaurant that has been closed because cracks.

Fiery Del

Fiery Del looks  pretty happy to be home from the Vet in ChCh. Another very promising horse with a problem but hopefully this can be fixed.

Editor

 Printing out the golf club minutes under the supervision of the editor. All appears to be OK here Jac.

Florence

100 year old tree in the domain. Planted in September 1910 in  remembrance of Florence Nightingale

Soup for two!

Friends  from Southland came up for the races today and we capped the day off with a great meal to night.

Wendy and Alistair had to share the seafood chowder.

Free Range

Back for more free range eggs today but sold out. These girls just cant keep up with the demand.

Lunch

Back at golf and Liz's great catering

Grave yard

CRT Monitors things of the past already.

Buzzo

Buzzo Bumble is pretty busy at Te Awa Awa reserve.

Going Home

Junk Mail

This is the 2nd lot today and its the same stuff!

Wisteria

When I left nearly 8 weeks ago everything was pretty bleak in the garden, this was a great sight to come home to even if the temperature isn't quite what we have been used to!

3 cats

Last time I came home from a trip we had lost a cat.  This time it appears we have gained one. Liam, a chocolate Burmese lives next door but has decided that its much more fun at our place.

5 cakes in one day!

As there were a couple of birthdays in the last day or so our travel agent ordered "special meals" for us with the airline which turned out to be birthday cakes. All nicely presented with china plates and cake forks and an excited stewardess with a Polaroid camera to record the moment.  One each for both Sue and I on the Dubai to Bangkok leg which the four of us managed to eat half of one. Then one more each on the Bangkok to Sydney leg which we had no choice but to ditch in the rubbish at Sydney.  Surprise! we get another one on the Sydney to NZ leg which we once again had to pose for photos with  before saying share it amongst the crew.

Last Day

Decided to spend our last day just chilling out by the pool and a bit of pampering

The Creek

As part of the hop on hop off bus tour we also got a voucher for a cruise on the Creek which as a very relaxed way to see even more of the city.

Dubai Mall

Picture says it all really.  Had to buy new luggage to get the shopping home.

Dune Safari

 

Celebrated my birthday out in the desert on a Dune safari and an Arabian meal.

Dubai

Took a hop on hop off double decker bus tour of Dubai today, great way to see the place.  New mono rail has been built since I was here last. looks like fog but its actually heat haze.

Leaving Israel

Tel Aviv from the air as we fly out on our way to Dubai after lots of questions at the airport on where we have been etc. Also Anna was unfortunate enough to get picked for a very thorough random bag search which resulted in a late check in for her and consequently her bag got lost in the system for a few days.  Not a very nice experience for her.

Tel Aviv

Arrived in Tel Aviv to find that we couldn't get into our hotel room till late in the afternoon.  But not to worry we just lay on the beach which is just across the road.  A great place and so very different from Jerusalem. 

Shadow

Dead Sea

 Got really messy and had a lot of laughs at the Dead Sea today. Its so high in salt and minerals that you simply cant sink and the mud is supposed to be good for your skin.  Very bad to put you head under, I have a small cut on my finger and it stung like crazy.

Market

Prowled the market in the old city today with my camera.  This is oregano of different colours, he gave me a taste. You know you are in the holy land when you see the t shirts!

Jerusalem

Quite a graphic monument at the Holocaust museum we visited.

Jerash

 The old Roman city of Jerash was this mornings excursion. Could'nt work out the significance of these guys playing the bagpipes.

We leave Jordan tomorrow for Israel, the last leg of our trip before the stop over in Dubai to spend any money we may have left over!

Crash

Now in Amman. enjoying a nice cold drink after a long bus ride and there was a crash outside our window.
He may be bigger but the other guy has got a bigger gun

Petra

 Visited the ancient city of Petra today, more than 2000 years old. Temples, tombs and public buildings carved into the rock.  The colours of the rock have to be seen to believed.  We had a 4 km walk in which was down hill but the walk out was pretty hot thirsty work in 35 degres. There is another cave  near the entrance at the top which just happens to have been turned into a bar and a large cold beer went down really well.

Wadi Rum

Spent a couple of hours in beat up toyota trucks touring Wadi Rum today. Amazing place. Its where Lawrence of Arabia spent a fair bit of time and also where the movie was filmed.