Posted by It’s April already. A whole year-and-a-bit have passed since I scratched (tapped) something out into this digital noticeboard thing. Oh I’ve been prolific in other digital places; Facebook, Twitter and so on, but nothing here in this wee record of existence. In fact I have probably been way too prolific in those other areas, but such is my way. Never one for moderation.
Life is pretty good, thanks. Big adjustment this year has been the departure of our second child to University life. It is just the three of us at home now, “rattling” around our five bedroom home. Katie is enjoying the unfettered attention of her parents, but missing her big sisters.
Travel has continued to be the norm. As the introduction suggests it’s only April but so far this year I’ve spent 200 hours in the air, travelled 148,200 kilometres and been to 8 countries. And I’m really only just starting. I have at least 5 more long haul trips (two conferences) and some other activities over the next part of the year.
The exciting focus for the year is the decision and early planning for a family trip to the UK and Ireland at Christmas. We are looking to travel to England with the family, ostensibly to deliver our first born to University there. Annie is looking to do a semester at a UK University as part of her Otago University degrees. We thought it an excellent excuse for a trip and after a few days of sitting by a pool in Singapore, are planning to ‘do’ a winter Christmas and New Years with our extended families in England. We hope to then add on a trip to Ireland to see some of the bits we missed in an earlier trip (mostly in the North). So I spend time in the evenings pottering about Expedia, Airbnb and other travel sites. All good fun. We have a family mini-break after Easter so will talk more about what the girls want to do then. Yes the Harry Potter Experience will be high on the list, I’ve put it there. A Westend show, the Tower of London, all that sort of thing. Basically introducing the girls to the greatest city in the world.
The Land Rover obsession continues unabated. The lovely beastie is off to the Land Rover specialists next week for a regular service. I try to have at least one adventure a week in the machine and each time I do I am the better for it.
We are in the middle of a major storm in New Zealand. Parts of the country are being evacuated as torrential rain causes slips, flooding and mayhem. So far we’ve been lucky and have just had the constant rain outside the window for a week. Makes for cosy nights and for the temptation to make additional trips to the kitchen…
So nothing Earth-shattering in this wee post. Just breaking the seal…
A Mathom House of Sorts 