New Zealand: Hot and Cold

Our next two stops in NZ were hot springs in Hanmer Springs and glaciers in Frans Josephs.  I didn't get any pictures at the springs because technology and water don't mix, but I made up for that with tons of pics on our hike to see the glacier.   

Day spent in Hanmer before swimming.  We played at a park in a creek.  Reminded me of my brother and me playing in the woods growing up.  This is childhood.  

The weather wasn't awesome while at the Frans Joseph, but it was perfect for the hiking.  It was around 6 miles round trip.  There was a lot of complaining going up and nothing coming down.   The water from the glacier was freezing and a milky white due to sediments in the water.

What is so amazing to me was where we were hiking was once where (about a decade ago) the glacier was.  This was do to the glacier moving and world temps raising and the glacier melting.  Sad fact.  However, seeing what the glacier carved out was cool.   Brought back some of the knowledge learned from "Rocks for Jocks" at WSU.  Wade could even recite the different types of rock.  Just don't ask him to physically show you them. 

View from our hostel

One of many waterfalls.

Love them!

Hiking up. 

The glacier. 

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Making rock towers. 

Hiking down. 

The kiwi habitat.  Was saw real kiwis.  Liam loved it.  

New Zealand: Blenheim and Kaikoura

The goal of our trip was to drive around the south island of New Zealand.  After some drama at the airport in Sydney (ticket issues and got stuck there for 12 hours), we made it to Christchurch.  After a short night, we headed north to meet our friends Darcy and Orestis for wine tasting.  Malborough county is wine country specializing in whites.   We had a van tour to about 4 wineries and one brewery...where we ended up staying a while.

Needless to say, not many pictures because we were too busy drinking good wine.

Moa Brewery.  

The next day we headed back south, following the coast to Kaikoura.  I loved Kaikoura.  It was a small beach town with great views.  We spent the day hiking, looking at seals, and drinking more beer.   We also stopped for some awesome roadside crawfish (like a lobster) and steamed blue mussels that I had read about on a blog while researching the trip.   That night we rang in the New Year playing games with new friends and drinking sparkling wine from the day before.   I couldn't picture a better way to welcome 2016!

Nin's Bin.  Right on the coast.

Wade :). 

Our lunch. 

Panaramic view from our hike. 

On top of a hill looking over the ocean. 

Seals everywhere.  We almost stepped on a couple they were so well hidden. 

One of the beaches. 

View from our hostel room. 

Touring the seabeds. 

Kiwis and Ferns

My kids are spoiled!  I won't say brats (maybe sometimes), but I am highly doubtful they understand the travel opportunities they have had. We were looking back at our year and all the places we have seen.  Majority are that "trip of a lifetime" that you save forever for. I guess that happens when you have a mother with a bad case of wanderlust.

New Zealand has been on my list for a while.   It's not a close distance to Asia, but it is the closest I can get to it without heading down under.  It just became a question on when that will happen.

When it is winter is in the States, it is summer in Australia and New Zealand.  It is also their high travel season.  This results in needing to plan early and book at least 6 months to a year in advance. Our planning started early last spring with our travel partners Darcy and Orestis (they are super brave to travel with kids when they have none).

The next couple of post are going to be New Zealand related.  I am going to let the pictures say the words, but will say this place is AMAZING.  Coming from WA, I have seen mountains, rivers, oceans, and everything NZ has to offer.  Wade and I kept saying " This reminds me of ---."  But this place is the HD version of WA and everything all put together in close proximity.  The food is also wonderful (natural, lots of meat, and cheese) and people super nice.

My family should be happy it took me so long to go.  If I didn't have a family of my own, I probably would have never come back.  It was so great, Liam cried the day we had to leave because he wanted to stay. 

Happy Holidays!

When the temps are in the high 80s and you are surrounded by palm trees, getting into the Christmas spirit can be a challenge.    Some friends, along with us, were determine to help it find its way to Singapore.

When I was home in November, I may have gone overboard (oops, I did it again) in buying Christmas supplies.   However, I was on a mission to bring Christmas back in my suitcase.  I paid for it, but it worked.  I also didn't need to do any shopping for the month leading to the holiday and beat the crowds.  That's a definite win to me!

Tall Santa

One of our Christmas missions was to find Santa.  I feel bad that my kids won't have the progression of photos sitting on Santa's lap, but hey, he is an old guy with a beard that normally doing that would cause red flags to signal.   Nevertheless, it would be nice to see him and whisper to him our Christmas wishes.  A friend and I scoped out the Santas in the area and found one at Marina Bay Sands (high class Santa).   He was a tall fellow, but did the job.

After the Santa spotting we headed to Gardens by the Bay for more holiday cheer with the rest of Singapore...literally, thousands of people.  Note to self for next year. 

Cecile and the kids. 

Rides at the Bay.

The $8 Helter Skelter (its a British thing)

Another way to get into the spirit is that one of the items that I brought back with me in my suitcase was a gingerbread house kit.  It was perfect by including five little houses, the icing, and candy.  We had a little decorating party and ate the product for dessert with friend.  The kids enjoyed the sugar high while watching The Grinch and the adults liked the "holiday cheer".

My mom and I also found holiday outfits for the kids while shopping in Nov.   Being cheap, I went with untraditional colors so they can be worn year round.  Amelia wore her's all week!

Christmas outfits. 

Towards the end of the week, the kids sang Christmas songs in Chinese and we found a peace loving Santa (only on Asia) at Universal Studios.   We are missing old traditions, but happy to create new ones.

聖誕快樂

Peace Santa

The kids after Universal Studios.

Right before church. 

Lastly, the night before Christmas, I witnessed a Christmas miracle...Wade went to church!  I must have sweet talked to him through the hamballs I made for dinner that night. 

It was a great holiday and everyone got what they wished for and more.  It always sucks not being home for the holidays and away from family, but with my packed Christmas suitcase, it made it a little easier.

Siem Reap

Five days after landing back in Singapore from Seattle, Wade and I took off to Siem Reap (yeah, mom of the year).   We had booked this trip with Bangkok friends a while ago and it was not refundable.   The goal was the Siem Reap 1/2 marathon.  

With the travel before and Singapore haze months before, my training was not the ideal.  I was going to finish the 13.2 miles, but it was not going to be pretty or for time.   Wade was running the 10k.

Siem Reap is one of the Wonders of the World.  It truly is an amazing place and I am so happy that Wade and I were able to see some of the temples and see how wonderful it is.   As we walked through, all I could think about what it was like in its glory day.   It must have been beautiful.

The time not running was spent eating great food, cheap massages and shopping.   Cambodia reminded me a lot Thailand.  There was street food and similarities in what was being sold in the markets.  There was also an area with a good nightlife, but not as crazy as Bangkok.

I miss tuk tuks. 

The race course. 

Day before race we went and looked at the main temples.

The race:

Early morning start to beat the heat.

Cambodian cheerleaders.

My running partner Darcy.

Quick stop for a picture while on the run.

Wade and I finished.  Not my best time, but I did finish.  2:19.

Caroline once again beat us all. 

Banyan tree temples:  These temples were left untouched for years.   Banyan trees grew in and around them.  Loved this place.