From Queenstown to Lake Taupo

I felt really sad to be leaving Queenstown on Saturday. It was an early start for our flight; we said our goodbyes to David and Chanel, whose flight to Christchurch was in the afternoon, and set off for the airport. I love Queenstown airport - it's just the right size to have a few nice wee shops and eateries, but small enough that you don't have to walk far to the gates. Our flights were via Auckland to Lake Taupo so our journey took most of the morning, it was very pleasant and we napped and read our books. 

By lunchtime we had arrived in sunny and breezy Lake Taupo and collected our hire car. The apartment which Jamie booked for us is brilliant; right on the lake, spacious and smart, with a swimming pool. Once we had settled in, we went for a walk along the lakeside about fifteen minutes into the little town, where we had a drink. Aisling and I had a swim later and discovered to our gratification that there is also a hot tub! We could see a planet beside the moon; James checked and told us that it is Jupiter. The day was rounded off with a delicious Italian dinner at The Vine. 

Milford Sound

On Friday we all went by plane to Milford Sound. There are not enough superlatives to describe the day! What really made it extra special was the excellent weather; the sky was completely blue and the mountain tops were covered with snow so the views were spectacular. We boarded a little plane which took us on an amazing forty minute journey from Queenstown to Milford Sound. Jamie had phoned ahead to arrange for James to sit at the front beside the pilot! We went over the snowy mountains and looked down into steep valleys. We circled over the sea and it got a bit bumpy as the wind caught us! Then we went on a boat tour that took us right to the mouth of the Sound; the sides are really steep with waterfalls cascading down. The crew were very friendly and chatted to us about all the geology and plant life; we even saw a penguin on the water. There were complimentary hot drinks and cookies on the boat which was a really nice touch. As we are a bit "out of season" the boat was very uncrowded which meant that we could wander freely inside and on the deck, taking photos and enjoying the view. And then back we went on the plane for another amazing flight. What a day! 

Later we had a very special dinner at Ivy and Lola's restaurant.

Steamer on Lake Wakatipu

The weather was more mixed on Thursday but the boys were very keen to ski so off they went for what sounds like a rather hair-raising day of wild skiing. Us girls had a much more relaxing day. We had brunch (of course!) and then indulged in a bit of shoe shopping. We then had drinks in a roof top bar which was gorgeous, heated by wood burning stoves and fires. At 4 p.m. the boys joined us for a sailing on the steamship TSS Earnshaw on the lake, which Chanel treated us to. They were cutting it fine after their skiing but made it just in time and came running on to the ship! It was a great way to see the mountains, the lake and the town, it is such an attractive area. You could also go into an area with a metal grille floor right above the engine room where you could observe all the workings of the engine; the coal being shovelled in etc. 

In the evening we had dinner in town in a nice grill house restaurant and had a very pleasant chat.

Happy Christmas in July!

On Wednesday 25th we went back to the Remarkables for another day of lovely skiing. The weather was fabulous. The resort was promoting a "July Christmas" so lots of the staff were dressed up in festive costumes! This time Chanel did not have a lesson and went to ski with David to practise her skills. They had a fantastic time going down blues and greens. Like me, Chanel's favourite run was the Sugar Bowl with its wide slopes and great views. I am delighted at how much her skiing has progressed. We all met up for a drink in the Ice Bar on the mountainside - great fun in great company. 

Later on we walked from our apartment down the hill to have a walk around the town; James and I had a drink sitting outside a bar overlooking the lake (it had an overhead heater which made it feel quite cosy) the young folk brought us Fergburgers later and we all watched a film - Guardians of the Galaxy - which we all enjoyed.

Skiing at The Remarkables

On Tuesday morning we decided to go to a different ski area near Queenstown; The Remarkables. The access road was very steep with many switchback turns but Jamie drive it brilliantly. Chanel and I booked another lesson this time with an instructor called Lewis. He took Chanel on a blue run and she was even better than yesterday. After our lesson she went to ski with David and they had a great time. Meanwhile James, Jamie and Aisling gave me a tour of the very attractive ski area. I was quite happy with my skiing and the snow quality was really good. It was a splendid day. 

And it was not over yet! Our next destination was the Onsen Hot Pools, a treat which Aisling had booked. What fun! Each private hot tub was for up to four people so Aisling had booked two. Each hot tub was in a spacious three sided room, lit by candles, and one side was open to the mountains. The views were wonderful. We divided ourselves into a boy group and a girl group, although we swapped around later! We were also given drinks and snacks. The water in the hot tub was lovely and hot and we immersed ourselves in the water and chatted and took in the views as the sun set and the light faded. It was absolute bliss. 

Patagonia ice cream

Monday morning in Queenstown was quite snowy, but that wasn't going to put us off skiing! We went back up to Coronet Peak and Chanel and I had our lesson while the others went off exploring. Again Chanel was really good, however she had some trouble with her boots which Michelle was very helpful in sorting out. By the end of the lesson Chanel was able to take a chairlift and ski down a green / blue run. James, Jamie, Aisling and David joined us for a run later. It was a good ski day all round; the snow eventually gave way to partly blue sky and we saw fantastic views of the lake at Queenstown with mountains beyond. 

After a quick visit to the supermarket, where we stocked up on groceries and toilet rolls, Jamie cooked us a delicious meal of spaghetti bolognese. David provided a bottle of his favourite wine Gert's Blend sparkling Shiraz, which he and Chanel brought from Australia. After dinner we went to Patagonia, a famous ice cream shop recommended by Aisling. It was fantastic! First you choose the flavour of your ice cream, which is on a lolly stick. Then you choose the kind of chocolate that it is dipped in, and finally an extra topping if desired - I chose dark chocolate ice cream dipped in dark chocolate, with toasted coconut topping. The others chose just about every combination possible! It was amazing!

Skiing at Coronet Peak

On Sunday morning we woke to a beautiful sunny day in Queenstown. Jamie went to the airport at 8.30 a.m. to pick up David and Chanel and soon we were all having a celebratory breakfast together.

We decided to get the ski hire sorted out straight away. This involved the usual footering about, but the people in the hire shop were very efficient and soon we were loading six sets of skis, boots etc into the car. And off we set to nearby Coronet Peak  for our first afternoon of skiing!

James, Jamie, Aisling and Davie took off to the high slopes, and Chanel and I booked ourselves on a lesson for two. This was very much following the successful strategy I used when Cat was learning to ski in Belle Plagne two years ago; it's more companionable to have two people taking a lesson together, and I find it useful to brush up on my technique. It worked well this time too. Our instructor was Michelle, a very friendly lady of about my age, and while she didn't have Jérémie's boyish charm (Cat, remember our gorgeous Jérémie?) she was kind and experienced and quickly picked up on what we were looking for. Chanel was a star, she learned to turn very quickly and Michelle responded to that by teaching her more. Meanwhile she gave me other things to practise. It all went so well that we booked another lesson for the next day. We skied until the lifts closed at 4, then back to the apartment where we had a convivial evening of pizza, chat, and a film (The Man from Uncle). 

Journey to Queenstown

It rained relentlessly in Dunedin overnight from Friday to Saturday. In the morning, I got a phone call very early from David. He and Chanel whose flight from Australia had just arrived in Christchurch. However all flights to Queenstown on Saturday were cancelled and no more were available for at least two days. There were no buses running due to the flooding. I advised them to book into a hotel so that they could relax, warm and dry, while they considered their options. That's exactly what they did; and also by checking online they discovered that they could transfer to a flight from Christchurch to Queenstown on Sunday morning. When they asked the Air New Zealand desk clerk why they had been told there was a two day wait, she was very defensive and said that they use a "different system" which seems very inefficient! 

So that was great news, and next the rest of us had to plan how we would get to Queenstown. In the morning all roads out of Dunedin were closed, so we went over to St Clair for brunch at Starfish. When in doubt, go for brunch! It was very pleasant and the sea was absolutely spectacular, with huge waves crashing onto the beach. By early afternoon one road opened and so we set off westwards. The journey was interesting to say the least! Large sections of road were partially flooded, we had to navigate past small landslides and some edges of the road were washed away. The rivers were overflowing and the fields had turned into shallow lakes. However when we were driving along the main road we saw a sign which informed us that the road was closed ahead due to snow. We debated whether to risk it but we all agreed that it would be more sensible to follow the officially open route. Unfortunately this turned a three hour drive into a five hour drive! However Jamie and then James did a valiant job of driving. The snowiest point was going over the Lindis pass, by which time it was completely dark! At last we arrived in Queenstown and found our apartment. Jamie had researched and booked it and my goodness he did a good job! The apartment is absolutely gorgeous, immaculate, on three levels and overlooking the lake. The decor is beautiful. We walked down the short but steep path to the centre of town and Jamie and Aisling showed us around the attractive and lively centre. Then we bought burgers from the hugely popular "Fergburger" (there is always a queue outside it!) and ate them back at the apartment before retiring, exhausted, to our very comfy beds.

Flooding

On Friday we woke to rain in Dunedin. Quite a lot of rain in fact. So much rain that we decided to plan some indoor activities. We started with brunch at the Vogel Street Café - Dunedin has an impressive amount of excellent eateries - and then went to the Dunedin museum. It is a really good museum, and I learned a lot about the early settlers in the area, many of whom were Scottish. How brave they must have been to set off on the three month voyage with all their belongings in a small trunk, probably never to return to Scotland again. 

In the afternoon Jamie suggested that we go on a tour of the local brewery, Emersons. What a tremendous idea that turned out to be! Emersons was started by a Dunedin guy, and it has grown since the early 1990s until it moved to a brand new purpose built building last year. The knowledgable and enthusiastic young guide took us through the whole process of brewing and then led a tasting session of six beers. We continued this in the friendly adjoining bar, and ended up ordering dinner there too. It was a really lovely evening. When we eventually left the brewery, it was raining harder than ever. The gutters had turned into rivers. And when we checked the weather reports we discovered that all of the roads out of Dunedin were closed due to flooding. Then David phoned from Melbourne in Australia to tell us that his and Chanel's flight the next morning from Christchurch to Queenstown was cancelled due to the bad weather. At that point it wasn't even clear whether their Melbourne to Christchurch overnight flight would be able to go ahead. How were we all going to get to our next destination of Queenstown? To find out, check the next thrilling instalment of my blog! 

Reunited in Dunedin

On Thursday we drove from Rotorua to Auckland Airport, returned our hired car without incident, and had a remarkably tasty lunch at a café in the domestic terminal. When we landed at Dunedin we had planned to collect our hired car and drive to Jamie and Aisling's house. But as we came down the escalator there they both were, waiting to meet us! It was so sweet of them and it was so lovely to see them! Emotional scenes ensued.

After collecting our luggage and the car (a roomy Nissan Pathfinder) Jamie and Aisling took us to the Esplanade Café at St Clair where we got some coffees "to go" and went for a walk along the beach before heading to their house in Roslyn. It is a gorgeous house perched high on a hill above Dunedin. Its bedrooms are downstairs and its living room is upstairs with amazing views of the town. 

We chatted over a cup of tea. Words just cannot express the happiness I felt at seeing Jamie and Aisling after eleven months. Thank goodness that we have been able to use FaceTime to communicate with them over the months, but it's not the same as being with them in person.

Later Aisling treated us to an absolutely delicious dinner at Balmac no.7, a fabulous restaurant. 

A Wednesday walk in Rotorua

On our second and last day in Rotorua on Wednesday, we woke to a warm, misty drizzle. So we decided that a forest walk would be ideal as it would give us a bit of shelter. 

We went to the Whakarewarewa Forest on the outskirts of town, which is famed for its Redwood trees and they are very beautiful. There are lots of different trails to choose from; we chose the Pohaturoa trail which is about seven and a half km. It started off through the forest and then rose to a couple of lookout points from which we could see the sprawling town of Rotorua below us with the lake beyond. It's a surreal view with steam rising all around from fumaroles and hot springs. It was a really good walk, and on our way the rain stopped and the sun came out.

We spent the afternoon back at the Polynesian Spa. It's just so relaxing and it will be a long time before we get the chance to go again. This time we had the chance to sit on the delightful but very popular geothermally-heated poolside recliners before we left. I have really enjoyed our two days in the touristy but friendly and fascinating - and sulphurous - Rotorua. 

Polynesian Spa

We arrived at the famous Rotorua Polynesian Spa mid-afternoon and stayed there until it was dark. I love a spa, and I love being in water outside, and this spa provided both. Although he says that he wouldn't go out of his way to visit one, James is not averse to the occasional spa, luckily for me! The Polynesian Spa is quite a big place and we could choose from various options but we went for the "lake pools" which vary from 36 degrees C to 42 degrees C and overlook Lake Rotorua, which is rather lovely. There are about six different pools of different temperatures which are fed by various springs. The Priest Spring is slightly acidic and is good for aches and pains. The Rachel Spring on the other hand is alkaline and allegedly blesses bathers with "an ageless beauty". No wonder Rotorua's spa retreats have been popular since Victorian times. Hopefully readers will notice a big difference in James' and my agility and good looks on our return to Scotland! 

We drifted around in the warm (or very hot!) waters for hours, as the light dimmed into night and the lights came on, twinkling around the lake. It was very relaxing. Later we strolled from our hotel to the nearby- and aptly named - Eat Street, where we had a tasty dinner in one of its many restaurants. We seem to be more or less used to New Zealand time, with the exception that we both inexplicably wake up at 3 a.m. although we do get back to sleep.

A Tuesday in Rotorua

We have been having so much fun in Rotorua that I haven't had time to blog. So I'm blogging in the rental car as James drives us to Auckland airport. 

"Why drive the three hours back to Auckland Airport when Rotorua has its own perfectly good regional airport?" I hear you cry. Well that's a very good question. When we started booking our holiday we didn't realise that there were plenty of airports and just assumed that we would have to route through Auckland. Luckily the rest of our journey was planned by Jamie who knows the area! 

While I am digressing, I must mention that while we were at Auckland Harbour I tripped over a metal sign that was outside a restaurant and the corner of it jagged right into my thigh. It was so sore that I felt momentarily nauseous. It didn't break the skin but I do have a magnificent bruise on my leg!

So when we arrived in Rotorua we were spoiled for choice of what to do - it's a tourist area and many experiences are on offer, such as visiting volcanic areas, Maori culture, and of course the spas for which Rotorua is renowned. We perused our trusty guidebook as well as the leaflets kindly provided by the Regent of Rotorua hotel and chose a couple of activities for our two days in the area.

On our first morning we wanted to go for a bit of a hike so we went to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley. This turned out to be fascinating. The valley as it is now was formed by a huge eruption by the Tarawera Volcano in 1886. We got a map at the visitor centre and set off on our hike along the valley to the lake. The weather was dry and rather warm. The views were spectacular; the native forest and plant life has regenerated over the years so it is very green and fertile with hot water springs and lakes bubbling away. The turquoise water in Inferno Crater is amazing and there are lots of fern trees. We saw wee fantails flying about as well as big New Zealand wood pigeons. In the soil we could see sulphur and alum crystals which tasted bitter when we put them on our tongues. After walking for two hours we arrived at Lake Rotomahana where we took a boat cruise - we were the only passengers! In fact the whole place was very quiet and the boat driver told us that it's much busier in the summer, which made me quite glad that we have come here off season. The cruise was great; there was lots of steam gouting from fumaroles around the lake and gorgeous black swans were swimming around elegantly. Since the 1886 eruption the lake has been twenty times its original size so the remnants of the pink and white bathing terraces used by Victorian visitors are far beneath the surface. Back at the visitor centre we had soup for a late lunch and planned the rest of our day.

It was a no brainer. We had to go to the Polynesian Spa for a soak!

A morning in Auckland

We awoke much refreshed after eleven hours of sleep. James made me a very welcome coffee and brought it to me in bed. After checking out of the hotel we set off into the morning sunshine to explore more of Auckland. First of all we went up the Skytower, which is right outside the hotel. Us Andersons just love to get to the highest point of anywhere and it did not disappoint! The 360 degree views of Auckland were spectacular and we were able to pick out the route that we walked yesterday. We then went back down to the harbour and this time we walked along to the left; it's a really lovely port with lots of yachts, cafés and a roped off area for swimming. It's the school winter break here so there were lots of families with children using their scooters and bikes, as well as joggers and older people, which made for a happy, vibrant atmosphere. We had lunch in a great wee seafood restaurant called "Jack Tar" right on the wharf, where we could see a wee seaplane landing and taking off.

We left Auckland mid afternoon, after obtaining our hire car with some difficulty. It was supposed to be dropped off at the hotel (which was stated clearly on our confirmation) but due to a mix up we had to take a taxi to their office. I was annoyed not so much by the mix up as by the delay, because we had a three hour drive ahead of us. Finally we set off although we had to stop shortly thereafter to work out how to switch off the parking brake. James heroically drive the whole way. It was interesting to see a bit of the New Zealand countryside; it was quite like that of Scotland- and yet somehow not - the only reason we could think of is that the hills seem sharper edged as if they are less weathered. Also the vegetation was very lush for wintertime. By the time we got to Rotorua it was dark, so we will start to explore the area tomorrow. 

Long flight

I knew that it would be a long way to New Zealand, but it was not until actually going on the journey that I really understood just how far it would feel! I can't fault Emirates Airlines; the seats were comfy and fairly spacious, and we had a huge choice of films to watch as well as being fed and watered throughout both flights. But, my oh my, what a long journey! The first flight was about seven and a half hours from Glasgow to Dubai, but the second flight was nearly sixteen hours! On the second flight I watched two films (Gifted and Table 19 - both very good in different ways) and about six comedy television programmes. Now, you would think this would be heaven for me, and I did enjoy it, but it was too much all at once. I also read my book and managed a couple of hours more sleep. Anyway, at last we arrived in Auckland at about 10.30 am NZ time although in our heads it was very confusing and felt like night time.

We decided that if at all possible we would stay awake all day in order to get in tune with Nee Zealand time, and that's what we did. After checking into our hotel (the Skycity Grand - extremely nice) we set off for the attractive harbour area, where we had a light lunch sitting outside a lovely wee café. The weather was 11 degrees and sunny; we soon got rid of our jumpers and walked along in our t shirts. We then wended our way up the hill to Auckland Domain Park and the Auckland War Memorial Museum. This was well worth a visit. The park is large and pleasant with a slightly tropical feel to its trees and plants. Set in a slope overlooking the city, the museum was very interesting. There was a section about the history of the Maori people with huts and boats as well as beautiful carvings. The display about volcanoes and earthquakes was good too, complete with a room which recreated what it would be like if a volcano erupted in Auckland bay, including sound, film and alarming movement! 

On the top floor there were exhibitions about New Zealand in the 1st and 2nd World Wars. It was very moving. In the 1st World War, one out of five eligible New Zealanders went to fight; proportionately more than the one in seven in the United Kingdom. There was a Spitfire and a Japanese Zero, replicas of trenches, and lots of information about people who were involved.

When we left the museum we decided to return to the hotel by a circuitous route, to void going back down to the harbour. Crazed with tiredness, this turned into a bit of a magical mystery tour, but James bravely navigated us across a motorway (on a footbridge!) and through the university district back to our hotel. We FaceTimed Jamie and Aisling and valiantly managed to stay awake until nearly 8 p.m!

Dubai transit

A wee blog from Dubai! Yes, at last we are on our way to New Zealand. Friday was a busy day; I had to take Tom to the cattery in the morning which was awful. As soon as he saw the cat carrier he knew what was going to happen and resisted going into it by clinging to me like a toddler. Then he cried in the car all the way to the cattery. I felt so guilty but at least he will be safe. 

My next stop was an overdue trip to the hairdressers, which was rather pleasant and relaxing complete with coffee and tablet. Then I did a shopping for Grandma and took it round to her after also picking up batteries for her hearing aids.,she was in the middle of folding up a washing and she looked really well; she seems to be getting a wee bit stronger every day. 

Back at home (too quiet without Tom) I finished setting up Grandma's care arrangements and emptied the fridges and tidied round. I also had a phone conversation with (my sister) Jennifer during which she again gave me excellent advice - the trust and loyalty that we have are so important. By the time James came home everything was ready. 

Our first flight went smoothly; I watched a film called "Manchester by the Sea" which was watchable but very downbeat and had borrowed heavily from "The Descendants" and Kenneally's "Woman of the Inner Sea." Then I managed to get a couple of welcome hours of sleep. And now we are sitting in our Airbus A380 and will shortly be taking off for our non stop flight to Auckland in New Zealand! We are very lucky to have a row of three seats just for our two selves, so we have lots of room and will attempt to get some more sleep during the flight.

Graduation

Well it has been a lovely week which has absolutely flown by. There has been lots of time spent setting up Grandma's care package, shopping for Grandma, and just spending a bit of time with Grandma. I have also managed to fit in a bit of socialising with a few very pleasant people and it was really nice to catch up with them - I do like a nice lunch or coffee with friends! Or dinner! 

On Monday we were invited to Cat's graduation dinner in Edinburgh. Our beautiful girl is an honours graduate Mechanical Engineer! She and Ally arrived back from their Antipodean adventures on Sunday. Cat looked totally stunning in her graduation robes with a gorgeous blue dress underneath. We met Cat, Ally, Christine and Gerry after the photo session on the steps of the Museum of Scotland, and went for dinner at the "Cellar Door" nearby. The restaurant was excellent; great service and a tasty Scottish menu. It was a very happy evening and we felt very honoured to have been invited to this special occasion. 

Good and bad

It has been a funny old week. There have been lots of good things - well it's great to be on holiday! I have met up with a few people for coffees or lunches which has been lovely, and it has been really good spending time with James this weekend. We went to the cinema last night to see "Despicable Me 3" which James found enormously funny and I found mildly amusing!

However the past week has also been overshadowed by worry about Grandma's health. The doctors have had difficulty getting rid of her infection because she is resistant to many antibiotics. And just when we thought that she was sorted out, her blood pressure has dropped so she has been kept in hospital over the weekend, which has made her very unhappy. One good thing was that we took one of her friends up to visit her on Wednesday evening and they both really enjoyed that. She is looking much more healthy now and we're hoping that she will get home at the beginning of the week. 

The other thing that has been bothering me is back pain. My back has been very sore on the lower left hand side for about a week. I don't know what caused it. I don't usually get a sore back - with the exception of several times in my late thirties - so I certainly didn't expect it, and have treated it as best I could with codeine, ibuprofen, paracetamol and hot & cold pads. Jennifer gave me an exercise to do (lying on back on floor with knees drawn up, feet on floor hip distance apart, head supported by one inch thick book) which has also helped. But the pain has dragged me down; it has been pretty constant. And then last night when I was getting ready for bed, I noticed that the pain had disappeared. I can still feel a sort of "thick" feeling where it was, but it's not sore. How strange. This morning it's still ok. I am pleased but a bit wary, and I will be very careful not to strain it again. 

Lost and found

A long time ago - perhaps thirty years ago - I read a short story which for some reason really made an impression on me. It was set in the late 19th or perhaps early 20th century, and was about two sisters whose domineering father had recently died, and who were unsure of what to do with their new freedom. It was very well written and stayed with me. Years later I wanted to read it again but, try as I might, I couldn't find it. I asked around the English teachers in my school (all I could describe was the plot because I could remember neither title nor author), and looked up collections of short stories, all without success. I wondered if it might have been written by Henry James, but I perused his short stories to no avail.

And then, just as I had given up all hope, I found it! Last week I was browsing around various "reading blogs" looking for ideas for holiday reading, and I came across a review of the Collected Short Stories of Katherine Mansfield, a New Zealand writer who also spent time living in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. One of her short stories is called "The Daughters of the late Colonel" and i realised immediately that it is the very one that I have been searching for! I have downloaded all of Katherine Mansfield's short stories to my Kindle and look forward to reading them. I am so excited about this!

The Royal Mile

Today I went to the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award ceremony at Holyrood Palace. Some of the local D of E team were also there and we had a very pleasant time; I had a nice chat with Cheryl in the car on the way through. The weather forecast was foreboding but we were very lucky and it stayed dry for us. Prince Philip has recently announced his impending retirement (at age 96!) so this will probably have been the last time that he attends the ceremony. When the prince was chatting to our group, the Scottish news presenter Jackie Bird asked him if he was looking forward to retirement & he said "Well I'm not in my coffin yet!" He is very sharp!

After lunch I walked up the Royal Mile to the Castle. As it happens I saw a programme about geology just the other night, which described the hard volcanic plug on which Edinburgh Castle stands. This plug split an encroaching glacier many thousands of years ago, and forced it to deposit its debris behind it, resulting in what is called a "crag and tail" formation, looking a bit like a tadpole. So the Royal Mile sits on the ridge of the "tail" as it slopes gently down towards the Scottish Parliament building and Holyrood Palace. As I strolled backed down the hill after a reviving coffee, I mused on the ancient rocks beneath my feet.

Bonnie bonnie banks

On Friday we went to Carolyn and Euan's wedding. It was a lovely day. Everything about it was perfect, from the bride's dress to the delicious food and excellent band. The wedding took place at a venue called the Cruin, which was really outstanding because it is right on the banks of Loch Lomond. The day was warm and the ceremony took place outside, overlooking the water. It was very moving; Carolyn's Mum gave her away because her  beloved Dad died some years ago. After the ceremony we were all treated to a cruise on Loch Lomond which was great fun. The tables for dinner were all named after stops on the West Highland Way (ours was Bridge of Orchy) and the food had a Scottish theme; I loved the Irn Bru sorbet! During his speech Euan paid tribute to Carolyn's Dad, saying that although they never met he thought that they would have got on well, and that he hoped that her Dad would have approved of him as Carolyn's choice of husband. I wasn't the only person in tears at that point! The people at our table for dinner were fun and it was particularly nice to see Shona, who was a very beautiful bridesmaid, with her gorgeous wee daughter Eva. It goes without saying that Carolyn looked absolutely stunning, and she and her new husband were really happy. At the end of the evening the last song was Runrig's version of Loch Lomond which was a fantastic song as well as very appropriate to the setting. 

Plans

My school holidays have continued to be very pleasant. Michael, Lil, Heather and Ewan came round for dinner last night and it was a lovely relaxing evening. Then today James and I went for a leisurely walk at Troon. We walked from the golf course along the beach into town, had brunch at the Venice Café, and then strolled back along the beach, chatting all the while. 

However, with two weeks until we set off for New Zealand, I want to get into more of a routine, starting tomorrow. I would like to take more exercise (no excuses now that I'm on holiday!) and get on with at least some of my many plans for the future. It's also useful that I'm able to visit Grandma in hospital in the afternoons this week; we're hoping that she will be able to come home soon.