The Bridge to Nowhere

28 April - We had an easy one hour walk from Puketotara hut down to the Whanganui River to wait for our jet boat to arrive.

A misty morning - view from Puketotara hut

First views of Whanganui River

The river's edge - no jetty here!

Waiting in the warm sun for our jet boat.  Several kayakers passed us heading down river.

Mangapurua landing - start of the walk to the Bridge to Nowhere

The Bridge to Nowhere

Our group on the bridge

Our local guide and jet boat driver - Thomas

Down the river by jet boat to Pipiriki - our cars had been moved for us and were waiting there for our drive home

Matemateaonga Walkway 25-28 April

We drove in two cars to Stratford.  Here Dave Digby from East Taranaki Experiences drove us in to the start of the track, in remote inland Taranaki.

Eight of us at the start of the track - it was raining at first but our coats soon came off and we enjoyed good tramping weather over the four days.

Just 1 1/2 hours to our first hut - Omaru hut.

Day 2 - a 45 minute side trip up Mount Humphries for some great views.

Lunch on the track

Owen inspects wreckage from a plane crash.  It was a top dressing plane that crashed in 1974.  The wreckage was not found until 1986.

Overnight stop at Pouri hut.  We walked 15km today.

Last night on the track at Puketotara hut.  This was our longest day - 21 km.

Puketotara hut

Cheese and nibbles before dinner

Just one hour down to the Whanganui River from here.  We walked 40km over three days.  The terrain was surprisingly easy and was mostly flat.

School holidays - Isla and Brielle in PN - Put your body to the test

We went back to Te Manawa with Lynda, Karlos and Nicholas to visit "Put your body to the test".

Everybody, including the adults, had a lot of fun.

Beginning the journey through the intestines

End of journey, the sign said "Look out toilet, here I come"

Isla practising Maori stick challenges with Karlos - trying to keep up with the filmed movements

Test your strength

School holidays - Isla and Brielle in PN - getting outside

First to the Esplanade playground with Karlos and Nicholas

Then orienteering in the Esplanade...

Well some of the time...

 Mini golf in Feilding in the afternoon.  Isla excelled herself by scoring a hole in one!

School holidays - Isla and Brielle in PN - Te Manawa

21-24 April - we had Isla and Brielle staying with us.
One of their favourite places is the indoor area at Te Manawa.

A short stay in Picton

3 - 5 April

Aria loved using Royce's iPhone - photo taken on it

Playground at Waikawa bay - Aria worked hard on this flying fox and was able to do it by herself before too long

A favourite activity with Dad - visiting the "beauty parlour",  having her nails done

Aria helps Nana find a geocache

A short trip to the West coast

 1- 3 April  After the orienteering finished we carried on through Arthurs Pass to Greymouth.  The next day we continued to St Arnaud with a lengthy stop exploring Reefton.  Then it was on to Picton along the Wairau valley - the only wet day of our Easter holiday.

A line-up approaching Greymouth

Greymouth beach

Looking for a geocache took us to this spectacular confluence of two rivers just north of Murchison

One of Owen's photos