tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58226342871579204222024-03-15T01:38:37.659+13:00Intensive Sharekahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-12395659767144201212012-09-10T17:15:00.001+12:002012-09-10T17:15:38.113+12:00Vladivostok–Of Forts and Furry Animals<p> </p> <p>Friday 24th August</p> <p>Sadly, our time in Vladivostok was only short.  We would be catching the first train of our journey at 10.30pm so that left only one more day of exploring.  Luckily hotel check outs are usually at noon in Russia, so we had time to go out in the morning before packing up and leaving the hotel.  With that in mind, after breakfast we headed to the I M Arsenyev Regional History Museum, a grand building on the crossroads of the main streets of Vladivostok.</p> <p>You have to pay for museum entry in Russia but generally it isn’t much – I think this was about 100Rubles, or NZ$4.  The museum is staffed by sweet little old ladies who speak no English but who will carry on explaining things to you in Russian even if you have no clue what they are saying.  They mill around in each exhibit hall directing you along the route.</p> <p>The first hall was full of stuffed animals, all native wildlife from the region.  There were some slightly baffling displays and some rather strange looking creatures but it was interesting and amusing to look at – it perhaps wasn’t meant to be amusing though?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-njdPa6yBess/UE1rT1ewY-I/AAAAAAAABtI/nz_LCniIjRw/s1600-h/P101035432.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010354" border="0" alt="P1010354" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gM9D3Jog9qI/UE1rVWm1AEI/AAAAAAAABtM/F-Xmq2p-pHg/P10103543_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="320" height="423" /></a></p> <p align="center">I'm late! And I seem to have lost my pocket watch!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cfAyUdMxba0/UE1rWkr8YtI/AAAAAAAABtY/5Ylkd4-AuRg/s1600-h/P101035731.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010357" border="0" alt="P1010357" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GuxAJpbgYwU/UE1rX7vMgUI/AAAAAAAABtg/FmKq9i1VgEE/P10103573_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Some kind of rare vampire deer, found only in Russia...</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3P8nn-2F4E8/UE12n555WpI/AAAAAAAABuE/Q7pJ4QcHKlM/s1600-h/P101036321.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010363" border="0" alt="P1010363" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZyiOxrl6lKc/UE12pSdOZfI/AAAAAAAABuM/Avd0ghr050M/P10103632_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Somewhat bemused looking wolf.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-awsbDOGEbk4/UE12q4LKvfI/AAAAAAAABuU/RKCljgdAo1I/s1600-h/P101036611.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010366" border="0" alt="P1010366" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FfImLCc58fU/UE12sFLO3vI/AAAAAAAABuc/9NXgZB7_gbM/P10103661_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Clearly a community meeting of the forest natives.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZUcnkM1HscE/UE12ta_NDoI/AAAAAAAABuk/l2Qq0Mp1TDo/s1600-h/P101037011.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010370" border="0" alt="P1010370" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6jvVpd1AiDA/UE12un7kBVI/AAAAAAAABuo/WnCgKfLgq4I/P10103701_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">An Amur tiger and a bear having a friendly hug.</p> <p>This museum is huge and I don’t think we actually found all of it.  It seems to wind up and down through stairwells and halls.  There were several other interesting exhibits, including one room full of hand weapons from all over the world, and some bizarre rooms, such as one filled with various kitschy needlework displays and dolls.  There seemed to be some exhibits detailing the early settlers into the area, but it was all in Russian captioning so the details were lost on us. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ERAw6mM7pAw/UE12v6j6VdI/AAAAAAAABu0/pGj05xX2ne0/s1600-h/P101037515.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010375" border="0" alt="P1010375" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u1HbeTgzSHw/UE12w4-aFvI/AAAAAAAABu4/tM4ScuJyZz0/P1010375_thumb12.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a> </p> <p align="center">I thought this model was lovely, perhaps it was a model of one of the settler ships?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HKdKV4smFFU/UE12yZHf4oI/AAAAAAAABvE/CkzJtV9pMXs/s1600-h/P10103814.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010381" border="0" alt="P1010381" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9xfY-c7OF_o/UE12z3egIVI/AAAAAAAABvM/-p1a9DFXZ6s/P1010381_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Time for a cup of tea! Just the right amount!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mpL74z-kjKY/UE121HH440I/AAAAAAAABvU/D1t_asbDq8w/s1600-h/P1010390%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010390" border="0" alt="P1010390" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hmnnmHjvNZo/UE122QYhR_I/AAAAAAAABvY/0jVlhmHcfuw/P1010390_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">A room full of heads!</p> <p>Although not strictly a museum display, we were in awe of this amazing stain glass window which was huge although that is difficult to tell from the photo:</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Gpd0anUEqsg/UE123oDu2nI/AAAAAAAABvk/dg7OR6fN-Es/s1600-h/P10103894.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010389" border="0" alt="P1010389" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Njfvj4JRmpc/UE1246PswoI/AAAAAAAABvs/PNH17jrgnIc/P1010389_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="424" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZC01ZDS4qdE/UE126LJmIXI/AAAAAAAABv0/R9X1YCWram4/s1600-h/P10103884.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010388" border="0" alt="P1010388" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X50_uZgSmLc/UE127MJZ5DI/AAAAAAAABv8/5TTFnf_En3s/P1010388_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="424" /></a></p> <p align="center">The glass was actually stacked horizontally, so it was 3D!</p> <p>After the museum we headed back to the hotel to check out and take our bags down to the railway station. There are left luggage services at all the stations so you can leave your heavy bags and still spend time sightseeing during the day, which is very useful when your train is not until late.  </p> <p>Our next stop was the Vladivostok fortress museum.Vladivostok was a strategic military town and has a lot of forts, and the one closest to town has now been turned into a museum.  Rich was in heaven, the grounds were full of tanks and guns that you could play with!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-C-XwN3EoVr0/UE12834VwpI/AAAAAAAABwE/seSXI_2ypxs/s1600-h/P10104104.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010410" border="0" alt="P1010410" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-G2cU16imIXM/UE12-QvAE9I/AAAAAAAABwM/OfTj2EkH_VQ/P1010410_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Rich in front of an anti submarine gun!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AVjP5Noduos/UE12_4jKe7I/AAAAAAAABwU/rS-fq2Tas7c/s1600-h/P10104144.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010414" border="0" alt="P1010414" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-u2pGiOEytlE/UE13BIDeDBI/AAAAAAAABwc/rIbnIi2seC0/P1010414_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">These ones look like they are aimed at the city!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1Ls5_8b8WLA/UE13ComkqII/AAAAAAAABwk/AMjSw7S4ObI/s1600-h/P10104174.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010417" border="0" alt="P1010417" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1ZjRt8nZ3OU/UE13Dgcu32I/AAAAAAAABws/5cTwc2Wa7qc/P1010417_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Some kind of artillery weapon…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-B_bWlg6NOAw/UE13E2KT1KI/AAAAAAAABw0/EVkUI2yT_Qk/s1600-h/P10104184.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010418" border="0" alt="P1010418" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ymS6SDO1gXY/UE13GK1cQtI/AAAAAAAABw8/F7QzP6g_Vfc/P1010418_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="424" /></a></p> <p align="center">Rich playing with a 20mm anti-aircraft gun.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dkEQ9kIWCVg/UE13IJLpd3I/AAAAAAAABxE/QbS2MTelJIs/s1600-h/P10104384.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010438" border="0" alt="P1010438" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CY2QyqoVcq0/UE13JXUrFVI/AAAAAAAABxM/2yp7CVpFw-A/P1010438_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">An ‘armoured personal carrier’ – looks like a tank to me…</p> <p>The weather brightened up considerably in the afternoon and it seemed most of the city’s residents were at the local beaches and promenades.  We had a wander around the area, where yet more building work is taking place.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kT9ytvPSiWA/UE13Kk_kxPI/AAAAAAAABxU/WfVBdUPOu04/s1600-h/P1010457%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010457" border="0" alt="P1010457" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-678LM6Q3_kE/UE13LncaTQI/AAAAAAAABxc/565phPrkChk/P1010457_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-47TAu0Ft6mc/UE13NiRG7VI/AAAAAAAABxk/ThESpj5P7o4/s1600-h/P1010460%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010460" border="0" alt="P1010460" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9LoNDwRBJ80/UE13On8PZ1I/AAAAAAAABxs/leuCIPa61RI/P1010460_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">I really liked the old-fashioned lampposts.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-g_UpjYs-cMc/UE13QDeHClI/AAAAAAAABx0/_nuTIPHbbPU/s1600-h/P1010464%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010464" border="0" alt="P1010464" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FWi9NviX_lw/UE13Rc41zUI/AAAAAAAABx8/hR3aoFpm3S0/P1010464_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">A musical fountain which changed the spray pattern along with the music that blared out around the square.</p> <p>I had heard about a funicular tram we could take up to a good lookout over the whole city so we walked to the other side of town to find it. Unfortunately it was closed! Oh well, we had already got this far so we thought we might as well walk up the rest of the way…</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e2nKmSfyMb0/UE13Sk8SQMI/AAAAAAAAByE/vqpRXp1x2lg/s1600-h/P1010472%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010472" border="0" alt="P1010472" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-opqV-cRBXWQ/UE13T-0jRKI/AAAAAAAAByM/uNTwLYhMNaA/P1010472_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Heading towards the tram, we walked under the new bridge!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gE3KKMzumeo/UE13VL-AJ1I/AAAAAAAAByU/O1RziyCVxWE/s1600-h/P1010474%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010474" border="0" alt="P1010474" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pgP2sKAZeYU/UE13WQ5cDQI/AAAAAAAAByc/2CnD6zCMHD4/P1010474_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="319" height="424" /></a></p> <p align="center">The tram at the top, closed for repairs.  This was only the start of the hill climb…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Lu1PkxaSsf4/UE13XykYeLI/AAAAAAAAByk/7D_welovfxY/s1600-h/P1010477%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010477" border="0" alt="P1010477" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Xbb9Vk85fvY/UE13Y5jO40I/AAAAAAAABys/GGJU70M3JII/P1010477_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">The view was worth it!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FnEh1NLmcis/UE13aXV8cZI/AAAAAAAABy0/66kpaIc4NWU/s1600-h/P1010488%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010488" border="0" alt="P1010488" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-05pT1j93SJM/UE13beN2c9I/AAAAAAAABy8/61bzh0OgmcQ/P1010488_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p>We also saw two separate wedding parties here, getting their photos done.  This would become a regular occurrence for us during this journey, I’m beginning to think the wedding industry in Russia must be huge!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wSR9v0zwf0s/UE13dOhDDdI/AAAAAAAABzE/z8Yb2flaQQg/s1600-h/P1010489%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010489" border="0" alt="P1010489" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GtJrzGhOo00/UE13d5H7reI/AAAAAAAABzM/ZR51MWQKtGk/P1010489_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="319" /></a></p> <p align="center">Padlocks symbolising a couple’s union were also very common on bridges and popular local spots everywhere we went.</p> <p align="left">After our long walk up the hill we headed back down for some dinner and to wait for the train.  We had plenty of food provisions for our three night journey to Irkutsk and were very ready for a bit of a reprieve from all the walking we had done!  Time to say ‘dasvedanya’ to Vladivostok and head off on the Rossiya train across the continent!</p> kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-82803857715201000202012-08-30T03:47:00.001+12:002012-08-30T03:47:16.740+12:00Vladivostok–An introduction to Russia’s Far East<p> </p> <p>Thursday 23rd August</p> <p>Vladivostok is so far east of Moscow that it is only one hour behind New Zealand time zone-wise.  This meant that our 5hr flight leaving Hong Kong at 4pm actually got us into Russia just before midnight.  For some bizarre reason everyone clapped when the plane landed in Vladivostok – not quite sure if this is normal or if there was something going on we didn’t know about, because we couldn’t understand the Russian announcements…</p> <p>The terminal in Vladivostok was tiny and crowded and the baggage reclaim was disorganised chaos - I have a feeling we arrived into the old terminal not the new one built for the APEC summit next month.  We got through immigration without a problem, although the officer had a bit of a chuckle over Rich’s full name. I think he has more names than most Russians, and that is saying something!  Our hotel arranged transfer from the airport, which was great as it is further away from town than Dunedin’s airport is, and no public transport runs at midnight.  The hotel itself is in the middle of an upgrade, the foyer looks very grand but we were not in a refurbished room.  It was clean enough though, and we had no problems with our stay, our room was half the price of the refurbished ones.</p> <p>The next day we set out to explore Vladivostok.  The city seems to be in a building frenzy, there are renovations and building works everywhere. The city hosts the APEC summit next month and is working around the clock to prepare. It’s a shame they haven’t focused a bit more on the pavements, I can imagine the hospital is full of broken ankles from falling in the numerous potholes…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lTCU24VlPHY/UD4412KzPzI/AAAAAAAABnI/D-Rxkln4_WQ/s1600-h/P1010342%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010342" border="0" alt="P1010342" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-83vaP2Bbpes/UD442gCHJXI/AAAAAAAABnQ/fDWJKpbamIE/P1010342_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The train station became our landmark.</p> <p align="left">Across from the train station is Lenin square, unsurprisingly featuring a statue of Lenin.  I’m sure this will be the first of many Lenin statues we find across Russia…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yz8m1cCmPrc/UD443su2R0I/AAAAAAAABnY/rw-Pe70htFo/s1600-h/P10103503.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010350" border="0" alt="P1010350" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-yN6y8DapV9E/UD444BcEPhI/AAAAAAAABng/QzP-wpejtV4/P1010350_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center">He makes a good perch for that seagull…</p> <p align="left">We walked around the bay until we found Korabelnya embankment, where a S-56 submarine sits in front of a WW2 memorial.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gbrFt2TI_7w/UD4458W6GtI/AAAAAAAABno/I2TZX5QT0tU/s1600-h/P10102823.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010282" border="0" alt="P1010282" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TFrSxhJsTuw/UD446kHdMzI/AAAAAAAABnw/vOZxV5e2qOU/P1010282_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Hard to miss this submarine!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-i7TN5j0bCJo/UD448U6zNiI/AAAAAAAABn4/fdeSmt-EaUs/s1600-h/P10102833.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010283" border="0" alt="P1010283" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1IAqziwhLKY/UD449HK_zXI/AAAAAAAABoA/WNYvAFhKpyw/P1010283_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The WW2 memorial – an eternal flame flickers on the steps in front.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rEHGitUBCkY/UD44-0LvwhI/AAAAAAAABoI/HG_BWvnUfCc/s1600-h/P10102893.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010289" border="0" alt="P1010289" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jQx3ohhVFeY/UD44_tqQzLI/AAAAAAAABoQ/9LJKhNL1Lws/P1010289_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Thousands of names – I’m guessing the names of all those from the area who lost their lives in the war.  There are more names on the smaller brick wall too.</p> <p align="left">We headed inside the submarine, trying to avoid several Korean tour groups that were being shepherded through.  Unfortunately none of the captions were in English, but it was still interesting to look at the array of artefacts and the innards of a submarine.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XiPLPkdnd8A/UD45AtOeo-I/AAAAAAAABoY/yzChV90yMGk/s1600-h/P10102913.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010291" border="0" alt="P1010291" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lBzVT_feoas/UD45BVrJWzI/AAAAAAAABog/yaKDkrZTkWE/P1010291_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center">The submarine museum.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mk2DE7JIkcY/UD45CmxdrmI/AAAAAAAABos/WcXfrNIMKTk/s1600-h/P10102963.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010296" border="0" alt="P1010296" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G-UKqjrVIHs/UD45DX25-DI/AAAAAAAABo0/DC6mwSeu6ww/P1010296_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Wlvf7uxhsk8/UD45E9cZGlI/AAAAAAAABo8/yV-wwSGoCyc/s1600-h/P10103033.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010303" border="0" alt="P1010303" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lU2AXRgHhaE/UD45FryPZMI/AAAAAAAABpE/xxfWiZcXvoI/P1010303_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Heading through the bulkhead!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-I-6F3AMYEDU/UD45G7Q0dnI/AAAAAAAABpM/SkIVnPSc26k/s1600-h/P11403973.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140397" border="0" alt="P1140397" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-X0n5JqDo2nE/UD45Hv5ssRI/AAAAAAAABpU/Dzlc_AoV6CU/P1140397_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p align="center">Looking through the periscope.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4ndENFj0hOM/UD45Ixd7dsI/AAAAAAAABpc/43fuDvKQdiE/s1600-h/P11404143.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140414" border="0" alt="P1140414" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9C9OOUsQdRY/UD45JnXUCNI/AAAAAAAABpk/JMn0NhpKzKc/P1140414_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p align="center">Arming the missiles!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vorJZm7nVlI/UD45KTNRmgI/AAAAAAAABps/z52IC56iVjM/s1600-h/P10102783.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010278" border="0" alt="P1010278" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wRXYUBZ5atI/UD45LAyRDnI/AAAAAAAABp0/_1PS_xYbruQ/P1010278_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center">This monument sits in front of the submarine and is to commemorate the founding of Vladivostok in 1860.</p> <p align="left">After a bit of hunting we found where to buy tickets for the ferry to Russky Island out in Golden Horn Bay.  The information in all the guidebooks is incorrect, the terminal must have moved recently.  The weather still looked a little grey but we thought a trip out to the island might be a nice way to get a few good views and I wanted to walk to one of the 4 forts on the island.  The ferry was one of those roll-on roll-off types but was a rusty old bucket and only used for foot passengers now. Despite this there weren’t any seats on the deck.  </p> <p align="left">It seems that in Vladivostok the weather starts off grey but the sun seems to come out in the afternoon and we actually had some lovely sparkling views of the bay.  I also got very sunburnt…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-peKK3BvK3Cg/UD45MDbvIKI/AAAAAAAABp8/uLz4yoYyW38/s1600-h/P10103173.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010317" border="0" alt="P1010317" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UR7uiFqbuHQ/UD45MgzEg2I/AAAAAAAABqE/vGl_OGQw-NY/P1010317_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The ferry heading back to Vladivostok, leaving us on the island.</p> <p>We were supposed to get on a bus at the quay but we couldn’t work out which one to take – both buses had the same sign even though they went in different directions, and the bus driver said something along the lines of ‘don’t go there’ or ‘the bus doesn’t go there’ or perhaps just ‘get off the bus’… it was hard to understand.  In the end we just spent a couple of hours walking around the quay.  We headed uphill and found a strange village consisting of Soviet style apartment blocks.  I think this island was closed to foreigners until fairly recently as it has strategic military importance.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4U_Gl0J43cg/UD45OOtawDI/AAAAAAAABqM/jlzct71gJ_c/s1600-h/P11404267.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140426" border="0" alt="P1140426" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iwtI3VP6pzM/UD45O__yqzI/AAAAAAAABqU/1r0i84aTvLo/P1140426_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font color="#000000">Me on the ‘beach’ on Russky island.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UJcVQiVbiJ0/UD45QaqmroI/AAAAAAAABqc/bJzUw3vorkU/s1600-h/P10103223.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010322" border="0" alt="P1010322" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CDFGGXTqRYk/UD45RPzGg4I/AAAAAAAABqk/NjlvSrPWRsY/P1010322_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Little wooden houses – dacha or summer cottages.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gxYgiyjWvWY/UD45STunR-I/AAAAAAAABqs/b2Xaj0tXGPI/s1600-h/P11404303.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140430" border="0" alt="P1140430" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T-jPL5wFPUA/UD45S-GIXiI/AAAAAAAABq0/dO-U5N1ZfAQ/P1140430_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p align="center">Walking along another beach.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mL1TlMaM_Vw/UD45UtNSlnI/AAAAAAAABq8/HfzDHd8tuTQ/s1600-h/P11404333.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140433" border="0" alt="P1140433" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FVjl4cYDo9I/UD45VBLryZI/AAAAAAAABrE/0ddQ1x29sbw/P1140433_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p align="center">I had to take to the shade of our umbrella; having a wee nap whilst waiting for the ferry to come back.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4fvUhbXlNLE/UD45WYPRGtI/AAAAAAAABrM/bDr1kfHwTLc/s1600-h/P10103273.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010327" border="0" alt="P1010327" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lEd0GsTzrAI/UD45XETWVMI/AAAAAAAABrU/GQFAXUjTi1g/P1010327_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">View of the bridge over Vladivostok.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cDNNPjDOXds/UD45YQs-kyI/AAAAAAAABrc/U4cXPAfQ1iQ/s1600-h/P10103313.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010331" border="0" alt="P1010331" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5u-lOIcFb-Q/UD45Y2LqrkI/AAAAAAAABrk/GX_zsj06DM8/P1010331_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">There are a lot of ships around the harbour, some commercial and others naval.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_Ob61WprR6Q/UD45aeyi5mI/AAAAAAAABrs/Vl2qIocsqdo/s1600-h/P10103343.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010334" border="0" alt="P1010334" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bkNxYpNUV-o/UD45bLsJUZI/AAAAAAAABr0/K6HXCTyv1WE/P1010334_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The Zolotoy Rog Bridge spanning the bay between the peninsulas.  This bridge has only just been finished.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xgk813fopH4/UD45ctGxfTI/AAAAAAAABr8/Fn7GPA_4CGE/s1600-h/P1010329%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010329" border="0" alt="P1010329" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DVMqFvGZslc/UD45dBTaM4I/AAAAAAAABsE/gi5g-Ri235g/P1010329_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The other newly built bridge - joining the peninsula to Russky Island - is currently the largest <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable-stayed_bridge">cable-stayed bridge</a> in the world with a 1104m central span.  The other bridge ranks number nine.</p> <p align="left">After I applied some much needed aloe vera to my burn skin, we headed to the main street of Vladivostok in search of food.  We ended up eating some tasty pizza at Cafe Tema. When the waitress realised we were deciphering the menu with my Russian dictionary she helpfully produced an English menu, although she didn’t speak any English herself – good thing the dishes are numbered!</p> <p align="left">Close by the cafe was the central square – and another set of statues, this time a Memorial to the Fighters for Soviet Power in the Far East.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EJeHjO303nE/UD45eOuOPII/AAAAAAAABsM/sJP9EBAl2B0/s1600-h/P1010353%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010353" border="0" alt="P1010353" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_2qFkKW_9aQ/UD45e_OtKmI/AAAAAAAABsU/uK5ZD1XxYkY/P1010353_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-C6ALRjy_4ZY/UD45fwI3EwI/AAAAAAAABsc/__P7SnCblrI/s1600-h/P1010395%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010395" border="0" alt="P1010395" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-g2QfmpwzkeQ/UD45go0Zb_I/AAAAAAAABsk/3V498kuOvFI/P1010395_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center">These statues commemorate the people who brought the area under Bolshevik control.</p> <p align="left">It had been a long day, so we soon headed back to the hotel.  We had another exciting day lined up in Vladivostok before heading off on the train to Irkutsk, but that is a whole other post…</p> kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-63986602680971066302012-08-29T20:11:00.001+12:002012-08-29T20:11:50.130+12:00Ocean Park<p> </p> <p>Tuesday 21st August</p> <p>We had tossed around the idea of gong to Disneyland Hong Kong with our friends, as I wanted to do something with them that they hadn’t yet done either, before I read about Ocean Park.  It’s a similar kind of amusement park but it has plenty of animal exhibits too and so we decided to spend our last full day in Hong Kong at Ocean Park instead.</p> <p>Rich and I braved the busy rush hour mania of the MTR once again (we didn’t quite feel like fish trying to go the wrong way against the school this time) and met up with our friends before taking the bus out to Ocean Park.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-t61KVc7rPi8/UD3NeIzqj6I/AAAAAAAABek/4CGERbIrzFY/s1600-h/P11309023.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1130902" border="0" alt="P1130902" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kTBfjR92_rg/UD3Ne9_NcJI/AAAAAAAABes/uvvDlbLsZJY/P1130902_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p>Luckily we had got our tickets in advance so were pretty much able to go straight in at opening time. It was busy even then. The first place we headed to was the aquarium were we saw lots of different fish, a turtle, rays and hammerhead sharks.  I apologise for the quality of some of my photos, it is very difficult to take decent photos of moving fish in the dark!  Here’s a few semi-decent ones…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3hrREjpcWXE/UD3NgiCxX1I/AAAAAAAABe0/_pKDu5DTUmY/s1600-h/P10100123.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010012" border="0" alt="P1010012" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Q2FsnUqQm6s/UD3NhVEs-vI/AAAAAAAABe8/aqfICBPzOYw/P1010012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Ocean Park’s Aquarium next to the fountain pond.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MncfSzkfyp0/UD3NjNXHkNI/AAAAAAAABfE/6JHntm6xSaI/s1600-h/P10100153.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010015" border="0" alt="P1010015" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L0xwucrjuZ0/UD3NkNaoVtI/AAAAAAAABfM/WJOJP1tzdy8/P1010015_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Nemos!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ypvO5FoABbU/UD3NlmBM4cI/AAAAAAAABfU/94CSeEZnM60/s1600-h/P10100253.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010025" border="0" alt="P1010025" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dYUdW4sMbDQ/UD3NmazLEkI/AAAAAAAABfc/9_SAdWaEtFU/P1010025_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Some type of ray.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jz30LSNqkx4/UD3NnzTk5xI/AAAAAAAABfk/B8u3iFUZMsM/s1600-h/P10100333.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010033" border="0" alt="P1010033" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ShoUu-w0WO0/UD3No5IcGpI/AAAAAAAABfs/wiEbvkMwb0E/P1010033_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Starfish stuck to the glass.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ES5LYE6VEko/UD3NqqikVvI/AAAAAAAABf0/fG-Q4jkWGHc/s1600-h/P10100343.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010034" border="0" alt="P1010034" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-A3NIVEcEp58/UD3Nrt3aT8I/AAAAAAAABf8/SAHBvwwrkGA/P1010034_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">I think this is called a Lionfish. He looks so sad!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Rc7Izy5TTLs/UD3Ns3iUUbI/AAAAAAAABgE/yzqafn2QoS8/s1600-h/P10100393.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010039" border="0" alt="P1010039" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5c4cbd5IPZk/UD3NtlUBtvI/AAAAAAAABgM/kWExy-7E71k/P1010039_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">A strange creature called a Nautilus.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vc10R5HhxQg/UD3NwE7vkcI/AAAAAAAABgU/OSKHdwdvTxE/s1600-h/P10100473.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010047" border="0" alt="P1010047" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0pypFPoGgfc/UD3NxIS3JVI/AAAAAAAABgc/I5Yxew48KvU/P1010047_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Underwater wildlife.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sAeWADXScyw/UD3Ny2H4U1I/AAAAAAAABgk/82ZNSyONRL0/s1600-h/P10100643.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010064" border="0" alt="P1010064" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LNRheejo3tk/UD3Nzp8vYjI/AAAAAAAABgs/02TJADNCkDU/P1010064_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">More rays.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HvkIKjRWt4A/UD3N1TGdo1I/AAAAAAAABg0/TW1SvFiUBkQ/s1600-h/P10100713.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010071" border="0" alt="P1010071" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OA4ZN-RcZfw/UD3N2Ixf1VI/AAAAAAAABg8/d9M_r6fyyGc/P1010071_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">A hammerhead shark.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1HjurM3IeLI/UD3N3kDzc6I/AAAAAAAABhE/KDI3LdyeE-U/s1600-h/P10100723.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010072" border="0" alt="P1010072" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oSqi2ZWa71o/UD3N4SLOUPI/AAAAAAAABhM/FEO630F0Bfs/P1010072_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">I caught a woman banging on the glass and annoying these crabs; I glared at her and she hit her head on the sill. Haha.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rLKn1vvkP54/UD3N6KDuoHI/AAAAAAAABhU/0CE8C9icr9I/s1600-h/P10100763.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010076" border="0" alt="P1010076" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-POlkY9ZJxII/UD3N6zXzhUI/AAAAAAAABhc/RTtanKPU1jg/P1010076_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>We spent quite a while in the aquarium and afterwards headed to the Sichuan Treasures exhibit which turned out to be a couple of Giant Pandas and two Golden Monkeys! Very cute!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tHUa4Druq8Q/UD3N9WnxXtI/AAAAAAAABhk/U2lzDWFl2KY/s1600-h/P10100953.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010095" border="0" alt="P1010095" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-u000E7sTZiI/UD3N-JZYpYI/AAAAAAAABhs/imTuCTgWLWU/P1010095_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Munching on some lunch.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Vkrko-Mdt3s/UD3N_7QQY3I/AAAAAAAABh0/P3D0jIZcHPI/s1600-h/P10100993.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010099" border="0" alt="P1010099" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-J-wd-Nam2AQ/UD3OAuDjKvI/AAAAAAAABh8/iBigCP5CmJg/P1010099_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Time for a post lunch stroll.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nho0A-6zU6U/UD3OCZCDUAI/AAAAAAAABiE/dSG9yOCt4Rc/s1600-h/P10101043.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010104" border="0" alt="P1010104" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xZigY6UZSj0/UD3ODLt84aI/AAAAAAAABiM/qULhuQJlNIw/P1010104_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4x4VlFBe_sI/UD3OEmovHZI/AAAAAAAABiU/tL3e8-btRqA/s1600-h/P10101133.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010113" border="0" alt="P1010113" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sQINNPLGhv0/UD3OFXbMh7I/AAAAAAAABic/LtZGJwgg0k0/P1010113_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center">A cute little golden monkey.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0c3OftH2wA8/UD3OHWdpy2I/AAAAAAAABik/e_uRRsvj1XQ/s1600-h/P10101183.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010118" border="0" alt="P1010118" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BV3dJ9QjTuU/UD3OIOHqYrI/AAAAAAAABis/nzMlmV9-IJQ/P1010118_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The other panda kept on eating.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qCA-zdO_43U/UD3OKAxPDmI/AAAAAAAABi0/kTdmDyhwkHA/s1600-h/P10101213.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010121" border="0" alt="P1010121" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uLrQoz5YMvs/UD3OK_cMJUI/AAAAAAAABi8/XErKnysZlHQ/P1010121_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>There actually turned out to be two panda exhibits, and the second one had a panda who was sitting very close to the glass so we could get up close. He was busy munching on bamboo so didn’t pay us any attention.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BLRtLlvQYeI/UD3OMkt_6PI/AAAAAAAABjE/gV26lv-lhjE/s1600-h/P11309873.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1130987" border="0" alt="P1130987" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JhTFPaDP1j0/UD3ONGppOgI/AAAAAAAABjM/TK2j53W5Gkc/P1130987_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p align="center">The other panda here looked like he’d had a hard night on the tiles…</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9dr_3IT1OFI/UD3OOrwYmkI/AAAAAAAABjU/MNOEsaTAeFA/s1600-h/P10101373.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010137" border="0" alt="P1010137" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mvVkDs5OXuw/UD3OR2ZQGTI/AAAAAAAABjc/LH_Z3bmOKfo/P1010137_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">And I guess the red panda must have joined him…</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WBepxruXOZU/UD3OToNbXOI/AAAAAAAABjk/HGz6r0l4MY8/s1600-h/P10101363.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010136" border="0" alt="P1010136" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4vPkpIvIgw8/UD3OUkB46AI/AAAAAAAABjs/kwvywwfvYmo/P1010136_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>Not far away was an otter exhibit.  We couldn’t see them but it wasn’t long until feeding time so we staked out a spot in front of the exhibit to catch a glimpse of these cute wee creatures.  They appeared when the food came but are very quick so it was hard to get decent photos. I managed a few though…</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nQMJcKBzlRQ/UD3OWkyCe9I/AAAAAAAABj0/Xe4knfdMzq4/s1600-h/P10101543.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010154" border="0" alt="P1010154" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QKEdzBDCOoQ/UD3OXj9aI8I/AAAAAAAABj8/z6QtOFwnVjg/P1010154_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-txNvgavDGro/UD3OZI3m2cI/AAAAAAAABkE/WAobDGKlRS8/s1600-h/P10101753.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010175" border="0" alt="P1010175" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sfOATYr8lg8/UD3OaPOTvjI/AAAAAAAABkM/cPdOYMqYqpY/P1010175_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wHEMc286LL0/UD3OcY57lPI/AAAAAAAABkU/JAyypXxZjVY/s1600-h/P10101913.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010191" border="0" alt="P1010191" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RSnlGPXZsz0/UD3OdMCFqdI/AAAAAAAABkc/ylR65DaFW34/P1010191_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>Then we went to see some kind of water dance show but the scantily dressed teenagers with water guns doing bad hip-hop soon deterred us and we headed up the mountain to the other side of Ocean Park.  In another cable car! This place is huge, it was as if there was a whole other secret park hidden on the other side of the mountain!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QVU5HmcOZXM/UD3OezlwwUI/AAAAAAAABkk/FtEeZhU3tyM/s1600-h/P10101983.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010198" border="0" alt="P1010198" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bySScCsJOHg/UD3OfptMeEI/AAAAAAAABks/1gsvr2zuejk/P1010198_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--zKbXhGS7SU/UD3OgwUtlNI/AAAAAAAABk0/wPDOvjR5pIg/s1600-h/P10102043.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010204" border="0" alt="P1010204" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WhmJxkrter4/UD3OhjMbUoI/AAAAAAAABk8/VyV5Ib1B9xk/P1010204_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p>We had lunch at a restaurant at the top and then headed into the Arctic Exhibit.  Things got a lot busier up here and the queue was massive but at least seemed to be moving quickly.  Once again our timing was spot on to catch the walrus being fed and we spent quite a while watching her from above and then from the underwater viewing tunnels. Unfortunately my photos were very blurry but here is an idea:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Elh7TzDD0zk/UD3OjJLppSI/AAAAAAAABlE/hRwtzdX_sN0/s1600-h/P10102413.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010241" border="0" alt="P1010241" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uCbs-GJa_Tg/UD3Ojp9n8WI/AAAAAAAABlM/OAWfQNmfhJI/P1010241_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DWszyYkSz-k/UD3OlClToRI/AAAAAAAABlU/P7Cp2OQZTrg/s1600-h/P10102493.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010249" border="0" alt="P1010249" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jfgixqMYRLE/UD3Ol3uwHkI/AAAAAAAABlc/aXcZl9yr4BE/P1010249_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>As it is a theme park we thought we might try a ride as well, so we went on the Artic Blast. Unfortunately we had to wait in line for an hour, so needless to say we didn’t bother with any other rides. The animals were much more interesting.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VYFIHDjsTAU/UD3Onj7HftI/AAAAAAAABlk/x6gCxnRbY3g/s1600-h/P11400173.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140017" border="0" alt="P1140017" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZAzMBozefZM/UD3OoPL_7rI/AAAAAAAABls/a2uTPt-s9GE/P1140017_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p>As well as an Arctic exhibit, there was also an Antarctic one, full of penguins.  The place was so crowded it was difficult to catch a glimpse of them, but hidden in a side room after this exhibit were some artic foxes which were interesting to see too.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fpIMcQ-u37U/UD3Op2FBTFI/AAAAAAAABl0/5CpQqwBYsqg/s1600-h/P10102643.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1010264" border="0" alt="P1010264" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oyHOPO7Qo4M/UD3OqVox0pI/AAAAAAAABl8/V7OXA2mloBg/P1010264_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">A very blurry penguin swimming in the ice cold exhibit.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nyoJOwKqqmQ/UD3OriLi74I/AAAAAAAABmE/o7QmMz0RfKY/s1600-h/P11400363.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140036" border="0" alt="P1140036" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--v1rmBkcS1k/UD3OsbNu8II/AAAAAAAABmM/o2ZD1qr8aYk/P1140036_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">A cute wee arctic fox curled up, probably trying to ignore all the flashing cameras…</p> <p align="left">My camera ran out of batteries at this point but we saw some more animals – there was a Rainforest exhibit were Rich saw his first ever snakes, including a scary anaconda!  We were getting quite tired but decided to head along to the ocean exhibit to see if we could see dolphins, and again were lucky enough to catch the last show of the day.  I stole these photos from Rich:</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dd9DD_mapKU/UD3OuNnR1iI/AAAAAAAABmU/HxxDFfKriSA/s1600-h/P11401003.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140100" border="0" alt="P1140100" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pw46ZDz7ISg/UD3Ou5OtEoI/AAAAAAAABmc/JS59X8SZjVE/P1140100_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-q0wSHQivO9Q/UD3OwZzD5fI/AAAAAAAABmk/-8tsWOKE940/s1600-h/P11401553.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1140155" border="0" alt="P1140155" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2BbmefpjxP4/UD3OxLsk0rI/AAAAAAAABms/cJ-1K1vvE8w/P1140155_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> <p>All in all, I would recommend Ocean Park for the animal exhibits, but don’t bother with the rides unless you are happy with waiting in queues for hours, or go on a rainy school day (not in the sunny summer holidays!)  We finished off our Hong Kong trip at a really nice restaurant close to our hotel where Rhonwyn again chose some very tasty food for us to try.  She definitely knows how to pick the best food!  Then it was time to say goodbye to our friends, hopefully it won’t be too long before we see them again!</p> <p>The next morning was spent sorting ourselves out for our trip to Russia that afternoon.  We managed to get back to Hong Kong airport and find our way to the terminal, which involved taking a train and a bus and a fair amount of walking – and that was just at the airport!  We spent our last few HK$ – Rich even got his lunch for slightly cheaper as we didn’t have enough, which was nice of the waitress.  Our flight to Vladivostok was uneventful, but you’ll have to check the next post for our Russian adventures!</p> kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-36910462681932972572012-08-28T02:53:00.001+12:002012-08-28T02:53:41.325+12:00The Big Buddha<p> </p> <p>Monday 20th August</p> <p>On Monday we headed out to Lantau Island to see the giant Buddha at the monastery there. It is a fairy recent addition, built in 1992 and housing a bone relic supposedly from Buddha himself that was gifted to the original monastery there. Now the place is a big tourist attraction and instead of climbing the mountain steps or taking the bus up the windy road you can now go up via cable car. Another test for Rich, hopefully we kept him distracted enough not to think about the height!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tsVfNNOjczM/UDuIicD8_pI/AAAAAAAABa4/hJjHu3BCgZA/s1600-h/P10008763.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000876" border="0" alt="P1000876" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nuV9p9y2rOY/UDuIkR0UaKI/AAAAAAAABbA/uYxKEx1TL-g/P1000876_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">A cable car travelling to the Buddha.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1xjVisRTqfo/UDuIpQ2PClI/AAAAAAAABbI/G_wo6ksQrik/s1600-h/P10009003.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000900" border="0" alt="P1000900" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dqKNlzqKXo8/UDuIrd1xwuI/AAAAAAAABbQ/f7_0pO02Vls/P1000900_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The Ngong Ping monastery amidst the fog – or smoke?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-V7fBygYFT9E/UDuIuWlZj-I/AAAAAAAABbY/BQidXBDJQJk/s1600-h/P10009023.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000902" border="0" alt="P1000902" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UO8lbk3k5VI/UDuIwkRmPTI/AAAAAAAABbg/Yv35pGS5SjI/P1000902_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">It really is a <em>big</em> Buddha!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-88u63wP4gyY/UDuI0TOeUrI/AAAAAAAABbo/vz1dUAl2Hgc/s1600-h/P10009253.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000925" border="0" alt="P1000925" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KEP0GOOxVF8/UDuI3OW6-1I/AAAAAAAABbw/GkVoajglrxc/P1000925_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center">Howdy Buddha! What a lot of steps! Thankfully the ticket price included a bottle of water and an ice cream when we reached Buddha.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-m04dIighJ8U/UDuI79FGjaI/AAAAAAAABb4/vj91UWxwVxw/s1600-h/P10009283.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000928" border="0" alt="P1000928" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D10j1M-yBig/UDuI9-ZcJnI/AAAAAAAABcA/QQvFhm5dWKg/P1000928_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">They seem to be offering something to the Buddha…</p> <p align="left">Inside the Buddha there are spiral stairs leading up to a display in Chinese, and some welcome air conditioning which we were honestly more interested in.  It was a long, hot climb and the Sun had come out in force.  You can’t actually see the relic, it is in a bowl.  There is a photo of it next to the bowl but you can’t get close or take photos inside.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tceOyrs8VFA/UDuJB0bqc9I/AAAAAAAABcI/Rl166zsKN2c/s1600-h/P10009353.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000935" border="0" alt="P1000935" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kDEOkHo46V0/UDuJD_u9RiI/AAAAAAAABcQ/0lFTGmpBjkM/P1000935_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">The view from the Buddha.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pHSK8IjXx1w/UDuJGrKr_KI/AAAAAAAABcY/GzP10oSSmSg/s1600-h/P10009383.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000938" border="0" alt="P1000938" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kzzJEwuMaY8/UDuJIugGi8I/AAAAAAAABcg/rCihCanU0-s/P1000938_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Not sure if he’s saying hello or about to shoot a laser from his hand…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nnXSU4FDIas/UDuJN6Q7gHI/AAAAAAAABco/CrVQfNtZJns/s1600-h/P1000943---Copy3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000943 - Copy" border="0" alt="P1000943 - Copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W2Q5QfSfaiY/UDuJQSDaXEI/AAAAAAAABcw/hSLn62w_5f8/P1000943---Copy_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">Try not to fall down those steps!</p> <p align="left">We stopped for lunch in the fake tourist village of Ngong Ping and were lucky enough to catch the cultural show in the square.  They were Shaolin monks, and there seemed to be two groups – fire and water, or ice? I wasn’t quite sure.  Whatever it was, it was entertaining to watch.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RuuTvB6dWIw/UDuJUV1_aII/AAAAAAAABc4/oBs5DmDHCd0/s1600-h/P10009463.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000946" border="0" alt="P1000946" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AcNAm1tVyTU/UDuJW9CIDJI/AAAAAAAABdA/gADY6Mc-c5c/P1000946_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xx1NKtkOt8U/UDuJbLsqTdI/AAAAAAAABdI/iaToyqrvdXM/s1600-h/P10009483.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000948" border="0" alt="P1000948" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K0gFt3fNGH0/UDuJeDrJeFI/AAAAAAAABdQ/Jkhcgl1zVNM/P1000948_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Un0OPUEovpc/UDuJjLUn5gI/AAAAAAAABdY/tBWfAV8hddo/s1600-h/P10009603.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000960" border="0" alt="P1000960" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-InMgyI7ifBE/UDuJlTMnQTI/AAAAAAAABdg/wwAOZdB6hWs/P1000960_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bJG-LjhVpt4/UDuJqzm_uPI/AAAAAAAABdo/4h8tooHBQKw/s1600-h/P10009653.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000965" border="0" alt="P1000965" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jRkT2GnIyxE/UDuJtD-fAVI/AAAAAAAABdw/y2TeOzBYyGQ/P1000965_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z9im973AbbQ/UDuJx92iZ0I/AAAAAAAABd4/Z_szJXY2RXo/s1600-h/P10009743.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000974" border="0" alt="P1000974" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_OCIOBnXNXs/UDuJ0LLg-nI/AAAAAAAABeA/rB7uMwn1DcU/P1000974_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">A very bendy child!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2YZOM3mzCdw/UDuJ5rgrNYI/AAAAAAAABeI/KjDR2OaN6zQ/s1600-h/P10009777.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1000977" border="0" alt="P1000977" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IJZL3uqQ50o/UDuJ8CezRaI/AAAAAAAABeQ/LLAjSwEu8u0/P1000977_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="center">I guess they all made up in the end…</p> <p>Then we headed back into Hong Kong to Tsim Shui Po, where the boys went off to explore the geek and toy shops and Rhonwyn took me clothes shopping in the garment district. I found plenty of nice cheap tops there and even managed to find my way back on my own before we left Hong Kong to buy a couple more.  The MTR system is very easy once you get the hang of it, and the Octopus cards which you load up with money to use for travel fares can also be used at some shops and vending machines to buy drinks.  It is an awesome idea and so much easier than dealing with coins and cash all the time.</p> kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-41478748085703922622012-08-28T02:13:00.001+12:002012-08-28T03:11:58.055+12:00The many sides of Hong Kong - part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br><p>
Sunday 19th August-Monday 20th August</p>
<p>The next day the four of us headed into the centre of Hong Kong as Rich and I were staying at a hotel that my mum had very kindly shouted us (thanks mum!) as we originally thought our friends would be working this week – thankfully their plans changed. Nice hotels in Hong Kong are a wee bit too expensive for our budget so this was a welcome gift. We stayed at the YMCA Salisbury which while technically a budget hotel compared to some of the really grand places, has some of the best views of the Hong Kong skyline. You’ll see that in a bit…</p>
<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XciturNf-04/UDt-03zlLMI/AAAAAAAABWk/k0MQSsgAI1o/s1600-h/P11308023.jpg"><img alt="P1130802" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-P8r49kER794/UDt-3dsDzuI/AAAAAAAABWs/8aeYksY7lkg/P1130802_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1130802" width="301" /></a></p><p align="center">An odd statue of mini-Maos clambering over a giant book at a train station. </p><p>We headed into the city to check out some of the sites. I should point out that the temperature is sweltering in HK at the moment, and coupled with the high humidity it was a little hard going for us, coming directly from Dunedin winter. Regular shade breaks and rehydration were essential. One place we stopped was a pretty square with a pond and plenty of greenery, where the local maids liked to spend their days off. A lot of wealthy families in HK employ maids or helpers, many from the Philippines or Indonesia. Apparently some have a reputation for leading the husbands astray, and Rich and Craig got a few funny looks, meanwhile we girls got glares…</p>
<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0EtApBCtJJw/UDt-8REVunI/AAAAAAAABW0/vPGuGTDHy9E/s1600-h/P10008253.jpg"><img alt="P1000825" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oK7-niyDwLo/UDt--Xx0DRI/AAAAAAAABW8/3DkxVB2mZXM/P1000825_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000825" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3qRtRf0L0Os/UDt_C1eubaI/AAAAAAAABXE/zrbYrgK7aYo/s1600-h/P10008213.jpg"><img alt="P1000821" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-o0ae7pOd90g/UDt_FYMz2oI/AAAAAAAABXM/LUydE_VYVec/P1000821_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000821" width="301" /></a></p>
<p align="center">Apparently a very un-Feng Shui building that everyone hates, the Bank of China building is often blown up in movies. Batman jumped off this in the Dark Knight.</p><p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-F4z0VuuZ3yo/UDt_KoPB6WI/AAAAAAAABXU/vjlPpOCZxdQ/s1600-h/P11308373.jpg"><img alt="P1130837" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gS4pkOQ-Q70/UDt_M0U8jHI/AAAAAAAABXc/5uT325mr0w8/P1130837_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1130837" width="227" /></a></p>
<p align="center">
The second tallest building in Hong Kong, at 104 stories high.</p><p>
<img alt="P1000832" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QoWqWEQ-cMw/UDt_PEtTYMI/AAAAAAAABXk/Y0O4q-WNXIA/P1000832_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000832" width="400" /></p><p align="center">A beautiful older style building hiding among the skyscrapers.</p><p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hR76xR6Hgdk/UDt_Ul2CuCI/AAAAAAAABXs/PTBziXxvcT0/s1600-h/P10008363.jpg"><img alt="P1000836" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HHY_CPUupio/UDt_WQ4Lj7I/AAAAAAAABX0/jhV7zm5e3hc/P1000836_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000836" width="400" /></a></p>
<p align="center">More maids sat in the middle of the road in the shade of a bridge. Luckily the road was closed!</p><p align="left">Because of some bad timing we didn’t manage to catch a day cruise around the harbour, but instead we took the ferry across which was really just as good if somewhat cheaper!</p><p align="left">
<span style="color: #956839;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mzDAtO3Lnw4/UDt_bLt8E2I/AAAAAAAABX8/A_cPjMcFSik/s1600-h/P10008497.jpg"><img alt="P1000849" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W6ZQjwQfw0s/UDt_cz4-q1I/AAAAAAAABYE/3C5T6OniZ-k/P1000849_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000849" width="400" /></a></span>
<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DH4fK3mJKW4/UDt_gtkMmxI/AAAAAAAABYM/FcvUCsilUeo/s1600-h/P100084411.jpg"><img alt="P1000844" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-c7EJhflaunA/UDt_icvsrhI/AAAAAAAABYU/HFxS98Dptvw/P1000844_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000844" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uN_PtFf3HHg/UDt_lSBK0JI/AAAAAAAABYc/c89ZdoFkmg0/s1600-h/P10008577.jpg"><img alt="P1000857" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-h6ewfDHlMPI/UDt_n58AZLI/AAAAAAAABYk/Rm4C4gUCbAo/P1000857_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000857" width="400" /></a></p><p>After a few hours of sightseeing we headed to the Ladies’ Market, a famous market which used to be for women, but now seems to have branched out into clothes for both sexes among the various gadgets and cheap Chinese knock offs. Rich made his first successful bargain for a nice t-shirt but I didn’t really enjoy the atmosphere of the Ladies’ Market, it was a bit too busy for me.</p><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KPcasr_NZyc/UDt_vq8XI8I/AAAAAAAABYs/NKzh5lF4pYY/s1600-h/P10008623.jpg"><img alt="P1000862" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BkxgpLNT_PY/UDt_yF0vAyI/AAAAAAAABY0/53ktVjWihrY/P1000862_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000862" width="400" /></a></p><p>Then we headed to Temple Street, the night market which was originally the men’s market but again has diversified. I much preferred this market and was able to buy a few things I wanted here, and because we went quite early it was still relatively quiet.</p><p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zp0sJWVMJtE/UDt_2Lj5enI/AAAAAAAABY8/O-yU6v7H12I/s1600-h/P10008653.jpg"><img alt="P1000865" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2FsFLEEGeGI/UDt_6RpGMBI/AAAAAAAABZE/4oDtppZbB7A/P1000865_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000865" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ctxJBgHNczI/UDt_-REP58I/AAAAAAAABZM/MnIuA_-PDf4/s1600-h/P11308823.jpg"><img alt="P1130882" border="0" height="227" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ppHRbfV91GQ/UDuAAfBU0KI/AAAAAAAABZU/Ji52woGBhXg/P1130882_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1130882" width="400" /></a></p><p>We ate at an outside restaurant in the market, at which our friends were regular diners and as usual was great Chinese food. Later Rich and I made our first trip back to the hotel via the MTR train without our friends – success! We didn’t get lost!</p><p>The next night after another eventful day we hung out in the hotel room with takeaways and watched the Symphony of Lights. We could tune the radio into the music that plays along with the light show every night, it’s a bit cheesy but a novelty to watch and we had a great view.</p><p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eh7zLSlnvyU/UDuAFEBuYKI/AAAAAAAABZc/I9XAmGmlA_M/s1600-h/P10009843.jpg"><img alt="P1000984" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3uso4zaAF2w/UDuAHQv0_xI/AAAAAAAABZk/gEejFqqL0QI/P1000984_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000984" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i4fTdOA_Qbo/UDuALUqfuXI/AAAAAAAABZs/9ooSxLhJJxk/s1600-h/P10009973.jpg"><img alt="P1000997" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ntXPSSSNHoI/UDuAMxyuBCI/AAAAAAAABZ0/RCDOR7iBUok/P1000997_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000997" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gRo4hAGmM-U/UDuAQCszJ_I/AAAAAAAABZ8/v_CxVL0BHsE/s1600-h/P10009993.jpg"><img alt="P1000999" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z0IE-LHIF7Q/UDuAR0nahvI/AAAAAAAABaE/TFv4OIy-fMo/P1000999_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1000999" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u4u0r3wNB0k/UDuAV0XIzgI/AAAAAAAABaM/KSXZDBnnKQs/s1600-h/P10100023.jpg"><img alt="P1010002" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rxQR2xx43ZI/UDuAZ0odIhI/AAAAAAAABaU/xXeYOQWFy8o/P1010002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1010002" width="400" /></a>
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3EekbkM4II4/UDuAdwGCqdI/AAAAAAAABac/02_q24GM_3o/s1600-h/P10100043.jpg"><img alt="P1010004" border="0" height="301" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8gRPAxuthfs/UDuAfpUpJTI/AAAAAAAABak/5DIQ9CfJ6bk/P1010004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="P1010004" width="400" /></a></p><p>The lasers were difficult to photograph as the night was very clear but just imagine them shooting out of the top of the tall buildings and across the sky! Planes don’t fly when the show is on!</p></div>
kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-76016032574316227042012-08-23T20:29:00.000+12:002012-08-23T20:29:51.900+12:00The many sides of Hong Kong - part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div><p>Saturday 18th August</p><p>After the coldest airplane overnight flight I have ever been on we reached Hong Kong first thing in the morning and were greeted by our friends who had got up incredibly early to come and meet us at the airport. We really appreciated this, I'm not sure how we would have found the right bus to their area on our own. Hong Kong airport is massive! They live in an area of the New Territories so the bus ride was a long one but gave us a bit of an insight into the size and scope of Hong Kong.</p><p align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsNRNSLcO9jaCHYFKrnsPzAzsYyhzuIOkbJfored_iMIfevl5ImE85MjPy94o7MHgMkRYalgq_di0CXn6j05I9UjJyzS5I7JEuXtLM0K5Oeq7k1guIJ2QSqoWvoVT7hTqL65yF2kdtuqg/s1600/P1000757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsNRNSLcO9jaCHYFKrnsPzAzsYyhzuIOkbJfored_iMIfevl5ImE85MjPy94o7MHgMkRYalgq_di0CXn6j05I9UjJyzS5I7JEuXtLM0K5Oeq7k1guIJ2QSqoWvoVT7hTqL65yF2kdtuqg/s320/P1000757.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Passing the cable car to the Buddha on Lantau Island.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznNWPokSaEEgb2TwCrp7LxipZEaKNHDNDtyYISZNLEifM1GLA3h1BdUyClO34iW_u0rSUwO_TMbTFFowlZFIiarrYHxVsxQ75wu5LbEmSjtdI9onBDTSghlzR99_u8aDlhKeAWK4iKvmI/s1600/P1000763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznNWPokSaEEgb2TwCrp7LxipZEaKNHDNDtyYISZNLEifM1GLA3h1BdUyClO34iW_u0rSUwO_TMbTFFowlZFIiarrYHxVsxQ75wu5LbEmSjtdI9onBDTSghlzR99_u8aDlhKeAWK4iKvmI/s320/P1000763.JPG" /></a></div><p align="center">Our first look at a real Hong Kong street!</p><p>The area in which my friends live is about a 45min train ride from the centre of Hong Kong and is mostly inhabited by Asian people, it is generally not an expat area and we saw very few Westerners. The area is surprisingly green and spacious, interspersed with high rise apartment buildings. Rich may have managed to conquer his fear of heights a little - our friends live very high up and have a balcony overlooking the area. We can just see mainland China in the distance!</p><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsR66V3trERfP8hbCtylJuJhkcjinS6KJMYhb42vhPSsqyhDsn-tVkaDTNITm3M6MUFBLYPIHzHf3-oLGGuwXI47NghzzcYmkwnD1JvP3fw16I0xpM7qOwYbsu5RTrpCl4zU9523__0gj/s1600/P1000795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsR66V3trERfP8hbCtylJuJhkcjinS6KJMYhb42vhPSsqyhDsn-tVkaDTNITm3M6MUFBLYPIHzHf3-oLGGuwXI47NghzzcYmkwnD1JvP3fw16I0xpM7qOwYbsu5RTrpCl4zU9523__0gj/s320/P1000795.JPG" /></a></div><p align="center">The view from the balcony at night.</p><p align=""center><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8h1E23klQw9vPcbrXropQzBk4pdFaD6Q5gT9Ch-NO69M-KIXbfFDsfjcpRpfIQlesFEH0mY-5AnJtNNzlwWRHGSDWXHjJ0NOlWAYbnorqlLuU7Q4yY0PwXB9C1BvcKsVKfPHodkTFAkAG/s1600/P1000764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8h1E23klQw9vPcbrXropQzBk4pdFaD6Q5gT9Ch-NO69M-KIXbfFDsfjcpRpfIQlesFEH0mY-5AnJtNNzlwWRHGSDWXHjJ0NOlWAYbnorqlLuU7Q4yY0PwXB9C1BvcKsVKfPHodkTFAkAG/s320/P1000764.JPG" /></a></div><p align="cente">The large landscaped pond full of fish and turtles outside their building.</p><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjel6I9nqANI8fA4Kv55dqGy1DDJDF4NRch1SZLq1PAjKsL9avMSHaGdw3ygAFlKpQAYzGJQo0OuKSyx2xGXBMS0MF3Pte6red3mmckpwiaqe9GZhyD7rBv0o2R863ObdKSzsmi1l75-d4/s1600/P1000807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjel6I9nqANI8fA4Kv55dqGy1DDJDF4NRch1SZLq1PAjKsL9avMSHaGdw3ygAFlKpQAYzGJQo0OuKSyx2xGXBMS0MF3Pte6red3mmckpwiaqe9GZhyD7rBv0o2R863ObdKSzsmi1l75-d4/s320/P1000807.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center">Can you spot the boys down there?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKlVvw-O3Gp1jY0Lu3ivan0TQM3Tg0rTQGXNWImMHdbGza26rAWsKp8-XUZRPMT1jZDS9UZqK5MSD6QQMdR4lkeoGhMnRQuyAl-COTPsFYBp_2UPmKFjxOmcHR68QPebqPn3LhKKMfWC8/s1600/P1000806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKlVvw-O3Gp1jY0Lu3ivan0TQM3Tg0rTQGXNWImMHdbGza26rAWsKp8-XUZRPMT1jZDS9UZqK5MSD6QQMdR4lkeoGhMnRQuyAl-COTPsFYBp_2UPmKFjxOmcHR68QPebqPn3LhKKMfWC8/s320/P1000806.JPG" /></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHuNwYqFFDybyuQs5mRA0V5irSmTPuz-pAkKQNkhqXrS-J40sz5taebFVllZWrCbiFdyLD2SjNTeFE_TaHsl5OFCk5kSyQvsdvRpTMW8JwGeCdDhULi8QjZLnSrzOs92U0qJZoHDECyPl/s1600/P1130789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHuNwYqFFDybyuQs5mRA0V5irSmTPuz-pAkKQNkhqXrS-J40sz5taebFVllZWrCbiFdyLD2SjNTeFE_TaHsl5OFCk5kSyQvsdvRpTMW8JwGeCdDhULi8QjZLnSrzOs92U0qJZoHDECyPl/s320/P1130789.JPG" /></a></div><p align="center">We hung a flag from the balcony so they could spot us!</p><p>After a very tasty Dim Sum brunch at their local restaurant, we all headed out to explore the area, specifically the Ping Shan Heritage trail close by. Locals still live in the traditional walled villages although the signs of modernisation are even evident here, with plenty of cars parked outside and air conditioning units dotted across the stone walls. There are several imperial study halls, some still intact with their traditonal decorations and others turned into housing.</p><p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorA1RedRb5wzvGBaKVn1VKfVG4m6CNcI0YulArBOdrcH-2Grf8Mx7_SV0X2pGtxtEC47xFSsY_kmUqmNCtMj-TjU-rZIoU0ra8ywuRm3y6ULtKNc2bEfGeA9AFz31y546zkQaMiEosDv1/s1600/P1000785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorA1RedRb5wzvGBaKVn1VKfVG4m6CNcI0YulArBOdrcH-2Grf8Mx7_SV0X2pGtxtEC47xFSsY_kmUqmNCtMj-TjU-rZIoU0ra8ywuRm3y6ULtKNc2bEfGeA9AFz31y546zkQaMiEosDv1/s320/P1000785.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFRUHFcmCoyPzg_BHACiaXEKMF6TxFuPwc2AUhYuqvAjY6XAnREEWdAN1N7eVSsdqEKmG33EmwNv-5E7BibXvzfYbIZ8sFx-GTGzpwONHMN563w4Mhnqrt4zRjuEdX_usSQSUp9kIuMhf/s1600/P1000790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFRUHFcmCoyPzg_BHACiaXEKMF6TxFuPwc2AUhYuqvAjY6XAnREEWdAN1N7eVSsdqEKmG33EmwNv-5E7BibXvzfYbIZ8sFx-GTGzpwONHMN563w4Mhnqrt4zRjuEdX_usSQSUp9kIuMhf/s320/P1000790.JPG" /></a></div></p><p>What do you think of when you picture Hong Kong? I certainly found this area surprising, it was definitely not the bright lights and shiny skyscrapers of modern Hong Kong, but it had a real texture to it that I think is missing from the glamour of the inner city...</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-68541760233012417182012-08-16T20:31:00.001+12:002012-08-16T20:31:21.393+12:00So what am I looking forward to most?<p>I'm not sure that reality has sunk in yet. We leave tomorrow evening and I officially finished work this morning after three long night shifts. We are pretty much packed and sorted, I just have a few jobs to do around the house tomorrow and then it is time to set off! So I thought I'd take the time to think about what I am most looking forward to over the next ten weeks.</p><p><b>Top Ten Things I'm Most Excited About</b></p><p>1. <b>Catching up with my friends in Hong Kong.</b> It's been just over a year since I saw them, when we headed to Tasmania for their Australian wedding celebration. It will be great to see how they've settled into their new lives together in Hong Kong.</p><p>2. <b>Vladivostok.</b> I've always loved the name, ever since I heard it at school. Rich is excited about seeing the WW2 submarine and I'm just excited that my first steps onto Russia soil will be in Russia's Far East, in the city they refer to as the San Francisco of Russia. I have been to San Francisco, so we'll see if the comparison actually stacks up!</p><p>3. <b>Lake Baikal.</b> The deepest lake in the world, it will apparently one day be a new ocean, splitting the continent in half (I doubt humans will be around to see that!)</p><p>4. <b>Krasnoyarsk and Stolby National Park.</b> This was never originally on my radar as a place to go, and wasn't in my original itinerary, but when I read about it I was enchanted. There have been a lot of forest fires in the national park lately, but hopefully they will have settled down by the time we head for a hike up to the famous Stolby rock formations.</p><p>5. <b>Peterhof</b> - the famous palace in St Petersburg that is modelled on Versailles in Paris. The fountains and gardens are supposed to be lovely. We'll be here on our last day in Russia, to hopefully top off an amazing month of travelling!.</p><p>6. <b>A short but sweet stopover in Prague.</b> Neither of us have been here before and hope that this quick taste of the city will be enough. Czech Republic may well be on our hitlist on our next trip to Europe.</p><p>7. <b>Seeing some musicals in London's West End.</b> We both love a good musical and have a list of a few we are planning to see, every evening whilst in London.</p><p>8. <b>The Dr Who Experience in Cardiff.</b> Yes, slightly bizarre, but I'm a huge Doctor Who fan and have had this on my to-do list since I first heard about it!</p><p>9. <b>Heading back to Orkney.</b> I've decided to take Rich to Orkney, way up off the north coast of Scotland. I was born here, and although I left when I was just a baby I still feel this is where my roots are. I'd like to aim to visit at least once a decade!</p><p>10. <b>The best thing of all - seeing my little sister!!</b> I only see her once a year for a few days if I'm lucky, and I miss her a lot. We will be spending a fair amount of time in Sheffield and I'll get to meet her boyfriend finally. They've been together longer than Richard and I, but I haven't yet met him face to face.</p><p>There are plenty of other things I'm looking forward to - it's quite hard narrowing it down to only 10! I wonder what Rich is most excited about?</p><p><iframe src='http://www.blogabond.com/BlogMap.aspx?tripID=191178' width='100%' height='300' frameborder=0 scrolling=no></iframe><a href='http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=191178' style='font-size:80%;'>more...</a></p>
kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-20676322847704816522012-07-30T22:17:00.000+12:002012-07-30T22:17:20.338+12:00Planning a New Adventure<p>This trip has been a very, very long time coming!</p><p><iframe src='http://www.blogabond.com/BlogMap.aspx?tripID=191178' width='100%' height='300' frameborder=0 scrolling=no></iframe><a href='http://www.blogabond.com/TripView.aspx?tripID=191178' style='font-size:80%;'>more...</a></p><p>I first found the desire to go to Russia whilst I was still at school, and I finished school 10 years ago now! I learnt Russian for three years (even got an A* at GCSE) and whilst I was unable to carry on to A Level I was originally going to study the language at university. Life got in the way, however, and whilst I did make it to Central America and SE Asia and emigrated to New Zealand I never ended up getting to Russia. 10 years later and my life and career have taken a very different path and finally, finally, I am starting to make my dream come true.</p><p>I've got 10 weeks off work (paid leave - thank you nursing job for letting me save up a couple years of annual leave!) I've read the guide books, googled my heart out, scoured travel blogs and forums and decided on the route I want to take. I even have a travel partner in my loving boyfriend of 2 years who is keen to take this trip with me even though I've warned him I might be a bit difficult, I am used to traveling alone... This is our first long trip away together, so I guess it'll be a bit of a test of our relationship! I think one of the things holding me back from travelling to Russia earlier was that I did actually want to share the experience with someone rather than go it alone. When I went to Laos a few years ago I did feel somewhat more isolated than I had travelling before. Most people I met were either couples or groups of 18 year olds out for some drunken laughs, although I did manage to meet a few other solos whom I remember fondly.</p><p>I've spent the majority of 2012 so far planning the route I want to take. Originally I was planning on doing an independent but organised trip through a recommended company who would book our train tickets and accommodation and a few tours and things, but due to a few factors I decided to bite the bullet and DIY it. I blame the guide book, there were just too many places I wanted to stop. We are also spending a month in the UK and I didn't want to be there during the Olympics so rather than heading there first and working our way back to NZ overland we are travelling East to West. We fly from Dunedin via Auckland to Hong Kong, for a fun filled few days with a couple of my closest friends who now live there. Then we are flying from Hong Kong to Vladivostok on Russia's Far East coast. This is the start/end of the Trans-Siberian train route. Most travelers actually go Moscow to Beijing and don't make it this far east, but if you are coming from NZ or Australia this can be an alternative starting point, especially if you don't want to go to China. If you are coming from Japan or South Korea there are also ferries to Vladivostok. From here we are spending a couple of weeks travelling the rail to Moscow, stopping off for a few days around the Lake Baikal area, Krasnoyarsk, Yekaterinburg, Vladimir and Suzdal. Because my boyfriend is interested in war history, I have managed to squeeze in a couple of days in Volgograd ( formally Stalingrad) at his request. We are flying here to save time, and then flying up to St Petersburg to finish off our month in Russia. You can only get a tourist visa for 30 days so I've planned our trip to be exactly that.</p><p>After Russia we will make our way briefly to Prague and Paris, then onto London and the UK towards the end of September. I left the UK in 2006 and only visited briefly in 2007 so this will be my first major trip back to my 'homeland'. Rich has been to the UK more recently than me. I want to catch up with my sister and my friends and take Rich to the places I grew up. Of course this pretty much means travelling the UK almost it's entire length... But hey we'll have just done that in Russia, the largest country in the world, so the UK should be easy in comparison!</p><p>We head off on the 17th August and I am counting down the days! I will hopefully manage to keep you updated...</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-87963425432035502842011-04-18T21:56:00.001+12:002011-04-18T22:22:43.032+12:00Garden Update<p>I have somehow managed to completely fail at blogging anything so far this year, and it's already April (how did that happen?) I guess I'm just too busy living life to write about it. Or maybe I'm just too busy working... My camera has also been a bit temperamental over the last few months, so I haven't taken as many photos as I wanted - completely missed taking a photo of the tomato bed in it's prime, which was a shame, it's not much to look at now. I'm just going to do a quick overview of the last few months, as I need to go to sleep soon for work tomorrow.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">November</span> - The vegetables are growing well and I was able to eat mesclun, spinach and pak choi. I've been eating juicy strawberries since the 8th November, they have been very productive this year and I'm glad I planted them in a bed instead of a strawberry pot (as I'd done the previous year).</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw92-ddtE_nfLEfHUMpHw4xzxr-bE9WkpmilOg4WCBTCTe4e5mSAO0BccfXNhqCDXweOtnYusht1svdmmWncH-LGoDOewjSf6KXUIWiH_a5M8sqlMRsMuv7ZRlLS5uQkZVXwccqJyipcg1/s1600/IMG_6642.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw92-ddtE_nfLEfHUMpHw4xzxr-bE9WkpmilOg4WCBTCTe4e5mSAO0BccfXNhqCDXweOtnYusht1svdmmWncH-LGoDOewjSf6KXUIWiH_a5M8sqlMRsMuv7ZRlLS5uQkZVXwccqJyipcg1/s320/IMG_6642.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567901552012457810" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Above is a box with mesclun, snow peas, beans, brocolli, pakchoi, carrots and spinach growing. The mesclun is bursting out of the square!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6dZ6zrBqLKh-tROg19jkUlHNlVhP3QkwFlbhYHTc4ZKTXgm7MUXRqjAfDcKl-WxVdr7aa-SN2x7VdH6t2riIjJpYVpfHqUD54CpU2WpNTgoJIDqq1Qq6medikp-NOsfq1yt1bIKWBTLL/s1600/IMG_6639.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6dZ6zrBqLKh-tROg19jkUlHNlVhP3QkwFlbhYHTc4ZKTXgm7MUXRqjAfDcKl-WxVdr7aa-SN2x7VdH6t2riIjJpYVpfHqUD54CpU2WpNTgoJIDqq1Qq6medikp-NOsfq1yt1bIKWBTLL/s320/IMG_6639.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567901556999676930" border="0" /></a></p><p>In November I also started laying weedmat around the boxes to keep down the grass and weeds, as I was getting a bit sick of mowing and strimming it away from the boxes. Here you can see potatoes, which I am growing in left over compost bags. I built a cage from chicken wire to protect my strawberry bed. The far bed in the above picture has broccoli, peas, and onions. It did have parsnips but they never germinated :( Think I had a bad batch of seeds.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0mkDvPAauI0cAEYPZ-l1_rWLrLNZ2OeXypX34ee4QgtuztI2wJBjguxe038moSqogRVApmP5PWTAVWotWS_6Gl-22SdKvN36DH-ixHCUmSKBn8O9l7WlcrHOorN45FE96hENibqHlPgD/s1600/IMG_6800.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0mkDvPAauI0cAEYPZ-l1_rWLrLNZ2OeXypX34ee4QgtuztI2wJBjguxe038moSqogRVApmP5PWTAVWotWS_6Gl-22SdKvN36DH-ixHCUmSKBn8O9l7WlcrHOorN45FE96hENibqHlPgD/s320/IMG_6800.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567901578820482370" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Strawberries and raspberries - yum :)</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">December</span> - I continued the weedmatting endeavour, and spent a day shovelling Otatara pebbles on top, with a lot of help from mum and my boyfriend. I think it looks almost stylish now!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdC0EQ6KuNMJVQioMk51W3PRa8PGa4Tf4FndujkFMXrvmZdDcv91KuR1vk_Pispmu_AQOS5JGWbrvX6PsNjYdfFWyZ2CYyLiNkFEfGgxPX9eY7tRCabjv_RDEVuTEfebySShASm9SXKJP/s1600/IMG_6787.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdC0EQ6KuNMJVQioMk51W3PRa8PGa4Tf4FndujkFMXrvmZdDcv91KuR1vk_Pispmu_AQOS5JGWbrvX6PsNjYdfFWyZ2CYyLiNkFEfGgxPX9eY7tRCabjv_RDEVuTEfebySShASm9SXKJP/s320/IMG_6787.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567901567645052386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHFI874-O13qOkXyM5Nd0052cr6IsVeEhvX2lmmDlQFctkCdPgoSPtdtmsFSxpA4f_y5IcwjXLa48d6vJTVhKUleDjo4FuYkT-UKLCWDDUF7bc576jarheHeLsuUlpyQSgqBKnVWv9l8G/s1600/IMG_6797.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHFI874-O13qOkXyM5Nd0052cr6IsVeEhvX2lmmDlQFctkCdPgoSPtdtmsFSxpA4f_y5IcwjXLa48d6vJTVhKUleDjo4FuYkT-UKLCWDDUF7bc576jarheHeLsuUlpyQSgqBKnVWv9l8G/s320/IMG_6797.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567901572691555906" border="0" /></a></p><p>The centre box has peas which you can see have shot up - they are Dwarf Massey peas which supposedly means they don't need staking, although I did give them a bit of support by making a cage around the box - primarily to protect my broccoli from cabbage butterflies and their caterpillars. I had a good, if short, harvest of peas - unfortunately the bulk of them were ready whilst I was away over Christmas and New Years. The fruit picking continues, and I've harvested my garlic (the pots in front of photo above), picking carrots when I want, and giant broccoli heads too.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">January</span> - Even though Summer seemed to have deserted us for most of the month, I at least still managed some great harvests. My experiment with cucumber fell flat though, with my cucumber plants promptly dying as soon as they went outside. Nevermind I have a solution for cucumbers for next season...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrP7Zcf3pwf2cRTv2SuwKMka9dm4sONPcooR0qK8f-c4b6uzjIZs84giDhjA15s2MddTp0s0uLAFyiSyraIjSi7YbL6B9-uRdrfHD59ZCjvwDvaE7Q_bApqmixvxA3F_6kwxGnQ4nZI8v/s1600/IMG_6869.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrP7Zcf3pwf2cRTv2SuwKMka9dm4sONPcooR0qK8f-c4b6uzjIZs84giDhjA15s2MddTp0s0uLAFyiSyraIjSi7YbL6B9-uRdrfHD59ZCjvwDvaE7Q_bApqmixvxA3F_6kwxGnQ4nZI8v/s320/IMG_6869.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596852225684954402" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Carrots, strawberries, broccoli, peas, spinach... yum yum yum!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYadAJGYFIoss7vf1bSRoEpJII6Z3VNSGDJ6ZXgcfQT3yxSL4w4kISHV3CqZw3PDMLJqAcme1mMIueAM5rPo7jQy4mjDNl0CF7wiOq_NjmELX1H51uv0KUUtzumalNz1YxCUvptPP8YpP/s1600/IMG_6879.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYadAJGYFIoss7vf1bSRoEpJII6Z3VNSGDJ6ZXgcfQT3yxSL4w4kISHV3CqZw3PDMLJqAcme1mMIueAM5rPo7jQy4mjDNl0CF7wiOq_NjmELX1H51uv0KUUtzumalNz1YxCUvptPP8YpP/s320/IMG_6879.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596852236815870306" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I also seem to be growing something surprising in my raspberry bed!</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">February</span> - I came into my main crop of potatoes (I was hoping they'd be a bit earlier) and have spring onions and baby turnips too. My broccoli was almost done, and I ended up freezing a lot of later use as I just couldn't eat my way through it all.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OMfMsFWAyndkkaeWRBkOIitbeLta5AOY4VsnQgxGq-t2pLBTIU75WF4O75yaloH8CZi1qJbcp8TjtTuJrN0dUa05XPPsl7sZlMkDKtS1z8iYKE77m0rFqShWyPmT_lAmCP5TY2R_ZWvq/s1600/IMG_6883.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OMfMsFWAyndkkaeWRBkOIitbeLta5AOY4VsnQgxGq-t2pLBTIU75WF4O75yaloH8CZi1qJbcp8TjtTuJrN0dUa05XPPsl7sZlMkDKtS1z8iYKE77m0rFqShWyPmT_lAmCP5TY2R_ZWvq/s320/IMG_6883.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596852244464360338" border="0" /></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">March</span> - This month has seen the bulk of my tomato crop ripen. They are in a raised bed by the back door and have done surprisingly well for being outdoors, although ripened later than I would have liked. Having said that, I did have some ripen before the next door neighbour's tomatoes, which are in a glasshouse. I have Roma, Moneymaker, Russian Red and Sweet 100 growing. I've made some into puree and frozen it. I love tomatoes, but there are just too many for me!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcXn1H3lbTjTLR8hWfDoKgNGmZ7vw3Me-RG-g6VUPgjj_RZfwlIUfp3jloVFdQJb7oXoKestaHqu5_pdA9k4NeCsbf8cSnQJfoQn9kW6ApzXQjKC8EICYqLvwsp0XnycnoTw85S5PdxJq/s1600/IMG_6907.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcXn1H3lbTjTLR8hWfDoKgNGmZ7vw3Me-RG-g6VUPgjj_RZfwlIUfp3jloVFdQJb7oXoKestaHqu5_pdA9k4NeCsbf8cSnQJfoQn9kW6ApzXQjKC8EICYqLvwsp0XnycnoTw85S5PdxJq/s320/IMG_6907.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596852249501520466" border="0" /></a></p><p>I also bought some fruit trees and planted them along the new fence my kind neighbour built as our new boundary. There are 2 ballerina apple trees, a meyer lemon and a feijoa so far. I've harvested all the potatoes from the bags I planted them in, and most of my crops are coming to the end of the season. It's also bulb planting time - I noticed last spring there was a severe lack of bulbs in my garden, so now there are tulips, daffodils, anemones, ranunculus, freesia, crocus and dutch iris.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">April</span> - The biggest accomplishment of April so far - my new tunnel house that Dad built me for my birthday!! Now I can plant even more food!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDdc0qBlGD_JzhcooQIo8HjyPC4yhMnMrJxRSsckGrCaw-fl2Wf6B8tTt-1HfGUDAakRSkcW-klDQxAVIXvM31NKyMqCidwLIUhWRDnSZKjv3qz-TmMCuH24q8QhF2irp93KU71Oo9luy/s1600/IMG_6945.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDdc0qBlGD_JzhcooQIo8HjyPC4yhMnMrJxRSsckGrCaw-fl2Wf6B8tTt-1HfGUDAakRSkcW-klDQxAVIXvM31NKyMqCidwLIUhWRDnSZKjv3qz-TmMCuH24q8QhF2irp93KU71Oo9luy/s320/IMG_6945.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596852257833235890" border="0" /></a></p><p>There are currently some pak choi, broccoli, silverbeet and lettuce growing in there. In summer I'll try for some cucumber again, and grow tomatoes so hopefully I will get some earlier. Unbelievably, considering how cold it has been recently, I'm still harvesting tomatoes, and strawberries. In fact I've had strawberries constantly since November, and haven't had to buy a single punnet.</p><p>At some point soon I'm going to write a post examining my successes and failures for the season and looking at where to go next. Right now, though, I have to go to sleep!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-20395900357741078152010-11-12T20:00:00.001+13:002010-11-12T22:16:45.574+13:00Filling the Square Foot Garden<p>So I was going to write about how I prepared my vegetable garden a while ago, but I have been too busy in my garden to actually get around to blogging about it! So I actually did this back in August, and it is working very well, but I'll update with new garden photos later. First off I want to explain about the mixture I used for the boxes. As I am using something called the <a href="http://www.squarefootgardening.com/">'Square Foot Method'</a> I wanted to be fairly true to the book and follow the instructions to create a good growing medium. This involves using a formula of 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 vermiculite (a type of volcanic rock) and 1/3 peat moss. I was a bit sceptical about using peat moss as I remember the devastation of peat bogs in the UK, but peat moss in NZ is from sustainable places apparently so I felt a bit better about it. The vermiculite was difficult to source, but I eventually got it from a gardening supply place in Christchurch who happily couriered it down to me. For the compost, the book recommends using at least 5 different types, but this was pretty difficult, especially as many bagged composts don't actually state what is in them. I used Tui vege mix, Nicholls organic, Tui organic and worm castings. My boxes are 12" deep but I only needed to use the mix for the top 6" so the bottom half I just used plain compost of a different type again underneath.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN304sW8xy62PqMxHkUkSMoIJNG53XmJnfR5nuHtEsFXPhXXzDOhJWICyj1r1NDBqedfygnIaTL0MWKMmQPbPQVrnNzlMoeUXaoZz-uwmA0MxmXevzCmSzzDKjB1P5ZhDm65rrboziwX2e/s1600/IMG_6496.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN304sW8xy62PqMxHkUkSMoIJNG53XmJnfR5nuHtEsFXPhXXzDOhJWICyj1r1NDBqedfygnIaTL0MWKMmQPbPQVrnNzlMoeUXaoZz-uwmA0MxmXevzCmSzzDKjB1P5ZhDm65rrboziwX2e/s320/IMG_6496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514421525852171746" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">My equipment - tarp, buckets, and compost, as well as the trusty book.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpBatqPz26Zoz0eFAQbC97FoGFZYw40-tJeToQ1b7UoWJcYulGVRBgY3LrQ5g3FpXq1JkCpeCYAWt9PZwdF2H0KwkapiUs2h8_l2zf7p3XPd7TlryCfdYiDBZoUEWEtcsKu1sUAl9wyIQ/s1600/IMG_6497.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpBatqPz26Zoz0eFAQbC97FoGFZYw40-tJeToQ1b7UoWJcYulGVRBgY3LrQ5g3FpXq1JkCpeCYAWt9PZwdF2H0KwkapiUs2h8_l2zf7p3XPd7TlryCfdYiDBZoUEWEtcsKu1sUAl9wyIQ/s320/IMG_6497.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514421518864532610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CCeCovooLCWg7uxHBmyLVh20sLvLVWJUv3fvfuk4jjvINI1y_CfsUqPDqanG0eRjaoGn988MjKzVSEHgm7mXcLl8jKiDGb6Bbi2S35IDF8NVDfifBHyXYMk1ToyLWprMCm49zMV8FoQL/s1600/IMG_6498.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CCeCovooLCWg7uxHBmyLVh20sLvLVWJUv3fvfuk4jjvINI1y_CfsUqPDqanG0eRjaoGn988MjKzVSEHgm7mXcLl8jKiDGb6Bbi2S35IDF8NVDfifBHyXYMk1ToyLWprMCm49zMV8FoQL/s320/IMG_6498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514421510435648898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd99RzQvc6KRDOUmB8iqLfms5j-XosCKGO09R8eP-JVdXtUk7AhZ5P1KWdVp4Ukl-LXAXZvF1fe7NoGpDiJweJU_9XPAtwDvMkxMZp9SzcYOu_GXi-UO-aTaO1xX8bRoDwODVYjLCB3uLJ/s1600/IMG_6500.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd99RzQvc6KRDOUmB8iqLfms5j-XosCKGO09R8eP-JVdXtUk7AhZ5P1KWdVp4Ukl-LXAXZvF1fe7NoGpDiJweJU_9XPAtwDvMkxMZp9SzcYOu_GXi-UO-aTaO1xX8bRoDwODVYjLCB3uLJ/s320/IMG_6500.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514421495742011010" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">First I mixed up all the compost (I had already done lots of sums to work out how much of each compost I would need).</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1e9vL6K7l_5DJFR9RZYi-ke-5r2tV6hSuc6XKuSCERQNspSLYaqm6PMcY1MDJj_reflfEgkoQn_LYcSzqEdJaIqbK5lAfwqmpCXC69TBXDveKf2oS1q4QpzP7uVTfq63KzrY_Y86ewKS/s1600/IMG_6503.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY1e9vL6K7l_5DJFR9RZYi-ke-5r2tV6hSuc6XKuSCERQNspSLYaqm6PMcY1MDJj_reflfEgkoQn_LYcSzqEdJaIqbK5lAfwqmpCXC69TBXDveKf2oS1q4QpzP7uVTfq63KzrY_Y86ewKS/s320/IMG_6503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514420279558473698" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then the peat and vermiculite were added and the whole thing was dampened and mixed some more.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAzeXndf_o3HXNWUOg4soy-0PPfKg33YdgmE5xjm4FjL4UBOd-Pa7kIxRrsj44q0x12ZOaJoffDYhGy-IQVek7PufHjO1vK_EOLvpekQS4Up-mEnZ-fPNphvyfojpfB5KbSg9eBLmqR7X/s1600/IMG_6506.JPG"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquZ3EfgZowrv3v-U0aeiKyNRR8jn32BgZ2y3Y8zNrYK9oTw2xWXg0EIinl5uInpAWveStCkW_roFEkCWlWG0psngmFYMFk_jAhUOBSB_msU22kJHvZr-cg17HfnrTLP4ctg2nEaMk2LWR/s1600/IMG_6509.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquZ3EfgZowrv3v-U0aeiKyNRR8jn32BgZ2y3Y8zNrYK9oTw2xWXg0EIinl5uInpAWveStCkW_roFEkCWlWG0psngmFYMFk_jAhUOBSB_msU22kJHvZr-cg17HfnrTLP4ctg2nEaMk2LWR/s320/IMG_6509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514420258012205890" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then I dragged the tarp over to my boxes and started shovelling it in with the bucket, wetting the mixture frequently which helps the compressed peat moss to expand.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyuWBeMKsoY-bH-j1H44Wd3SgNb2ae8c05JGSPYxPaJNl5OaMt9vlVTas5eQeWcC_bHo4jwh1ju9OuISiIuBJdbcB2uID8nkwV294J1v9EJUmHcVzr6udrqVKc0i2hrJ3LpmZ6dNluanm/s1600/IMG_6510.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyuWBeMKsoY-bH-j1H44Wd3SgNb2ae8c05JGSPYxPaJNl5OaMt9vlVTas5eQeWcC_bHo4jwh1ju9OuISiIuBJdbcB2uID8nkwV294J1v9EJUmHcVzr6udrqVKc0i2hrJ3LpmZ6dNluanm/s320/IMG_6510.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514420251128653506" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I actually mixed it up for each box one by one, so did the whole thing 4 times. It got a lot easier...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3RRIacy7A77My5knfF8CexNer45R_1VvUzC2GwKiXPYxybK6ScWF_B10ySOdiHko6ePrTpuXOGv-TjPclwBe4ng3awYUr9lKthx_zzDE3o9upQosc5qC9HPduTwKHEwDXNwOfcIyUeQm/s1600/IMG_6512.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3RRIacy7A77My5knfF8CexNer45R_1VvUzC2GwKiXPYxybK6ScWF_B10ySOdiHko6ePrTpuXOGv-TjPclwBe4ng3awYUr9lKthx_zzDE3o9upQosc5qC9HPduTwKHEwDXNwOfcIyUeQm/s320/IMG_6512.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514420242350288002" border="0" /></a>All four boxes are filled up, and I had some left over as I have a box which is only half the size of the others - saved it for my next box. My flatmate and her entire extended family turned up while I was doing this... I'm pretty sure they thought I was completely crazy...</p><p>Then it was time to start planning and planting. I'll update with photos of my lovely growing garden shortly, it is doing very well.</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-56977866588719214202010-11-12T17:48:00.000+13:002010-11-12T20:31:08.206+13:00My Bathroom Renovation, part 2<p>After the bathroom was practically gutted, it was time to start putting it back together. Having the floor completely ripped up at least meant it was somewhat easier for the plumber to get to the pipes and sort out the plumbing, some of which was looking a bit dodgy - again, such a wonderful DIY job was done on this bathroom previously...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq9U10ZvjfrcUxFg1ZtT7eZqv6PsB2DfXHOShdIAPZs4N809by0XL5WnqVIc12UWFdrKrldM0fPbDhS_XS4cgKbqeEhta5P4F1p3mwTJrPIM_C8T-bNeX3ObtykpHCRJsDFF6M9DjlKq1/s1600/IMG_6538.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514418365230538626" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 240px; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguq9U10ZvjfrcUxFg1ZtT7eZqv6PsB2DfXHOShdIAPZs4N809by0XL5WnqVIc12UWFdrKrldM0fPbDhS_XS4cgKbqeEhta5P4F1p3mwTJrPIM_C8T-bNeX3ObtykpHCRJsDFF6M9DjlKq1/s320/IMG_6538.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The bath and frame are positioned.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBMpUckRx82w8HAXWx3AZEO7r5FAnJjpsCbQN3QJAowLKCAIV3p4rWk_U_h49WIiF-_d9phMRZQteoDo7ljyUe-TPT9EgEdGs-Litm3R3cIREG3eheu-PYSoORGVSrmduFux2nlfdEJWf/s1600/IMG_6540.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514416959948517698" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; cursor: pointer; height: 240px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeBMpUckRx82w8HAXWx3AZEO7r5FAnJjpsCbQN3QJAowLKCAIV3p4rWk_U_h49WIiF-_d9phMRZQteoDo7ljyUe-TPT9EgEdGs-Litm3R3cIREG3eheu-PYSoORGVSrmduFux2nlfdEJWf/s320/IMG_6540.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Bob the builder looking busy building the new laundry cupboard.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3uD7N8Ce-5KfVMWEqiRsojUOpuHXzPbLmUrr61QwKtSSG1Rv9LcB_ROPe0IAfcHCYWOydJMygA1zSIc8kxmEn9295qVHHzZOzIewbT0OgOvwPedqo1Lwyvdt4vkAucmF758Z9eTJe5mM/s1600/IMG_6541.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514416954942977634" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 240px; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3uD7N8Ce-5KfVMWEqiRsojUOpuHXzPbLmUrr61QwKtSSG1Rv9LcB_ROPe0IAfcHCYWOydJMygA1zSIc8kxmEn9295qVHHzZOzIewbT0OgOvwPedqo1Lwyvdt4vkAucmF758Z9eTJe5mM/s320/IMG_6541.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Bath in place, it is starting to take shape!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmnVhdEcF2KOZlp4XKpnQTKOTkvXpCVbTHBVJ_IC0Il_2zsSrVci2p0cMw43PmwxftlabBFd8_eCGt3xH2VGsVh607TF6wTfZOGbYgOBw_h_qWXEAuZhoerS6oAUwOGi7tTZXLSCgBH_T/s1600/IMG_6544.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514416946055089106" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 240px; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXmnVhdEcF2KOZlp4XKpnQTKOTkvXpCVbTHBVJ_IC0Il_2zsSrVci2p0cMw43PmwxftlabBFd8_eCGt3xH2VGsVh607TF6wTfZOGbYgOBw_h_qWXEAuZhoerS6oAUwOGi7tTZXLSCgBH_T/s320/IMG_6544.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Wf_q0gHAdL31fZXTzRkYUH0uvfriHt5o1gBguRW8ReRpIHzX_8qrKGeDY-iWnFfjh0O9GsTWUFDhKeYDcWMYqDbr8wcOv794VN8T5yqMwq7eRyP6WSGUsd7IOw72zNxuF_wNGTk8u3H4/s1600/IMG_6545.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514416926413834178" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 240px; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Wf_q0gHAdL31fZXTzRkYUH0uvfriHt5o1gBguRW8ReRpIHzX_8qrKGeDY-iWnFfjh0O9GsTWUFDhKeYDcWMYqDbr8wcOv794VN8T5yqMwq7eRyP6WSGUsd7IOw72zNxuF_wNGTk8u3H4/s320/IMG_6545.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I have walls again!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrLTh71mwsJodgxkqX6LIVCslDaN3HMj8sD3ptKJJQOled4S-q7IMv4Jpo6E9BqLw0JrQcet7oQ3xlUpzzupiDWTYOrYbtfpS-O6HTv_QpICfpGhaO7mjsAiRZ3BoahM1gKr3PTyDJ_3y/s1600/IMG_6547.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514416919741873090" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 240px; cursor: pointer; height: 320px; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrLTh71mwsJodgxkqX6LIVCslDaN3HMj8sD3ptKJJQOled4S-q7IMv4Jpo6E9BqLw0JrQcet7oQ3xlUpzzupiDWTYOrYbtfpS-O6HTv_QpICfpGhaO7mjsAiRZ3BoahM1gKr3PTyDJ_3y/s320/IMG_6547.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p>The shell of the cupboard has been built - slightly smaller than the original so that I could accommodate a bath. The bath is also slightly smaller than standard so that I could still have a laundry cupboard, as there is nowhere else in the house to put a washing machine.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1ZYvjhs-QjQg0t0xAjDzyJgQBxhjh9d_RjMNGV5FiAMK84QGe6W4_GEb98pSYpbYAXH9wBwj4dmV7ohqWKF-ws9I9WqEjVzIBu4xVXWPjZorwX_Bamby4fegNkEC3WEeR5HB4GvhG5ug/s1600/IMG_6557.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1ZYvjhs-QjQg0t0xAjDzyJgQBxhjh9d_RjMNGV5FiAMK84QGe6W4_GEb98pSYpbYAXH9wBwj4dmV7ohqWKF-ws9I9WqEjVzIBu4xVXWPjZorwX_Bamby4fegNkEC3WEeR5HB4GvhG5ug/s320/IMG_6557.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529594164370692306" border="0" /></a></p><p>My shiny new vanity - now I have real storage, this will be much better than the plastic drawer set from the Warehouse I've had under the sink for ages.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxA9phsqSnSlimFyLhiqqojZs_jLLkmMUAK0GvV6HECCpvsElQ6HJDJ97AnQ3TG4HdP4KgHvzV-NLrpR6OcVT_K8G8xj2GzdvEFMsNZlk-_P6z5UR_9pGWnDlJ2j8V7CoDRR9cpZAhPTD/s1600/IMG_6578.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxA9phsqSnSlimFyLhiqqojZs_jLLkmMUAK0GvV6HECCpvsElQ6HJDJ97AnQ3TG4HdP4KgHvzV-NLrpR6OcVT_K8G8xj2GzdvEFMsNZlk-_P6z5UR_9pGWnDlJ2j8V7CoDRR9cpZAhPTD/s320/IMG_6578.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529594168001752946" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The bath liner is fitted.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSiBN89vidllpSEx6_Em9YgBMYqQtmv_5g6sZpSt0PPnZvW66KVoky8LCCShvkmNEA_s8hK8BbGqempZOSkG3RgdAzTCQw3qiPNLcYpl3b8t1x7nT1Jgpow9pfZ5_lzLSl0vWBBb7yjdz/s1600/IMG_6581.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSiBN89vidllpSEx6_Em9YgBMYqQtmv_5g6sZpSt0PPnZvW66KVoky8LCCShvkmNEA_s8hK8BbGqempZOSkG3RgdAzTCQw3qiPNLcYpl3b8t1x7nT1Jgpow9pfZ5_lzLSl0vWBBb7yjdz/s320/IMG_6581.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529602759982001058" border="0" /></a></p><p>It took me a while to decide on paint colours - I wanted something I liked and that matched the wood detailing, but not something too modern as it isn't in-keeping with the house. In the end I chose a deep purple with an off-white purple for the upper walls. People who know me know how much I like purple, but honestly it was what matched best! (And it was actually my boyfriend who originally picked it).</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rBTlnYmHOBrPuWq4gANxVICOzVOeuG_41uiALfqTliqV9Pqt6PFd_Qa032AW5ew3W4f_vWQd28nk3SDM9dKmdxNTvrJX6Ynt6bC3u8ON38R5c-ouOrSKEe-ds85zz3teOns7DVYUGR9G/s1600/IMG_6582.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rBTlnYmHOBrPuWq4gANxVICOzVOeuG_41uiALfqTliqV9Pqt6PFd_Qa032AW5ew3W4f_vWQd28nk3SDM9dKmdxNTvrJX6Ynt6bC3u8ON38R5c-ouOrSKEe-ds85zz3teOns7DVYUGR9G/s320/IMG_6582.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529594182183864994" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_Tew3ww-HgKby0ZarCaNFID2hCRZmpaNA7RkqQO3WYI3vsK1mqOvGL7oPRGVzfDGG0yz46RdTCG-fFMfEiG-Em6AjHJRL9bvbdNfrZHUn6aiASuVVKWYkEUZX_SiPsqPJ8BQCoKAoCon/s1600/IMG_6586.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_Tew3ww-HgKby0ZarCaNFID2hCRZmpaNA7RkqQO3WYI3vsK1mqOvGL7oPRGVzfDGG0yz46RdTCG-fFMfEiG-Em6AjHJRL9bvbdNfrZHUn6aiASuVVKWYkEUZX_SiPsqPJ8BQCoKAoCon/s320/IMG_6586.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529594190366418706" border="0" /></a></p><p>New floor! It's just vinyl but the wood effect works well in the bathroom and blends well with the real wooden floors I have in the hallway - so much so that when my mum first saw it she thought it was wood.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhyfitKbkzo5ozp5moPSW8KoPuKDZ1AJtRheF4HK5KnZGaN7Tt4Vgyj4wSF6PJwiZCVuc-f1a0PVIPo5o3RXr6rAdxgCPbzSgJs8Xhchc1wi9d3hDZVRRfcb6pSElUC-Xhd0UN_adrCrN/s1600/IMG_6589.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhyfitKbkzo5ozp5moPSW8KoPuKDZ1AJtRheF4HK5KnZGaN7Tt4Vgyj4wSF6PJwiZCVuc-f1a0PVIPo5o3RXr6rAdxgCPbzSgJs8Xhchc1wi9d3hDZVRRfcb6pSElUC-Xhd0UN_adrCrN/s320/IMG_6589.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529598601129812098" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Really taking shape, not long until it's finished!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5DeiPn93_es9cRd2tMyEhulyzN27ZM7uNtUzOIe8kK6rNKsRevO9o-sjFJohBYs8EGF-qzJX-RJNhGcEx_xqR-befuEF6ZVnb-CoBM-Y2d9K1lyelSLXAGhMPYMq5DqVWNE6S3pEos32/s1600/IMG_6590.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5DeiPn93_es9cRd2tMyEhulyzN27ZM7uNtUzOIe8kK6rNKsRevO9o-sjFJohBYs8EGF-qzJX-RJNhGcEx_xqR-befuEF6ZVnb-CoBM-Y2d9K1lyelSLXAGhMPYMq5DqVWNE6S3pEos32/s320/IMG_6590.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529598597184936290" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The shower is in! Finally I have a shower with good pressure!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGrNzjxrwBj7fpRv2Vc0qLZS4F7pu8V-CBHV86NPh1lrE4Khw6cRqaba4IgtWImlI63xn8uH48wtQNDTBVKaGKIcMjJ547J_9Au6DN9S61Qq7NmVz5rHhKbn4uvRYYfPTsvPui3uvlbnb/s1600/IMG_6591.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGrNzjxrwBj7fpRv2Vc0qLZS4F7pu8V-CBHV86NPh1lrE4Khw6cRqaba4IgtWImlI63xn8uH48wtQNDTBVKaGKIcMjJ547J_9Au6DN9S61Qq7NmVz5rHhKbn4uvRYYfPTsvPui3uvlbnb/s320/IMG_6591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529598587188320034" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Cupboard doors looking very smart.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQc1KIJco7aDzEFEflMnDSJ_0Uq2rUoB0Ei7Z_IGMVKd2fKsjM6mEcy7fMqerMv7OrCTLHh33QufUvZAHCcnFcAXvLatuoMa9wmG4hE59aFdw7ghNhQRYy8ecX5iKGW1jEnMa9KkqPXeA/s1600/IMG_6600.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQc1KIJco7aDzEFEflMnDSJ_0Uq2rUoB0Ei7Z_IGMVKd2fKsjM6mEcy7fMqerMv7OrCTLHh33QufUvZAHCcnFcAXvLatuoMa9wmG4hE59aFdw7ghNhQRYy8ecX5iKGW1jEnMa9KkqPXeA/s320/IMG_6600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529598579663941954" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">All finished!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTB6mZcCbQ5RwRbwTtxTYWjE46ZNLHH-JasaVMPlz9RPNhERBWlDFmqTChUETv10h9DmPuEHfBmO6SVxq7bAhRkOx_RJG-SXZ0xfCndV7i5ugYp9bsaCOzohr56uNoxYg7gXcKaY-2DTQ/s1600/IMG_6594.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTB6mZcCbQ5RwRbwTtxTYWjE46ZNLHH-JasaVMPlz9RPNhERBWlDFmqTChUETv10h9DmPuEHfBmO6SVxq7bAhRkOx_RJG-SXZ0xfCndV7i5ugYp9bsaCOzohr56uNoxYg7gXcKaY-2DTQ/s320/IMG_6594.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529598585967876866" border="0" /></a></p><p>I've had the bathroom finished for a couple of months now, and am still loving it. The shower is so much better and it's nice to have a bath once in a while too, and the whole bathroom feels a lot cleaner and tidier than before, with plenty of storage. It'll be a while before I can afford any more house renovations, so in the meantime it's on to the garden!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-50886416420620459902010-09-07T12:20:00.002+12:002010-09-07T12:26:55.917+12:00Where oh where shall my garden go?<p>After building my garden boxes, it was time to position them. I'd chosen to put my garden along the side of the house as this side gets the most sun, even managing a good morning of sunshine in the darkest winter months, at least until the next door neighbour's trees obscure it. The sun is almost at the point of topping those trees now (beginning of spring) so it should be fine in the summer time. The bottom of the garden is the flattest part, with a slope up to another fairly flat level. For some reason, I decided to place my boxes in a diamond rather than square pattern... not sure why really but it seemed to make sense at the time! I think it makes the garden look interesting anyway, although it is perhaps not an efficient use of space...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDkg52w5u2XgNLtmOtSamXQwPj4kh1xVQ5VXGqNSe7ASC6GDw8WHI4qFF5IJZnNpLCC-Mm3fwqY41lVA5yFqvZBVU80vVFzJY3omD9vsCIbjAW3XGHfjAJLu7dGS9NizCxkiyVokT6unV/s1600/IMG_6451.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDkg52w5u2XgNLtmOtSamXQwPj4kh1xVQ5VXGqNSe7ASC6GDw8WHI4qFF5IJZnNpLCC-Mm3fwqY41lVA5yFqvZBVU80vVFzJY3omD9vsCIbjAW3XGHfjAJLu7dGS9NizCxkiyVokT6unV/s320/IMG_6451.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509298913629369698" border="0" /></a></p><p>I had a bit of help from my flatmate to remove some of the grass from the area I had marked out, although I went around afterwards and straightened it up a bit as his edges weren't that straight.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIfomj5fh-lLUAlgYdxzfTetS72CQ-cR_pMm1O14dKXC3YUZTfx8oA1u2CtVMvYP1IYHpM_5lKJN7y83AaCrZHBnRKKmak5T7Ocp0VtGaA-9XgyyGpDT_lquxyPHYocNupCLn9Zz7KdwO/s1600/IMG_6453.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIfomj5fh-lLUAlgYdxzfTetS72CQ-cR_pMm1O14dKXC3YUZTfx8oA1u2CtVMvYP1IYHpM_5lKJN7y83AaCrZHBnRKKmak5T7Ocp0VtGaA-9XgyyGpDT_lquxyPHYocNupCLn9Zz7KdwO/s320/IMG_6453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509298896349404034" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPpaxjRGC8jYFg6R6Zd-IA8r4fj0MYr0-7HXAHCrV1oHWnzo9zUUEQzrZyWaeqsTeKTq5kZt9eJ1u6WImY_2OxbaMQotbjbRaLtBBaVlVQtvkcmyo11oHmdxGu_zHNTWZJ3bbM_pDhOGy/s1600/IMG_6456.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPpaxjRGC8jYFg6R6Zd-IA8r4fj0MYr0-7HXAHCrV1oHWnzo9zUUEQzrZyWaeqsTeKTq5kZt9eJ1u6WImY_2OxbaMQotbjbRaLtBBaVlVQtvkcmyo11oHmdxGu_zHNTWZJ3bbM_pDhOGy/s320/IMG_6456.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509298921988672626" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">My lovely cut out square of ground.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa7J3fI0O6N_kGeJXUfHEuwkIFvifZh8Qqw3MrAZXlRsLRQn94h9blMmQXqdHDdNsgOE-uL3MJsb0Gadi2bKpZah2KpFVMrsq_RGVuE9g0t-V30S1YbXiFd46Okwy32NVw_l5s2ZaLz-7/s1600/IMG_6455.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa7J3fI0O6N_kGeJXUfHEuwkIFvifZh8Qqw3MrAZXlRsLRQn94h9blMmQXqdHDdNsgOE-uL3MJsb0Gadi2bKpZah2KpFVMrsq_RGVuE9g0t-V30S1YbXiFd46Okwy32NVw_l5s2ZaLz-7/s320/IMG_6455.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509298929351479714" border="0" /></a></p><p>I placed weed matting on the ground to stop any weeds from getting into my beds. I don't think that will be too much of a problem, the grass is dying just with me trampling all over it. The box fits over the top and nestles into the cut out square so it won't move too much.</p><p>The first two boxes fit snugly in the flattest bit of the garden.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTvVp3LlBbxNg1Aktz-S-vLr9TmQsEiclOHV_crq_0MBUV3Qo9iPu3GLTbMobzoAwJTshe-8YQaJcoZrGmR8u9CD49UvW-hobBt4frGefTIQNC6dwMl_vqSEdAi7fWjjBoeJUlMoyqG11/s1600/IMG_6450.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTvVp3LlBbxNg1Aktz-S-vLr9TmQsEiclOHV_crq_0MBUV3Qo9iPu3GLTbMobzoAwJTshe-8YQaJcoZrGmR8u9CD49UvW-hobBt4frGefTIQNC6dwMl_vqSEdAi7fWjjBoeJUlMoyqG11/s320/IMG_6450.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509298906757875746" border="0" /></a></p><p>Now came the dilemma of where to put the next box. The further up the garden, the less sunny it is, so I really wanted to keep it close to the first two. Unfortunately there is a bit of a slope in the way.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pMwMfDvUARJIvcLzIHp3zwiMkjybzhTBSToM6urFjRL1VZX05_q3IlfdU3an3BYsXPfEvJkxMBMz4K_8Nn_H-LUhNo4Fr-8yO5fcgmeCwfRr1h0SnyFnC3nKCEPZlmzfQGbLB2up1TNP/s1600/IMG_6476.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pMwMfDvUARJIvcLzIHp3zwiMkjybzhTBSToM6urFjRL1VZX05_q3IlfdU3an3BYsXPfEvJkxMBMz4K_8Nn_H-LUhNo4Fr-8yO5fcgmeCwfRr1h0SnyFnC3nKCEPZlmzfQGbLB2up1TNP/s320/IMG_6476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948823207336674" border="0" /></a></p><p>I decided that the slope wouldn't stop me, I could just dig the bed down into it. Easier said than done, it took me a lot of digging over an afternoon and following morning to get the bed vaguely level. It rained overnight as well, so I was slipping around in the mud a lot, but I think it helped to loosen the heavy clay soil somewhat.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAd78i4qPuE1-k_NSSxtqAhdq9ATaTxsHLwcGPVG99oC647f2ySJNbZAd44Gq2wtcWOMXWOCx6wtI1XKtYYGY3Qw6v7nXAksq7Norn_PPCTecZYa_5tXJBxX9VLy3WmQsnzee7zswQnkp/s1600/IMG_6478.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAd78i4qPuE1-k_NSSxtqAhdq9ATaTxsHLwcGPVG99oC647f2ySJNbZAd44Gq2wtcWOMXWOCx6wtI1XKtYYGY3Qw6v7nXAksq7Norn_PPCTecZYa_5tXJBxX9VLy3WmQsnzee7zswQnkp/s320/IMG_6478.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948807328072002" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I marked out the area with black tape and then started to dig.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWK8jau2a4kAA_vMcnP_A8jO0SRa4TjZ8XJvJsI9nur2wnB_K7p0OITGkGqHWhwLwOHgkRCwGOMeytpYN74hvSX8tbUVZ4UPmz0GtHU0wgivPglfUjEuBYSZnCTSbx7m8nhmVJhjBZ_Rs4/s1600/IMG_6482.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWK8jau2a4kAA_vMcnP_A8jO0SRa4TjZ8XJvJsI9nur2wnB_K7p0OITGkGqHWhwLwOHgkRCwGOMeytpYN74hvSX8tbUVZ4UPmz0GtHU0wgivPglfUjEuBYSZnCTSbx7m8nhmVJhjBZ_Rs4/s320/IMG_6482.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513947948555646034" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Poppy lends a hand - put your back into it!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCVY65Xf7dzcU0e_rDB-Yy28eVw9VIbf72qN2W6ej_Bw5BSOhYL5K5XirkfAyXZvSIoqxVIKGiu-m1Po-x0QgXxWmAD65dKqQZCUUcEkqC-iyOOFaFSdcrb8geCOL3SLv0ToTOeEdooAV/s1600/IMG_6489.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCVY65Xf7dzcU0e_rDB-Yy28eVw9VIbf72qN2W6ej_Bw5BSOhYL5K5XirkfAyXZvSIoqxVIKGiu-m1Po-x0QgXxWmAD65dKqQZCUUcEkqC-iyOOFaFSdcrb8geCOL3SLv0ToTOeEdooAV/s320/IMG_6489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513947940108616146" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Almost finished.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lMwhxkezFBS_n5eEaDvCLLO4PQ8HJg3EuKX2AgOHZb9SP0udBE9kLA7DcbAfzHvc6VhX-Kzpv_BTP7R2IvhUEcWlFURxdVNeoi0M6muYeNAI2Ud2xcV2S4lGFCEYSCD1spyAbgADwvRe/s1600/IMG_6493.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lMwhxkezFBS_n5eEaDvCLLO4PQ8HJg3EuKX2AgOHZb9SP0udBE9kLA7DcbAfzHvc6VhX-Kzpv_BTP7R2IvhUEcWlFURxdVNeoi0M6muYeNAI2Ud2xcV2S4lGFCEYSCD1spyAbgADwvRe/s320/IMG_6493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513947929309261234" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The box goes into place.</p><p>This was incredibly hard to do on my own but I got there eventually after quite a bit of heavy work! It is still not quite level but was the best I could get it and I think it will be fine.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM0urkTYpI0LXWDOXLdhsF0OdQGWKRmoJJUb9OXKs_z68oQ_ZwCX0aNqSpKAI_Pa8kbzzjR3JKjYFYoDFiJA5hCebyTIieGlRjT0jChbKi21RpywsHdaWR8SNhGP20i7e2axaLQ_6pafy/s1600/IMG_6494.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM0urkTYpI0LXWDOXLdhsF0OdQGWKRmoJJUb9OXKs_z68oQ_ZwCX0aNqSpKAI_Pa8kbzzjR3JKjYFYoDFiJA5hCebyTIieGlRjT0jChbKi21RpywsHdaWR8SNhGP20i7e2axaLQ_6pafy/s320/IMG_6494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513947921747716658" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The three 4x4ft boxes finally in position.</p><p>I've protected them with bird netting, not because of birds but to stop the multitude of cats in my neighbourhood from using them as litter trays. Of course my cat is much better behaved! The grass and soil went behind the fence by the garage to raise that area a bit as I am going to make a pathway around to the side of the garage to make a composting area... don't think the neighbours will mind will they??</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlaJZ5EbbystDL3UAXXL3A6iyUssE0aOlxvQoa6jYxms7C-knZM17wKn1lr_PlRP4SieaET9EO4cwsIM5dMdH3B8ZTrxNT-qqndmxIxs4zcN8w0RhadQxBsruu4QeZFnq_UxL5gMxuEse/s1600/IMG_6495.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlaJZ5EbbystDL3UAXXL3A6iyUssE0aOlxvQoa6jYxms7C-knZM17wKn1lr_PlRP4SieaET9EO4cwsIM5dMdH3B8ZTrxNT-qqndmxIxs4zcN8w0RhadQxBsruu4QeZFnq_UxL5gMxuEse/s320/IMG_6495.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513947913243239522" border="0" /></a></p><p>All the boxes in place and partially filled with compost. In the back is my 2x4 box which I have placed in an empty space in my old garden bed between two plants I uncovered from the mass of weeds that was originally there. I'll make sure to keep those bushes trimmed and away from my box. It will be planted with raspberry canes - if they fruit higher than the fence I can also go around the fence and pick them.</p><p>It was a lot of work to cut into the slope - but I will probably do it again for another 4x4 box at a later date. Either than or cut the whole slope out completely and put in a retaining wall. Tempting, but an awful lot of digging for me...</p><p>I also treated the wood with linseed oil to prolong the life of boxes. I will do another coat soon. If only it would stop raining!</p><p>Next - filling and planting the boxes!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-83427614466183618122010-09-07T08:52:00.005+12:002010-09-07T11:08:06.660+12:00My Bathroom Renovation, part 1<p>One of the things I've been itching to get done since I moved into my new house is the bathroom. It was functional (barely) but had a lot of issues, not least the terrible shower water pressure and the fact the shower base was leaking. To get a hot shower you had to turn the shower mixer right around as far as it would go, and then you would get scorching hot water dribbling out. Any less than that and you would just get a cold shower. Not pleasant. I was also fairly convinced the shower had been leaking and rotting the floor away - there was a suspicious sponginess to the floor by the corner of the shower.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCeo3fiAeMON-I44gU4MWcPXpORa-z02fgm8RbbqGM06EYMG4kZG8BtovB8RaegPuK1FKGSi87wf1KX07gREflYzXo8VAcsdywcKiI6aEciGsBj32_nhNl8isHFDj8XPkxaQWGjyRl-W5/s1600/IMG_6215.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCCeo3fiAeMON-I44gU4MWcPXpORa-z02fgm8RbbqGM06EYMG4kZG8BtovB8RaegPuK1FKGSi87wf1KX07gREflYzXo8VAcsdywcKiI6aEciGsBj32_nhNl8isHFDj8XPkxaQWGjyRl-W5/s320/IMG_6215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513912722804473090" border="0" /></a></p><p>It took a long while to find good builders who actually bothered to give me a quote (clearly builders in Dunedin have too much work, as I got a complete lack of response from many of them). The builders I chose were recommended to me on <a href="http://otago.womf.com/index.php">WOMF</a>, which is a useful site for finding recommendations. I'll talk about the builders more when I inspect the finished work!</p><p>I chose a new vanity to replace the pedestal sink, and a bath and bath screen with a slide shower to replace the tiny corner shower. I also have a laundry cupboard in the bathroom which accommodates the washing machine. It is actually too big for the purpose, and needed to be made slightly smaller so that the bath could comfortably fit. Even so I do have a slightly shorter than standard bath, but it is still a decent size. The items I chose weren't particularly expensive, but are practical options. The most expensive items were the taps and mixers - I needed good quality tap ware that would function with my unequal low pressure water system. I chose some nice taps from the Methven catalogue, a company well known in NZ for their specialised low pressure tap ware.</p><p>On Monday morning the builders and the plumber arrived and started to demolish the existing bathroom. Out came the sink and washing machine, followed by the demolition of the cupboard and shower</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUzr1R1tHOZIKvM-pR65zE1dSqzHbtNszHnHDPqroOkfKpeVQ0n4sBKNJyIcde7RHtCRjOXPsocei6lIDSpRp5Xnia-SUlrTt0_F0j4XlJnwGAZhQt9WyvNFvNAMpi2Y0j2gz2nFxNBpW/s1600/IMG_6520.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUzr1R1tHOZIKvM-pR65zE1dSqzHbtNszHnHDPqroOkfKpeVQ0n4sBKNJyIcde7RHtCRjOXPsocei6lIDSpRp5Xnia-SUlrTt0_F0j4XlJnwGAZhQt9WyvNFvNAMpi2Y0j2gz2nFxNBpW/s320/IMG_6520.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513912731652460610" border="0" /></a></p><p>When we were able to see the flooring it was obvious that there was extensive water damage and the whole floor would need replacing.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuj1swyC4IbrwnBzGv02JbFbTuIzHwGuUzM4PE2MWTGeusurOIdbwxl1EyiorzgC-VDr47xEc2kPspYa2sNY-mX584A-Y0XddlRMW7Soak3uGlIrorg1LTj7D0Q0N0ERTtXg87g3ZywDv/s1600/IMG_6521.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuj1swyC4IbrwnBzGv02JbFbTuIzHwGuUzM4PE2MWTGeusurOIdbwxl1EyiorzgC-VDr47xEc2kPspYa2sNY-mX584A-Y0XddlRMW7Soak3uGlIrorg1LTj7D0Q0N0ERTtXg87g3ZywDv/s320/IMG_6521.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513912740403556978" border="0" /></a></p><p>Not only was their water damage from the shower but also from the washing machine. When I first moved in the hot water tap had been leaking, probably for a long time. It was clear the bathroom had been a bit of a DIY job - the floor was just particle board with the vinyl put straight on top, and at one end was a gap where the floor did not even reach the wall! So the floor was removed as well. The builder described it like pulling up weetabix, the damage was that bad. I think the vinyl was the only thing stopping us from falling through!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijF63ENrBKhheAOo8oofUdlmqE69Wcd5sMHb8d25BvyX8xyjFPSNz43kjFz4WCHtIKQj3_ButpkEJzTApyHfFbeV_6d0bx75lD_NIvi_z2_gn2RWyx2vvGno7DfLehU4rO1bQnwsPKq4o5/s1600/IMG_6523.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijF63ENrBKhheAOo8oofUdlmqE69Wcd5sMHb8d25BvyX8xyjFPSNz43kjFz4WCHtIKQj3_ButpkEJzTApyHfFbeV_6d0bx75lD_NIvi_z2_gn2RWyx2vvGno7DfLehU4rO1bQnwsPKq4o5/s320/IMG_6523.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513912752040736418" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIOK0SZMn-4j_1HJYoXg06EEuUTr18kM8DcbaMoF4R8j8tqC0y0xxbRTeGZFBbi4kOZV-opRYM4PUOB2hWVCMu19X5NzIS7CS-f7qe_Ikm2yIaWq27_dOJ2ogQkuyXkfCnN5iiRlICUEq/s1600/IMG_6524.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIOK0SZMn-4j_1HJYoXg06EEuUTr18kM8DcbaMoF4R8j8tqC0y0xxbRTeGZFBbi4kOZV-opRYM4PUOB2hWVCMu19X5NzIS7CS-f7qe_Ikm2yIaWq27_dOJ2ogQkuyXkfCnN5iiRlICUEq/s320/IMG_6524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513912762791842450" border="0" /></a></p><p>Luckily the joints underneath the house are in fairly good condition considering the age of the house. We did, however, spend Monday night without a bathroom floor! I'm glad that the toilet is in a separate room! The cat, who likes to explore under the house, was having great fun jumping up onto the joists. Unfortunately she kept disappearing when I tried to take a photo.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnK6c4n0sq7O8SscGzCubQFsWYTN5rnQ5Y6EFjQgEal7F13l8oDorJrgTpqcpmT9MiPINBFltcpVNe2tRgarLn7Vp73rraU3rhVdPW2uByiLsoGgnOsKHM4pGKX76Vv1DSIZ7mxNR-Qn3/s1600/IMG_6530.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnK6c4n0sq7O8SscGzCubQFsWYTN5rnQ5Y6EFjQgEal7F13l8oDorJrgTpqcpmT9MiPINBFltcpVNe2tRgarLn7Vp73rraU3rhVdPW2uByiLsoGgnOsKHM4pGKX76Vv1DSIZ7mxNR-Qn3/s320/IMG_6530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513921394605835426" border="0" /></a></p><p>I had a slight dilemma about which spout to use on the bathroom vanity as I could not decide from the pictures in the catalogue. The lovely plumber went and got me some spouts to see to help me choose. I posted the photos on Facebook to see what people thought.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVd84xCJ1XA3ssd2T2_hgy5VrAU-IPpcPJwl72A6BuBqwj74_4sRGlq9U265dysqtMepj_6ENl67rPbl_3rEtcATJhF_T9mAXxy2lvjZlfVGAmIEqTMcqz5lBJcH02JmA6VSa_UEf3duOM/s1600/IMG_6532.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVd84xCJ1XA3ssd2T2_hgy5VrAU-IPpcPJwl72A6BuBqwj74_4sRGlq9U265dysqtMepj_6ENl67rPbl_3rEtcATJhF_T9mAXxy2lvjZlfVGAmIEqTMcqz5lBJcH02JmA6VSa_UEf3duOM/s320/IMG_6532.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513921417829673666" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfxXIywWK9ApzKDlYIhnVFA6dVVcObu8jiaB8YtJMw6CZggIG4uXSHrbcw4CAIoihNX9gP4Kn3K0VGtOwsbLVDR4RtOB367GKpZX6WMBgKd1UynmIXalhQHLKptKtYlnasNXCFHOrH2CA/s1600/IMG_6531.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfxXIywWK9ApzKDlYIhnVFA6dVVcObu8jiaB8YtJMw6CZggIG4uXSHrbcw4CAIoihNX9gP4Kn3K0VGtOwsbLVDR4RtOB367GKpZX6WMBgKd1UynmIXalhQHLKptKtYlnasNXCFHOrH2CA/s320/IMG_6531.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513921407707552178" border="0" /></a></p><p><br />I opted for the high-rise spout in the end, it got the most votes! I hadn't been keen on it in the catalogue but seeing it in real life helped a lot.</p><p>The building work continues on Tuesday, with the new floor, plumbing and bath being fitted. Excited!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-32912706355451963162010-08-24T20:41:00.003+12:002010-08-24T21:40:18.035+12:00Fun at the Farmers Market!<p>Every Saturday morning, the car park next to Dunedin Railway Station buzzes with people. It's time for the <a href="http://www.otagofarmersmarket.org.nz/">Otago Farmers Market</a>, a year round, weekly market where vendors from all over Otago come to sell their produce.</p><p>I like to go to the Farmers Market whenever I have a Saturday morning off work, except for perhaps when it is bucketing down with rain. Sometimes it's just a quick visit to buy a few veggies, or to meet up with a friend and get a coffee and a yummy crepe from the French man at La Crepe.</p><p>In a bid to be a bit healthier and buy more local produce, I decided last Saturday I would try and buy most of my groceries for the week/fortnight. I budgeted myself $60 for the food. Normally I would go to the supermarket for a 'big shop' about once a fortnight and I would always be shocked at the amount of money I spent compared to what I had bought.</p><p>I went to the market fairly early in the morning - about 9am - when the selection is better. It usually runs from 8am until 12ish - although there isn't much left by then!</p><p>Here's what I bought:</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VRa9GQaOH7rRfS3me-jxa1TZhJULhs2gRpWO0tNy12hHJ8nrOrwvylX4gTfw5cOtlokURLnSs9_asqUIn11F-AIpo0mMJN1e6XR5P6a6j7lVm7deVaCDsbKdABMaSFn6SD-sDic189OG/s1600/IMG_6508.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VRa9GQaOH7rRfS3me-jxa1TZhJULhs2gRpWO0tNy12hHJ8nrOrwvylX4gTfw5cOtlokURLnSs9_asqUIn11F-AIpo0mMJN1e6XR5P6a6j7lVm7deVaCDsbKdABMaSFn6SD-sDic189OG/s320/IMG_6508.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508903544877009090" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdEOk9S0Cy1AXehIYgd58RbOoOhsD9LW61VveEdW9a2j2bV_A7T_HFYFd2UxobshKTBtKx3rajKiO4aIv3LeKSpNscGfa6OWViinGJ8gTqezv5OElmT_RCHZorrDLDMNo0_945COBE-J9/s1600/IMG_6507.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdEOk9S0Cy1AXehIYgd58RbOoOhsD9LW61VveEdW9a2j2bV_A7T_HFYFd2UxobshKTBtKx3rajKiO4aIv3LeKSpNscGfa6OWViinGJ8gTqezv5OElmT_RCHZorrDLDMNo0_945COBE-J9/s320/IMG_6507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508903532744568994" border="0" /></a></p><p>Some of this will last me longer than a week, which is probably a good thing as I'm working night shifts next weekend, so might not quite be up for visiting the market after work!</p><p>The big plus of buying local produce is that you are buying in season. I bought carrots and parsnips, spinach (I love spinach and I definitely need the iron!), broccoli, 2kg of potatoes, and yummy Braeburn and Granny Smith apples. I rarely used to eat apples but have developed a taste for them again. I also bought a loaf of multi grain bread and a loaf of sour dough bread and half a dozen free range eggs. I bought 2 large chicken breasts for $8, which will easily last me for four meals, and some yummy bacon from Happy Hogs. That's a bit of a guilty pleasure, I love bacon!</p><p>Then I looked in my wallet and realised I still had plenty of money left, so on a whim I bought some hummus and a pot of mixed seeds to sprinkle on cereal etc. And I still hadn't broken the budget! It was time for a celebratory crepe!</p><p>I was pretty pleased with my purchases, the bread will only last a few days but the rest will easily last me a week or two. I haven't done a price comparison with the supermarket, but some things definitely seemed cheaper, and then there is the added bonus of not buying snacks and packaged food I don't really need. There are plenty of other things on offer at the Farmers Market too, from fish and venison to jam, beer, cheese and even plants and seedlings. Last year I bought my cherry tomato plants from the Farmers Market and they produced very well for me all summer.</p><p>And yes, after the shopping it was time for hummus on sour dough for lunch!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-33956746315598513812010-08-18T18:40:00.004+12:002010-08-24T23:08:55.534+12:00Building a New Garden<p>One of my goals since being in my new house is to have a proper vegetable garden. Last year I grew quite a bit in containers, but this year I wanted to expand and make use of the space I had. After all, who needs all that grass to mow??</p><p>Last year I found a very interesting book in the library called Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Bartholomew. Unfortunately it always seems like it was booked out of the library when I wanted it again, so in the end I bought my own copy. I really liked some of the ideas in the book and decided that this year as an experiment I would follow Mel's method.</p><p>The main concept of the book is to garden in squares rather than traditional row gardening. Raised beds are used, and separated into square foot sections. NZ is a metric country, but I tend to work in both imperial and metric as I'm from the UK and I was taught both at school. Different numbers of plants can be grown in each square - for example you might grow one tomato plant in one square, but can grow 16 carrots in the same amount of space. The idea is that you plant what you need, when you need. Gone are the summers of my childhood when my dad's courgettes would all be ready at once and we would have a massive pile of them on the table to get through. Anyone wonder why I hate courgettes? That's why!</p><p>Mel's book had been around for several decades, but it was recently updated to include mixing up your growing media from scratch rather than improving your existing soil. This is great as my soil is pretty much all clay and I don't fancy my chances of growing much in it without some hard work! The bonus of starting from scratch is that you should be lessening the chance of weeds growing - and if they do get in there they are easy to spot and remove. I'll discuss the growing media in a separate post.</p><p>I decided that my raised beds would be best in the garden on the north side of my house, which gets all morning sun, and will get more afternoon soon in a few more weeks when the sun tops the neighbour's cabbage trees.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyRQkSm2fuMeBpRLaEZlSb3KtX3NbY7vL0aO0pJMGymfZ1sVOoA3yzBccXJbw-wSpeLKxH9JhYb0UjLKqzrwF71pjcwB4Rm9Km5hMeEEl2LLqrxC9Z8dSKR-bceIi3vIqV2hASwKA3dRR/s1600/IMG_6454.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyRQkSm2fuMeBpRLaEZlSb3KtX3NbY7vL0aO0pJMGymfZ1sVOoA3yzBccXJbw-wSpeLKxH9JhYb0UjLKqzrwF71pjcwB4Rm9Km5hMeEEl2LLqrxC9Z8dSKR-bceIi3vIqV2hASwKA3dRR/s320/IMG_6454.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508924019944218802" border="0" /></a></p><p>I had a few different ideas about the size of the raised beds I was going to make. Unfortunately as I only have my little car and no tow bar, I needed to get lengths of wood that would fit in the back of the car. Luckily the lovely guys at Placemakers cut up all my wood to the sizes I wanted, making it a lot easier for me! I originally intended to make 4 boxes, each 4x4ft. Later I decided on 3 this size, and one 2x4ft box, which meant I had to cut one piece of wood in half (well, luckily my flatmate did that for me!) However, I did all the box making by myself.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlHKlaq3fEyn-asXgtBdLXOINKcn6Ehw00dhvnSUWQjZAcy5_tT56SIT_uJ0jHHGkX2fu7xs4FAaIYrAOcKzjEU0_UtMeIza3VS5uTL_WRwpkluOcj9sfowSedvtaXQD6OyPuAfegjDTP/s1600/IMG_6437.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlHKlaq3fEyn-asXgtBdLXOINKcn6Ehw00dhvnSUWQjZAcy5_tT56SIT_uJ0jHHGkX2fu7xs4FAaIYrAOcKzjEU0_UtMeIza3VS5uTL_WRwpkluOcj9sfowSedvtaXQD6OyPuAfegjDTP/s320/IMG_6437.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507043530050067938" border="0" /></a></p><p>Beginnings of the box, a 4ft (120cm) long piece of timber, which will sit 30cms high. You can also see my electric drill/screwdriver, measure and other tools, along with my tulips and garlic that are growing in pots by the house.</p><p>To begin with I had to drill holes along one edge of each piece of wood for the screws.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx1VOe83hgY7dnWNlQ6wMd2XctL_KnTATQ2jKat6LZqbWPZ3R_IXVox6207EpKXrxM5FnpZ11IQVAfV1j9Kp2giqy3o8eHXCQjUPskm5aguLJ18toy2lVBNDpwWvcj0Gk494XoiX9zmOP/s1600/IMG_6442.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx1VOe83hgY7dnWNlQ6wMd2XctL_KnTATQ2jKat6LZqbWPZ3R_IXVox6207EpKXrxM5FnpZ11IQVAfV1j9Kp2giqy3o8eHXCQjUPskm5aguLJ18toy2lVBNDpwWvcj0Gk494XoiX9zmOP/s320/IMG_6442.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507043525379581490" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then it was a case of screwing each side together, I rotated all the corners so the box is equal length on all sides.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTFu7kQ20zlGySYOSb2LVB3Iq5tfRb9k1GRWCL-uGHJ50NUi4UaAIkCq0e4q6NRwysFggGUT9pJi94hlgWHw58COFrU-ZpKpZ3RU0i7NtAV76WbpFxN5DDkvPHGarupXO_Wjc0HHMw2jA/s1600/IMG_6445.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTFu7kQ20zlGySYOSb2LVB3Iq5tfRb9k1GRWCL-uGHJ50NUi4UaAIkCq0e4q6NRwysFggGUT9pJi94hlgWHw58COFrU-ZpKpZ3RU0i7NtAV76WbpFxN5DDkvPHGarupXO_Wjc0HHMw2jA/s320/IMG_6445.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507043513733261794" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Zz94gzXHfbh-qJHSKlHtDPZ5F0YywPeVenk_SK4-2tJLsPzT_PfKHhfWcTYlw9RaEGvXiBGg8-Mi9qV0oxCUQ3pb-pfSR_gik0PiePLc1lJC5OX4C0s9pVTD7U5Ig7ef0zZm52HGXgSx/s1600/IMG_6436.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Zz94gzXHfbh-qJHSKlHtDPZ5F0YywPeVenk_SK4-2tJLsPzT_PfKHhfWcTYlw9RaEGvXiBGg8-Mi9qV0oxCUQ3pb-pfSR_gik0PiePLc1lJC5OX4C0s9pVTD7U5Ig7ef0zZm52HGXgSx/s320/IMG_6436.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507043499923276690" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjr7rc2wd49g4K-_WZ0NpgbzT2DlZXjfFt-qGEw7YHB2KDNDiDPcuo4QOwfH7VmooTfsjWfUhtevqLVYfZQ1JYkJND1S4wkyDvNgV_JNVb0-8Q3NePTpkjp5x93wYhwpiOooAdQvqeVuY/s1600/IMG_6443.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjr7rc2wd49g4K-_WZ0NpgbzT2DlZXjfFt-qGEw7YHB2KDNDiDPcuo4QOwfH7VmooTfsjWfUhtevqLVYfZQ1JYkJND1S4wkyDvNgV_JNVb0-8Q3NePTpkjp5x93wYhwpiOooAdQvqeVuY/s320/IMG_6443.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507043488837769186" border="0" /></a></p><p>The finished box. I put extra pieces of wood in each corner to help stabilise the box. It is pretty heavy and it was quite hard work moving it when I was on my own, although my flatmate did help out a bit with moving the boxes to their place in the garden. I should note that the timber I used is untreated, as I wasn't keen on using chemically treated wood that might leech nasties into my vegetables. Later on I painted the outside of the box with linseed oil which is a good sealant. The boxes will probably rot in a few years, but the wood is fairly cheap and I don't mind having to replace them later on as I might have developed some new ideas by then!</p><p>I also made a 2x4ft box. In future I think I will stick to the 2x4 size as it was a lot easier for me to move around by myself. I have space in my garden for plenty more boxes, but I will see how I go with these ones first.</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-10371451759774690682010-08-16T21:14:00.000+12:002010-08-16T22:25:27.178+12:00Intensive Update #4<p>Time for another update, as it took me so long to write up Tonga I never wrote about anything else! Luckily I won't be going on any holidays for a good long while due to lack of funds! So no more multiple holiday posts...</p><p>Not that I'm really sure there is much to update about my life. Things are ticking along, the house is going well, I had 2 flatmates for a while but one has just moved out. It's nice to only have one flatmate, the house feels more my own with only one other person here, and I'm hoping I can get by with just renting out one room but we'll see. I've been waiting months to get my bathroom renovation sorted and hopefully that will be happening in a couple of weeks. There are still plenty of odd jobs to do around the place, and lots of things I'd love to do too, but unfortunately the bills need to be paid instead! I've learned I hate paying Rates! They always come at the wrong time.</p><p>Other aspects of my life - work is going well, and the 3 week holiday from work is even better! Switching to 12hr shifts has meant I get a lot more time off, although I'm going up to full time (from .9FTE) when I start back next week so that means an extra 8hr shift per fortnight. My love life sucks, but then that's really nothing new is it? Spectacular heartbreak this year, but I'm mending slowly. At least the cat loves me. Oh yes, I got a cat a couple of months ago! Her name is Poppy, and a friend from work gave her to me as she didn't get on with their dog. She's taken a while to settle in but she's pretty good most of the time now. Doesn't like new people though!</p><p>I'm really getting into gardening lately, and planning to grow a lot of my own vegetables over the coming year. I'll be blogging a lot about it I think, have been taking photos as I go.</p><p>So friends, this is a short update, as really there haven't been that many newsworthy moments so far this year! I can't believe it is half way through August though, the year is disappearing so quickly.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSp1rZ3tY1nF0bHjfhCOQk69LpSQLwEVgmqxehGCQXh8pvRRzGETb-pJ6ZAWwrWLlxiTxgm7IJo8bxDzvkDnQlf2UVh6TUreXHFD5VSGDmouMoJXJnTcop9qrCJP_lSbHqTLDMvTxHLKMw/s1600/poppy.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSp1rZ3tY1nF0bHjfhCOQk69LpSQLwEVgmqxehGCQXh8pvRRzGETb-pJ6ZAWwrWLlxiTxgm7IJo8bxDzvkDnQlf2UVh6TUreXHFD5VSGDmouMoJXJnTcop9qrCJP_lSbHqTLDMvTxHLKMw/s320/poppy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505951249748370498" border="0" /></a></p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-82158219288013440342010-08-10T20:42:00.001+12:002010-08-10T21:12:21.951+12:00Tonga Holiday, part 5<p>Leaving 'Eua was a lot simpler than our journey there - we took the plane back instead of the ferry. This is probably the shortest commercial flight in the world, being just over 8 minutes long. The plane was small, only fitting around 12 passengers, but as the ferry was not running, it was the only way off the island. I have to say, I'm not a big fan of small planes, but I managed to hold myself together for the short flight.</p><p>Our last few days we planned to spend at a beach resort, <a href="http://www.vakaloabeachresort.com/">Vakaloa</a>. This resort was once favoured by the old King. It actually wasn't too pricey, although a bit more than our earlier budget accommodation. When we arrived, we also realised that they had upgraded us for free! Our last few days were spent in luxury!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rfnTpzQDsz0VJPkS5qMkB1QlqtDbbLnyU5Ox3oDaevZredMwh5g_h_9XuLFFFs04hfo0j6bFlwg61QTMMjlpYyDV1JKIvpSw6zMyrJTtNATxd9dAjUxlFeHKVNSELtq0_sX3GAuUyK7r/s1600/IMG_6063.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3rfnTpzQDsz0VJPkS5qMkB1QlqtDbbLnyU5Ox3oDaevZredMwh5g_h_9XuLFFFs04hfo0j6bFlwg61QTMMjlpYyDV1JKIvpSw6zMyrJTtNATxd9dAjUxlFeHKVNSELtq0_sX3GAuUyK7r/s320/IMG_6063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503324076280804306" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The verandah outside the rooms.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8ONfp454ZWSQ4cdb5tPIh3F1-Yd45zAbEZGRy-3qmtEI1ZS39v53cksn1QLHDLydHBSz4q-IxckEbJ01ZwpclP_O7SPY6gShGnI_59DF7Bv2Y970nA2XgiOIxZXqqEHDNeCu5y3Jk9Ky/s1600/IMG_6061.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8ONfp454ZWSQ4cdb5tPIh3F1-Yd45zAbEZGRy-3qmtEI1ZS39v53cksn1QLHDLydHBSz4q-IxckEbJ01ZwpclP_O7SPY6gShGnI_59DF7Bv2Y970nA2XgiOIxZXqqEHDNeCu5y3Jk9Ky/s320/IMG_6061.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503324064486994610" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">My bed - the room was massive, and there was another big bed opposite this one, as well as a sofa and other furniture. And an ensuite with hot water shower! Look closely and you can even see the roses decorating the bed!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU3kQSmrY0oR_PqJV4497eUNjHiod5PhQ8smFFg3v8dXni7qf26yvPVWR-qbFWOFqPvod2UDGef2jx1m9_TvxSbpA7DoyK_22-BwylVUnbUjfspN2QzCHC_TW0Kns3gzDnfg1RssU3E8e/s1600/IMG_6064.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU3kQSmrY0oR_PqJV4497eUNjHiod5PhQ8smFFg3v8dXni7qf26yvPVWR-qbFWOFqPvod2UDGef2jx1m9_TvxSbpA7DoyK_22-BwylVUnbUjfspN2QzCHC_TW0Kns3gzDnfg1RssU3E8e/s320/IMG_6064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503324058912961458" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The beach at the resort.</p><p>There were very few people staying there, and we were pretty much the only people on the beach that day. We also went swimming and snorkelling too - saw a few interesting fish underneath the waves! Unfortunately a tropical storm was closing in on the region so the weather started to turn the day we spent on the beach, but we still had a great day.</p><p>One of the main reasons we chose to stay at Vakaloa is because they held a Tongan feast and cultural show, and we had missed out on the one at Hina Cave. Surprisingly there were only a handful of foreigners there, many of the guests were Tongans. I think a lot of the groups were families who had brought their visiting relatives, or work groups coming for a night out.</p><p>The feast was huge, with many traditional vegetables and dishes. I confess I steered clear of the seafood ones, but I was told they were also delicious!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoE0KI597_3ewAX-G7vIRrVegwGFEMocbFY5m3TzeEcL7jYtPuxIWYmfqRtWKg67_B4U5H0DmVYrY-rPsFVdDUo6Wp7BsHzaTAULeh6_EDSfRxloz7fn3zLtuYTB0Oz_0ZMS8nwb_qNwS/s1600/IMG_6065.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoE0KI597_3ewAX-G7vIRrVegwGFEMocbFY5m3TzeEcL7jYtPuxIWYmfqRtWKg67_B4U5H0DmVYrY-rPsFVdDUo6Wp7BsHzaTAULeh6_EDSfRxloz7fn3zLtuYTB0Oz_0ZMS8nwb_qNwS/s320/IMG_6065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502975069796469618" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Roast pig anyone?</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VBiTeuIWCwPrpEjzA57ReXWsQAPbWt-NFRQYnE2kKLusAnRG6mVLI8J5b0cMyldglInxZ9iVdToBMiwJQpGOokvNJQnUWD6ZA2PzcM8_-Zsv56-aghY8fjYUK95ujZpLvAFji2PtreyF/s1600/IMG_6079.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VBiTeuIWCwPrpEjzA57ReXWsQAPbWt-NFRQYnE2kKLusAnRG6mVLI8J5b0cMyldglInxZ9iVdToBMiwJQpGOokvNJQnUWD6ZA2PzcM8_-Zsv56-aghY8fjYUK95ujZpLvAFji2PtreyF/s320/IMG_6079.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502975061043198562" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Guests going up for seconds.</p><p>After the meal, the show began. There were several different types of dance represented, not just Tongan, but also other Pacific island dances. The costumes were beautiful too.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_DLjn2hiQjaLwplhKimOF743_tfqmGXEpfMkiokb0HyED2xJ4tcGTBsawuzBcVyS1E9Abbg46IstCDJ2kL0DH6XShvVAAatU1-lAKh4XUX9MtBSSObLB1UY-IaQmeZtB8JPmP9_Ts51m/s1600/IMG_6080.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_DLjn2hiQjaLwplhKimOF743_tfqmGXEpfMkiokb0HyED2xJ4tcGTBsawuzBcVyS1E9Abbg46IstCDJ2kL0DH6XShvVAAatU1-lAKh4XUX9MtBSSObLB1UY-IaQmeZtB8JPmP9_Ts51m/s320/IMG_6080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502972548495963442" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hsdJFrXEhn6uc8aX0FSUlqI1mR92QigleYdxvUwx3YWtHeQHgefiWNmWiTK0pKd2H1yJ9tt0FybdxXW3k-sxZIJAXUE7yBTiiNqjx9GvUZcY8GvB9EzYGgqVKGKCMaZf9B0mJe4hpIKJ/s1600/IMG_6088.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hsdJFrXEhn6uc8aX0FSUlqI1mR92QigleYdxvUwx3YWtHeQHgefiWNmWiTK0pKd2H1yJ9tt0FybdxXW3k-sxZIJAXUE7yBTiiNqjx9GvUZcY8GvB9EzYGgqVKGKCMaZf9B0mJe4hpIKJ/s320/IMG_6088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502972542083945346" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">One of the guests a German/Kiwi guy who was at our table, volunteered to play the drums, and actually did a fantastic job - the other drummers were impressed!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAq_XdTd19l4B6V_pQYK5QOHoudawMe4cGL5zEWRFPWLv6EvdUY1OaJhwB4667ul6cfTSYBo8FAE9a7pSL7SBfDy2sPwr5yAPFtXpF0P0vH2oWf0CuunIp-FtYx0JTUWTikk73NG9Qolj/s1600/IMG_6092.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAq_XdTd19l4B6V_pQYK5QOHoudawMe4cGL5zEWRFPWLv6EvdUY1OaJhwB4667ul6cfTSYBo8FAE9a7pSL7SBfDy2sPwr5yAPFtXpF0P0vH2oWf0CuunIp-FtYx0JTUWTikk73NG9Qolj/s320/IMG_6092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502972530370939794" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I believe this young schoolgirl has recently won competitions for her dancing.</p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dykF4LUkPojQmAtpBWlafTeOAa7doPWDD06eedx8-2HPE03LtZWgZIpUFKwRitkS0SpABe09VCFJFA0Bgqvyg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWp0CE9lYV6IY26cUmiZe7FZ2P8Q7ctqmKerJ95Pb5jARaNdas5wOV2awQ6MMKPIPePhsv7qXN6l4moOH0a6cugC18TGbsaXBVOJdKBHbymXbNKj-sGIVPy8WPf8wW6z1v_gccyWfOSB8C/s1600/IMG_6101.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWp0CE9lYV6IY26cUmiZe7FZ2P8Q7ctqmKerJ95Pb5jARaNdas5wOV2awQ6MMKPIPePhsv7qXN6l4moOH0a6cugC18TGbsaXBVOJdKBHbymXbNKj-sGIVPy8WPf8wW6z1v_gccyWfOSB8C/s320/IMG_6101.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502972521115772770" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then came the highlight - fire dancing!</p><p>Usually this is done outside on the deck or beach, but because of the storm the winds were too strong, so a modified version was performed instead. I caught some on video too!</p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxPIfy-UHHgwpEpBQYCn7g55hptMoWzQUKKGUjON1Fn75_aL8RIf7usmDNvZbqJ-PdVqqoSMeBnGz4T3CY8ew' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p>The next day it was time for me to leave Tonga and say goodbye to my friend R, who was heading back home to Canada! So a pretty sad day for me. She was heading back to the capital, Nuku'alofa to spend another couple of days in Tonga. Unfortunately I had to go back to work. Actually it turned out I was pretty lucky to leave on the day I did, as not long afterwards the cyclone hit Tonga and wreaked havoc. Luckily my friend stayed safe and eventually made it home herself.</p><p>I had a great, relaxing holiday in Tonga, even managed a bit of a tan (novelty for me!) It was a wonderful first taste of the Pacific Islands, and I'll certainly be back one day. Not to mention visit a few of the other places in the Pacific. I wish I was there right now actually, as I am writing this in the middle of freezing cold Dunedin winter!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-27171766438270241092010-08-08T23:51:00.002+12:002010-08-08T23:51:00.171+12:00Tonga Holiday, part 4<p>Our last full day on 'Eua, and we decided to see some more of the sights the island had to offer. The lovely people at the Hideaway also ran 4x4 tours of the island, so the four of us opted to spend the day with Sifa again. The weather was beautiful again, although the seas were getting stormy and we learned that the ferry we had taken a couple of days before had been cancelled for the rest of the week. Luckily we'd booked the plane back to Tongatapu the next day.</p><p>We crammed into the 4x4 and first took another group up to the start of the Fangatave trek, before heading to our first sightseeing spot.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8AEQE3z0uv1eMw6pMmIIPvFsNZu0OHabd2GRfXaCmZAihqWYRRHRp8rPzP4mUKIPfP5EVYU-qEJSywLuLz9Nj3idJ8ucgwpscsIZOv6nP_YDRbexb9ieYVXZP6S89MlOFkGbNme7petT/s1600/IMG_5974.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8AEQE3z0uv1eMw6pMmIIPvFsNZu0OHabd2GRfXaCmZAihqWYRRHRp8rPzP4mUKIPfP5EVYU-qEJSywLuLz9Nj3idJ8ucgwpscsIZOv6nP_YDRbexb9ieYVXZP6S89MlOFkGbNme7petT/s320/IMG_5974.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502955651063918690" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">A view of the beach below the cliffs, our first viewpoint.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjer8uGJ99EdEmI98viNPQmqoqFVr2L6j6qkbQp7sFduw8IDcb11bX_c3hx9OtCSTrTMzwgBrK_OAioucqP92OpLksAPmOqzUhn2ieEzx7zhubn3Jl4FzvTLUMkoylQwhTArGvKT63HEHR9/s1600/IMG_5979.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjer8uGJ99EdEmI98viNPQmqoqFVr2L6j6qkbQp7sFduw8IDcb11bX_c3hx9OtCSTrTMzwgBrK_OAioucqP92OpLksAPmOqzUhn2ieEzx7zhubn3Jl4FzvTLUMkoylQwhTArGvKT63HEHR9/s320/IMG_5979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502955642881663490" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">An example of a traditional house - this is now a school house.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDPoT7xwFh_d1HUmPtWifBD2kaxNwX0jfYHo4vKQl3skglL20RID0ozRoOJefigN3dMwfB8x5hp3KwEDoUkVvBcUUHdEU3zNzAo1VVA5YuvnWIzyNq-rfrMzjhhNpbfOOIlTkVOFLoflc/s1600/IMG_5982.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDPoT7xwFh_d1HUmPtWifBD2kaxNwX0jfYHo4vKQl3skglL20RID0ozRoOJefigN3dMwfB8x5hp3KwEDoUkVvBcUUHdEU3zNzAo1VVA5YuvnWIzyNq-rfrMzjhhNpbfOOIlTkVOFLoflc/s320/IMG_5982.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502955636813756914" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Next we took a drive into the rainforest, and a walk up a river to a spring.</p><p>On the way we saw some Red Shining Parrots - unique to 'Eua. Unfortunately couldn't take any decent photos, but at least I can say I've seen a bird my dad hasn't yet seen!</p><p>Then we headed to see a sight I found absolutely amazing - a giant Banyan (strangling fig) tree. This particular tree is named Big Ovava, and you can see why!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0YNdmnxy3Jt_HkqmOZCRQw8zZ61pkMok2gK7at5SvQ73mn34kfIaGxQo4IywpVjnJHKU5U3huIKzsUvgj60bqIAUvjRwbgy9tRbGTvaBjNil53Z0IHVWUlja8GafvJyjO7i2rQ3gcGz0/s1600/IMG_5984.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0YNdmnxy3Jt_HkqmOZCRQw8zZ61pkMok2gK7at5SvQ73mn34kfIaGxQo4IywpVjnJHKU5U3huIKzsUvgj60bqIAUvjRwbgy9tRbGTvaBjNil53Z0IHVWUlja8GafvJyjO7i2rQ3gcGz0/s320/IMG_5984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502955628206677074" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">Big Ovava is so big I couldn't take a photo of the whole of it in one go!</p><p>This tree is actually growing out of a giant sink hole, and we climbed down into it. It reminded me of the tree in Avatar, I could just imagine blue aliens swinging around in the roots and branches...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwyk6OKehExccCx6MNPc_gwNIF52cZ3RYI3zQsYHvAHrKJSVisFR0NsI1q8044Ru13V0XQRETJqNmf-hpVLFfFAZKMj-Y2o3f4t46YAV07DD_RJR9pvfQ6hCOayUUUrVK-GUIA9qMzePp/s1600/IMG_5995.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwyk6OKehExccCx6MNPc_gwNIF52cZ3RYI3zQsYHvAHrKJSVisFR0NsI1q8044Ru13V0XQRETJqNmf-hpVLFfFAZKMj-Y2o3f4t46YAV07DD_RJR9pvfQ6hCOayUUUrVK-GUIA9qMzePp/s320/IMG_5995.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502953591127697426" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">View taken from further down in the sink hole.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJqInACEyPl-b5i4LZLQY5lv-K_VkAHj2OoAMwMh8DePCAFQqylKtTgXpbMZuqTEJgDG3qd7Q9D6oXvxI_0aMgog3jZOU8NzcGWJD13bimcjQypQ-ID0QojvMC3lIDHP-v9v6138WfEeB/s1600/IMG_5988.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJqInACEyPl-b5i4LZLQY5lv-K_VkAHj2OoAMwMh8DePCAFQqylKtTgXpbMZuqTEJgDG3qd7Q9D6oXvxI_0aMgog3jZOU8NzcGWJD13bimcjQypQ-ID0QojvMC3lIDHP-v9v6138WfEeB/s320/IMG_5988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502955660758608802" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Another nearby sink hole, photo taken from the top.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgss3c2nKl0toOZfbwZ0utgleqk5Ea8hqvdBVgULIarSEey6xZwJlH1IdCCdsf2ta-nY8NnYJ7kpohNtoH6JMc9qEPt-0VJ3uPtPxsaVIaOW-pV27bOUw9ZVOhmRKpZrFNvD9L9kYMFtZpw/s1600/IMG_6006.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgss3c2nKl0toOZfbwZ0utgleqk5Ea8hqvdBVgULIarSEey6xZwJlH1IdCCdsf2ta-nY8NnYJ7kpohNtoH6JMc9qEPt-0VJ3uPtPxsaVIaOW-pV27bOUw9ZVOhmRKpZrFNvD9L9kYMFtZpw/s320/IMG_6006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502953579463513138" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">And looking up from the bottom!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gkJBL2wKZApfwZafzWoBfxZojiPXsiGcFCoH-a-tESUWcroEQVzMLtsX9oYiINf0X7YKr92K_a87qr_XJFvE9D-GlJFiv4Ny0Fra2xFZ6FRHkDFt_Yqu3XZaOwHfBDUE_-Hls6GO3v0S/s1600/IMG_6008.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gkJBL2wKZApfwZafzWoBfxZojiPXsiGcFCoH-a-tESUWcroEQVzMLtsX9oYiINf0X7YKr92K_a87qr_XJFvE9D-GlJFiv4Ny0Fra2xFZ6FRHkDFt_Yqu3XZaOwHfBDUE_-Hls6GO3v0S/s320/IMG_6008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502953571238763618" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">We made it down into the sink hole to the bottom of the tree - the roots are massive.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RCjhzFYG0QY8KNz-qmoMPCbDYzyNsQCfgXPBTBLSkY2yGjbH3ytplm0a1Z_ElIYgfon5WiFsOzHAr6m_6jKVM2MlXAVrA24t-RMf6XVrvNnmYTiQWcGZoGqxmQx0fWRa7dgSoxsqYQtH/s1600/IMG_6013.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RCjhzFYG0QY8KNz-qmoMPCbDYzyNsQCfgXPBTBLSkY2yGjbH3ytplm0a1Z_ElIYgfon5WiFsOzHAr6m_6jKVM2MlXAVrA24t-RMf6XVrvNnmYTiQWcGZoGqxmQx0fWRa7dgSoxsqYQtH/s320/IMG_6013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502953558967566402" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Sifa and one of the women in our group decided to climb back up through the roots and branches! I wasn't quite that brave!</p><p>After that little adventure we headed deeper into the rainforest - the vegetation along the track we drove was about as high as the car bonnet! Sifa took us to a cave called the Rat Cave - a name which didn't really encourage us to explore further...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEy-Dz_DazaxdQfwVAb243kBjAFTGWZYrI4VcX_0hBesqkhnC5eC2gWQ-uWZ8TAv4hjxEQWc8c5Libx4dtkj1FJgQqpQeblYmtz_8JGVI6sEcWEcdrC0_TqYaPfW9adTSKiZV2cQPI4Nlg/s1600/IMG_6015.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEy-Dz_DazaxdQfwVAb243kBjAFTGWZYrI4VcX_0hBesqkhnC5eC2gWQ-uWZ8TAv4hjxEQWc8c5Libx4dtkj1FJgQqpQeblYmtz_8JGVI6sEcWEcdrC0_TqYaPfW9adTSKiZV2cQPI4Nlg/s320/IMG_6015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502953550897969634" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Sifa headed into the small cave, I took a little more convincing...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTHQJkFdUbqYD_4jtgTPiGwCOxnwmK3-pzr-DQLhA-ENQ_1W_XK4FddgjuWEcNtAw4JZV8GeIDlrQNGYuO5KOc1oDyn7OFoNPrJClBengVswwCS1eixSMyUkn7TOn0i7vUbK95OwY3wzB/s1600/IMG_6019.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTHQJkFdUbqYD_4jtgTPiGwCOxnwmK3-pzr-DQLhA-ENQ_1W_XK4FddgjuWEcNtAw4JZV8GeIDlrQNGYuO5KOc1oDyn7OFoNPrJClBengVswwCS1eixSMyUkn7TOn0i7vUbK95OwY3wzB/s320/IMG_6019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502947421129465570" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">But eventually I made it inside - it was more of a tunnel which opened onto a cliff ledge.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KqDybNp4bT9WQABx3Aa3eThEZR0LLqMIgf1Zr8wSBRLQmxYDn5j4Xij30E0Bfmvzw6O3-T-hS2dBea2g0_RFJ2gIDhUtYMlfIT96NoOL8E-QvkDWgllcJQ8ajxGFtAMyicRlebcZ4Bcz/s1600/IMG_6025.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0KqDybNp4bT9WQABx3Aa3eThEZR0LLqMIgf1Zr8wSBRLQmxYDn5j4Xij30E0Bfmvzw6O3-T-hS2dBea2g0_RFJ2gIDhUtYMlfIT96NoOL8E-QvkDWgllcJQ8ajxGFtAMyicRlebcZ4Bcz/s320/IMG_6025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502947414643012162" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">View of the rainforest coastline from the cliff.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgdfQVq7e3pRAmvcwQ46brdFbB2IQiRrxp90KS3wYP3f74zx_FH62505iWKPFck9lHv0lVw7Yw3sGXw0i1x0LCZYmh1zzU4GvmDGG3Kc99a2OxDd7xckHW5QO4Cf2AJ7wAT9mcAmAvUkY/s1600/IMG_6026.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgdfQVq7e3pRAmvcwQ46brdFbB2IQiRrxp90KS3wYP3f74zx_FH62505iWKPFck9lHv0lVw7Yw3sGXw0i1x0LCZYmh1zzU4GvmDGG3Kc99a2OxDd7xckHW5QO4Cf2AJ7wAT9mcAmAvUkY/s320/IMG_6026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502947406029502546" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Next we came to a man-made viewpoint, another lovely view of the national park coastline.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQyCFfwD7Z-8JRZJ39xRDr333DZzwHFbrwsKuUNAj99RVTjh0GJOKDp_PClhU9QgICyhcLsWFoYI9T7-VAAsZ83H-aasNxEFfjp-i3A-JDY3rRd3LeTKYQ3_yGC4UmsdK6f6MbOdQv7Vk/s1600/IMG_6029.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQyCFfwD7Z-8JRZJ39xRDr333DZzwHFbrwsKuUNAj99RVTjh0GJOKDp_PClhU9QgICyhcLsWFoYI9T7-VAAsZ83H-aasNxEFfjp-i3A-JDY3rRd3LeTKYQ3_yGC4UmsdK6f6MbOdQv7Vk/s320/IMG_6029.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502947398476262130" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I managed to snap a photo of a white tail tropic bird (Tavake) - a pair of them were playing on the winds.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfmLlutPSZFpVpYwmkQ2l9b7GkhOetIxJDE1spacwTf7quO-xb51S7do2WvGIGHl3mKNdNLCUmrAJ0w8BaxtuvGxXWG7M0V5wW0sKurlDFN08TNdQuby5r9ic8BVzZsAfGjmpQWYXmMgH/s1600/IMG_6031.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfmLlutPSZFpVpYwmkQ2l9b7GkhOetIxJDE1spacwTf7quO-xb51S7do2WvGIGHl3mKNdNLCUmrAJ0w8BaxtuvGxXWG7M0V5wW0sKurlDFN08TNdQuby5r9ic8BVzZsAfGjmpQWYXmMgH/s320/IMG_6031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502947390216855666" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Another drive, and a short trek to a local waterfall, the Smoking Cave, unfortunately not much water in it at present.</p><p>A student fell to his death here not long ago, whilst walking in the bush at night. It would have been a pretty difficult retrieval, as the sink hole is deep and hard to access.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0I_VVPPQ2KSsW8gbsDV4-poqvrntErm-8-9wei5b082-gkFXH5M14SS_EtFJIQ908MGd-ubs3knwNewETJLKczA5qD3Is08If3kqntdJus8bcJDRcw0mAYRfIcl_7TXy0uMPM5ELblymM/s1600/IMG_6043.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0I_VVPPQ2KSsW8gbsDV4-poqvrntErm-8-9wei5b082-gkFXH5M14SS_EtFJIQ908MGd-ubs3knwNewETJLKczA5qD3Is08If3kqntdJus8bcJDRcw0mAYRfIcl_7TXy0uMPM5ELblymM/s320/IMG_6043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486679986647371202" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">We then headed to Lakufanga - the Rock Gardens, where we had our picnic lunch and a little rest.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3ctWg_GjgV44rWPo8yjMc6a7GWGFcHy6twk-sSEeouI-2ynzGmai-mK9kDGaaMhuRDXqcPdcPKVQGspjrudVO26eSMaawITdACu-5o5yG9mn5OM8naGqRYRLd0_ZKbKtpsjI56yiqr9f/s1600/IMG_6049.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3ctWg_GjgV44rWPo8yjMc6a7GWGFcHy6twk-sSEeouI-2ynzGmai-mK9kDGaaMhuRDXqcPdcPKVQGspjrudVO26eSMaawITdACu-5o5yG9mn5OM8naGqRYRLd0_ZKbKtpsjI56yiqr9f/s320/IMG_6049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486679967327574706" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The cliffs at the Rock gardens.</p><p>There is a local legend about this place, where a starving family threw themselves to their deaths when they ran out of food and have been reincarnated as sea turtles. If you throw the fa fruit from the cliffs the turtles will come and eat them. You can read more about the legend <a href="http://www.eua-island-tonga.com/Lakufaanga.html">here</a>.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq5oACpDv-6O0UK18YWOOgZgprpMWKsLsosloAoiuznOH_J69ycNfPpkq2R6I0G2FBLDJU_1ZDcZo0kr0qwKMDCbzlayTtnV0BgnHcD_Gv7eX2aAL5wAvZ3uA-vAQzIzKm09jz73JKbQ6/s1600/IMG_6052.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq5oACpDv-6O0UK18YWOOgZgprpMWKsLsosloAoiuznOH_J69ycNfPpkq2R6I0G2FBLDJU_1ZDcZo0kr0qwKMDCbzlayTtnV0BgnHcD_Gv7eX2aAL5wAvZ3uA-vAQzIzKm09jz73JKbQ6/s320/IMG_6052.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486679956001381186" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">A natural archway - Li'anga Huo A Maui.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwdcVL5MrL5_-4usG55Ukp0zl9QVGxWqXpL7QDA6hnsHQTGdMlHhZ4NT1-MLo1onI5bR0EqcRWl_qGX63p6Pl4ghwC6ZnrSJLBdwuuMHcXx_REHmJmWk_bq8u4rLbgrH40AMo3z4OVPDo/s1600/IMG_6053.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwdcVL5MrL5_-4usG55Ukp0zl9QVGxWqXpL7QDA6hnsHQTGdMlHhZ4NT1-MLo1onI5bR0EqcRWl_qGX63p6Pl4ghwC6ZnrSJLBdwuuMHcXx_REHmJmWk_bq8u4rLbgrH40AMo3z4OVPDo/s320/IMG_6053.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486679946080014546" border="0" /></a></p><p>Legend tells that the archway was created by Maui's mother. Maui's mother had woken up Maui to do some hoeing on the island, and Maui, feeling quite angry about being woken up started hoeing and caused an earthquake. His mother stopped him as he was damaging the island and snatched the hoe from his hand, throwing it to the south of the island where it became embedded in the cliff face. Maui later pulled it out, creating the archway.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2GO_fQav6gY9KvKV1CjgWkAGvD6GbTrbf06umYdWjdIRf_PZViU14K-6OpK5EQnmedt430Dih4jtzdVv581kikk0hbgdggWto_rf-H9jF-lQF7X-ZOnkL-3BM3dMeqcK8ODZPIvQlsS_/s1600/IMG_6057.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2GO_fQav6gY9KvKV1CjgWkAGvD6GbTrbf06umYdWjdIRf_PZViU14K-6OpK5EQnmedt430Dih4jtzdVv581kikk0hbgdggWto_rf-H9jF-lQF7X-ZOnkL-3BM3dMeqcK8ODZPIvQlsS_/s320/IMG_6057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486679938209666002" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Our last stop after visiting the archway was a lovely empty beach. We had time to take a leisurely swim in the deep rock pools, and sunbathe afterwards.</p><p>It was another great day on 'Eua. I absolutely adored this island, if I came back to Tonga I think I would head straight here. Although we didn't have time to visit the other groups of islands that make up Tonga, I think we made a great choice in coming to 'Eua.</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-26211799097895994142010-08-08T11:31:00.000+12:002010-08-08T19:54:01.335+12:00Tonga Holiday, part 3<p>After a couple of days on the main island of Tongatapu, we went to spend a couple of days on another island, Eua. Eua is a 2.5hr ferry ride from Tongatapu (or an 8 minute flight!) The island mostly appeals to people who want a more outdoorsy trip or just a quiet break. In the right season it is great for whale watching - unfortunately not when we went. There are, however, plenty of other things to do, such as walks, diving, and caving.</p><p>The ferry trip over was absolutely horrific. My friend spent the entire time outside at the railings and most of the Tongans were seasick too. Luckily I don't get seasick, though even I wasn't feeling too flash.</p><p>We had booked to stay at a place called the <a href="http://www.kalianet.to/hideawayeua/index.html">Hideaway</a> and they came to pick us up from the ferry terminal. From the moment I got there I knew I'd love it - it has a great atmosphere and the staff are very friendly and helpful.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCVrh0rbwpyUx7iICYpCZxiBPqHkRN3oSdE74tydhl0BqqhvQdp267mOeTO7HiWRzmRfq0KT1Inoyqp3wuJp4lsIAGz40OprlIUh0l8bmYNeC8BrjBptU_UUSCqNPenXFm8u0MlgvoTm4/s1600/IMG_5816.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCVrh0rbwpyUx7iICYpCZxiBPqHkRN3oSdE74tydhl0BqqhvQdp267mOeTO7HiWRzmRfq0KT1Inoyqp3wuJp4lsIAGz40OprlIUh0l8bmYNeC8BrjBptU_UUSCqNPenXFm8u0MlgvoTm4/s320/IMG_5816.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472033446826371250" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The main building - the wooden side is the dining/relaxing area and is great to chill out in during the evening.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewJujB162_35ynvLXY0_mcOUtF4cAAQGQvJevahjPI8-kUao-SnAeNGuCwjo8ZFCTpRcUF_wxUcxtUmSigQjA25-nQi9FQsj8Q3dAYZsQruHm5TEOhosNlDznuC7GGe4lPduHylqaVW7a/s1600/IMG_5817.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewJujB162_35ynvLXY0_mcOUtF4cAAQGQvJevahjPI8-kUao-SnAeNGuCwjo8ZFCTpRcUF_wxUcxtUmSigQjA25-nQi9FQsj8Q3dAYZsQruHm5TEOhosNlDznuC7GGe4lPduHylqaVW7a/s320/IMG_5817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472033460868520946" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">We chose to stay in a 'fale' - a thatched hut. We stayed in the far one pictured. They are basic but cute! All that was missing was a hammock!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEBO-RZinnCiEwUGOeN4zggAGrBPvlX6VBt_6BFAQ43S3n9gabOH8xLbNvJ3BQ5B3oj88aEjtK5tTiYm9CYA475mCl6VxoME8VAwWKxVJTk9tynUHzqD7NpaHViZ1MJEmOubhZDWagfAi/s1600/IMG_5819.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEEBO-RZinnCiEwUGOeN4zggAGrBPvlX6VBt_6BFAQ43S3n9gabOH8xLbNvJ3BQ5B3oj88aEjtK5tTiYm9CYA475mCl6VxoME8VAwWKxVJTk9tynUHzqD7NpaHViZ1MJEmOubhZDWagfAi/s320/IMG_5819.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472033466074110130" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The dining area as viewed from the whale watching deck down by the ocean.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7T-5nhEkksehUW0xCuOIqG3isMqV0AXqFiChsTmbcb4ae2jzcU5sV2l0gAB8lfiwfuEOWGbr5gJpJZJ4vOBZcDpzydCH9aDfWBKw2sZUKqmKn4cquN7hxi6jivp1IUSt9LycH6UgFNTp/s1600/IMG_5828.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7T-5nhEkksehUW0xCuOIqG3isMqV0AXqFiChsTmbcb4ae2jzcU5sV2l0gAB8lfiwfuEOWGbr5gJpJZJ4vOBZcDpzydCH9aDfWBKw2sZUKqmKn4cquN7hxi6jivp1IUSt9LycH6UgFNTp/s320/IMG_5828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472033476991204866" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">A lovely quiet beach just a short stroll from the Hideaway.</p><p>The next day we opted to do the Fangatave Beach Trek, a full-ish day trek down to a secluded beach through caves and forest. We were joined by a couple of other guests, and guided by Sifa, who did a great job. We were driven to the start of the track, which I think was in the northern part of the island (?) but I can't quite be sure. Riding on benches in the back of the Ute we drove past the King's residence (which was really a small holiday house) and through a couple of pretty villages. The people of Eua do seem to take a lot of pride in their gardens, most well landscaped with the lawns trimmed and green.</p><p>A short walk through a field took us to the cliff's edge.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4Hlm4GIBf-rRtxIEM_dS2rVrufxr53R1VWOM7pwy1iGS6jSZVGFU3bd_QHj0ML1a-ju-d815w1OHAyGD2fBvGp2mVxY8itzvpAJAcZECmoR4BEaO1mla6UzWrW2KNz2m3VXUiKMGo9LY/s1600/IMG_5845.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4Hlm4GIBf-rRtxIEM_dS2rVrufxr53R1VWOM7pwy1iGS6jSZVGFU3bd_QHj0ML1a-ju-d815w1OHAyGD2fBvGp2mVxY8itzvpAJAcZECmoR4BEaO1mla6UzWrW2KNz2m3VXUiKMGo9LY/s320/IMG_5845.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486672585549383954" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Sifa heading towards the cliffs.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruq2gIbgNFv3u6RBzA1ybOnGSQLZCajFz5wApUxVqX6x-xeJmfD2wIIVwcoFfM3XccvYMaqj7fJYq5YCPTpgsPeJb9654THS_tkswepxIkuGUaByHSkcf-qX7lQS1R1aMOr9x4RUMormA/s1600/IMG_5846.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruq2gIbgNFv3u6RBzA1ybOnGSQLZCajFz5wApUxVqX6x-xeJmfD2wIIVwcoFfM3XccvYMaqj7fJYq5YCPTpgsPeJb9654THS_tkswepxIkuGUaByHSkcf-qX7lQS1R1aMOr9x4RUMormA/s320/IMG_5846.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486672575866991586" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">The gorgeous view from the cliff edge.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC4Hlm4GIBf-rRtxIEM_dS2rVrufxr53R1VWOM7pwy1iGS6jSZVGFU3bd_QHj0ML1a-ju-d815w1OHAyGD2fBvGp2mVxY8itzvpAJAcZECmoR4BEaO1mla6UzWrW2KNz2m3VXUiKMGo9LY/s1600/IMG_5845.JPG"></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfj_quZVelaUbq_eQYoSk7sIVRVVYkzUx_SYsrkOtqlsR0vcyhzuevizjCQEct2BP792UKkUCj5j8IwxigSxHmXNIjdj8e-wwIVau-_RMSUuNph8z4ksxi-rML35OhWOkYWP793sOmbDf0/s1600/IMG_5965.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfj_quZVelaUbq_eQYoSk7sIVRVVYkzUx_SYsrkOtqlsR0vcyhzuevizjCQEct2BP792UKkUCj5j8IwxigSxHmXNIjdj8e-wwIVau-_RMSUuNph8z4ksxi-rML35OhWOkYWP793sOmbDf0/s320/IMG_5965.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486666419584009570" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Fangatave Beach - our destination far below!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCGQ_slv9IQLGsVDmWzFD1VboxpNm8IqAs8KRzaDzLz-224GZxao9HAXv8om3getbFuMGv71ZqwA00MvaWhlaJKnUp1TOULvB1lEQaMUrsJSYDHlsPyDiEOSr-AGNy0F8j8ZuHLgLxOh3/s1600/IMG_5954.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCGQ_slv9IQLGsVDmWzFD1VboxpNm8IqAs8KRzaDzLz-224GZxao9HAXv8om3getbFuMGv71ZqwA00MvaWhlaJKnUp1TOULvB1lEQaMUrsJSYDHlsPyDiEOSr-AGNy0F8j8ZuHLgLxOh3/s320/IMG_5954.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486666432479803202" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">We then headed through some gently sloping forest - some trees had very impressive root systems.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t1TwofjRdqBbSZj-eIA2Lq9uc1PCkyS8Fym_IKpBX-PgTPdqeBeVXiBQHpY3YCGfBPy2RFtYUkXCHxHWUSy8DL5wmYLdbrga4OgpuCznPgkFkMAeE5x83I2pkTqlz3K3oiLeh8xmGehq/s1600/IMG_5944.JPG"></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcnmZTtEELQ2dN0FD_zRbpfB02p20zpIatwr6ka0g3cMpM6Eq_l4qEoAc8DsiBKKH-WVNb8OfQXNEEBpUNk6pFpkW0ul3KOC2KkzvVBlRiALtXKPjku-bISiwoToD3tN2g9UQfr_4J8eg/s1600/IMG_5850.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcnmZTtEELQ2dN0FD_zRbpfB02p20zpIatwr6ka0g3cMpM6Eq_l4qEoAc8DsiBKKH-WVNb8OfQXNEEBpUNk6pFpkW0ul3KOC2KkzvVBlRiALtXKPjku-bISiwoToD3tN2g9UQfr_4J8eg/s320/IMG_5850.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486672563784594114" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then came the hard part - climbing down the cliff face!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVX5BOfWK1OfzrB_BlEFjjMV1EEhqm61RTpqmqT7_Qefv8Rsu9rszSNt8phLk5geT3QEIRBG-Pnngl_z1Yzh0tCATv7e4MLGJtYrHteobmtPU5OpyTq3JuStgkURDGlRi5CDbZOHcJnvLl/s1600/IMG_5950.JPG"></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdv4PIZPWC4Yq23NVvLikgHezFOESb3F1f434sJUcPN_l-jBkbtyDYLYb7gbytNagTaE5XSn2emJiN7XWgmRnK2qMHaWWhRu6GqLFiWbGwnLjXa9ylMsbCYPPQ1-8ZpY5GajbbX0H1EYRX/s1600/IMG_5931.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdv4PIZPWC4Yq23NVvLikgHezFOESb3F1f434sJUcPN_l-jBkbtyDYLYb7gbytNagTaE5XSn2emJiN7XWgmRnK2qMHaWWhRu6GqLFiWbGwnLjXa9ylMsbCYPPQ1-8ZpY5GajbbX0H1EYRX/s320/IMG_5931.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486668636778713650" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">After the climbing, we walked through a series of caves.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3WXWkcgULmKpjPKsGm9W3oYUtefReaom2VWlbrWp4mblbE3TgLoJXO95NxDZyxbsAuowCS0q9hoD4rbf9Ozd8PP5rAC-v_iKdsRz5iaVSmhzWCkl8fTQ2BC2G9l1O_4m-JNnUZwnR8Lg/s1600/IMG_5902.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3WXWkcgULmKpjPKsGm9W3oYUtefReaom2VWlbrWp4mblbE3TgLoJXO95NxDZyxbsAuowCS0q9hoD4rbf9Ozd8PP5rAC-v_iKdsRz5iaVSmhzWCkl8fTQ2BC2G9l1O_4m-JNnUZwnR8Lg/s320/IMG_5902.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486670983254393666" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Stunning stalactites and stalagmites.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShJwr2KLWkMMlRFpsXKfHspkfiToMSDBHI3sbBvH30M1i_sH9G-6FQXhyLGiJKf2zJx6P0nv2KhbA-2mT06QCSXKG6t-ZRTqB-dcIHwIqiVvMsYGwmNTlcCuUvpZhEIrLdt-qKNnaPdFY/s1600/IMG_5890.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgShJwr2KLWkMMlRFpsXKfHspkfiToMSDBHI3sbBvH30M1i_sH9G-6FQXhyLGiJKf2zJx6P0nv2KhbA-2mT06QCSXKG6t-ZRTqB-dcIHwIqiVvMsYGwmNTlcCuUvpZhEIrLdt-qKNnaPdFY/s320/IMG_5890.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486670992344098530" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCGQ_slv9IQLGsVDmWzFD1VboxpNm8IqAs8KRzaDzLz-224GZxao9HAXv8om3getbFuMGv71ZqwA00MvaWhlaJKnUp1TOULvB1lEQaMUrsJSYDHlsPyDiEOSr-AGNy0F8j8ZuHLgLxOh3/s1600/IMG_5954.JPG"></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuwB-GwYDPZFAw-s0e-jBtyA01k0dDKzac8WYVuMkJM_MOOTCoys3itbwGEtZL6Xk9t-pCRSXWGvmf9VIEWmg94_i3zCcZjuhFgMQabwL-zd6ygL6jFmLGIfnjlHFd_6ATABbJzwEQtfI/s1600/IMG_5910.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuwB-GwYDPZFAw-s0e-jBtyA01k0dDKzac8WYVuMkJM_MOOTCoys3itbwGEtZL6Xk9t-pCRSXWGvmf9VIEWmg94_i3zCcZjuhFgMQabwL-zd6ygL6jFmLGIfnjlHFd_6ATABbJzwEQtfI/s320/IMG_5910.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486670974447362098" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then it was time for a break, and Sifa climbed a coconut tree to bring us fresh snacks!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiSM16PxnyW27vmzd7FQDqVxVqWXGuyegi60BG3rviAGrjZPN0sdvVBunC-ZKeqqwv_tIW-pqSml8e2Q_LEpwmjq2_OHVV-x8QKvQ1lhnRe7IR2wW3h7_KxPWhdGwyckdA7zpxsRiVmz2/s1600/IMG_5913.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiSM16PxnyW27vmzd7FQDqVxVqWXGuyegi60BG3rviAGrjZPN0sdvVBunC-ZKeqqwv_tIW-pqSml8e2Q_LEpwmjq2_OHVV-x8QKvQ1lhnRe7IR2wW3h7_KxPWhdGwyckdA7zpxsRiVmz2/s320/IMG_5913.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486668663992963426" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Yummy fresh coconuts straight off the tree - tasted much better than my first coconut drink!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCEVOcRwR4UTC5pIz9EoqUUc4RQTQCOJ23Rig_XXypdkz38lbQ4WWJsge5gYWFgjSrhrgEhh1sntV0RLQag5GDpltZWbI7b1wSzBkj1jXomejm9G-0mm0MpsCAJ_LCBm5DuD4XlDQY_g3/s1600/IMG_5877.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCCEVOcRwR4UTC5pIz9EoqUUc4RQTQCOJ23Rig_XXypdkz38lbQ4WWJsge5gYWFgjSrhrgEhh1sntV0RLQag5GDpltZWbI7b1wSzBkj1jXomejm9G-0mm0MpsCAJ_LCBm5DuD4XlDQY_g3/s320/IMG_5877.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486671013713976322" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Then it was time to head through some more caves...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKCpyrMPKmC2DVI7GjDi2iSZhdydKZ_U3DTr4Mj2vJHDAP8d4VnPkV6FDiCyXUs8OifxJSkNt63ySaYfYNV3KeTbUolGGKS2aHgLeSm_4kA_WIhWHXgJ3ITdDyHwScVK9iN_e24DJRxg2/s1600/IMG_5925.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKCpyrMPKmC2DVI7GjDi2iSZhdydKZ_U3DTr4Mj2vJHDAP8d4VnPkV6FDiCyXUs8OifxJSkNt63ySaYfYNV3KeTbUolGGKS2aHgLeSm_4kA_WIhWHXgJ3ITdDyHwScVK9iN_e24DJRxg2/s320/IMG_5925.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486668655887133826" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Some were a tight squeeze!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30hhyQzhW_dnmAY7wVbdHi0NYCzooB1AhKZRWz2fXJSzm4YY_rqjVnyGMqLdP1ZasgQQleZ2v5Y6BL6pl_gJJhtWM9a1B06gw7k931l4V8gS-QyxazCsXaZETrINP-E0FGvjLeteqvvQC/s1600/IMG_5881.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30hhyQzhW_dnmAY7wVbdHi0NYCzooB1AhKZRWz2fXJSzm4YY_rqjVnyGMqLdP1ZasgQQleZ2v5Y6BL6pl_gJJhtWM9a1B06gw7k931l4V8gS-QyxazCsXaZETrINP-E0FGvjLeteqvvQC/s320/IMG_5881.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486671001800139522" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">And some involved a leap of faith! Why did I always end up as the first to do it??</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdv4PIZPWC4Yq23NVvLikgHezFOESb3F1f434sJUcPN_l-jBkbtyDYLYb7gbytNagTaE5XSn2emJiN7XWgmRnK2qMHaWWhRu6GqLFiWbGwnLjXa9ylMsbCYPPQ1-8ZpY5GajbbX0H1EYRX/s1600/IMG_5931.JPG"></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjA0RlLTEpInVrqYC6bxzTb_Mm28zAXBgb5QvpYKJ8Rbb6UEpJ_Bt2qgqAPvcrD1GAaf3CSkG9LsuAnJZ_UWOZ96DmpraVEcYLbjwSMnD-QBXcOyC5tdN49MRnlaYLUOLUuP4J2946p-8/s1600/IMG_5937.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EISoANq2LQx7jrt7rsIfhXHhQoRaz8WAaLuG37B2teTrG-zZOhE9BVlypkUg9-ao5DVQIa7Y8umMa0WXzXDhFEQSWk71VNHbnr3OEHvboiwlBcX8XLTC4Y-75gEYUxiVPAQZ9s1JOIGb/s1600/IMG_5938.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EISoANq2LQx7jrt7rsIfhXHhQoRaz8WAaLuG37B2teTrG-zZOhE9BVlypkUg9-ao5DVQIa7Y8umMa0WXzXDhFEQSWk71VNHbnr3OEHvboiwlBcX8XLTC4Y-75gEYUxiVPAQZ9s1JOIGb/s320/IMG_5938.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486668616667111298" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Eventually we made to this beautiful secluded beach!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjA0RlLTEpInVrqYC6bxzTb_Mm28zAXBgb5QvpYKJ8Rbb6UEpJ_Bt2qgqAPvcrD1GAaf3CSkG9LsuAnJZ_UWOZ96DmpraVEcYLbjwSMnD-QBXcOyC5tdN49MRnlaYLUOLUuP4J2946p-8/s1600/IMG_5937.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjA0RlLTEpInVrqYC6bxzTb_Mm28zAXBgb5QvpYKJ8Rbb6UEpJ_Bt2qgqAPvcrD1GAaf3CSkG9LsuAnJZ_UWOZ96DmpraVEcYLbjwSMnD-QBXcOyC5tdN49MRnlaYLUOLUuP4J2946p-8/s320/IMG_5937.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486668624332167586" border="0" /></a></p><p>We spent a few hours at the beach, had our picnic lunch, went for a warm luxurious swim, sunbathed and fell asleep on the beach! We were the only ones there! I can't imagine this beach ever gets many visitors, which just made it paradise.</p><p>We took a different route back up the cliffs, which didn't involve crawling through caves, but did involve a longer climb to reach the forest path.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t1TwofjRdqBbSZj-eIA2Lq9uc1PCkyS8Fym_IKpBX-PgTPdqeBeVXiBQHpY3YCGfBPy2RFtYUkXCHxHWUSy8DL5wmYLdbrga4OgpuCznPgkFkMAeE5x83I2pkTqlz3K3oiLeh8xmGehq/s1600/IMG_5944.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t1TwofjRdqBbSZj-eIA2Lq9uc1PCkyS8Fym_IKpBX-PgTPdqeBeVXiBQHpY3YCGfBPy2RFtYUkXCHxHWUSy8DL5wmYLdbrga4OgpuCznPgkFkMAeE5x83I2pkTqlz3K3oiLeh8xmGehq/s320/IMG_5944.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486666453032807250" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I climbed up first, which meant I could photograph the rest of the group following me up.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVX5BOfWK1OfzrB_BlEFjjMV1EEhqm61RTpqmqT7_Qefv8Rsu9rszSNt8phLk5geT3QEIRBG-Pnngl_z1Yzh0tCATv7e4MLGJtYrHteobmtPU5OpyTq3JuStgkURDGlRi5CDbZOHcJnvLl/s1600/IMG_5950.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVX5BOfWK1OfzrB_BlEFjjMV1EEhqm61RTpqmqT7_Qefv8Rsu9rszSNt8phLk5geT3QEIRBG-Pnngl_z1Yzh0tCATv7e4MLGJtYrHteobmtPU5OpyTq3JuStgkURDGlRi5CDbZOHcJnvLl/s320/IMG_5950.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486666442842803026" border="0" /></a></p><p>Eventually we made it back to the top! It was a tough but rewarding walk and a very memorable day. I thoroughly recommend the walk. And it's always good to make a few new friends!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgXo0bCQCYqcwdAWsIbm6z-FmD5gopNT0ZwiVOYq_AjSlDvdZneBgMjp7PF1kNxXl5tMSPLyhgNXjOFczR5vr4cc0NaAb6JUQFC51RCNikIK6xhKIX-e0tcYoa-smrJFjLji6JjUFt481/s1600/IMG_5962.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgXo0bCQCYqcwdAWsIbm6z-FmD5gopNT0ZwiVOYq_AjSlDvdZneBgMjp7PF1kNxXl5tMSPLyhgNXjOFczR5vr4cc0NaAb6JUQFC51RCNikIK6xhKIX-e0tcYoa-smrJFjLji6JjUFt481/s320/IMG_5962.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486666409282764162" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Sifa, don't jump!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-88036528102065077562010-04-13T19:13:00.007+12:002010-05-17T11:30:20.676+12:00Tonga Holiday, part 2<p>After our very busy tour the previous day, it was time for a little relaxation. There are a couple of islands just offshore in the lagoon of Nuku'alofa which are great for a beach day. We headed out to Pangaimotu, about 10 minutes by ferryboat. There were only two other people on the boat with us, and the island itself felt almost deserted! The resort consists of the pier, a restaurant/bar and a few fales (beach huts for sleeping guests).</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1BzoeCNX6BWdkvPtuZsUpblN6W3PCurcftR-2WDsgrhEi02-M5QvdvahSvFs9vpiapwvO1nqWzdTZH3Qy6ReBO7A04VRQEsArsrijE3AJ0OVeyuhr8rfDrN3S3qxSgqGORRVnkJwZfXG/s1600/IMG_5798.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1BzoeCNX6BWdkvPtuZsUpblN6W3PCurcftR-2WDsgrhEi02-M5QvdvahSvFs9vpiapwvO1nqWzdTZH3Qy6ReBO7A04VRQEsArsrijE3AJ0OVeyuhr8rfDrN3S3qxSgqGORRVnkJwZfXG/s320/IMG_5798.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459527551860687234" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKWrhNqWmfjfutVUuCEt7FGeg1MYr3sAq24tMrDXWu6uANL9Jc2hAQ2Mo97eScAH6FFk_5R2aoNahEKrVlUM700JckrzDOyErUIfWk3DPfBYeSM1q_h4DGLmBpDzA7nr3LMiRiw3aifZ1/s1600/IMG_5794.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvKWrhNqWmfjfutVUuCEt7FGeg1MYr3sAq24tMrDXWu6uANL9Jc2hAQ2Mo97eScAH6FFk_5R2aoNahEKrVlUM700JckrzDOyErUIfWk3DPfBYeSM1q_h4DGLmBpDzA7nr3LMiRiw3aifZ1/s320/IMG_5794.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459527556643990050" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNyoBylbhJlYdY8ILsenk3q_F4RLE0upXsGweYBJ24NxdsuoffAX1VsFTHXprEjaK-FusjFSMNpWlFAvE1oyMOWReBiA66Pxgy_G7B2QnBPhKidZSwwEUGV5gqyxuDfxTyeu4AwkGMIHd/s1600/IMG_5799.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNyoBylbhJlYdY8ILsenk3q_F4RLE0upXsGweYBJ24NxdsuoffAX1VsFTHXprEjaK-FusjFSMNpWlFAvE1oyMOWReBiA66Pxgy_G7B2QnBPhKidZSwwEUGV5gqyxuDfxTyeu4AwkGMIHd/s320/IMG_5799.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459527568652308706" border="0" /></a></p><p>We went for a walk along the beach and found a sunny spot to sunbathe and swim. It was a lovely relaxing way to spend the day. We also had a couple of canine visitors, including this very cute puppy!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkRgDrt0dPFDOuCt5cEmqcOo02LwIn5pkAKfhK_ICgjYbcua6U0ZSmvpQRxcGwtct1-rJ9wm5Y3Nz21LbZ9ZhIGHUqDBQo9LU9TBIYzdrW_m9NSIizyC047Rk69hjPCIqnXAwiyEaU1hs/s1600/IMG_5800.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkRgDrt0dPFDOuCt5cEmqcOo02LwIn5pkAKfhK_ICgjYbcua6U0ZSmvpQRxcGwtct1-rJ9wm5Y3Nz21LbZ9ZhIGHUqDBQo9LU9TBIYzdrW_m9NSIizyC047Rk69hjPCIqnXAwiyEaU1hs/s320/IMG_5800.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459527574094938354" border="0" /></a></p><p>The tide was coming in during the afternoon so we started to lose our beach spot. After our picnic lunch, we headed to the pier-side bar and chilled out on the deck.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxHknig2OOJtJ8YmjKKVpXzN_4sUUODlLkVC8w1HZOLoQCfQILPrhsg5QPmEqdyJurglTynB6W_7YOZrpHIsIkCNFjNdpWUQgFQk0vwEiUKxF0Ke6dWNMeUvIFe2C5XkT5TZ0Hbdi9fVT/s1600/IMG_5808.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyxHknig2OOJtJ8YmjKKVpXzN_4sUUODlLkVC8w1HZOLoQCfQILPrhsg5QPmEqdyJurglTynB6W_7YOZrpHIsIkCNFjNdpWUQgFQk0vwEiUKxF0Ke6dWNMeUvIFe2C5XkT5TZ0Hbdi9fVT/s320/IMG_5808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459529582114444450" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">We also went for a swim off the pier near this half sunken boat.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-P4Iov40QGRIAqDCvg5MzzWEBSjx9NVMUW0EQ7BvExKBLdpsX69nGXrZ4c9oG-rYSUn2LyhsJMmG0VcVoXW5S2xju0WP-sIo9pxwSljZ-wSfZnBXjJQnCmiNFvC86_IJ4hN7U07RrDzK/s1600/IMG_5806.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-P4Iov40QGRIAqDCvg5MzzWEBSjx9NVMUW0EQ7BvExKBLdpsX69nGXrZ4c9oG-rYSUn2LyhsJMmG0VcVoXW5S2xju0WP-sIo9pxwSljZ-wSfZnBXjJQnCmiNFvC86_IJ4hN7U07RrDzK/s320/IMG_5806.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459527583579282626" border="0" /></a></p><p>Eventually after a long day of sunbathing and swimming, it was time to catch the last boat back to Nuku'alofa. We had a great, relaxing day, although we managed to get some nasty areas of sunburn where we'd missed the suncream...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgBlSif7wioH5CfE6J26mFZAYq4ebq2RrKsgqB9vMyhIMV3PpeNoQ373tSdNGo8LGXPxyy2kQ1tSNMjo2a9n2AP_vucQj53je9BGOnc9lGYogcKz_13ZiGOAcCcuabou3iHyDDEPdynH1/s1600/IMG_5813.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgBlSif7wioH5CfE6J26mFZAYq4ebq2RrKsgqB9vMyhIMV3PpeNoQ373tSdNGo8LGXPxyy2kQ1tSNMjo2a9n2AP_vucQj53je9BGOnc9lGYogcKz_13ZiGOAcCcuabou3iHyDDEPdynH1/s320/IMG_5813.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459529588796130818" border="0" /></a></p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-40328374352670599292010-03-05T12:43:00.010+13:002010-08-08T19:54:56.872+12:00Tonga Holiday, part 1<p>On the 5th February my friend R and I flew out to Tonga for a holiday, a last hurrah as she was leaving New Zealand and heading back home. We got in at about 2am, found a shuttle bus to take us to our pre booked guest house, and then waited... and waited... until somebody woke up to check us in! Although I'd confirmed a couple of days ago, it seemed that they still didn't know we were coming!</p><p>On Saturday, after some sleep, we headed out to explore the capital of Tonga, Nuku'alofa. We checked out the market and wandered down to the lagoon, as well as sorting out an island tour for Sunday. Sundays are observed as rest days in Tonga, and not much is open or running, but a couple of places still run tours. The reason why everything closes on Sunday is because Tonga is a fairly Christian country. The majority are Mormons, but there are a few other faiths as well. There are churches on practically every street!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjw9h0nVAq9pHl5xmZpa11gU3JEOeB1wo2HYo_CtE2bFMrsYcbdypKzP9dcHOwiLcBf3kve2BELWleYhREIjgDehJ2rBTZgx9OaZdvsik-8OOtr402iB6YWK2Smc7FrtLMbbuRXP9pfC1/s1600-h/IMG_5686.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKjw9h0nVAq9pHl5xmZpa11gU3JEOeB1wo2HYo_CtE2bFMrsYcbdypKzP9dcHOwiLcBf3kve2BELWleYhREIjgDehJ2rBTZgx9OaZdvsik-8OOtr402iB6YWK2Smc7FrtLMbbuRXP9pfC1/s320/IMG_5686.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445809850610985250" border="0" /></a></p><p>On Sunday we joined a minibus tour run by Tony of Tony's Tours. He's an expat who has lived in Tonga for many years, but he offers a somewhat British perspective on life in the Kingdom. He's quite funny, and not at all politically correct, but well worth spending the day with!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZ4vQSCayfKQqibBTvNRiS3cbbDVPnZbeakP_GfXxQNGFgE8dXYTBPwip5QzwdgVp9qM2nI7tXiX9wPRUtPKvVb5dItV-0u8-fCuSnaAmoHvP-CtGtKDUqGu-nXr-2qwKCzT4ubEp7Vzn/s1600-h/IMG_5690.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZ4vQSCayfKQqibBTvNRiS3cbbDVPnZbeakP_GfXxQNGFgE8dXYTBPwip5QzwdgVp9qM2nI7tXiX9wPRUtPKvVb5dItV-0u8-fCuSnaAmoHvP-CtGtKDUqGu-nXr-2qwKCzT4ubEp7Vzn/s320/IMG_5690.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446164493385366146" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Saw a lot of coconut trees!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPCw4TSi05VTWepoWEaIvbVjafrXwwOAMtaeJuZebLu95ElCt9sR1Z7M7y_sB4b_h-qb4HTTLV0j7uJx3RheSFnm3km1Sr5tyAtQD2x20LDPsIsbO8I4x1vQq1aPfD3CwuTCUrfT7ybgK/s1600-h/IMG_5692.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPCw4TSi05VTWepoWEaIvbVjafrXwwOAMtaeJuZebLu95ElCt9sR1Z7M7y_sB4b_h-qb4HTTLV0j7uJx3RheSFnm3km1Sr5tyAtQD2x20LDPsIsbO8I4x1vQq1aPfD3CwuTCUrfT7ybgK/s320/IMG_5692.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446164506953095186" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Apparently this is the only two-pronged coconut tree in the world!<br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKt2_C30tn6qgpdaUaNHUheMx2st-dnkJZ8Iv4-ek7de1H1_2E3RawYzSz0cs7_kZ3uzNCnfrIS8arD8q4K9KYy6ETxapjRh3HF0fOD5HM2TfFDzwcWnJnfYA8yzoThZWwlRIwyB_Z0om/s1600-h/IMG_5698.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKt2_C30tn6qgpdaUaNHUheMx2st-dnkJZ8Iv4-ek7de1H1_2E3RawYzSz0cs7_kZ3uzNCnfrIS8arD8q4K9KYy6ETxapjRh3HF0fOD5HM2TfFDzwcWnJnfYA8yzoThZWwlRIwyB_Z0om/s320/IMG_5698.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446164518508865106" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Lovely beach, had a paddle in the warm Pacific Ocean (makes a big difference from St Clair Beach!)</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimO3KXTOq_Up2FFYRUx5nJGk861G_GDdR16t2ZXKxuFAwzEiImQuB0kqiCqmBIg_24O-cSmuAfq8vGReG5N4adXuCKVyAC3q07Th92qiLnQF0f7DNqcE2kRcLESuwnS0jdwG1ggrPoi0wM/s1600-h/IMG_5719.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimO3KXTOq_Up2FFYRUx5nJGk861G_GDdR16t2ZXKxuFAwzEiImQuB0kqiCqmBIg_24O-cSmuAfq8vGReG5N4adXuCKVyAC3q07Th92qiLnQF0f7DNqcE2kRcLESuwnS0jdwG1ggrPoi0wM/s320/IMG_5719.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446169145058388754" border="0" /></a></p><p>The Blowholes - a pretty magnificent sight. there are holes in the rocks and when the tide rushes in, the water spurts through the holes, hence the blowhole effect.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFQp6Ak3koncNnpdCq9WEqiUGS1TxYMEPzHGpDVYtwTZNj_r5bLpxpEQgdSHldHWvMhSFa76BT7pMvDW_YiH0Xa0OrhBMeZHYPjkQ4dJgnfUc-F35mv3DktpEuJele9xxHT8xhq84dHFI/s1600-h/IMG_5704.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFQp6Ak3koncNnpdCq9WEqiUGS1TxYMEPzHGpDVYtwTZNj_r5bLpxpEQgdSHldHWvMhSFa76BT7pMvDW_YiH0Xa0OrhBMeZHYPjkQ4dJgnfUc-F35mv3DktpEuJele9xxHT8xhq84dHFI/s320/IMG_5704.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446169134726183314" border="0" /></a></p><p>After spending some time clambering around the rocks by the blowholes, we went for lunch at a quiet resort, and R and I got to sample our first coconut drink!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkG0-blh8LvYOyKnAlmPY1HIQrOjij-MFdnbpvpcJqxhTY3343xslGJeMvk5icjssF37wKyTCMCUBxw73DScCLCaePAv2dBHO2yI8TtKqu2YRZcig8JhVBhwAmGG9kjQUQUPSBEJ-pC8iK/s1600-h/IMG_5743.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkG0-blh8LvYOyKnAlmPY1HIQrOjij-MFdnbpvpcJqxhTY3343xslGJeMvk5icjssF37wKyTCMCUBxw73DScCLCaePAv2dBHO2yI8TtKqu2YRZcig8JhVBhwAmGG9kjQUQUPSBEJ-pC8iK/s320/IMG_5743.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446164529831086594" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">It's a bit of an acquired taste, but quite refreshing.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLX_RzDsAqH9u1nD4e5tnwn4BBPWoKPXW5_CCUOSx3WTMNjn4jl6hFo93TdmYdlDyZV7Ul3mytx4zCNXHXn5AMvoo8Hxf84JxPYeMYI-pwrfrHr-NjjiTpLtDE59MqUQxg0QQojp1rhHM/s1600-h/IMG_5767.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLX_RzDsAqH9u1nD4e5tnwn4BBPWoKPXW5_CCUOSx3WTMNjn4jl6hFo93TdmYdlDyZV7Ul3mytx4zCNXHXn5AMvoo8Hxf84JxPYeMYI-pwrfrHr-NjjiTpLtDE59MqUQxg0QQojp1rhHM/s320/IMG_5767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446169156903355906" border="0" /></a></p><p>We also visited Hina Cave, a large cave on the beach where they often do traditional shows. Unfortunately we were in Tongatapu on the wrong days to go to this one, but we did see a different one on our last night.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ3R6bFqOiJY3SO-aWeuiAzsgAV8TCsZLuCaBRzAuozqZMziGq4NJ_A-T0IM8byeROHSK7M0x2hZvIWkEXPbXBRzgZiTiE-R-k6Dj9cfWxYGUjEi0VJZryPbjyKTzk8fCldLphN1CmApm/s1600-h/IMG_5768.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJ3R6bFqOiJY3SO-aWeuiAzsgAV8TCsZLuCaBRzAuozqZMziGq4NJ_A-T0IM8byeROHSK7M0x2hZvIWkEXPbXBRzgZiTiE-R-k6Dj9cfWxYGUjEi0VJZryPbjyKTzk8fCldLphN1CmApm/s320/IMG_5768.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446169166396461362" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Hina Cave has a bit of natural light from these holes in the ceiling.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjEbQeiD-LdzUVchl_iR7wPqcaHra1x80EU2bb0qxjSRaeQ7rOUGuUfHQ_jJOZXQM_uJCBv7EMQLC-BkKppFD25mgz7rGdAkAWr8uyMiqv-aUL28ReudeG_gYwWhI2TmMdEnI4rbi1q-F/s1600-h/IMG_5745.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLjEbQeiD-LdzUVchl_iR7wPqcaHra1x80EU2bb0qxjSRaeQ7rOUGuUfHQ_jJOZXQM_uJCBv7EMQLC-BkKppFD25mgz7rGdAkAWr8uyMiqv-aUL28ReudeG_gYwWhI2TmMdEnI4rbi1q-F/s320/IMG_5745.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446164539348839234" border="0" /></a></p><p>This is a 'land bridge' - that's the sea underneath it! If I recall correctly there is a Maui legend about this area, but I can't quite remember the details any more...</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjAsV0CeUNR3W4-xSCTFMNOSK-UeFvdRP5baaA5iygTRjGDzY4YsFQrgvZKHQ06SJ5dmDm39P6bIibQNKbYSKUDLY-wkJNncmt_BgSTP1wbngVGuqxXeZahK4PCyg1PYLPo1nkvirVNBy/s1600-h/IMG_5783.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjAsV0CeUNR3W4-xSCTFMNOSK-UeFvdRP5baaA5iygTRjGDzY4YsFQrgvZKHQ06SJ5dmDm39P6bIibQNKbYSKUDLY-wkJNncmt_BgSTP1wbngVGuqxXeZahK4PCyg1PYLPo1nkvirVNBy/s320/IMG_5783.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446169175812500866" border="0" /></a></p><p>Our last sight of the trip was 'Stonehenge' - unfortunately not really as impressive as the real one in England, as there is only one monument! At least you can go right up to it though, unlike it's namesake. This one is probably also some sort of calendar too. It was probably built about 1200AD.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc5akveAkjevx-Al6Gruos_L02MTIGH3G4J-yPwcMa_4XjmILcjgpqkPIFRvj71QxU0YWO-y9M-3xd9mRFOU9guF3V45Nf-S3C_O5AxkJqubJQdrmnBBZAiNGwwO_p4CD6GKlMp67NRwi/s1600/IMG_5787.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHc5akveAkjevx-Al6Gruos_L02MTIGH3G4J-yPwcMa_4XjmILcjgpqkPIFRvj71QxU0YWO-y9M-3xd9mRFOU9guF3V45Nf-S3C_O5AxkJqubJQdrmnBBZAiNGwwO_p4CD6GKlMp67NRwi/s320/IMG_5787.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459515150696015266" border="0" /></a></p><p>That's about all for our Tongatapu tour, I took tonnes of photos but these are the highlights. It was a very enjoyable but quite tiring day, particularly getting used to the sudden change in temperature from our rather dismal NZ summer!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-71662855421273317782010-01-04T17:13:00.007+13:002010-01-11T23:22:19.760+13:00Intensive Update #4<p>It's been a while since I've updated, and there have been a few reasons why. I thought it was about time I did though, because the last couple of months have been pretty action packed. Some things really warrant a blog post all of their own, but I literally do not have enough hours in the day at the moment so more detailed posts will follow later!</p><p>So, the first major event of the last few months was that I have bought a house! I found it in October and the deal was finalised on December 7th. Ever since then it has been a hectic time of moving all my stuff, unpacking, sorting, buying much needed equipment and furniture and cleaning up. The garden still needs a lot of work, but luckily mum came and lent a hand with some of it. I'm still having a few teething issues, particularly in relation to electrical problems (stupid washing machine...) and the shower (poor hot water pressure) but it's all stuff that can be sorted. I want to do a bit of decorating before too long as well.</p><p>The second event is the departure of several friends of mine. One close friend left a couple of months ago now to live with her boyfriend in the North Island, so at least there is the chance of seeing her again occasionally, but the others are just going too far away! Craig and Rhonwyn left just before Christmas, to head to Australia for the holidays and then over to Canada. Life just isn't going to be the same without them, though the reality of them not being here really has not sunk in yet. I've lived with these guys for almost 3 years so it will be a big change. I think it's helped I've had the new house to focus on. Hopefully I'll manage a holiday over there in the next couple of years! JT also left to pursue work in Oz, and another good friend of mine leaves in February, but not before we have a well deserved holiday in Tonga. It really has been a mass exodus of friends recently. I'll be advertising for new ones shortly!!</p><p>The third event is live music! There have been a couple of bands I've been dying to see and have had tickets for for months. First off was Pearl Jam in Christchurch, supported by Liam Finn and Ben Harper. The music was great, the weather was awful, and I was enjoying myself until some idiot behind me hit me on the back of my head with his elbow. Luckily the friend I was with and a couple other people around me picked me up off the floor and looked after me, but the b**st**d didn't even apologise or even seem to notice! I ended up with a headache and neck sprain which went on for weeks. Seems to generally be okay now, so I'll have to start going back to the gym and seeing how I cope.</p><p>I also flew up to Auckland to see Green Day, who were absolutely amazing! I was careful not to get hit this time! The music and the lighting show they had was simply fantastic and there was tonnes of crowd interaction - they got a young boy up on stage, and a woman with pink hair got to come up and sing one of their songs. I'll post properly on the event later.</p><p>Other than that, I've been working, working, working. Can't wait for my holiday in February and also for my sister coming to NZ next week! I wish she was here for longer than 2 weeks, but maybe I'll just have to steal her passport so she can't leave!</p><p>I'm not really one for New Year Resolutions so I won't bother joining the ranks of bloggers who've made lists of resolutions for 2010 - let's face it, I'd probably break them next week anyway. I'll just say I have one goal for 2010 and that is to write more than last year. That won't be hard!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-14153921715273739572009-11-11T22:32:00.011+13:002009-11-16T00:05:07.587+13:00Yet another gardening post...<p>I figured it was time for a quick garden update again, as I think it has been making quite a bit of progress in the last few weeks. Everything seems to be developing nicely and I've even started harvesting some plants, particularly my rocket. I've made quite a few salads with my rocket leaves, and I'm starting to run out of plant! I've just sown some mesclun seeds so hopefully I'll have some more delicious salad leaves in a few weeks!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb35SlFfJk3d63XAvT2XEUtQGYv2pojI-HNkAtRAkBJLRqMJyTp4Yy0DWlcavMqe7onMF4ggF5AWMFfgjRZG7ga4D96INO-VhUV4nFsrfjMfk7aDGzEum00cjFCzKUrAszZP_SksebwXw-/s1600-h/IMG_5550.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb35SlFfJk3d63XAvT2XEUtQGYv2pojI-HNkAtRAkBJLRqMJyTp4Yy0DWlcavMqe7onMF4ggF5AWMFfgjRZG7ga4D96INO-VhUV4nFsrfjMfk7aDGzEum00cjFCzKUrAszZP_SksebwXw-/s320/IMG_5550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402778017447560370" border="0" /></a></p><p>I decided to transplant my pak choi as I thought they were overcrowded in their previous container and merited a bucket each. I was wary about this as I read they don't like being transplanted, but they seem to be doing well, and aren't far off harvesting. The tomato plants are flourishing and flowering - I even found a baby tomato on the biggest plant:</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBekuoWLwWeQTS4nYte9t2bfr5eZbz4X3sEs-eTx-5lMVmHunV8nWWdWjRZjHsuZDWUSA2imP8o3_h9SBxxm5Cjk3fCF5SU5Kkc4XscuCzXEBEw9cPPemdW7OpT_7v02F8OBiYXX1cTOB/s1600-h/IMG_5547.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBekuoWLwWeQTS4nYte9t2bfr5eZbz4X3sEs-eTx-5lMVmHunV8nWWdWjRZjHsuZDWUSA2imP8o3_h9SBxxm5Cjk3fCF5SU5Kkc4XscuCzXEBEw9cPPemdW7OpT_7v02F8OBiYXX1cTOB/s320/IMG_5547.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402778033149668882" border="0" /></a></p><p>My lettuces are also doing well, I've just been cutting off leaves when I want them and they just carry on growing in between my harvests! As you can imagine I've been having a lot of salads lately.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rt5BFoloZThFEbO38yVPM948PtlRWO_-Ho6OMoc4FELzrhsGsKRCbuD0YTYZhSH7Up0UIgicPnquHPCvV4aVgvDtplumkSgmnL38SOjyIr3hqyXVw5xLwi6heUain9vBTCth51mvGzTu/s1600-h/IMG_5553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rt5BFoloZThFEbO38yVPM948PtlRWO_-Ho6OMoc4FELzrhsGsKRCbuD0YTYZhSH7Up0UIgicPnquHPCvV4aVgvDtplumkSgmnL38SOjyIr3hqyXVw5xLwi6heUain9vBTCth51mvGzTu/s320/IMG_5553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402778040866535714" border="0" /></a></p><p>I've left the best bit until last - my strawberries! They are doing great in their planter (as is the mint I've just pruned and hung up sprigs to dry in the airing cupboard). There are quite a few strawberries developing, but these are the most advanced:</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxdPk9v5qJHY4om8R3YBJNVT8RKDoJSWUXbhkxTl5PHgB4XMffWKhPkEpBXI18DEguc28PqtdVy9vAxGCUKT93ztUeaMiYxASjCgl4MgZjfmheqNnfgyMJufJYlnqMWiWfpQTstmlA8Sa/s1600-h/IMG_5554.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxdPk9v5qJHY4om8R3YBJNVT8RKDoJSWUXbhkxTl5PHgB4XMffWKhPkEpBXI18DEguc28PqtdVy9vAxGCUKT93ztUeaMiYxASjCgl4MgZjfmheqNnfgyMJufJYlnqMWiWfpQTstmlA8Sa/s320/IMG_5554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402778048901096082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46uGll3YmMa8-0vCmde4p5pobh_I4O-YmrfouUou3MUVak1sKQ-gUv5u-tD1TKDIjIGHqpbfkeX4paUf_u9mPcjNShmsLy5PPHiJ3LPEJv-slv8uXZ1AOZtu262stmyCnMNKytCN7fuYs/s1600-h/IMG_5555.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46uGll3YmMa8-0vCmde4p5pobh_I4O-YmrfouUou3MUVak1sKQ-gUv5u-tD1TKDIjIGHqpbfkeX4paUf_u9mPcjNShmsLy5PPHiJ3LPEJv-slv8uXZ1AOZtu262stmyCnMNKytCN7fuYs/s320/IMG_5555.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402778058525884002" border="0" /></a></p><p>I've also sown some seeds! Some snow peas, cucumber, spring onions, spinach and mesclun. I've borrowed <a href="http://cluttercut.blogspot.com/2009/09/seedlings-on-cheap.html">Daharja</a>'s idea for using egg boxes as seedling trays (though my dad also does this, and also cuts off the tops of plastic milk bottles for pots).</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pFhxsST6rVb1Mm5X6FA4_3s7yruLmYQb89bUjm2qVS9gvNeNkyxrJlookv9ZH8RElN0KTqnsXeUAosnRSgdn5ZBNUoRWzp3hiUzrmRK7FX-xVlDEo_u-4fwZfvyU-i-h7FtGBuPt58Wh/s1600-h/IMG_5563.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pFhxsST6rVb1Mm5X6FA4_3s7yruLmYQb89bUjm2qVS9gvNeNkyxrJlookv9ZH8RElN0KTqnsXeUAosnRSgdn5ZBNUoRWzp3hiUzrmRK7FX-xVlDEo_u-4fwZfvyU-i-h7FtGBuPt58Wh/s320/IMG_5563.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404279730683380514" border="0" /></a></p><p>The mesclun was only sown a couple of days ago, and already it's beginning to sprout!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZDtwn92LPzuRlqi8tparsvHnipYEsB-Sj3lSCuoyJVavsav2IrXjaM0cEullPteLR0UOiZkEmpwgIH5WIUJ2Jh_slANFh47iD8kt4hV5IlINvnEF8i6lQUCAYeDtXP8lMyh5aTTgwFy-/s1600-h/IMG_5566.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZDtwn92LPzuRlqi8tparsvHnipYEsB-Sj3lSCuoyJVavsav2IrXjaM0cEullPteLR0UOiZkEmpwgIH5WIUJ2Jh_slANFh47iD8kt4hV5IlINvnEF8i6lQUCAYeDtXP8lMyh5aTTgwFy-/s320/IMG_5566.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404283072475042626" border="0" /></a></p><p>I've no idea why this picture keeps rotating when I upload it, and I can't seem to fix it sorry!</p><p>I'm thrilled at my current progress, gardening really is not as difficult as it may first seem. I'm not sure about how successful I'll be with my seeds yet, the hardest thing for me is to make sure they are kept watered, with my erratic work schedule I find it hard to remember sometimes. More updates soon!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-17160789198859501032009-11-10T20:41:00.004+13:002009-11-10T23:19:25.016+13:00Yaaarrrr! Here be pirates!<p>Last Saturday, we had a Pirate-themed House Party! It wasn't for any particular reason, other than the fact I like dress-up parties, and our house deserves to have good parties. We have this great room on the roof, dubbed the Skyloft, which is a wonderful space for parties and hanging out. With only a few weeks left in this house, we needed to make good use of it!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OXPCyga-4H6OLo9YQzcFU9xTpNtEkocCNJP3YD9ApXjzLf9JQnMHGhhhG6iuuG_8YaNvdUa13M2Y4iLf5q2zHwuZjr4QGbE1JcLId9NMx36c_wKXw-C4u3qKe2SpSxsNMXhWQxKGjF08/s1600-h/IMG_5474.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OXPCyga-4H6OLo9YQzcFU9xTpNtEkocCNJP3YD9ApXjzLf9JQnMHGhhhG6iuuG_8YaNvdUa13M2Y4iLf5q2zHwuZjr4QGbE1JcLId9NMx36c_wKXw-C4u3qKe2SpSxsNMXhWQxKGjF08/s320/IMG_5474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402411529103350834" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I made the decorations, including this pirate ship, made out of pieces of cardboard and the insulation cladding you put on water pipes!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLRoMCXCXGFFzRKLOVPMLwTxGY0LddKcLE5C90rB4rGFWqRYwrPYdTbpFJnapHURitb-2pvUPNSXfBrvIw5Rl7jKTlTV3vBLBfXx685t9ujUMYx7U4iMIFmSm4dl0HqZ26__nY_Ytx-Qi/s1600-h/IMG_5476.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLRoMCXCXGFFzRKLOVPMLwTxGY0LddKcLE5C90rB4rGFWqRYwrPYdTbpFJnapHURitb-2pvUPNSXfBrvIw5Rl7jKTlTV3vBLBfXx685t9ujUMYx7U4iMIFmSm4dl0HqZ26__nY_Ytx-Qi/s320/IMG_5476.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402411538270792722" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">I also made the food, complete with little pirate flags!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEMvh0CKG1BdSMB3KniD8atuKTn9MCmSUhW8ES82HbQ6l0taO-vsCE3PxHwkGj2EPxrFI_pnB1hh55lBuxJmyoZSDI2fKJeZs-plBFQeML3017zWEHZTQBm6ce3jmIklC7Fu1dy1OhrhY/s1600-h/IMG_5490.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnEMvh0CKG1BdSMB3KniD8atuKTn9MCmSUhW8ES82HbQ6l0taO-vsCE3PxHwkGj2EPxrFI_pnB1hh55lBuxJmyoZSDI2fKJeZs-plBFQeML3017zWEHZTQBm6ce3jmIklC7Fu1dy1OhrhY/s320/IMG_5490.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402411552882531858" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">As is common with pirates, eventually the alcohol took over, and duels ensued!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXxA0dpgb8BLzyQG-5aRQm7tKd0YXFfeObQ8lkKL8HqTH0wNDkhNr2sVUtGgpxrX8btozyfTUazRAK09jZ-EOLHdAreWeNo1iertLleUGFU8JHdSpVFZD9G0F_t9K1KEjNvQKKVmTgluB/s1600-h/IMG_5482.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXxA0dpgb8BLzyQG-5aRQm7tKd0YXFfeObQ8lkKL8HqTH0wNDkhNr2sVUtGgpxrX8btozyfTUazRAK09jZ-EOLHdAreWeNo1iertLleUGFU8JHdSpVFZD9G0F_t9K1KEjNvQKKVmTgluB/s320/IMG_5482.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402411550512042754" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Craig chose to come as a Muppet Treasure Island inspired cannibal, rather than a pirate!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zbbiw1l9ag7yY9Oa4hTjs6fCHLBJyksKqzPZuoosvAKY6SxQerlmLhEfyEsff623OJul4QpQw-lDsonNRD6MV8EixL3ilD7MlxNjxfv3GbQbGqKmcI3QdQdwTPpaLznxwedCRkjnYskh/s1600-h/IMG_5477.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zbbiw1l9ag7yY9Oa4hTjs6fCHLBJyksKqzPZuoosvAKY6SxQerlmLhEfyEsff623OJul4QpQw-lDsonNRD6MV8EixL3ilD7MlxNjxfv3GbQbGqKmcI3QdQdwTPpaLznxwedCRkjnYskh/s320/IMG_5477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402411540499160930" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">Pirate wenches!</p><p>We had traditional and modern pirates turn up, including a Somali pirate complete with machine gun, and an internet pirate!</p><p>I had a great time hanging out with my friends, but I'm quite sad thinking about it. A lot of them will be leaving NZ at the end of the year, and I shall miss them! Don't want to have to find myself new friends, I like the ones I've got thanks!</p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5822634287157920422.post-40232629996274370582009-10-21T15:38:00.005+13:002009-10-22T21:35:58.106+13:00Look how the garden grows...<p>It's been a few weeks since I transplanted the majority of my plants so I thought it would be time for an update. The garden is doing very well!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPME_l4lpPXOZaGX1Wejy_RScIQixbbO87Az-rii7VLl4-0CyAkXrE0MWdRaDUxkMR9hOh607bjVWpf0vAaWowRJf06fxr_jSxBsixkqzQlE1fLthHSGpI0k-oClSDXC8ChklEeaNmCXHG/s1600-h/IMG_5473.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPME_l4lpPXOZaGX1Wejy_RScIQixbbO87Az-rii7VLl4-0CyAkXrE0MWdRaDUxkMR9hOh607bjVWpf0vAaWowRJf06fxr_jSxBsixkqzQlE1fLthHSGpI0k-oClSDXC8ChklEeaNmCXHG/s320/IMG_5473.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395332772428610674" border="0" /></a></p><p>I've still been keeping them in the Sky Loft, although on nice days I've put the containers outside on the roof. I just have to be careful because it can get a bit windy up there.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjlbG78fAlcpf55LDjfJjKfX14t4FYBSwoWmPHiCj7R0Hs4BkucvkCjbzOLpQoMCLEsvLd35KLRql3q2zPxFWlB_3qLzbfGaoHW77tKiMZo76WFsnL2B9CdBSdOj9FtYNR-WCKtgemlgL/s1600-h/IMG_5468.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjlbG78fAlcpf55LDjfJjKfX14t4FYBSwoWmPHiCj7R0Hs4BkucvkCjbzOLpQoMCLEsvLd35KLRql3q2zPxFWlB_3qLzbfGaoHW77tKiMZo76WFsnL2B9CdBSdOj9FtYNR-WCKtgemlgL/s320/IMG_5468.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395332778952164338" border="0" /></a></p><p>Chives (from which I have already harvested), a Chilli plant which needs transplanting soon, and plenty of lettuce.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lJakwWY2hIO8_jJjRpjb5mHHKGfkUyUQgl3cd_mfnOkq_q9sqDc0WuTfAxuYCGCOYZIdOUD04qEPumubWY3wA_cBWzce3EdesHNG57lPORJBPu5TZoXvpmwg_RvpmZSqOFx2njTN7sk6/s1600-h/IMG_5470.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lJakwWY2hIO8_jJjRpjb5mHHKGfkUyUQgl3cd_mfnOkq_q9sqDc0WuTfAxuYCGCOYZIdOUD04qEPumubWY3wA_cBWzce3EdesHNG57lPORJBPu5TZoXvpmwg_RvpmZSqOFx2njTN7sk6/s320/IMG_5470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879534731003538" border="0" /></a></p><p>Another lettuce and some pak choi. I'm a little worried that the pak choi don't really have enough space, but I read that they don't like being transplanted too much, so I've decided it's probably better to leave them.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fLwFHXtpCQaYJgkHlzC_D34hEMFJ7VKa2xkoMWvH8lzlGGflhfoeISFpEPZY68VLcq2bWPzSDrgIp6ahaZiZB7BsbuamaAS4Sx7dNhPjq2exUM5cKOiObWGg7k7nn3v2or5Nnwvc7_mA/s1600-h/IMG_5472.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_fLwFHXtpCQaYJgkHlzC_D34hEMFJ7VKa2xkoMWvH8lzlGGflhfoeISFpEPZY68VLcq2bWPzSDrgIp6ahaZiZB7BsbuamaAS4Sx7dNhPjq2exUM5cKOiObWGg7k7nn3v2or5Nnwvc7_mA/s320/IMG_5472.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879525473662562" border="0" /></a></p><p>Strawberry plants and starting to flower! And some mint I stuck in the top of the container.</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FJDTI0JrjmuuaOx2iYWkDlDUBIz75GA2U2B4IsRQGp8LBhffliPhLrLsLBZT1dmHDbqigcgRruiKGgHPoKl70nC0YHprkciBXRfSzR0NKV3g04d_8mzgsj0TFHIQUIi83jh2Eb-JakiL/s1600-h/IMG_5469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FJDTI0JrjmuuaOx2iYWkDlDUBIz75GA2U2B4IsRQGp8LBhffliPhLrLsLBZT1dmHDbqigcgRruiKGgHPoKl70nC0YHprkciBXRfSzR0NKV3g04d_8mzgsj0TFHIQUIi83jh2Eb-JakiL/s320/IMG_5469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879521195978722" border="0" /></a></p><p>My sunflower, which seems to be growing visibly every day - I should start marking it on the stake. Come to think of it, if it grows much taller I'll need a taller stake!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6My8G1lJCD9ZTaaQGs8qymWEeihhoFTp0YI9SVr0GR6x8tYF-w2epUlMg-HuA1BWJM7GYglEvgDXY0v9X885UUdU-OyAnC1rqxwkBYlWh6IwpQkgmaRl8MinTi0J8A-0XRg0bTU3hL3s/s1600-h/IMG_5467.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6My8G1lJCD9ZTaaQGs8qymWEeihhoFTp0YI9SVr0GR6x8tYF-w2epUlMg-HuA1BWJM7GYglEvgDXY0v9X885UUdU-OyAnC1rqxwkBYlWh6IwpQkgmaRl8MinTi0J8A-0XRg0bTU3hL3s/s320/IMG_5467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879514802288658" border="0" /></a></p><p>My cherry tomato plants. The closest one I have named Alpha, because it seems to be twice as big as the others, a real super plant!</p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7NYivRgdM0o0hPrmS9kDD6KQQimegTYQzK644b5WMrJufzS6YqEDPGaNWEi62xopSHm2z68zUfs5v3cceacxM8ts6JLMlPgn6F8H-Tpy0znzE2x1Sj9RkVCf5MQEvZinJrahjGGD3fuw/s1600-h/IMG_5466.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT7NYivRgdM0o0hPrmS9kDD6KQQimegTYQzK644b5WMrJufzS6YqEDPGaNWEi62xopSHm2z68zUfs5v3cceacxM8ts6JLMlPgn6F8H-Tpy0znzE2x1Sj9RkVCf5MQEvZinJrahjGGD3fuw/s320/IMG_5466.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394879505688754770" border="0" /></a></p><p>Last but not least, my rocket. I've just harvested some of this for my salad this evening, and it was scrumptious!</p><p>Well, that's it so far. I'm planning on sowing some seeds at some point. I should get onto that, but life has been pretty hectic at the moment. Suffice it to say I should be a proud (and broke) home owner in less than 2 months time!<br /></p>kahranihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347492979863542583noreply@blogger.com0