2010 so far...

We're very disappointed to see a distinct lack of space ships and robots... instead it's looking very much like 2009 but without having to go to work
every morning, so we're pretty happy!

We did follow through our NYE plan and ended up drinking a lot of cheap red wine and then spoiling ourselves in the local pub, which sold cake. Everyone's a winner.

Stuff we have done so far:
- 2010 began with our first hangover in some time. It was like welcoming a much loved but slightly irritating uncle

- We've driven a lot and seen some awesome / resplendent scenery. Have we mentioned what a beautiful country this is?

- We've also done much high quality relaxing in various bucolic campsites, often with little birds twittering around us (it's like a Disney movie - we're followed by wildlife wherever we go...)

- We had a few nights of 3 in the van as it felt too cruel to out our friend Suzanne in her tent in the 120kmph winds, torrential rain and general flooding.

- Fortunately she is the queen of snacks so we felt well rewarded for our generosity!

- We saw Mount Cook. Breath taking. We drove to it in blazing sunshine on a clear summer day. It still has snow on it! There are glaciers there! Stunning.

- We left Mount Cook in a bit of a hurry. Having survived a night of torrential rain and storms, we had a knock on our window at 9am...it was the local DOC guy saying "You can leave now or stay for a long time. The creek is rising..." As Suzanne said, I wondered why I saw what loooked like a naked man driving his camper van out in a hurry."

- We revisited a favourite spot from last time, Lake Wanaka, and enjoyed the 7km walk to town. The three of us then depressed ourselves looking at technical clothing we couldn't afford. We cheered ourselves up with ice-cream and cake.


Simpsons Reunited
The time had come - ma and pa Simpson would be in the same location as us! Having checked into our idea of holiday hell (a campsite where you are rammed in with a piece of concrete each, charged a lot of money, and then you have to pay $1 for the shower!!!), we eagerly awaited the arrival of Simpsons Senior.

They did not disappoint. They came ladened with toiletries, clothes, CDs and books. Martin was particulary impressed by the fact that David has not been allowed to use his hotel room toiletries as Marguerite has been saving them for us (parental sacrifice score: 8). While Kara enjoyed being reunited with her parents, Martin enjoyed walking on carpet for the frist time in a month .

We got a slice of their tour life, as we got to go on their fun bus and then do a boat trip on the lake Queenstown is on to an all you can eat buffet meal. Martin went up for mains 3 times and desert 3 times. We also got to watch a sheep being sheared. The look in the farmer's eye when some well meaning person asked "Does the sheep enjoy being sheared?" was priceless. We also got to watch a sheep dog round up some sheep. This $2000 (£1000) collie was a bit new and young and didn't quite get it right... Welsh relatives with border collies may wish to consider setting up an export industry....This reminds us. If anyone is wondering what the South Island Kiwi character is like, they put up statues to their border collies...Big thanks to parents (in law) for taking us on that meal and trip. Great fun and really nice to have a meal together.

Their tour sounds like great fun but slightly gruelling... people were looking with longing in their eyes when we said we sometimes had 12 hours sleep a night...

While Marguerite and David had a spa morning complete with relaxing massage, Martin went on a run followed by a cold shower ( a dollar less on hot water is an extra dollar more for beer) while Kara did the laundry and began on the books her dad brought out.

We're now happily hanging out in their hotel room (mmm... carpet...mmm...not having to put shoes on to go to the bathroom...mmm...about to use free wifi connection...mmm... mirrors, turns out we do have tans...mmm.... Christmas presents....) drinking tea.