Nivi's Adventures

Thursday, January 18, 2007

home SWEET home

So as my first official post of 2007 - Happy New Year everyone!!! For those who haven't been following the blog very closely, I'm back home and extremely happy about it! It's been wonderful to catch up with friends and I managed to pull off surprising my family at the airport - I was meant to return to NZ in late December but instead, arrived in early Dec, the same day that Vasi returned. It was hilarious, mum thought she was hallucinating when she saw me at the airport and needless to say, Mum and Dad were as pleased as punch to have both the daughters home ;)

Coming back home has been kinda weird - I experienced so much in 2006 but in many respects not much has changed in NZ; my friends still rock ;) there are STILL roadworks on Northcote Road for the busway project and NZ is still one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to!

Anyway, having set a tentative return-to-UK date of mid Feb '07, I've tried to make the most of my time in Aotearoa - sailed around the Hauraki Gulf on NZL41, cricket on Boxing Day, camping at Raglan for New Years, the occasional game of tennis not to mention helping Vasi out with all the wedding planning!

Anyway here are some random snaps...


Gotta love NZ eh? What an awesome sight to wake up to after a long night on a plane - not to mention being away from home for 9 months!


We hosted some family for a couple of days, Rani Aunty and her son, my cousin Siri whom I met in Seattle in late March '06. Peeps in the photo are Dad, Mum & Rani Aunty.

Siri, Me, Mum & Dad in Auckland Viaduct Harbour. The posts sticking out of me & Mum's heads are the masts of NZL40 & 41, 2 America's cup boats. Siri and I did SailNZ and had a bit of a sail around on NZL41 :)

Captain Nivi at the helm!

Auckland City from the water

Rangitoto Island

Auckland City from the motorway - on the way to the cricket on Boxing Day

Eden Park - The cricket was pretty good, but the weather was even better :)

The glorious sky over our tents when we went away camping at Raglan for New Years

View from the top. We checked out Bridal Veil Falls one day. About 12km from a surf beach - not bad for change of scenery eh?

We decided to check it out from the bottom of the falls as well which meant a bit of a bush walk. Nice on the way down, definitely got the heart pumping on the way back up

The slanted rock formation kinda reminded me of Cachoeira do Buracão in Chapada Diamantina, Brasil...

The water was COLD! Blurry photo I know, but I think it sufficiently captures Sam's horror! Bronwyn and I had a swim too - perhaps the coldest water I've ever swum in!

How wonderfully kiwi - a red tractor by pohutakawa in bloom (photo by Pete)

Another stunner by Pete - Sunset in Raglan

A family trip to Ruakaka when Manic (Vas' fiance) was here. It was another wonderful day and even tho Manic managed to get sunburnt, I think he still enjoyed himself :)

The glorious white sand of East Coast beaches eh?

My adventuring is by no means over - watch this space :)