Cambridge

Most of the country hasn't changed much since we left 6 years ago. In some places it's like we never left. Cambridge is different. Loads of new buildings, new roads, shopping centres, even a guided bus (which apparently has started running now)!

But in amongst all the shiny new buildings was the Cambridge we remember, which we took the boys to see. They seemed to like the double decker bus more than anything else but hopefully enjoyed the touristy bits.

Ice creams by the millpond

Lunch in the market square

Cameron picking up his prospectus!

Tracking cows by the river

The start of the trek north

After braving the M25 we arrived in Balsham for a few days with Ele, Leona, Naomi, Dan and Charlie.
Naomi introduces the boys to the guinea pigs

Rain threatened....

But not enough to dampen spirits!

Charlie and Dan dominate on the football field

A walk around Wandlebury

Cameron takes the easy way round

While Ele gets the lighter load

Birthday!!!

The next day was Aunty Charlotte's ??th birthday and Aunty Flea flew in for it. A rare chance to get all 3 sisters together. But more importantly for the boys this meant cake!!

Ewan and Cameron driving their Aunty to drink!

The following day was the Oxted pram race. Having not been initiated into the intricacies of pram racing I thought it would be good to take the boys down to the park to watch. I didn't think anything of seeing a family heading in the same direction with some water pistols. I did start to question the wisdom of my decision at the next road junction where there were half a dozen families fully tooled up with an array of liquid laden weaponry but curiosity urged me on.

We took our places on the sidelines just before the start of the race. It really was quite impressive with dozens of teams bedecked in bizarre costumes. You'll be glad to see I chose not to photograph the team in the Borat mankinis. The basic premise seems to be to get the teams as wet as possible: and it seems the spectators are fair game too as far as the competitors are concerned. So we all got a soaking. Great fun.

Thunderbirds are Go!

Dennis the Menace

Where's Wally!

International competition from Jamaica...

....and Scotland

The fire extinguishers were just cheating!

A Royal presence......

and an Imperial one!

London

The next day we caught the train into London. Here in the South island of New Zealand there are no passenger trains except for two tourist trains so this was a bit of an adventure for the boys; lots of tunnels to go through and plenty to see once we were travelling through London.


We met Vicky at Victoria, along with Lisa, Ken and Sheila. Then we went to see the sites:

Lisa and Sheila try to stop Ewan jumping the fence
Cameron outside the palace


Finlay not too impressed with the big house


Someone we found lurking outside the palace

As close as we got to the London Eye! Next time, maybe.

Still smiling from Robbie!

Lunch

Cameron outside the Natural History Museum

Three cheeky monkeys

OK, time for some photos from the UK.

After our 4-flight, 30 hour journey we took it easy for the first day or two. A swim at the local pool and a trip to Morrisons to stock up on Jaffa Cakes was about the extent of our exertions.

Then on the Tuesday Vicky left for London to stand around in the rain waiting to see some has-been pop group the rest of us had happily forgotten. So the rest of us spent the time down on the farm:


Strange looking elephants

Ewan and Finlay go for a drive....

.....while Cameron milks a goat!

OK, we've been back from the UK for a week now and before we left we told everyone we'd update our blog as soon as we got back. So it's really time we got started.....

Instead here's some photos from our walk this morning (don't worry, we'll make the holiday photos worth it. Patience !).

This morning was a bit cloudy and cold but we managed to force three unwilling children into the car and took off up the Port Hills to the Sign of the Bellbird. We parked overlooking the harbour and crossed the road, walking the few yards down to the shelter. After playing in the ruins we took one of the paths down into the bush for an hour's walk. There were dozens of birds singing in the trees around us, and we even got to see a bellbird playing in the trees around us but he refused to stay still long enough to get a photo.

We climbed back up to the car, all the while Vicky snapping away with her new camera. And here's the result:

Sign of the Bellbird

Finlay climbing the ruins

Lyttleton Harbour