Easter – off up to Wellington and Palmy for the long weekend. We got to fly up – Maaike definitely enjoyed the new waiting area (after scaring all the kids away)

It was a chance to catch up with Glynn & Jayne and see their newest addition (Emerson, Isla has a baby brother now). Sometimes New Zealand is a long way from Ireland – which is why it’s so especially lovely to be able to hang out with Glynn who I’ve known since 1st year in university (more than 10 years now ;) ehem). They always make us feel completely at home – yes.. good times. I cooked butter chicken (as I was 3/4 of the way through an Indian cooking course). People went back for seconds.. I consider that a victory.

Next it was up to Palmerston North, where I took too few pictures of family but had a lovely time. My cousin Thomas was over with his wife Paula from London. It was great to catch up with him and hear how plans to stop nasty weapons was progressing (well by all accounts). It was odd, no scrabble was played… I’m still working out how I feel about that! There was also some swimming..

All in all a lovely Easter.

This weekend off up to Marahau for Neil & Frans wedding. It was handy with work to be able to leave a little early (hurrah for flexi-time) as it’s quite a long drive up North.

Marahau is a lovely spot, just at the end (or the start) of the Abel Tasman walk. Quite a lot of the guests stayed in the campground (we did) and had a quick run / walk along the Abel Tasman on the Saturday morning before the weeding. Lots of silver ferns – you can see where they get their name..

Then in the afternoon they had a lovely ceremony on the beach. They’d made a circle and pathway out of stones. It was simple, but it was very lovely. Neil & Fran have been together for 10 years or so, travelled all over the place, had their house nuked in the earthquake and definitely come through it all stronger and still very much happy & smiling. It was fantastic to be able to share in the day with them.

After the ceremony it was a short walk back across the dunes to the café where we had one of the best dinners I’ve ever had.

Their menu was simple – there was none. The café staff said “we don’t do set menu’s… in the morning we’ll go to the market in Nelson and get what looks nice, sound like a plan?”. It certainly sounded like, and was, an excellent plan. The seafood dish they had was simply out of this world!

Then dancing until the wee hours – quite the active crowd this, I suspect the dance floor will need re-piling a few years sooner now ;)

All in all a lovely wedding – Congratulations Neil & Fran :)

So, decided not to enter this year (don’t worry mum, I’m quite sure I’ll never enter!).. but they had the urban downhill champs for the second year running in Lyttelton. Actually, I’m unsure if it’s a national event, but anyway, great fun to watch. They do mental things like go down stairs… off roofs etc…

Finally a video of the guy who came 16th (still an epic effort)

Yes, it was a sad day for New Zealand… the entirely wonderful Paddy & Beck said ciao for now and headed (via Hong Kong) back to Ireland.

It was an excellent leaving party, an pub crawl of some of the pop-up pubs. These are places which have sprung up since the earthquakes.

I am really going to miss them – they’re an awesome couple. Paddy was always organising biking trips, up for a game of tennis, a drink. Beck was just incredibly generous with her time with Snowpool last year, I really cannot thank her enough. There wouldn’t have been any stickers, or a banner, or remotely as much publicity without her help.

So yes, I’ll definitely miss having them about. I suspect they’ll be back eventually, and I’m certainly looking forward to hearing how Ireland goes for them, it’s a richer place for it. Mind you, crossing Beck’s kiwi accent with the soft cork accent…

They’ll be back… eventually!

Excellent weekend in the hills for Neil’s stag. No specifics will, of course, be mentioned, but it was an excellent weekend. Saturday was a loop up Avalanche Peak and down the scree slope off Mt. Bealey. Quite a scramble. I am *absolutely* not as fit as Neil & co – was completely knackered by the end!

On the Sunday we did some biking from Cragieburn ski field, and I honestly don’t think I’ve been as terrified on a bike in a _long_ while. Well, terrified might be a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. All in all an excellent weekend – very much looking forward to the wedding in a month.