Wednesday, 01 July 2009

• We've made it to The Land of Oz!

  We managed to get through the weekend and got all packed and out the door around lunch time Sunday.
  Tim & Nathan stayed another night and drove out Monday morning.
  
  I dropped the 3 children off at Granny's at 3:30pm and went to deliver the 3 banana boxes of library books back to the library. Then popped around to have a cuppa with Summer and her cute wee boys while I was waiting for Sam to wake up.
  She had worked till 4am so was only just waking up.
  
  I met her at her friends salon and spent a couple of hours there with her.
  She cut my hair and coloured it.
  I had been feeling rather wool-blind so it was great to be able to see again.
  
  Monday morning I had to be in Havelock for a meeting with the accountant.
  Tim & Nate met me there at 8:30am.
  It was a disgustingly wet and wildly windy day.
  We got back to Granny's for lunch and then packed up and headed off towards Christchurch.
  
  We drove through patches of heavy rain, some hail and hiugh winds. But as we got closer to Chch it eased off.
  Tim & Nate diverted off to Loburn and spent the night with Bri.
  The kids and I said a quick hullo to Christine and Les as we drove across the city.
  I needed my Caramel Frappaccino by this time so zipped into Starbucks at Riccarton.
  Then we popped into the supermarket to get food for dinner and by this time it was late and we were all very very happy to get to Alvin & Vonnie's.
  Vonnie was home.
  We unloaded everything into there living room.
  They so obligingly put up with all our gear strewn everywhere - thanks guys
  Corrine and Cleveland arrived around to visit us so we all had a great chat and catch up of the past months.
  
  Tuesday we did a few things around the city.
  I had to change the portable dvd player again - finally figured out that plugging the 12v charger into the 24v cigarette lighter is not a good thing to do!!
  They graciously exchanged it for me - again.
  Third time lucky eh?
  
  Met up with Emma and her crew at South City. She and I had a cuppa while the kids played on the playground and the big girls chatted.
  Then I zipped up to Merivale to collect a Lonely Planet Guide of Australia's Eastern States and finally over to Christine & Les's to met up with Tim & Nate and Bri.
  Christine made scones which were devoured very quickly.
  
  We then had to head off into the sunset which made it quite hard to see, and leave Tim's Safari at Lyn & John's and head over to Halswell to get dinner and repack for the final time.
  
  
  Today - Wednesday July 1st.
  We woke at 4am.
  Hurridly dressed and packed our bags into my Safari and Alvin drove us to the airport.
  We had to be checked in by 5:15am. We were there in good time.
  It was a bit of a mission juggling all of our bags and me writing out 6 departure cards and filling in luggage labels as we wound our way through the queue.
  Amazingly, despite having a huge quantity of luggage we still only had half of our maximum weight.
  
  We got through security okay and then waited and waited and then finally because we had kids we were loaded onto the plane first.
  
  Azzan was very excited.
  As soon as he was seated he got out his puzzle book and started doing the puzzles flat out.
  By the time we took off he had finished them all and was on to something else!
  He was chattering to me about how amazingly exciting it was to be on a plane for the very first time.
  
  The flight was only 3 3/4 hours and the kids lasted the distance pretty well.
  Azzan was getting a bit impatient during the last hour but he was good.
  It was a bit of an act to get through customs and pick up our bags and then meander our way outside and along the road to wait at Macdonalds for Jesika.
  She picked up our rental vehicle - a Kia Carnival - and drove it to the airport for us.
  Saved $500 not picking it up there.
  Jesika brought Maddy with her so Shanni was so excited.
  They were so funny - not having seen each other for a whole year.
  Soon the 3 girls were giggling away togerhte int he back seat and we were heading off across the city to Jesika's flat.
  
  We spent several hours here.
  She had made some buns which we all devoured.
  Being two hours behind NZ we were all beginning to get very hungry and also rather weary.
  
  Shanni had fun dressing up in some of Jesika's clothes.
  
  Jesika said it was all too scary having her wee sister fitting her clothes and shoes!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is the Xena outfit that Jesika wore to a fancy dress party.
  We were rather amused to see Shanni in Jesika's clothes because there has always been a very strong likeness between the two girls and now Shanni is getting older the gap is closing.
  Watch the next few years with interest
  
  We finally all packed back into the car and dropped Maddy off back home. INtroducde those that hadn't met yet and then zipped into a supermarket.
  My fantastic new travel card wouldn't work.
  I was pretty upset cuz I didn't know what I was doing wrong.
  So went to an ANZ bank.
  Waited for over 1/2 hour and then a lovely lady helped me out. Think it is all sorted now.
  We then went to Wantirna Holiday Camp and found our cabin.
  Had a snack and unpacked then we headed back over to Jesika's.
  This time I drove to get a feel of the vehicle and try to get my bearings so we can get home tonight.
  
  We are about to head off to Jesika's Growth Group for a shared dinner so we can meet some of her church friends.
  It is raining here now.
  Melbourne is proving to be Melbourne
  
  I somehow do not think it will take much to rock us all to sleep tonight!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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