the wedding

the setting

the giving away

the ceremony

the two

the other two

the blue lady

Bay of Islands

We are here staying with Sarah, Chris & lovely little Ethan + Jenny (Harlands mum). Chris is Harlands cousin (but he's working away in Auckland 4 days a week) and his wife Sarah is great fun and we get on like a house on fire. Jenny's renting a room here at the moment (since she broke both her legs)

The interview at the consulate went well and Harland should have his Swedish residency by mid feb. We spent about 15 minutes each (separate) with the woman at the consulate, she asked a few questions (like:are you currently living with or married to someone else?), looked at our photos+ documents and then sent us on our way. Nothing too dramatic. It was scorching in Auckland though, and it's nice to be in the B.O.I where you're never too far away from a beach. Going surfing tomorrow, (no surprises there) it's just about one of the best pass times in the world.

Will put wedding photos on here soon, just can't be bothered at the moment. so there!

my sis kicks ass!

GTATTIS TILL NYA JOBBET

STORASYSTER SARAH!

I'm ever so proud of my sister as she's managed to score that job she really really wanted but wasn't sure if she could get. It just goes to show what you can do if you really put your mind to it.

in other news we've just booked our ferry to the south island. 9 December - 25 January. A good 6 weeks of exploring, hiking and being amazed.

Next stop is Auckland (tomorrow) and then on to beautiful Bay of Islands. I'll be getting on my surfboard again up north (can't wait!) which should be successful after my lesson the other day :) apparently I'm a natural at catching waves :)

Thursday today and a week ago since we travelled down from remote Fantail bay and headed further down the Coromandel peninsula to long bay for Rochelle and Pauls wedding. It was a weekend long affair and friends and family gathered in a typically "kiwi relax at the beach" weekend. The wedding itself was amazing to, at the beach, short and sweet in the sun with 101 guests. Both Rochelle and Paul were beaming with joy all day and until the early hours of the morning.

This little lady (you should have seen me I was a real pretty little lady in blue dress, picture coming soon) had a fab time, got on well with a lot of Rochelles friends, soaked up the atmosphere and bounced around the pub and dance floors until kick out time finishing the evening at the beach with a glass of wine with harland and his brother Brian, who'd flown in from Oz just for the w.e.

Bit rushed, at library, time about to run out.

fun fun fun

went to the thermal baths outside matamata the other day and just wanted to show you some fun snaps from our new camera. it was a bit rainy but the sun came out occasionally and made it hot hot hot. especially in the 39 degree pool...

we're in whangamata at the moment. went snorkeling for mussels and caught our first fish (a kawai, I thinks that's how it's spelled...) so going back to the lil batch we've borrowed of H's very kind uncle.

mamma: jag fick smset. tack:)

My baby

First of all; we're mobile. cousine Colin lent us a blue betty (toyota corolla) to escort us around the counrty. What a hero. We took her over the Kaimai range to beautiful Mt Manganui a real surf dude place and hit the surf shops. Dreaming, at first, until Harly told me he had a surprise from him, dad and Sarah. A surfboard for christmas! For me! And in the interest of not wasting time we started looking straight away. I found my first love in a shop close to the beech, but it wouldn't have lasted. He was cheap and easy but it soon became obvious that I would have been bored with him after not too long. The second one I met actually turned out to be the One. It wasn't love at first sight but he's got soul (unlike the chinese made ones that were cool, but did nothing for me). He will teach me the surf nice and quick and keep me smiling for a long time.

Isn't he gorgeous:

Finally New Zealand

Not much to report really, but we're here now, just taking it all in, relaxing and catching up with family. Had a fab night last night with Rochelle and Paul. Drinking beer, eating freshly caught fish and then off to the pub to watch rugby. It's all very familiar in a lovely way and I really enjoyed it in spite of still being a bit jetlaged. It feels strangely normal being here and I have to pinch myself, we're actually in NZ, something we've looked forward to for so long.

Harlydarly is showing his nephew Flynn photos of Lo.

"She would make you laugh so much, she's nuts, ey."

:)