First day in Malta and Spring is in the air!

Awake at 4am after a very early night, four hours work under my belt and off to sort out banking issues before meeting Russell’s friends from Nelson, who just happen to be in Malta today!

Sue in Birgu, framed by the spring greenery, while waiting for our visitors to arrive on the ferry.

Heading north, Medina the destination, we decided to take a side tour to the presidents gardens in Attard! The winter here has been kind to the green fingered gardeners.

It’s blooming in full colour, we have never seen these gardens looking so lush.

Turtles basking in the sunshine, the mornings cool breeze dissipating and providing us with a perfect summers day.

White swan posing on the lake. This place used to be the Maltese zoo and the best wildlife stay on, why wouldn’t they?

More colour, spring flowers putting my planter boxes to shame!

Russ and the monument of King George who reigned during the Maltese English reign of our beautiful island. One day there will be another King George, but maybe not in our lifetime.

Moving right along to the Medina (city on the hill in the middle of Malta) I spied this beautiful old classic Bedford van! This ones for my dear friend Don, a lover of classics!

Across the Island to Gnejna Bay for lunch at the food truck….baguettes for 3euros! And a free public toilet!

Cross country driving to the Dingli Cliffs!

Not for the faint hearted or those with vertigo, Russ and his friends on the edge!

A panorama of the deep blue sea and farmland at the base of the cliffs. A bluebird sky and views of an untouched world, a far cry from the populated east coast of Valletta and north and south of the capital.

The tour continued with a drive around the south of Malta, through the refugee camps, the container transfer port and Marsaxlokk, the colourful fishing village of the south.. and I might add, always expect the unexpected….

A gin palace roadblock, in the process of launching for the summer, note the ignorance of OSH – man hanging off the top side, while holding up traffic both ways….

A quick stop for liquid supplies at Lidl, dropped John and Chris back to the ferry and now home on the rooftop deck enjoying a cool “Cisk” our favourite local beer.

Life is good!

A six and half our flight from Doha to Rome, another wheelchair, train, bus,waiting room and another bus to final fight to Malta…business class Air Italia! Don’t bother, a grubby old curtain separating the front six rows from the rest of the plane, no Screen, and a very tepid processed perfectly cylindrical lump of egg omelette and a Luke warm coffee…good thing I felt like I didn’t need to eat for two days!

On a brighter note Malta greeted us with warmth and sunshine and after making a phone call to NZ, good old ANZ bank to allow payment to process, we left left with our rental car and headed towards Birgu – our home for the next five weeks.

We will get fit, four flights of steps to our rooftop deck! Luckily Kevin and Rols had met us and could assist with bags as parking already at a premium and it’s only May!

House fabulous and view from the deck just breathtaking…. I won’t share this with you all as I want my son and his fiancé to gasp as we did the first time they see it when they arrive on Saturday! EU Election Day, we only realised this as the streets are littered with no parking after 4pm signs! A political rally we are told! Needless to say it’s a park and walk in Birgu today!

Russ and I unpacked and headed to the supermarket for a few essentials, beer and salad!

First stop the fruit and vege truck parked on the roundabout! The strawberries to die for…. these guys have had lots of sunshine!

A couple of hours work – workspace all set up! – clearing emails from the last 24 hours and The Cherry bag embarking on its international adventures!

A quiet beer on the deck – a walk to the Bormla township, dinner and shower and ready to hit the sack.

Tomorrow is the first day of our 2019 Malta summer – it’s only 8pm and we are showered, fed and ready to sleep

The sun is tying to keep us awake ….. not working….Russ asleep already at 8pm

So everyone, at least once in their life, should fly business class…. a private pod each, a la Carte dinner service, pyjamas provided and lie flat beds!

Sue in pod stretching out! Took a while to work out all the push button controls, but the touch screen tv made it easy to find a plethora of movies.

Dinner time, white table cloths set up ready for the Eye Fillet main course! Took a little convincing that a ‘Lady’ would prefer a beer rather than wine for dinner!

Dessert to follow, another movie and then rolled myself Down for the night! Seven hours sleep and then the meal process for breakfast started all over again!

Now relaxing in the business lounge before the embarking on the final legs Malta via Rome…

It’s 30 degrees Celsius outside ….. not sure it’s appropriate to paddle, albeit tempting….

Sitting in the qantas lounge at Auckland airport, I can’t believe we actually made it!

Last night with the son we are leaving behind, Dan in his new swandri! A must have for every kiwi builder!

This mornings alarm was a call from George on the other side of the world at 5am! Followed by a couple of hours of work, cottage cleaning, last minute packing and finally a shower!

A quick drive by the building site…..if you have to work, not a bad place to be. Winter woolies and the new swandri!!

A quick hello and goodbye to pop as he zoomed off to have an X-ray! Loaded Sandy’s car, a few more work emails and at the terminal laden with bags by 11am!

Qatar was not quite ready to take us – so Russ found a spot to sit and guard the bags!

Then check in…business class! Mmmm…… we scored a young lady, who was very nice, but on trainer wheels! She took so long….and allocated our seat/beds on different sides of the plane, not only for the 17 hour flight but all the way! And….this is what you pay business class for! Ok getting a little cross, I played the husband broken back card, which incidentally almost backfired! More standing around, not good for broken backs, and seats shuffled around, so we can at least chat to each other…if we wish.

Then arriving at the lounge, yes as part of business class we get a feed, there was a message to call “Matt”(from Qatar) who now needed to determine how serious the “broken back” was to fly such a long flight! I assured him that is the reason we have business class so long as he can lie flat he is fine! Dodged a bullet…thought we might be ringing Sandy to come and take us home again!

But here we are, new nails! And snacking in the lounge. Are you all tired….I am! Oh yes and “happy birthday number two son” maybe check in online would have been a smart choice!

Talk to you all of the other side in a day or so.

Another year of mothers day celebrations around the world…..a time to reflect on the unconditional love your mum has given you and a time to appreciate the joy (?) your offspring have given back!

A kiwi mothers day, a visit to my mum in her residence, and appreciate that I am one of the lucky ones, my age, who still has my mum to share this time with.  Circumstances change, but your mum is still your mum…

The love can still be shared from afar, my brother in Malta had sent mum this beautiful bunch of colour….to brighten up a very wet stormy mothers day. I gave her slippers, ever the practical daughter….

As a mum in the middle, I then had the rest of the day to spend with my offspring and be pampered….well, Russ bought me McDonalds, a treat none the less…

The world is a big place and the youngest son in England chatted via Facebook, the middle son and his entourage filled up our cottage for the weekend and gave me a personalised, and very much appreciated present….

I guess this says it all….mums an alcoholic and a reasonably good sort! So not true, but I do enjoy a nice cold Speights at the end of the day.

The oldest son, gave me what all mums wish for….peace…..to watch movies and eat chips and chocolate with the entire couch to myself for the afternoon.

And Hubby cooked his own tea! Having devoured takeaways, chips and chocolate, a nice bland cup of tea and an early night was in order, the weather being most unkind to us mothers in kiwiland, and sending galeforce winds and torrential rain for the afternoon.

On a brighter note…10 days before the next big adventure and Russ and I head for sunny skies…..

In 19 days, the Kiwi travellers leave for another adventure to the Northern Hemisphere, the last couple of weeks have been littered with excitement, jobs and caring for canines and humans….

The second offspring proposed to his lovely wife to be, on the top of a mountain over the Easter Break and visited us on ANZAC day to dry out tents (and show us the ring – wedding bells are in the air)…..Jaxon taking some R&R with Chloe, the mischievious Corgi, at our cousins house in the hills. No this is not his new wife to be, she is far more gorgeous!

The week ended with a work from home day, visit to Mary with Dans’ Dog, Floyd, stopping at the vet on the way to get a foot bandaged.

After an exhausting (and traumatising) visit to the Vet, Floyd could only chill out on the carpet in Marys room and was very well behaved until Mary started rattling the shortbread jar, and the dog food alert burst into action.

The weekend included the annual spring clean of the boat, scrubbing and hosing and clearing out a summers worth of “junk” accumulation. Russ sorted the junk, and Sue scrubbed and cleaned….Ready for the winter lockdown. A good job done, albeit a full days work!

Then it was off to suburbia to babysit these gorgeous boys for a week….

Their Dads taking a short break, and Auntie Sue is in charge.  These guys are very easy to babysit: eat, sleep, walk (slowly), cuddles and treats.  Before their parents return, I think a run over with the vacuum cleaner may be in order. Here they are waiting patiently for their evening treat, then off to bed for the night.

From Beach to Suburbia in Millwater, Orewa…we still feel like we are in another world, as our temporary home backs onto the top end of the estuary and we are surrounded by bush and birds….

The Autumn sunshine and moisture is doing wonders for the gardens, looking very green, while we are enjoying clear bluesky days…This time of the year in New Zealand is rather pleasant, if somewhat chilly in the evenings and mornings.  The days are shortening, driving to work in the dark, and sunset by 6.30pm…definitely time for a move before the winter sets in.

 

 

Another two weeks have flown by and the autumn chill is cooling off the sea and sand

Morning walk with Dan and Floyd, Floyd behaving like a gentleman!

Easter weekend is upon us and heralds a number of milestones – the first of my offspring proposing to his lovely lady!

These guys xxxx

The autumn sunsets at our cousins rural escape – a lovely night spent catching up with our ex flattie and her fur babies…

This gorgeous girl chilling in her new home after twelve months living with Russ and I.

And her new sister lying at Russell’s feet! this baby is only 5 months old!

The kiwi travellers are planning the next few months and excited to share our new adventures, in the meantime enjoying the twilight of the summer sunshine, bbqs with friends and family and local wildlife…

A wood pigeon came to visit, resting in our trees by the Waiwera cottage….and the resident pair of Tuis (native NZ birds) are back here to live, and wake us at 6am every day!

On the beach – the architects are at play, creating a little village made from all the local flora!

Daylight saving has finished and the evenings are short, jeans and jerseys, and early nights!

Our beautiful beach, and estuary with Sugarloaf island in the background – a little piece of paradise in every part of our wonderful world!

Autumn in Northern New Zealand is producing some amazing sunrise colours, cooler nights and alot more moisture…. 10 inches rain in one day!

Six weeks until the Kiwi Travellers are off on their next adventure with offspring in tow.  Exciting times ahead.

Adult stuff is bogging us down, not ideal for middle age retirees!  Russell has never been so busy, managing contractors and doing repairs in readiness to walk away!

Living the Kiwi summer, and having packed away all the winter clothes, its the one pair of jeans, Malta purchased boots, Lake Jackson top and Denim Jacket to keep me warm on these chilly evenings.  I am told that one does not wear denim and denim, but choices are limited and with a wardrobe of shorts and summer tops, keeping out the chills is a challenge.

Russ and I are looking like the “Clampits” these days, and if you know what this means you too are middle aged!

Russ is furiously exercising to have premium fitness and walking power for our next adventure, and Sue is fighting off a nasty flu, driving in bumper to bumper traffic, working and getting all in order, to once again take the path less travelled.  Our story has been somewhat lacking lately as we have been caught up in “Life” and “Jobs” but moments of R & R creep in….with a couple of long weekends ahead, the easter break and ANZAC holiday in April.

Staying in touch with our friends and family on the other sides (England, Norway, Malta, USA, Australia etc…) of the world is best with a “Blog” feel free to add your comments and looking forwards to fun and games in the near future.