We are here!! Our first two days!!!

Walking along the beach from the back of Bella's mom's yard.  Tide was in!

We arrived around 10 AM after three good flights.  Charlotte is fighting a bad cold - laryngitis, cough, and runny nose.  She can’t tell us how miserable she is but she seems to be getting better slowly.  New Zealand is warm (26C) and beautiful.  We have had two sunny days and there are more to come.  The home base for the first day was Bella’s Mom’s place.  Michael (Anne’s nephew) and Anna, his girlfriend arrived in their rented camper van as they have driven down from Aukland.  Soon after Andrew’s best friend, Ian, from Canada and his wife and his sister also arrived.  And later, Nate, another of Andrew’s friends and girlfriend from Canada arrived!!   Angela (Bellas’s mother) has been graciously hosting “team Canada” in various numbers at various times.  On Saturday around 9 AM our time we Skyped with Anne’s mom and brother (John) and his wife (Joanne) who are in Neubergthal near Altona.  It was good to see her and have a chat as we started our Kiwi wedding adventure. Andrew carried the laptop around to show her Bella’s mom’s house and yard.  NO SNOW just blooming flowers and lots of green plants.  Later we attended the market and then Anne and I went and bought some father-of-the-groom clothes.  I had been instructed to dress “smart casual” so I have some nice dark grey slacks and a blue short sleeved shirt.  No tie for me!!!!   I still have to get some shoes.  We got into our holiday house in the later afternoon.  There is good shopping and restaurants within walking distance.  It is only a 20 minute walk to the place where the wedding will be held.  The wedding is only 1 week away.  It will be nice to have our own place for the next two weeks.  This evening (our Saturday) the ladies are having a “hen party” starting at Bella’s mother’s house.  The guys (not me, just the young ones) are also out and having a good time, too.  Andrew has his “bucks” party Wednesday and Thursday later next week.  New Zealand is as beautiful as ever and we can’t wait to see some of the country around Nelson.  We (team Canada and the wedding couple) are going to the Nelson  Lakes area for the next couple of days.  We will update the blog after that.

Mike & Anna

Jacaranda tree in bloom